The Computer Revolution/Effect on society/Education

Computers in Education
 The use of computers in the academic setting has been growing with the increases in computing power and the lowering of the cost. Now schools have computer labs that give students access to resources they may not have at home. Some classes even have a computer at every desk for the use of the students. Some examples of computer uses are: teaching software development, hardware design, novel users of microcontrollers. The applications used are also indispensable to computers in education today and into the future.

Applications
Applications for computers are a necessity for everyone and even more important for those in academia. Computer application software is an interface between the user of the computer and the operating system of the computer. This software allows an infinite number of uses for a computer. Typical computer applications would include: word processors, spreadsheets, databases, media players, presentation software, and e-mail.

Word processors, next to e-mail, are likely the most used computer application by students. Word processors allow for assignments to be legible, formatted, spell-checked, and printed. It allows students to concentrate more on the content of their projects and focus less on the grammar and spelling.

Spreadsheets are a necessity for all business students. Spreadsheets are used to tabulate numbers and create graphs and charts. With the built-in calculation functionality it saves students the possible errors in manual calculations and a number changed on the sheet will change all the connected numbers in real time.

Many classes now also require Microsoft Powerpoint for in class presentations. Presentation applications like PowerPoint provide a relatively simple, professional format of project presentation. By creating individual slides, a student has full control over the visual and audio aspects of their presentation. Again this allows for more concentration on the content and less focus on the presentation display. It also allows for quick, easy, and possibly frequent changes to content.

Many educational institutions such as colleges and universities now use web portals for personalized access to course materials, grades, fees as well as other information.

The most ubiquitous application not only for students and academics, but for the world at large is E-mail or Electronic Mail. Though many primary and secondary schools frown on free mail services. Many of them have set their firewalls set to prevent access to these services. The schools have purchased their own domains and created their own E-mail services for their students and faculty. E-mail allows for near instant letter communication with their professors, other students, and the school administration!!!

Current State Of Computers
Online: With the growing numbers of students that have entered the work force and wish to upgrade their career options online learning has become an ideal option. With online learning you have the ability to work around your current schedule, or take more courses then you can possibly fit in one regular school day.  Blackboard: Blackboard is an online education tool with many functions for the student/teacher relationship. A teacher can customize their blackboard page to fit their classes needs, such as having a place for students to hand in their assignments if they are unable to attend the class that day, or the teacher can post their lessons online so there is no need for a student to even attend the class (unless there is an exam that day.) Blackboard takes the learning process to a new level in efficiency for online learning. Essays / Research: The internet has provided a handy reliable source of information at our fingertips. With what ever subject we enroll in the information for essays is vast and easy to use. Doing the essays themselves have also become easier. With computers and their spell checking to the ability to type over 50 words a minutes; computers have made the essay writing process a dream..  Physical computers in the classroom : (phones, computers, projectors, monitors, printers, remotes (slides) etc) Projectors to display information give the visual learners extra help on comprehending the current lecture. The 

Future Of Computers
With the fast growing computer industry, it's no wonder that computers are becoming more integrated in our school's systems. The computer has for a long time been a part of school systems, now with the growing technology computers have become on official part of the school system for children's research and essay writing. What is the future? the future has already begun, many classes are now online so you can do all the studying you need in the comfort of your own home from over the internet. With online classes you do not have to be afraid of others opinions, and you can feel free to speak your mind on what you think of the topic. Classroom materials distribution can also be incorporated, with many lessons for all to learn, teachers can create additional assignments that can be done at any time and post them online. This cuts down on the amount of papers students need, and helps the students to stay organized with all their assignments and even their books if teachers feel the need.

School Communications
Teacher/parent/student communications & participations: Teachers now have a more efficient way of communicating with the student's parents or even the student themselves. With email those students that are taking online courses can mail their teachers for information on the class, or even ask for help with out the worry of judgement from their classmates.  Registration/administators/secretaries: Computers have brought ease to the secretaries of today. With all the student's information to be processed it has become easier from multiple papers to organized software. The student's contact information/allergies/disabilities are all at their fingers in case an emergency arises. 

Disabilities
There are many factors that can effect a person's ability to function properly in a normal school setting. A broken arm can prove difficult to write an essay, a migraine can influence focus and a variety of learning disorders also impact negatively on the learning process. Having a computer handy people have the ability write their essays with greater ease. There are also those with more severe physical and/or mental challenges. With computers they can communicate with us with artificial speaking programs. Stephen Hawkings is a good example of this. He can not speak on his own, so he has a computer that satisfies this need. Teachers now have an efficient way of communicating with those that can't.