This is from chapter 12 of the Summercore Primer, from a published talk called Computers in Our Schools, Who is NOT Pushing the Buttons? This was written years ago and was recently posted on the web on March 2001, Steve Bergen, bergen@nobles.edu

The Revolution is SO slow!

Most of the comments so far apply only for the next 10 years. By 1995, or surely by the year 2000, half of our teachers will be people who are now in grades K-12 in our schools. By virtue of the computer-rich worlds that most of them grow up in, most of these future teachers will have completely different attitudes towards the computer. To me, 1985-1995 is the transition that might be called the computer evolution. It is happening so slowly. Back in 1982 when TIME magazine chose the computer as Man of The Year, everybody started talking about the "computer revolution" in schools. Now we realize this was hyperbole!

The computer Revolution has become the computer Evolution for one obvious reason: Revolutions are dependent on people; and people change slowly. I’ve been doing some research in the Lexington archives about the famous Lexington Green and the SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD:

Apparently, in 1773, there were several Lexington and Concord residents who were ready to fight the British. They came to the famous Green only to realize that they had no weapons. Realizing that the first ingredient for a revolution is hardware, they returned to their homes disappointed.

Next year, in 1774, these same residents came back with piles of guns. They had developed the necessary hardware and were ready to fight. At the last moment, they realized they lacked sufficient bullets and ammunition; even the ammunition they had was poor quality with frequent misfires and limitations. Realizing that hardware wasn’t enough -- they needed good quality software -- they returned to their homes again disappointed.

Next year, in 1775, these same residents came back to the Green. They had worked all year on developing high quality, reliable ammunition. Their bullets were now compatible with most guns and well tested. Finally, they had the software! Excited, they came out on July 4, 1775 with trucks of guns and ammunition. As they started to unload the stuff, they realized that there were only a dozen or so people, not nearly enough to successfully fight the British. Realizing that even hardware and software together weren’t enough -- they needed the necessary humanware -- they returned to their homes again disappointed.

Finally, in July 1776, having invested in the necessary training, these same residents returned to the Lexington Green, complete with hardware, software and humanware.

The rest -- as they say in the textbooks -- will be history.