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Post by willywonka666 on Jan 18, 2013 10:18:03 GMT -5
Interesting. Apparently for the price they spend on textbooks, they can buy tablets for everyone
Schools without textbooks? It could become reality in New York City, which is floating an idea to instead use tablets in all 17,000 public schools. That would put the city in step with hundreds of other school systems across the country, where books and paper have gone the way of the mimeograph machine.
"We currently spend more than a hundred million dollars a year on textbooks," said New York City Council Speaker and 2014 mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, who made the tablet proposal Tuesday while addressing how to improve the city's school system. "That's enough money to buy tablets for every student in New York City public schools, and cover staff costs to make sure these online texts are meeting rigorous standards."
The move to replace hefty textbooks with feather light, programmable iPads or other tablets represents a growing national trend that's happened in places from small-town Kentucky to the suburbs of Boston and the city of San Diego. And, while it represents a major leap forward and would be a boon for your kid's aching back, the loss of textbooks has also been controversial.
"We do not believe the textbook will remain a central pillar of learning," LeiLani Cauthen, vice president at the Center for Digital Education, a research institute focused on the intersection of education and technology, told Yahoo! Shine. But teachers have been building lessons around textbooks forever, she said, and with tablet-based learning, teachers can just have kids log in and have virtual lessons begin.
"This shift means they’re not lecturing, they’re facilitators," she explained. "It’s a behavior shift of monumental proportion, and so has been rejected by many teachers and districts. It’s an argument against progress based on how it’s always been done, and no one seems to have the complete answer."
Also, Cauthen said, there has been pushback over tablet plans because of fears it could lead to learning from home, through virtual classrooms. "Six-year-old kids could not have been shot and killed if they were not penned together in physical buildings, but were learning online from home or in small neighborhood groups," she said. "The controversy over the a model that is 'placeless' will probably rage for the next 20 years, but has a certain inevitability."
A soon-to-be-released 2012 study by the Center shows that nine percent of school districts across the nation now mandate the use of digital content.
Another survey, the Project Tomorrow Speak Up National Research Project, which looked at the results of more than 400,000 surveys from K-12 schools, showed that in 2011 (the most recent year available) 43 percent of district administrators were considering online textbooks instead of traditional ones as a way to save money.
And Apple reported in October that 2,500 U.S. classrooms were using iBook textbooks. It all follows efforts by the FCC, through a 2012 Digital Textbook Collaborative, to encourage and accelerate digital learning in K-12 education. And policy changes in a number of states—including Florida, which mandates the adoption of digital learning tools for all public schools by 2015-201—-reflect the trend, as well.
In November 2012, ProCon.org, a non-partisan research organization devoted to critical thinking on controversial issues, collected info from a plethora of studies and media reports to launch a website, "Tablets vs. Textbooks," focused on the most-discussed pros and cons of schools going all digital.
Proponents of tablets, the site point out, say that they are much lighter than print textbooks, and that they improve standardized test scores. Furthermore, ProCon.org notes, "They say that tablets can hold hundreds of textbooks, save the environment by lowering the amount of printing, increase student interactivity and creativity, and that digital textbooks are cheaper than print textbooks."
Opponents of tablets, though, say that they are "expensive, too distracting for students, easy to break, and costly/time-consuming to fix. They say that tablets contribute to eyestrain, headaches, and blurred vision, increase the excuses available for students not doing their homework, require costly WiFi networks, and become quickly outdated as new technologies are released."
In New York City, Quinn explained why tablets would suit the public schools there so well. "So a teacher in the Bronx can pull together the most relevant information for his class, and update it throughout the year to stay current," she explained. "He can incorporate videos and interactive multimedia assignments that better engage kids living in a digital world. By using tablets instead of textbooks, the possibilities really are limitless."
Still, some remain doubtful. Eric Nadelstern, a professor at Columbia University's Teachers College and New York City's former deputy chancellor, told the Daily News that tablets represent just one of many useful tools. "Will it take the place of all printed matter? Definitely not," he said.
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Post by Cyno on Jan 18, 2013 11:55:21 GMT -5
Anything that helps break up the textbook racket is a good thing IMO.
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Post by Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!! on Jan 18, 2013 12:01:52 GMT -5
wouldn't surprise me. the cost of a single textbook, let alone several for just one classroom is ridiculous. and the textbook industry has nobody to blame for it but themselves. they're a bunch of crooks.
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h
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Post by h on Jan 18, 2013 12:11:44 GMT -5
And the students break their tablets, through negligence, deliberate distruction, and plain bad luck. They have to be sent away for repairs, so they sit and do nothing for a week or two.
