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The Book MannAll Computer Books Are "Educational," Aren't They?By: Richard O. Mann |
Heading
for the bookstores recently to find books for this issue’s
theme of "Education and Training," I was a bit
mystified as to what I might find. After all, most computer books
are educational—in that we educate and train ourselves with
them. There’s no shortage of excellent books for any style
of learning, so that idea didn’t narrow the field much. But
as I worked Barnes & Noble and Media Play, two relevant
themes emerged: books to help parents use their computers to
surreptitiously educate their children (which mixes with the
related books for children) and books for teachers. Do you want
to guide your childrens’ computer use into positive areas?
Do you want a fun book your children will enjoy as they learn
about computing? Do you need guidance in using the computer in
the classroom? Read on.
(Quick note: Computer book publishers—like all
publishers—follow trends slavishly. The Internet and World
Wide Web are so hot that something like 80% of all new computer
books are Net-related. This will become apparent as you see the
books we’ll discuss.)
For the Concerned Parent
As if parents didn’t have enough to worry about these days
(drugs, gangs, AIDS, etc.), now we have to fret over what our
children do on the computer. With the multifarious dangers out
there (violent, bloody games; pornography on the Internet;
running up hundreds of dollars in on-line bills with marathon
chat room sessions; etc.), it pays to keep an eye on the
children, and, if possible, guide them in positive directions.
Thus, parents need a passing familiarity with computers, the
Internet, and the panoply of software titles for the younger set.
Every Family’s Guide to Computers by Winston
Steward (Ziff Davis Press, $19.95) warms your heart with a Norman
Rockwell-style cover painting of an old-fashioned family
unpacking a new computer. It provides a flashy, icon and
cartoon-filled introduction to home computing, augmented by 100
pages of dated software reviews. The reviews include too much
obscure software that’s no longer available (other books
reviewed here do a much better job of covering popular,
long-lived software). You’ll get an understandable basic
course in computers, but that’s all.
Eric Brown’s That’s Edutainment—A
Parent’s Guide to Educational Software
(Osborne/McGraw-Hill, $29.95) delivers a plethora of useful
information. In clear, effective writing, Brown discusses types
of programs, teaches basic educational principles, and profiles
companies that consistently publish high-quality programs. But
disregard the advice on hardware requirements; it was overly
conservative even a year ago.
You can rely, however, on the software advice. Brown reviews 100
edutainment titles picked from the most popular, effective, and
enduring software available. You’ll see time-tested programs
that are still on the best seller lists, such as Oregon Trail
Deluxe, Arthur’s Teacher Trouble, Math
Blaster, and Sim City Enhanced. It includes a
CD-ROM with demos of sixteen of the titles reviewed. Recommended.
The Computer Museum Guide to the Best Software for Children
by Cathy Miranker and Allison Elliott (HarperPerennial, $16) is
another 1995 book that remains useful. (What’s the Computer
Museum got to do with it? The book answers the questions hundreds
of parents ask as they leave the Boston Computer Museum.)
After a little general advice, the authors launch into a series
of Top Ten lists: Best Software for Kids Aged 2-3 and similarly
for up to twelve-year-olds, New and Notable, etc. The reviews
follow, sorted into categories, which include creative pursuits,
reading, exploration, fun and games, and the like. As with Eric
Brown’s book, the software reviewed is still available. They
pull no punches. Even great programs have faults; these authors
are not reluctant to expose them.
For a refreshingly mature, common-sense approach to helping
children with their schooling, check out Kids, Computers, and
Homework by James G. Lengel and Diane S. Kendall (Random
House, $22.99). The book clearly explains how to enhance your
child’s education using your home computer. It’s
chock-full of valuable insights and specific descriptions of
children using computers to research and prepare homework
projects. Not only will your children do better in school while
having fun computing, but you’ll find yourself enjoying
being involved in their education. Too many of us wish we could
help with homework in a constructive way but don’t know how.
This book opens your eyes to practical, useful, real-world ways
to involve parents in making homework fun. Recommended.
Calling All Kids!
For children, I haven’t found any books that only introduces
them to computers. By the time children go to school, they know
about computers, just as they know about televisions and VCRs.
Instead, I have found wonderful books introducing children to the
Internet. Parents, you’ll also learn a ton from these books,
so keep reading.
