[Edu-sig] re: modeling

[Alan Gauld]

>>so - everyone gets a "right" mental model of working with a >> computer (special
with a GUI),

But there's the rub. What is a right mental model for
working with a computer. It's certainly got nothing 
to do with GUIs - the vast majority of computers (in 
the most general sense) do not have a GUI. And even 
many of those that do only use it as a gloss over 
what is really happening.

PCs hide that fact and make the GUI assume much more 
importance than it deserves. I'd suggest instead going 
back to basics - teach a computer with a minimal 
interface - a set of LEDs and some switches say 
- like the ones used in burglar alarms, fire detectors, industrial process controllers,
HiFi remote controls 
etc etc. Then add intelligence bit by bit(sic) to 
provide first a character based gui, then a screen based 
on and finally a GUI.

As computing moves beyond the PC into devices like set 
top boxes and WAP{ phones etc the GUI is likely to 
diminish somewhat in importance again. The really 
important principles of data/IO and task control 
remain constant.

>GUI - whatever it happens to be - fits in to what 
> is happening 'behind the scenes'.

Absolutely, without this the rest will ultimately 
lead to disappointment. We are in real danger of 
breeding a generation who see computing in terms 
of GUIs and who will then find the move to the next 
user paradigm just as confusing as their parents 
did moving from paper to electronic communications.

>GUI is a later stage development of the Informatics 
> discipline and IMO a later stage pedagogical concern.

It's also a minor diversion which is both non essential 
and distracting from the important issues of computing 
and infomatics (notice the UK sapelling :-)

Just my 2 cents,

Alan G.
Definition: 
GUI: A device for making easy things trivial and hard 
things impossible.