They forget to bring them to school, so they can't get anything done.
They don't bother charging them, so they can't get anything done.
The school's server gets overloaded with so many classes using them all at once, so it takes forever to get anything off of the internet at all...worse, the server will undoubtedly go down regularly. When lesson plans are built around internet access, what do you fall back on in a paperless classroom?
And you're providing students with an electronic device, potentially loaded with distractions, and you just assume they will stay on task somehow?
The answer to all of the education system's problems. Nothing could possibly go wrong.
I'm not saying it's a bad idea altogether, but it's not as simple as they're making it out to be.
And, of course, for LeiLani Cauthen, vice president at the Center for Digital Education, to use the Sandy Hook tragedy to advance her tablet agenda is beyond disgusting.
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Post by xCompackx on Jan 18, 2013 12:33:55 GMT -5
I fully support this. Textbooks are out of date by design and carrying textbooks can really screw up your back.
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kidglov3s
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Post by kidglov3s on Jan 18, 2013 12:35:46 GMT -5
And the students break their tablets, through negligence, deliberate distruction, and plain bad luck. They have to be sent away for repairs, so they sit and do nothing for a week or two. They forget to bring them to school, so they can't get anything done. They don't bother charging them, so they can't get anything done. The school's server gets overloaded with so many classes using them all at once, so it takes forever to get anything off of the internet at all...worse, the server will undoubtedly go down regularly. When lesson plans are built around internet access, what do you fall back on in a paperless classroom? And you're providing students with an electronic device, potentially loaded with distractions, and you just assume they will stay on task somehow? The answer to all of the education system's problems. Nothing could possibly go wrong. I'm not saying it's a bad idea altogether, but it's not as simple as they're making it out to be. And, of course, for LeiLani Cauthen, vice president at the Center for Digital Education, to use the Sandy Hook tragedy to advance her tablet agenda is beyond disgusting. The modern hospital today is all computer-based. It's going to be the future of our communications.
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Post by milkomania on Jan 18, 2013 12:40:57 GMT -5
I like it, and I don't.
I like it because schools could finally dump books that are riddled with errors (looking at you, U.S. history book that stops at the Reagan era). I don't like it in that there will probably still be only one a/v guy to fix problems with the server...and he/she won't know how to fix it.
It sounds like a great idea for schools with the $ to swing it, but I can't see it going well in poor schools who can't afford to keep a good math teacher, let alone keep up with technology.
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Post by Cyno on Jan 18, 2013 12:42:07 GMT -5
And the students break their tablets, through negligence, deliberate distruction, and plain bad luck. They have to be sent away for repairs, so they sit and do nothing for a week or two. They forget to bring them to school, so they can't get anything done. These are issues with textbooks as well. It's not like books are omnipresent, especially in poorer school districts where they can't afford to have a surplus of 'em. We have these amazing things called power outlets in schools. Have backup files that can be accessed offline. Simple enough. And they'd be more up-to-date than the typical textbooks. Security settings and restrictions that prevent students from accessing things other than material they're supposed to. These are really bad arguments.
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Post by Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!! on Jan 18, 2013 12:47:24 GMT -5
And the students break their tablets, through negligence, deliberate distruction, and plain bad luck. They have to be sent away for repairs, so they sit and do nothing for a week or two. They forget to bring them to school, so they can't get anything done. They don't bother charging them, so they can't get anything done. The school's server gets overloaded with so many classes using them all at once, so it takes forever to get anything off of the internet at all...worse, the server will undoubtedly go down regularly. When lesson plans are built around internet access, what do you fall back on in a paperless classroom? And you're providing students with an electronic device, potentially loaded with distractions, and you just assume they will stay on task somehow? The answer to all of the education system's problems. Nothing could possibly go wrong. I'm not saying it's a bad idea altogether, but it's not as simple as they're making it out to be. And, of course, for LeiLani Cauthen, vice president at the Center for Digital Education, to use the Sandy Hook tragedy to advance her tablet agenda is beyond disgusting. The modern hospital today is all computer-based. It's going to be the future of our communications. that may be true but his point is still a valid one. my school has all kinds of tech problems every day so it's arrogant to assume it'll just be an easy, swift change.
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kidglov3s
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Post by kidglov3s on Jan 18, 2013 12:47:56 GMT -5
The modern hospital today is all computer-based. It's going to be the future of our communications. that may be true but his point is still a valid one. my school has all kinds of tech problems every day so it's arrogant to assume it'll just be an easy, swift change. Change is never swift or easy. But it will come. It's gotta be at least as easy to force new technology on hippie teachers and kids as on power-entrenched 50 year old set in their ways orthopedic surgeons.
