Georgia state senator hopes to replace schoolbooks with iPads

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Comments

  • Reply 141 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by delany View Post


    No it wasn't - it was a silly, snarky comment that avoided the very valid points made by the original poster and was clearly submitted by someone who has never taught at a school.



    To the original poster. This is a fun place to read rumors and baseless speculation presented as fact but I really wouldn't bother. (I wouldn't either but every now and again I come home a bit drunk and feel the need to try and hold a mirror up.)



    I am a former teacher, my girlfriend is a teacher, and my mother is a teacher. He is 100% correct. In my opinion our school's problems are:



    1) 80% Parents. Parents who don't check if their kids are doing homework. Parents that assume their kids are angels. Parents that DEFEND their child when they're told that their child is acting out, rather than take corrective action. Parents who set a terrible example at home with their behavior (teaching their children to not respect authority, to curse, to watch TV all day, etc.) Parents who are unaware or in denial that their child HURTS other children, DISTRACTS other children, and takes the teacher's time away from the class. Of course, no one thinks that they themselves are bad parents

    -Real example: Kid's parent REFUSES to acknowledge that their child has ADD, so they go untreated. Meanwhile, they are not getting the attention they deserve, and they are also dragging down 5 other kids.

    -Real example: A kid CUTS another kid with scissors, hits his teacher, and curses at the principal (kindergartener, by the way). Mom comes in and the first things she says is, "He didn't do it."



    2) 10% Bad teachers who are defended by unions. They have tenure, or whatever union protections that makes it difficult to fire bad teachers. They might get shuffled around within the district, but it's very hard to fire a teacher (unless it's about funding, which it is these days!)





    3) 10% Funding/Resources. No, throwing money at schools will not solve everything. But the fact is that many schools do not have enough money for even the most basic supplies (paper, pencils, glue, scissors, etc.) Teachers pay hundreds out of their own pocket for these basic things. Sure, parents in rich districts donate - but good luck if you teach in a poorer area. Parents would rather pay for their new SUV or a two-week vacation (during the school year, of course) to their homeland.



    This is may not a scientific conclusion, but my personal conclusion as someone who is somewhat knowledgable about schools/teachers/kids.
  • Reply 142 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by derekmorr View Post


    Why are idiotic fanboys so obsessed with porn ?



    I'm not obsessed about porn. It is a normal and natural part of life. The question was giving students Android junkblets instead of iPads. If you are 14, come on, what's the first thing you will probably try and download on your tablet when no one is looking?



    Not only is Android more prone to viruses, malware, adware, spyware and unregulated apps, it can more easily access video porn. iPad is a better solution in a school environment. It's not going to be perfect, you can never lock down any computer enough when it comes to teens (and you shouldn't have to)... but in any case the iPad is a better platform to establish learning, responsibility, trust and understanding.
  • Reply 143 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    Not only is Android more prone to viruses, malware, adware, spyware and unregulated apps, it can more easily access video porn.



    I'm not so sure about that. YouPorn is one of the highest (if not the highest - I haven't checked in a while) porn traffic sites on the Internet... and their iPad integration is full HTML5 video enabled and flawless across the entire site (or at least that is what I was told )



    It would actually be a shining example of how to implement an iPad friendly HTML5 website... if it were not packed full of dirty dirty porn.





    EDIT: Am I even allowed to mention a porn site?!?! Disclaimer... don't go to that site. It's full of dirty stuff that cannot be unseen.
  • Reply 144 of 159
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gabrielsolomon View Post


    I am extremely skeptical about the potential uses of an iPad in a middle school classroom. These devices are extremely compelling with respect to sensory stimulation and physical input. The last thing a middle school student needs is another distraction.

    .



    Maybe your afraid to lose control. The children might ask a question you don't know.

    But hey, if you had and iPad you could show them how to find the answer.

    And that's the most important thing you could learn them.



    Did you ever ask yourself how the future will look like?

    The iPad is just the beginning. Electronic paper in the form of scrolls will be the future.

    So the iPad is just the first page of all the magic books of the future.

    It seems to me that you would like to prepare children for the future?



    Did you look at the video?



    J.
  • Reply 145 of 159
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NextTechnocrati View Post


    A human being is TINIER than a molecule when the vastness of the the whole universe is taken into consideration. If that is so, how much smaller is his mind ..and his/her title after his/her name?



    I have a scientific mind without a title. So that argument is irrelevant in my case.

    But the number of neuro connections of the mind exceeds the number of stars in the universe.

    Maybe you could think on that.



