SOME APPLICATIONS OF MURPHY LAW - USING COMPUTERS FOR GEOGRAPHY PRACTICAL TEACHING

We have used computers in geography practicals for several years and our efforts in this direction have helped us isolate several new applications of Murphy's Law. We review some of our discoveries in the areas of classroom demonstrations and hands-on practicals, in terms of hardware, software and 'liveware'. In general, we share others' enthusiasm for using computers in teaching, but we are convinced that such usage will normally be liable to subversion by Murphy's Law. Teaching using computers is harder because of the need for careful presentation and contingency planning and the necessity to improvise when Murphy's Law strikes!