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Post by Error on Jan 18, 2013 12:55:01 GMT -5
I live in one of the not so wealthy counties in Texas and we have one large city (25K people) that went to this 2 years ago and it's worked so well the city I'm in with only (2k) is looking at it. Most of the problems are way blown out of proportion. If all of the talk they break or crap like that, you have to treat things right. This is forcing them to learn responsibility, how to take care of things and that there will be consequences to their actions. Don't bring your iPad to school, you get a 0. You break it, you get one free replacement and after that if you break it, they will issue you a new one but you have to pay for it.
The "takes a long time and costly repairs" crap, again, that is part of the lesson and it's not like they don't have spares. When the local ISD started they went with just the high school got 1.5 for every student and they've had more than enough. If something comes up and they are out, they can just call the company they got it from, have some over nighted to them and load the software themselves.
Educational tablets are locked down to only allow school approved apps and sites. You're not going to be able to download any app you want or go to any site you want without completely erasing the device and if you want to go that far to load Temple Run 2 you weren't going to pass to begin with.
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h
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Post by h on Jan 18, 2013 13:04:14 GMT -5
And the students break their tablets, through negligence, deliberate distruction, and plain bad luck. They have to be sent away for repairs, so they sit and do nothing for a week or two. They forget to bring them to school, so they can't get anything done. They don't bother charging them, so they can't get anything done. The school's server gets overloaded with so many classes using them all at once, so it takes forever to get anything off of the internet at all...worse, the server will undoubtedly go down regularly. When lesson plans are built around internet access, what do you fall back on in a paperless classroom? And you're providing students with an electronic device, potentially loaded with distractions, and you just assume they will stay on task somehow? The answer to all of the education system's problems. Nothing could possibly go wrong. I'm not saying it's a bad idea altogether, but it's not as simple as they're making it out to be. And, of course, for LeiLani Cauthen, vice president at the Center for Digital Education, to use the Sandy Hook tragedy to advance her tablet agenda is beyond disgusting. The modern hospital today is all computer-based. Also operated by children 5-17 years old, no doubt?
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kidglov3s
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Post by kidglov3s on Jan 18, 2013 13:05:01 GMT -5
The modern hospital today is all computer-based. Also operated by children 5-17 years old, no doubt? That's the problem, getting younger people to use technology. And I think a school facilitated by children would have problems extending far beyond the delivery of literature. We have to accept that it's 2013. The second grader of the 90s, like us, is gone with our better days.
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h
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Post by h on Jan 18, 2013 13:14:42 GMT -5
And the students break their tablets, through negligence, deliberate distruction, and plain bad luck. They have to be sent away for repairs, so they sit and do nothing for a week or two. They forget to bring them to school, so they can't get anything done. These are issues with textbooks as well. It's not like books are omnipresent, especially in poorer school districts where they can't afford to have a surplus of 'em. We have these amazing things called power outlets in schools. Have backup files that can be accessed offline. Simple enough. And they'd be more up-to-date than the typical textbooks. Security settings and restrictions that prevent students from accessing things other than material they're supposed to. These are really bad arguments. 1. Most schools already have a surplus of textbooks or the ability for two students to share a textbook. If students need to complete work on a tablet, they obviously can't share. 2. Charging 6 tablets per class, assuming outlets are readily available for all of those students, is still a hassle that isn't necessary with textbooks. This is assuming, of course, that they can be charged through a regular power cord (which might be the case), as opposed to school laptops, which have to be charged from a central power supply (eg. laptop cart) are therefore can't be used while charging. 3. Make sure you factor in the cost of projectors for every classroom and projector maintenance ($200+ per bulb), since you're obviously not able to print your backup files when the server is down. 4. Enough students are already ahead of the people who oversee computer technology. Security settings do nothing. Yours were very bad rebuttals.
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h
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Post by h on Jan 18, 2013 13:17:21 GMT -5
Also operated by children 5-17 years old, no doubt? That's the problem, getting younger people to use technology. And I think a school facilitated by children would have problems extending far beyond the delivery of literature. We have to accept that it's 2013. The second grader of the 90s, like us, is gone with our better days. What point are you trying to make?
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kidglov3s
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Post by kidglov3s on Jan 18, 2013 13:18:07 GMT -5
That's the problem, getting younger people to use technology. And I think a school facilitated by children would have problems extending far beyond the delivery of literature. We have to accept that it's 2013. The second grader of the 90s, like us, is gone with our better days. What point are you trying to make? This kind of thing is inevitable. Sentiment and old ways shouldn't keep us in the past. In a deleted revision you asked if I thought the average 9 year old was as capable at using the equipment as a hospital worker. I believe the average 9 year old is more capable than the average hospital worker at using new technology, especially anyone 40 or above. This world of screens and apps is the only one these children have ever known.
