The end of "one laptop per kid"-programs in schools?

Skybird · 05-05-07, 02:08 AM

Why am I not surprised?

in America:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/ed...l?pagewanted=1

in Germany:
http://www.faz.net/s/RubCF3AEB154CE6...~Scontent.html

Having some teachers in my circle of acquaintances, and having thought about this developement of "one laptop per schoolkid" myself, I always had doubts that this new "trend" in schoolteaching would make much sense if used as a lead paradigm without differing between different contents of learning for which the hardware is used. friends also tell me that during classes the laptops they have in their classes constantly are abused for gaming, emailing, chatting, like the FAZ article also is reporting. there is so much to learn as a fundament for which there simply is no replacement for the old-fashioned way of learning by reading books, using paper and pencil, and doing things manually and by hand. This is so very important. Like more and more distracting OS systems in the main only cause the user not to know about the bascis of computer management anymore (on the DOS level for example) and thus he is more and more limited in the ways in which he can use the computer for working (those ways allowed by a DOS, or a given software), one-to-one-programs also lead to a singular and limited perception of information, teaching pupils not more, but less that way. The competence to use computers individually and at free will and creativity is not increasing but decreasing by this. your number of options by which to approach a working procedure in which you use a computer is declining.

It seems that both in America and Germany more and more schools come back to their senses. About time: the number of people leaving school and not being able to do basic calculations and to read and write flawlessly is increasing at growing speeds.

Hitman · 05-05-07, 02:31 AM

Quote:

About time: the number of people leavoing school and not being able to to basic calculations and to read and write flawlessly is increasing at growing speeds.

Sadly too in universities

I see almost daily incredible gramatic errors from supposed universitarians

Skybird · 05-05-07, 02:44 AM

I count two typos in the quoted sentence by me...

thank God I have my ultra-fast keyboard-hacking (you can't call it just typing anymore) as a foul excuse

Onkel Neal · 05-05-07, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

I count two typos in the quoted sentence by me...

thank God I have my ultra-fast keyboard-hacking (you can't call it just typing anymore) as a foul excuse

You can't count typos, English is not your first language. You are doing well to speak both German and English.

I have always thought the idea of parsing out computers to every student as very extravagent and wasteful. In most uses, computers are not used as "computers" anyway, they are used as gaming platforms, typewriters, TVs, media players.

I agree; laptops are a gimmick for students and will not replace books, lectures, pencil and paper, and discussion.

Iceman · 05-06-07, 12:44 AM

Scratch paper,scratch paper,scratch paper....my kids always think I am nuts when I tell them to use scratch paper to work out problems especially math ones....They tried to tell me they're teachers told them they can't use it...I told them that is the day I pull them out of school and teach them myself lol....How else is one supposed to learn except for trail and error and being able to go back and look and see where a mistake was made...not to mention it promotes good handwriting...my son is still trying to master this one...as well as possibly learning to create story's or possibly lead to the artisitc side via/v doodleing.

Computers for kids yea thought that was a crazy idea myself...I want them to be able to figure things out with they're own brains instead of googling everything.

Frenssen · 05-06-07, 04:32 AM

After every student got a laptop the teacher has to compete with msn, facebook etc. to get their attention. The idea of laptops to every student is a prestigious project led by politicians and beraucrats who have never been teaching unmotivated teenagers.

05-05-07, 02:08 AM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,609 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	The end of "one laptop per kid"-programs in schools? Why am I not surprised? in America: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/ed...l?pagewanted=1 in Germany: http://www.faz.net/s/RubCF3AEB154CE6...~Scontent.html Having some teachers in my circle of acquaintances, and having thought about this developement of "one laptop per schoolkid" myself, I always had doubts that this new "trend" in schoolteaching would make much sense if used as a lead paradigm without differing between different contents of learning for which the hardware is used. friends also tell me that during classes the laptops they have in their classes constantly are abused for gaming, emailing, chatting, like the FAZ article also is reporting. there is so much to learn as a fundament for which there simply is no replacement for the old-fashioned way of learning by reading books, using paper and pencil, and doing things manually and by hand. This is so very important. Like more and more distracting OS systems in the main only cause the user not to know about the bascis of computer management anymore (on the DOS level for example) and thus he is more and more limited in the ways in which he can use the computer for working (those ways allowed by a DOS, or a given software), one-to-one-programs also lead to a singular and limited perception of information, teaching pupils not more, but less that way. The competence to use computers individually and at free will and creativity is not increasing but decreasing by this. your number of options by which to approach a working procedure in which you use a computer is declining. It seems that both in America and Germany more and more schools come back to their senses. About time: the number of people leaving school and not being able to do basic calculations and to read and write flawlessly is increasing at growing speeds. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert. Last edited by Skybird; 05-05-07 at 03:25 PM.

05-05-07, 02:44 AM	#3
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,609 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I count two typos in the quoted sentence by me... thank God I have my ultra-fast keyboard-hacking (you can't call it just typing anymore) as a foul excuse __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

05-06-07, 12:44 AM	#5
Iceman Ace of the Deep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mesa AZ, Arizona, USA Posts: 1,253 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Scratch paper,scratch paper,scratch paper....my kids always think I am nuts when I tell them to use scratch paper to work out problems especially math ones....They tried to tell me they're teachers told them they can't use it...I told them that is the day I pull them out of school and teach them myself lol....How else is one supposed to learn except for trail and error and being able to go back and look and see where a mistake was made...not to mention it promotes good handwriting...my son is still trying to master this one...as well as possibly learning to create story's or possibly lead to the artisitc side via/v doodleing. Computers for kids yea thought that was a crazy idea myself...I want them to be able to figure things out with they're own brains instead of googling everything.

05-06-07, 04:32 AM	#6
Frenssen Sparky Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norway Posts: 155 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	After every student got a laptop the teacher has to compete with msn, facebook etc. to get their attention. The idea of laptops to every student is a prestigious project led by politicians and beraucrats who have never been teaching unmotivated teenagers.