5. How do you deal with a student's possible fear of computers?
Very often when we start this whole process students are anxious. One thing to keep in mind is we've been doing this for eight to ten weeks before we get to this point. The first lesson is, "I'm going to show you how to turn it on and turn it off." And I never assume that students have any knowledge, and we do a lot of work with basic mouse skills and getting familiar before we ever get to this point. I tell people that they can't hurt the computer. I think much of their fear is around the fact that they think they can break it, and I tell them the only thing you can do is spill your coffee cup on it or something like that. I put very nervous people together with partners that can make them feel comfortable. So by the time we get to this point I've rarely had a student be afraid. They're enthusiastic. I think one thing I should add is that one lesson that we do earlier is how to use a spell checker. If students were not convinced before that computers are fast but dumb, a spell checker is a sure way to do it because a spell checker doesn't know their names and they do know their name. And, you know what, the computer doesn't know what you're thinking. I think that kind of attitude is important as well-- that this is a tool, it's not a brain.
