Personally, my reaction to this ipads for school thing is 'that's a dumb idea'. More dumb than the idea of online courses for middle schoolers. That's how dumb that is.
Isn't technology important, you might say? Well, about the online courses-part of classroom learning is learning how to follow instructions, have discipline, etc. Older adults think that my generation is unprepared for the work place- think of a generation that hasn't had to even get dressed for school or be there on time. Of course, the big problem with online learning is the amount of actual learning that will occur versus watching videos on youtube, reading manga scanlations, and checking facebook. Even with a teacher to keep them on task, the ratio is not good, and without a teacher, hahaha, actual learning! Kids have plenty of technology at home[although some may have to go to the library!] and goofing around on the internet is a home activity.
The ipads thing is of course much worse, as it's expensive, and incurs large replacement costs. A paper book is cheaper and really, nobody's going to steal your World History book, but someone's going to steal an ipad.
3 comments:
Are you joking? You think teachers make kids that don't want to learn actually learn?
I read Stephen King novels throughout 7th grade, didn't listen to a thing in class or turn in an assignment, got F's in every class, was allowed to go into 8th grade the next year anyway, where I did the same thing and then went onto 9th grade :/
Kids learn because their parents will ride them if they don't or because they actually plan on going to college someday.
As for the cost... An iPad is under $1000. It costs at least $8,000 a year per student to educate them in the current system. Cost isn't the problem, my college tuition by year is cheaper than the cost of my public school year. You could give a kid 8 iPads instead.
I don't like the iPad, that's the only thing. People take them all over without them getting stolen though.
Some students are hard core cases, yes, but many children can be redirected into learning something. Even I've managed to get kids to pay attention long enough to learn something, and I am not a teacher. Just giving up and saying just tool around on the internet... I doubt the kids would get any education at all, and that might be neglect.
Adding the cost of the Ipad to the cost of the schooling- the money would be better spent well...almost anywhere else.
I believe that online schooling should be available to all. Not that it is for every child necessarily.
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