Innovation Profile 058

Computers control; human beings must understand

We live in an increasingly computer-controlled world - which brings benefits but which can also bring problems when systems fail.

Should we allow our young people to just naturally gain an appreciation of the systems that affect their lives - or should we provide full opportunity for them to gain insight into control systems as part of their schooling? If you do not have some understanding of how things work it is hard to make intelligent decisions about their use.

Computer control systems depend on some very important concepts such as sensing and feedback. The way different components interact can be complex. It can sometimes be quite hard to make simple systems, like the central heating system in your house, work as you want them to.

We take care to teach our children from an early age to appreciate important aspects of their environment, such as the stopping distance of cars and the temperature of pans on the stove. Computer control is now in our houses, cars and many of the devices we use. There is a good case to be made for starting to teach them about computer control as soon as they start school.

Logotron Ltd produce Control Insight and Junior Control Insight to enable schools to do this. At http://www.logo.com/cat/browse/modelling-control.html you will find Control Insight and Junior Control Insight. These give a good overview of the different aspects of teaching computer control at different ages. They explain about the systems approach, the use of process modules and how module properties can be understood. There are suggestions about how to introduce control to young pupils. The packages enable on-screen animated simulations of working systems as well as providing for the connection of a control interface and real devices.

Some people think of this subject as a technical subject that only a few need study but all students need some understanding of this area. We expect students to have 'common-sense' in their dealings with the world. Understanding control systems is part of the 'common-sense' needed for life in this century.

The Logotron Company Profile on our web site will give you an overview of the company.

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If you know of examples of innovative use of ICT-for-learning that others would be interested in, please email innovations@eep-edu.org

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