Don't have strong feelings one way or the other but I would say that laptops are neither good nor bad in themselves. I'm a teacher and I feel that used well they do offer us opportunities to innovate, cut down wasted time ( as opposed to redrafting work by hand ) and improve motivation. However, the airport mobile classroom is probably the ideal solution rather than one each although I'd love to be able to bridge the wealth gap by sending some of our poorer kids home with one.
What is certain is that schools can't keep building more computer suites as demand increases from all subjects. Also, ordinary classrooms can't take more than one or two desktops so the solution has to be laptops of some sort. I found this interesting article although its provenance makes me doubtful about offering it.
First, an iBook does not replace text books. Every middle schooler in Maine would be wearing glasses right now from reading their damn text books on their computers.
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That was one of the first and formost arguements FOR mobile computers in schools. It's nothing I pulled out of my pocket.
Every heard of ebooks? Much cheapers on both parties too.
And unless you're a expert eye specialist leading in the field. There is no conclusive evidence computers causes defects to the eyes.
There are multiple combination of reasons, why one will need glasses.
The leading reason assoicated with computers is eye strain a user does when peering intensively at the screen(aka game play) for long periods of time. This is not limited to computers. Booke-worms, TV couch-potatos, etc.
[quote]
Also, how are they supposed to highlight and take notes in the margins????
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Kids shouldn't be encourged to do that anyway. Many schools exspecially ones that don't cater to weathy families are encouraged NOT to write on text books. Most family don't want to pay $600+ for each kid a term/yr and rather use the "re-use"/borrowing system.
And being a computer, it's a race to see which company will make a companion program for this.
[quote]
And I wasn't suggesting that a LAN party might occur, I was telling you that it DOES HAPPEN. I have been there. Except for CS teachers, most teachers aren't nearly as smart as students when it comes to computers. They don't know when you are playing games.
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You are suggesting college graduates are not as smart, or dummer then a grade schooler?
Well that proves my earilier point of training, or the gradeschooler learning things that adults don't know.
[quote]
You're also telling me that 30% of adults cannot find porn on the internet, I don't believe that at all, where's the proof?
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Depends which satistic you use. It's a fast moving world we live in now.
There are adults who 1: can't afford computers, so they don't have the learned skill[Not all americans are rich]
there are adults who can't turn on a computer even if they have one[I'll use half my extended family as an example]
There are adults who can't get to I.E,etc[Why do you think those learning CD-roms make so much money]
And finally, there are aduilts like Rossie O'Donno, Regis & Kelly, Opera. Must I go on? And these people devote a recording on just this topic.
[quote]
I agree that they help with taking notes but that's about all it's good for in the classroom. But, people do need to know how to write. As for college, that's a different story, you NEED a laptop there.
<hr></blockquote>
Same thing could be said about calculators, quilts, etc.
They may or may not be needed as heavily in the future. It's upto teachers to decided the balance. Who needs to memorize the multiplacation table anymore?
Comments
What is certain is that schools can't keep building more computer suites as demand increases from all subjects. Also, ordinary classrooms can't take more than one or two desktops so the solution has to be laptops of some sort. I found this interesting article although its provenance makes me doubtful about offering it.
<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/sept00/LaptopPR.asp"; target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/sept00/LaptopPR.asp</a>;
First, an iBook does not replace text books. Every middle schooler in Maine would be wearing glasses right now from reading their damn text books on their computers.
<hr></blockquote>
That was one of the first and formost arguements FOR mobile computers in schools. It's nothing I pulled out of my pocket.
Every heard of ebooks? Much cheapers on both parties too.
And unless you're a expert eye specialist leading in the field. There is no conclusive evidence computers causes defects to the eyes.
There are multiple combination of reasons, why one will need glasses.
The leading reason assoicated with computers is eye strain a user does when peering intensively at the screen(aka game play) for long periods of time. This is not limited to computers. Booke-worms, TV couch-potatos, etc.
[quote]
Also, how are they supposed to highlight and take notes in the margins????
<hr></blockquote>
Kids shouldn't be encourged to do that anyway. Many schools exspecially ones that don't cater to weathy families are encouraged NOT to write on text books. Most family don't want to pay $600+ for each kid a term/yr and rather use the "re-use"/borrowing system.
And being a computer, it's a race to see which company will make a companion program for this.
[quote]
And I wasn't suggesting that a LAN party might occur, I was telling you that it DOES HAPPEN. I have been there. Except for CS teachers, most teachers aren't nearly as smart as students when it comes to computers. They don't know when you are playing games.
<hr></blockquote>
You are suggesting college graduates are not as smart, or dummer then a grade schooler?
Well that proves my earilier point of training, or the gradeschooler learning things that adults don't know.
[quote]
You're also telling me that 30% of adults cannot find porn on the internet, I don't believe that at all, where's the proof?
<hr></blockquote>
Depends which satistic you use. It's a fast moving world we live in now.
There are adults who 1: can't afford computers, so they don't have the learned skill[Not all americans are rich]
there are adults who can't turn on a computer even if they have one[I'll use half my extended family as an example]
There are adults who can't get to I.E,etc[Why do you think those learning CD-roms make so much money]
And finally, there are aduilts like Rossie O'Donno, Regis & Kelly, Opera. Must I go on? And these people devote a recording on just this topic.
[quote]
I agree that they help with taking notes but that's about all it's good for in the classroom. But, people do need to know how to write. As for college, that's a different story, you NEED a laptop there.
<hr></blockquote>
Same thing could be said about calculators, quilts, etc.
They may or may not be needed as heavily in the future. It's upto teachers to decided the balance. Who needs to memorize the multiplacation table anymore?
~Kuku