The Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-03-26, Page 7School News
Computers will share
school information
BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE c,
Sharing information between schools via
computers could soon become com-
monplace.
And Dave Bieman, computer co-ordinator
for the Huron County board of education,
would like Co seethat happen since he's been
"sharing information" with _ educators
across Ontario. '
Since last fall, the co-ordinator has been
involved in COSY, a computer pilot pro-
gram funded by TV Ontario. He and 35 other
organizations, including the Ontario In-
stitute for Studies in Education (OISE) ,
some universities and school boards, have
particapted in this program.
Bieman describes COSY as a visual
"bulletin board" which stretches over the
province. There have been some deep
theoretical discussion across the computer
system, he says.
Questions and answers also zip across the
screen from one user to the other.
Once hooked up and by using passwords,
the program is fairly simple and, say
Bieman, can be adapted to any computer
system. People involved in the pilot pro-
gram use IBM's, Icons as well as
Commodores.
He uses the school board's watts line to
reach a'data pack line in either London, Kit-
chener or Guelph. What makes the informa-
tion intelligible is an $80 modem. This equip-
ment piece translates computer languages
to make them all sound alike.
What Bieman would like to see is that
each school in Huron be linked to a main
computer at the board . office. This would
enable information to be shared across the
county.
However, that is down the road a bit, ad-
mits Biernan, Ile says that for now, he will
await the verdict of this province -wide pilot
project. •
Program features local authors
A new Writers -In -Residence program in
Ontario public libraries will broaden public
awareness of Ontario's literature while pro-
viding stability to the province's s:nior
writers, Citizenship and Culture Minister Li-
ly Munro said recently.
Both established and aspiring writers will
benefit from this program which will begin
in April, Dr. Munro said;
"Writer -in -Libraries' will work in many
ways," she explained. "For Ontario's
published writers, it will provide a higher
basic income as well as a greater exposure
to community life that will help develop in-
digenous literature."
"In turn, these writers can, through
workshops and by assessing individual
Family therapy
• from page 3
quently effective., says Dr. Eull, and fami-
ly therapy is a very powerful approach.
Often the family doesn't want to leave
the main problem as they see it, the
troublesome child. With some families, the
worker stays on the main problem and the
work on it may have a beneficial effect on
the other problems the family is dealing
with., explains Dr. Eull.
Most people working with families
believe the family is doing their best. At
some point, they are not able to do as well
as they would like and they see it as their
responsibility to seek help. The family
worker respects them for this, says Dr.
Eull. The family worker tries to sort out
the issues and strengthen the family. They
are not there to do anything to injure the
family or reduce its effectiveness.
Some people are afraid the counsellor
will come to some conclusion or tell them
what to do rather than act as a support, but.,
the family worker is there to support Anil
direct the family, says Dr. Eull.
More people are seeking family therapy
to find answers to their problems, but
there is still a very strong.
misunderstanding that family -counsellors
are there for only really serious problems.
GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1986—PAGE 7•
comiwo s
Financial Services have never been better. Be watching for the Grand
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manuscripts, provide professional guidance
to aspiring writers. This will expand and
reinforce the role of public libraries and the
Ontario Library Service as community
forums for learning and creative
development."
She also said the program will cover
writers' salaries, expenses and administra-
tion costs and will provide a new opportuni-
ty for librarians to consult with senior
writers with regard to promoting their col-
lections of contemporary Canadian writing.
Writers who want to participate in the pro-
gram must be Ontario residents and must
have published works of fiction, non-fiction,
poetry, children's literature or drama. Pro-
gram details will be available in April 1986.
shifts emphasis
Some expect the worker will judge or find
them inadequate. For some seeking help is
the same as adtnitting they have failed.
"So many could sail through difficult
times with a little support,"says Dr. Eull.
Dr. Eull was in Goderich last week to
conduct the followup workshop of a two
part series on family therapy training for
family workers. As' director of service
development at the Dellcrest Resource
Centre, it is hi's responsibility to develop
programs in the professional practice
series, which are designed to replenish and
give a sense of new direction to the work
family workers are doing.
The worker is on the front line and
doesn't have time to think, reflect and
develop new methods, says Eull. The
workshop blends the worker's ideas with
those of others in the; field and with the
assistance .of'a workshop facilitator 'they
invent new ways of dealing with family
problems. The worker .is inventing every •
day but hasn't ffte?ClM tb sit back and for-
mulate his methods, Dr. Eull poi T out:
The program series offers training in
working with the family, intervening in the
family, dealing with troublesome,
behaviour and handling professional
stress.
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