    J.
  • Reply 146 of 159
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    Sorry, but you're just plain wrong.





    2. Intelligent design is right. However, for that to be true, God would have had to have created the world:

    - with exactly the right fraction of radioactive isotopes decayed in exactly the percentage to look like the universe is 10 billion years old

    - created distant quasars and galaxies - with photons already on there way here looking like they were billions of light years away

    - intentionally distorted the photons to look like the galaxies are moving away from us at high speed

    - created all the different species with DNA that is so much alike - and with all the different species falling onto a tree where each branch shares most of its DNA with the branch below it

    - created a fossil record of dinosaurs and other animals that never could have existed (according to Genesis, the written record is almost equal to the amount of time that Man has been on earth - and there has never, ever been a record of anyone seeing a dinosaur)

    - and literally millions of other data points where God must have created the world to look like evolution exists and the planetary systems developed over billions of years




    I have read a very nice science fiction novel about this scenario.

    Really entertaining. (Although it turned out that it wasn't god who did it.)



    I have stopped reasoning with religious people, the point is that facts and reasonable arguments are by definition lost on them. That's why they have fait.



    The most important thing is not to engage in the argument and to state the fact that 'religion is a scientifically explained phenomenon'.



    J.
  • Reply 147 of 159
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NextTechnocrati View Post


    A human being is TINIER than a molecule when the vastness of the the whole universe is taken into consideration. If that is so, how much smaller is his mind ..and his/her title after his/her name?



    "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." - Isaiah 55:8



    Your inability to refute any of my arguments is noted.
  • Reply 148 of 159
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cnocbui View Post


    This scheme is excellent news - for China.



    While the rich, wealth and gadget obsessed US, thinks that better education will flow from gadgets and money, China will continue to use blackboards, chalk, pencils, paper and books and turn out students that outperform and excel.



    Comes to mind a story about the development of a pen that could be used in space.

    (No gravity so ink doesn't flow to the tip.)

    It cost the U.S. millions (if I remember correctly) of dollars and a bit embarrassment when confronted with the U.S.S.R. solution: a pencil of a few cent.



    But, this development resulted in a new type of ball-point and a commercial success later on.



    J.
  • Reply 149 of 159
    xsuxsu Posts: 401member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jnjnjn View Post


    Comes to mind a story about the development of a pen that could be used in space.

    (No gravity so ink doesn't flow to the tip.)

    It cost the U.S. millions (if I remember correctly) of dollars and a bit embarrassment when confronted with the U.S.S.R. solution: a pencil of a few cent.



    But, this development resulted in a new type of ball-point and a commercial success later on.



    J.





    I'm afraid the Soviet space pencil story is a bit of an urban legend. NASA used pencil in space until the Gemini mission, and only turned to specialized space pen because of the danger of broken off pencil tip in weightless environment and flammability of wood in oxygen rich space capsules. Ironically, after the space pen was developed, Soviet Union also bought a batch to use on their space missions for the same reason.





    As for the original post about Chinese education systems been superior to US's, don't sell US system short. Although US system doesn't produce higher average scores across all subjects, it does allow those who have the intelligence AND the drive to excel. Where the Chinese system produce such uniform results that those with unconventional abilities are more often punished for it than given the chance to develop.



    Think of Chinese system as a stamping plant where everything will come out more or less the same at very fast rate, while the US system is a collection of manual craftsman, those that work on it gets better result, those that don't, don't.
  • Reply 150 of 159
    Originally Posted by jragosta

    Sorry, but you're just plain wrong.



    I have a PhD in science. I understand how to observe the world and reach conclusions.



    Originally Posted by NextTechnocrati

    A human being is TINIER than a molecule when the vastness of the the whole universe is taken into consideration. If that is so, how much smaller is his mind ..and his/her title after his/her name?



    "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." - Isaiah 55:8



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    Your inability to refute any of my arguments is noted.



    "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." - Isaiah 64:6



    "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." - 1 Corinthians 4:6
  • Reply 151 of 159
    sequitursequitur Posts: 1,910member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NextTechnocrati View Post


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NextTechnocrati

    A human being is TINIER than a molecule when the vastness of the the whole universe is taken into consideration. If that is so, how much smaller is his mind ..and his/her title after his/her name?



    "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." - Isaiah 55:8



    Nowhere in my post that I mentioned my religion. If people cannot comprehend a simple statememnt with very few lines and written in a language that is universally understood, how much more they can understand a scientific concept or theory which will take years to be proven true or false?



