By and large, for reasons espoused in the previous section, educational computing which is truly integrated into the curriculum has not changed a lot. For most students, their education is far from being presented in an open-ended learning environment. Computers and software are being used, but in many cases as 'add-on' activities, without true integration into the learning repertoire.

To be fair, we are only now getting to the stage of having affordable microcomputers capable of presenting material in a manner many thought would be possible on the microcomputers of 1980. The current rise of the CD-ROM containing the exciting, highly motivating interactive multimedia educational titles, combining text, graphics, video clips, animations and sound, which are appearing on the market offer a breath of fresh air to education.

 

A huge technological change over the past few years has been the rapid advance made in the convergence of information and communications technologies. The World Wide Web and other Internet services as examples of this convergence have captured the imagination of our society. These changes to technology are occurring at an ever increasing rate. Students need to be taught in a way which will enable them to become lifelong learners, able to take advantage of new technologies of the future.

When students begin to utilise Internet services, from home as well as in the classroom, teachers can begin to see signs for the need of a changing emphasis in their role, from 'gatekeeper' of knowledge to 'manager' of learning process. This technology assists education to be delivered in a more cooperative atmosphere, flexibly with regard to time and location, and promises a higher degree of student involvement and responsibility for his or her learning.

With an ever widening range of sources of information, now more than ever students need to have a new literacy - Information Literacy. Along with the needs to able to locate, synthesise and present information, they need to be able to sift fact from fiction and to be able to gauge the value of the information being retrieved.

Students need to be ethical in the use of material produced by others, being mindful of copyright restrictions. This need has always existed, but electronically available information is much more easily plagiarised. Teachers face the difficult task of keeping a lookout for this too when marking student work.