Ethics in teaching information technologies

The paper refers to the topics concerned with information technologies in education. The authors cover four groups of problems starting from general topics to a publishing example. The basic aim is to analyse how information technologies influence education process and perception of information by the pupils. It is very crucial question as young people start to use computer before they start to read. And so in the future they may be not good readers at all.

1. Information technologies in education

Information technologies in education are present in every field. It is not only teaching computers, it is teaching any subject using computers. It basic change that is observed in the recent years. The point is to use new technologies as a tool, not forgetting about basic subjects. Often the teachers and pupils are fascinated by technology forgetting what it serves.

2. Impact on traditional perception (reading, writing, verbal communication)

Information technologies have significant impact on the perception of young people. Contact with the screen since childhood may result in reading problems. Computer, television, games are all visual - serve pictures not words. Thus create another perception style diminishing the role of reading and mind training.

3. The role of education in the field of information technologies in schools

It is very important for the schools to create a proper approach of young people towards information technologies. The school should educate in information technology itself, teach to use it as a tool in various subjects and show other means of communication stressing its values. The school should teach information technology as a part of human culture that may not dominate over other elements of culture and education.

We would like to assist in an open model of education by publishing books that develop the habit of critical thinking and show electronic media as the problem-solving tools. It is important to deliver to the school children good quality information concerning new technologies and show them how to benefit from it. The cultural values should not be lost in the electronic way of education. We are especially sensitive about that.

The aim is to publish books devoted to virtual education as show in our books alternative educational strategies. Inviting experienced authors and young generation teachers helps to share their experience and creates expectation towards a network-based education. Those publications cover broad spectrum of topics and wide scale of young people needs and expectations. They should be taught how to make sense out of what they find on the net and show them how to evaluate it and master it. Offering them a broad spectrum of priceless resources of information on electronic media will help to make them more critical and more understanding and therefore more prepared to the modern challenges.

4. Textbooks and other publication as a source of computer education

Computer education has to be well presented to the public. Teacher requires a good textbook - not just another computer manual. The pupil needs to get practical examples showing where to use the tools, in place of mere presentation how to use them. Publishing company which we represent tries to fulfil that mission publishing simple exercise books with lots of practical examples, academic books for the students and books presenting the coexistence of traditional cultural values with new information technologies.

Education we are thinking of and participating in is much broader then school education. The electronic culture that we are facing now is a challenge to a society as a whole. We believe that the society has to acquire the new ability to manage with electronic media. It is still sort of terra incognita we have to cope with. We want to participate in shaping a new electronic culture by providing information on electronic media on many different levels. Publishing very carefully chosen books allows taking the responsibility for the shape of our future digital culture. We provide people of different level of knowledge with quality support and help them to establish proper skills of getting and creating information. Being the medium of information we should protect our reputation and authority publishing the books that are practical and at the same time credible. How we achieve this?

One of the methods is to present information in a way that users of any skill-level could understand and apply. To expand their knowledge and help them to understand not only how a system, a program or an application work but also how to put them to work in different environments and circumstances. Additionally they should know what does electronic way of communication mean for human activity and human life, both social and personal.

The technical contents of our books have always hidden message that is as follows: "the most important factor in a processing of information is a human being". Conveying such a message we participate in building a high level electronic culture trying to show to our readers not only pragmatic side of information but also its moral and human side. We encourage readers, especially young ones, to take an advantage of the new technologies and new media believing that digital culture we are creating now calls for a new fundamental reorientation in thinking. We would like to shape an active approach of the users to the information. The new electronic culture will succeed only if it provides real values.

Dr Grazyna Zurkowska-Krakowska and
Witold Sikorski Wydawnictwo
MIKOM

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