    You quoted the Christian bible; if you aren't Christian, why quote from some other source to try to prove your point? Are you saying that you're NOT a Christian?
  • Reply 152 of 159
    Originally Posted by NextTechnocrati

    A human being is TINIER than a molecule when the vastness of the the whole universe is taken into consideration. If that is so, how much smaller is his mind ..and his/her title after his/her name?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jnjnjn View Post


    I have a scientific mind without a title. So that argument is irrelevant in my case.

    But the number of neuro connections of the mind exceeds the number of stars in the universe.

    Maybe you could think on that.



    J.



    Now use your scientific mind to compare the life span of the human brain versus that of the weakest star in the universe.



  • Reply 153 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ltcompuser View Post


    TextMate by MacroMates.



    I've used VI when editing online files, but I've never become comfortable with it.



    Congratulations on finding yourself at least one proper text editor.
  • Reply 154 of 159
    envirogenvirog Posts: 188member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jon T View Post


    This is indeed a revolution...



    Apple began the introduction of IT in schools, and it's likely to to end it too.



    Astounding. Just astounding.



    I agree!
  • Reply 155 of 159
    x38x38 Posts: 97member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jon T View Post


    This is indeed a revolution...



    Apple began the introduction of IT in schools, and it's likely to to end it too.



    Astounding. Just astounding.





    Indeed. We had a computer class in my junior high around '81 or '82 that had half a dozen Apple ]['s that we used to learn programming in BASIC. We had to take turns using the machines, so we had to draw a flow chart, write out all our code on paper, and show step by step execution of the code by hand on paper before we each got our turn to try it on the computer. We couldn't even imagine something like an iPad, but those Apple ]['s seemed so high tech at the time. And we just accepted carrying back breaking loads of books around all day as normal life.
  • Reply 156 of 159
    x38x38 Posts: 97member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jnjnjn View Post


    Comes to mind a story about the development of a pen that could be used in space.

    (No gravity so ink doesn't flow to the tip.)

    It cost the U.S. millions (if I remember correctly) of dollars and a bit embarrassment when confronted with the U.S.S.R. solution: a pencil of a few cent.



    But, this development resulted in a new type of ball-point and a commercial success later on.



    J.



    An apocryphal story that has been repeated endlessly. The missing point is that in the early days of space flight the consequences of broken pencil lead fragments floating into the non solid state electronics of the day in zero gravity could be quite severe and the consequences of said floating fragments being breathed in by astronauts were unknown but rightfully feared. It was logically assumed that pencils might not be a very good idea.
  • Reply 157 of 159
    x38x38 Posts: 97member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jnjnjn View Post


    I have read a very nice science fiction novel about this scenario.

    Really entertaining. (Although it turned out that it wasn't god who did it.)



    I have stopped reasoning with religious people, the point is that facts and reasonable arguments are by definition lost on them. That's why they have fait.



    The most important thing is not to engage in the argument and to state the fact that 'religion is a scientifically explained phenomenon'.



    J.



    There is no such thing as a person who does not have religious faith. There are just some people who have faith that there is no God. To date there is no scientifically testable means of determining which belief is true and no precedent to think that such means will ever come about. Believe what you wish, but just don't delude yourself into thinking that you are doing anything other than believing in whatever view you have on the basis of faith alone.



    Of course you will no doubt dogmatically disagree with me, but that is because you hold fast to your religious convictions just as much as those who you criticize. Just because to you atheism seems like the one true faith does not make you any less of a religious person or any less dependent on faith for your world view than anyone else.
  • Reply 158 of 159
    davegeedavegee Posts: 2,765member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by X38 View Post


    There is no such thing as a person who does not have religious faith. There are just some people who have faith that there is no God.



    I'm afraid you're wrong on this... I'm quite certain that there are a great number of people on this planet who are unsure and/or simply don't care one way or the other and refuse to get caught up in the whole thing.



    Quote:

    Faith is the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, concept or thing. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith The English word is thought to date from 1200–50, from the Latin fidem or fidēs, meaning trust, derived from the verb fīdere, to trust.



    The confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, concept or thing.



    Agnostic:



    - Someone who is doubtful or noncommittal about something of or pertaining to an agnostic or agnosticism.

    - A person who claims that they cannot have true knowledge about the existence of God (but does not deny that God might exist).

    - Uncertain of all claims to knowledge.
  • Reply 159 of 159
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,479moderator
    What I believe is that this thread isn't about religion but iPads in schools.



    Whatever people believe about one subject or another, the best option is to give people the opportunity to make a choice for themselves by presenting as much information in as accessible a form as possible.



    The iPad gives students access to the largest collection of the world's facts and philosophy at their fingertips so whether the iPad is the best device for the role, an internet-connected tablet of some form certainly is.
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