perm filename PAUSD.CMN[1,JMC] blob sn#005289 filedate 1971-01-20 generic text, type T, neo UTF8
00100		For the last ten years, some high schools have been  offering
00200	some of their students training in programming computers and applying
00300	this knowledge to problems in mathematics and science.     In  PAUSD,
00400	the  first  such  use of computers was in 196x.  In the last m years,
00500	the three Palo Alto high schools have always managed  to  offer  some
00600	such  program.      Sometimes this has been via government grants for
00700	experimental programs, sometimes through Stanford, and  sometimes  by
00800	begging  computer use from local time-sharing firms.  Always this has
00900	been on a hand-to-mouth basis with no  assurance  of  being  able  to
01000	continue  a  steady  program from year to year. The possibilities for
01100	being able to  support  such  programs  by  claiming  that  they  are
01200	experimental  has  just  about  run  out,  and  it is time that PAUSD
01300	adopted a systematic plan  for  offering  its  students  this  needed
01400	education.
01500	
01600		At  least  two  kinds  of  education are involved - a limited
01700	exposure to computing for 11th and 12th grade students and a  regular
01800	course in computer programming for a smaller group. There are several
01900	ways  of  meeting  the  needs  -  small  computers  in  each  school,
02000	subscription to a commercial time-sharing service, and an educational
02100	computer for the school district. The capabilities of the CDC1700  in
02200	this  direction  are still uncertain and probably too limited to meet
02300	the needs given the other requirements that are imposed on it.  It is
02400	not  possible  to estimate without further study which method is most
02500	cost-effective and what these costs will be.    However,  there  have
02600	recently been considerable reductions in some computer costs, and the
02700	competitive situation is such that  quite  attractive  proposals  are
02800	likely  from  computer  firms  and  time-sharing service bureaus.  We
02900	recommend that the mathematics teachers concerned  be  authorised  to
03000	form  a  committee,  get  outside  technical  advice,  and to solicit
03100	proposals  from   manufacturers   and   service   bureaus   for   the
03200	consideration of the Administration of the school district.