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h
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Post by h on Jan 18, 2013 13:20:33 GMT -5
What point are you trying to make? This kind of thing is inevitable. Sentiment and old ways shouldn't keep us in the past. So, because trained adults can run hospitals, you assume that 7 year olds can run a school?
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kidglov3s
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Post by kidglov3s on Jan 18, 2013 13:21:58 GMT -5
This kind of thing is inevitable. Sentiment and old ways shouldn't keep us in the past. So, because trained adults can run hospitals, you assume that 7 year olds can run a school? No, a school ran by children would be fraught with mishaps. But it would make a hilarious comedy. You have to remember, these kids won't be learning a new way of schooling, they'll be learning schooling, and this will be a part of it. The concern for strain and problems should be moreso for the older teachers. They'll struggle far, far more than any of the children will.
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Post by Error on Jan 18, 2013 13:25:33 GMT -5
These are issues with textbooks as well. It's not like books are omnipresent, especially in poorer school districts where they can't afford to have a surplus of 'em. We have these amazing things called power outlets in schools. Have backup files that can be accessed offline. Simple enough. And they'd be more up-to-date than the typical textbooks. Security settings and restrictions that prevent students from accessing things other than material they're supposed to. These are really bad arguments. 1. Most schools already have a surplus of textbooks or the ability for two students to share a textbook. If students need to complete work on a tablet, they obviously can't share. 2. Charging 6 tablets per class, assuming outlets are readily available for all of those students, is still a hassle that isn't necessary with textbooks. This is assuming, of course, that they can be charged through a regular power cord (which might be the case), as opposed to school laptops, which have to be charged from a central power supply (eg. laptop cart) are therefore can't be used while charging. 3. Make sure you factor in the cost of projectors for every classroom and projector maintenance ($200+ per bulb), since you're obviously not able to print your backup files when the server is down. 4. Enough students are already ahead of the people who oversee computer technology. Security settings do nothing. Yours were very bad rebuttals. 1. Those textbooks stay horribly out of date and students shouldn't have to share because they need to learn responsibility. For the cost they are spending on replacing textbooks they can get tablets. This is no excuse whatsoever. 2. Again responsibility. Be ready. If you're not, you fail. They are tablets, general, normal, everyday, go to Walmart and drop a few hundred dollars and walk out tablets. No special equipment needed. 3. Most schools have those now and I know this will shock you but there are these wonderful things call backup they can access from their computes and print things if necessary. 4. Again, a student would have to wipe the whole iPad to get around the measures that are put in place. These programs have been around for years. These problems have been seen and there are solutions to them.
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h
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Post by h on Jan 18, 2013 13:36:33 GMT -5
1. Those textbooks stay horribly out of date and students shouldn't have to share because they need to learn responsibility. For the cost they are spending on replacing textbooks they can get tablets. This is no excuse whatsoever. 2. Again responsibility. Be ready. If you're not, you fail. They are tablets, general, normal, everyday, go to Walmart and drop a few hundred dollars and walk out tablets. No special equipment needed. 3. Most schools have those now and I know this will shock you but there are these wonderful things call backup they can access from their computes and print things if necessary. 4. Again, a student would have to wipe the whole iPad to get around the measures that are put in place. These programs have been around for years. These problems have been seen and there are solutions to them. 1. If they're spending $100,000,000, they should be buying updated textbooks. If not, that's a problem to look into. You're talking about out-of-date textbooks, but a textbook for any core academic class (history, science, math, etc.) has a longer lifespan than a tablet. 2. Laptops are also the sort of thing you can buy at WalMart. I can charge my home laptop by plugging it into a wall. At a school, you have to plug a laptop into a cart with a power supply. You can't use it while it charges. Who's to say that these tablets won't also have a similar charging system (no cord to plug into a wall)? Oh yeah, and you can't take lack of reponsibility into account when giving a mark, so you can't punish the student for breaking, losing, or forgetting his or her tablet. 3. First of all, sarcasm like that from a moderator is inappropriate. That aside, you seem to have missed the fact that you're going to have problems printing without server access. 4. You absolutely do not need to wipe the system to get around security controls. You don't need to wipe anything. You need to disable some settings. Either someone in your school figures it out within a week and shares it with everyone, or students simply go online and find a site that teaches them how to bypass the security settings.
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