The Internet for Kids by Deneen Frazier with Dr. Barbara
Kurshan and Dr. Sara Armstrong (Sybex, $22.99) speaks to
children, but parents will also find it delightful. After the
obligatory brief (but unusually clear) explanation of Internet
functions, it covers broad topic areas, explaining sites
available for specific kinds of information, including useful
summary and overview sites. The authors bring out individual
sites as they describe a fascinating series of projects and
adventures. The children take an international poll on a topic of
their choice, follow the world’s active exploration
projects, find key pals (like pen pals, only by keyboard) on the
Net, track down trivia, and create computer art and music. This
is heady stuff; it’ll enthrall the children as they enjoy
talking with new friends all over the world. This book is an
imaginative gem.
Kids On-Line: 150 Ways for Kids to Surf the Net for Fun and
Information by Marian Salzman and Robert Pondiscio (Avon
Camelot, $5.99). This small paperback-sized book is the least
expensive of the lot. Although it’s not the best, it’s
certainly worth its price. Written for early to mid-teens, it
covers the standard subjects and teaches all the basic Internet
skills. It introduces a batch of Internet sites, includes a
dictionary of Net terms, and closes with material about computers
in schools.
For younger children (pre-teens), try Internet for Kids: A
Beginner’s Guide to Surfing the Net by Ted Petersen and
Francis Moss (Price Stern Sloan, $8.95). With cute cartoons,
graphic elements galore, and kid-level writing, readers work
through an academy from Cadet to Explorer to Commander. It’s
downright fun. Well-chosen Internet sites, useful information,
and a brief parent’s guide contribute to making this book a
winner.
A Pocket Tour of Kidstuff on the Internet by Sara
Armstrong (Sybex, $12.99), one a series of Sybex Pocket Tours of
Internet sites, covers sites for children. Each site gets a
paragraph or two with an accompanying screen shot. Site lists
include travel, geography, museums, space, animals and plants,
art, sports, music, books, etc. The way I see it, these are
primarily regular grown-up sites containing information that may
interest children. For example, I wonder how many children will
want to visit "the NASDA site on Japanese space
exploration." The book has few kid-specific sites, unlike
the other books reviewed here. Before buying, leaf through the
book to see if the sites explained look as though they’ll
interest your children.
An Apple For the Teacher (Nah, get her an IBM clone)
Macs for Teachers by Michelle Robinette (IDG Books,
$19.99)
The Internet for Teachers by Bard Williams (IDG Books,
$19.99)
The World Wide Web for Teachers by Bard Williams (IDG
Books, $24.99)
These three books are close cousins to IDG’s best-selling
Dummies series. They share the same icons and same general
structure, but are not as light-hearted in tone and have a dark
gray cover. I guess teachers wouldn’t take kindly to
carrying around a bright yellow book for "dummies."
Coverage here is targeted for teachers and looks to be fair,
clearly written, and helpful. The Mac book includes material on
creating a one-Mac classroom and tips on establishing a school
technology program on a limited budget (Is there any other
kind?). Recommended for teachers.
Education on the Internet: A Hands-On Book of Ideas,
Resources, Projects, and Advice by Jill H. Ellsworth (SAMS
Publishing, $25) is a thick one, written by the same Dr.
Ellsworth who wrote two Internet business books reviewed in the
last issue of ComputerCredible Magazine. In major sections it covers
K-12 schools, colleges and graduate schools, and life-long
learning, along with a 60-page appendix called "Internet
101." It’s for adults, whether they be teachers or
students selecting a college or grad school. It lists Net
resources by curriculum area and discusses classroom use of the
Internet. Its coverage is broad and well chosen. You can count on
Dr. Ellsworth’s prose to be understandable and clear—no
educational jargon here.
For a yellow-pages approach, try Educator’s Internet
Yellow Pages by Ron Place, Klaus Dimmler, and Thomas Powell
(Prentice Hall PTR, $24.95). Broken down by curriculum area, it
offers a good half-zillion educational sites, each briefly
described.
Book of the Month
We’re out of space and time; but Kids, Computers, and
Homework by James G. Lengel and Diane S. Kendall, reviewed
above, is the best book I’ve seen since last issue. It is
hereby awarded the richly deserved Book Mann’s Book of the
Month trophy.
Richard O. Mann, CPA, a contributing editor, writes regularly for many national magazines from his home in Roy, Utah. An accountant and auditor by day, Rich magically transforms into the Book Mann by night. Read any good computer books lately? Rich would love to hear about them for possible future Books of the Month. Contact him at RichMann@unforgettable.com.
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