The Wall Street Journal syndicated a story a few days ago, Saying No to School Laptops. It’s a fairly extensive article that describes a backlash to 1:1 initiatives across the country from parents and legislators. One parent says,
“What she learned was how to play games and email her friends,” says Ms. Adam. “School was one big happy gabfest.”
Actually, the image of a classroom as a “big happy gabfest” has some appeal to me, if they are gabbing about history, or science, or health, or math in their worlds. If they aren’t, then that’s not the fault of the computers.
Who’s speaking for the children?
Who’s speaking for the future?
Those are the perspectives that I find conspicuously missing from this story.
Image Citation
Cicobuff, “Southampton University – Science Week.” Cicobuff’s Photostream. 26 Mar 2006. 6 Sep 2006 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/azrehman/118214623/>.
Technorati Tags: 1:1, laptops, learning, technology, warlick
Access to connectivity and technology in our schools allow our curriculum to leak into our students’ home and social lives. This ‘leaking’ is going to be a two-way street. Our students’ home and social lives are going to leak into our school day. We have an amazing opportunity to teach our students how to be safe, ethical and confident communicators.
We had a long discussion on this article in the Association of Computer Educators in Maine List the last few days. Interesting enough it ended with references to connectivism as Craig stated above. Maine has shown in grades 7-8 the power of one-to-one. Classroom atmosphere and expectations should have been the topic of the NYT article, not laptops.
It’s not the gabfest that’s the problem. It’s what we are (or, too often, aren’t) gabbing about. I completely agree with you.
Just like any tool that comes into our classroom, it is great as long as our teachers are teaching how to use it. Students will always be off task if allowed to be. Personally, I am amazed when I meet new teachers fresh from getting their degrees who have never been taught to use online resources when teaching students. I see our best learning when students are given the tools they need. Their excitement will keep them learning and my job as a teacher is to make sure they stay on task. It is easy to make sure students are on task when they are looking at one resource (i.e. Worldbook Online). IF we are studying on lots of different websites, they write their topic on a sticky note and place the sticky note on their computer. I have a quick rule, if you aren’t on the website that we are learning about or that is on the topic that your sticky note says you are researching, you lose the computer. I must be believable because I haven’t ever had to take a computer away.
It is about how effective the classroom is really isn’t it. The technology is a bit of a distraction, and to some extent irrelevant in this discussion. I wonder if the classroom described would have had the kids off-task (just in different ways) if there were no ICT’s present at all.
After all … ineffective teaching + ICT = expensive ineffective teaching
There is nothing innately miraculous (in terms of its effect on learning) about the technology – it is about how it is used! And in the classroom this is dependent on the teacher ….
Greg
Many parents were brought up in schools where the teachers began their careers in the mid-20th century so they’re still looking for that kind of instruction which is, of course, not what our early 21st century students need and are looking for. Greg is right…if the teaching is ineffective and, I would add, not engaging, not goal oriented, and not planned to involve the use of thinking skills then technology isn’t going to help at all. We’re still looking for the magic aren’t we instead of acknowledging that, in general, the factor in the classroom that has the greatest affect on student achievement, the teacher, hasn’t really changed as much as it needs to for 21st century learning.
David,
I posted my thoughts on this article over on my site the other day. You are welcome to take a look http://musingsfromtheacademy.wordpress.com/2006/09/02/saying-no-to-school-laptops/
This summer I read some great research that is great evidence that laptops are useful. It is
Davis, A. (2004). Finding proof of learning in a one-to-one computing classroom. Courtnay, BC: Connections Publishing.
Davies conducted as one-to-one computing research in a grade 8 classroom that was in a school labelled as “failing”. The positive results are too numerous to list in this small comments space.
Brain Based Bloggin
I do training for graduate students in university professional schools (mostly dental schools) as part of my job. We produce software for them to use in the course of their studies.
I am often amazed at how many students are often “off-task” or typing away in some internet “gabfest” (my new favorite word!), usually when I have lapsed into an ineffective lecturing mode, rather than an engaging purposeful project to help them learn the mechanics of their new tool. I try to let this guide me to change the speed or technique in my delivery.
Some of my fellow trainers get quite upset about those who don’t pay attention, but I feel it’s our training program that needs updating, not the student’s attention skills. They are just following their interests. We should either make learning interesting, or get out of the way.
Once those sessions end, I hear from students using the software about specific improvements that could be made, and we have added dozens of features and enhancements based solely on user feedback. They know how they want to use these tools much better than we know how to train them.
I found it interesting in a school last week that only university-sanctioned websites were open to surfing in the lecture hall we were in. You could search the library, or the professional association’s periodical listing, but not yahoo, google, hotmail, or even our website. It had to be added so our required software could be registered correctly. I’m sure that mother interviewed by the NYT would approve of classroom filtering such as this for her daughter. Wonder how she’d feel about it for herself at her job?
stupid fucks dscgiwgycgggfter8orrgfgv!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/svolti] svolti [/URL] svolti [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/answers] answers [/URL] answers [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/western] western [/URL] western [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/ritardo] ritardo [/URL] ritardo [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/mailing] mailing [/URL] mailing [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/wallpapers] wallpapers [/URL] wallpapers [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/sanpaolo] sanpaolo [/URL] sanpaolo [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/funzioni] funzioni [/URL] funzioni [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/distretto] distretto [/URL] distretto [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/vaio] vaio [/URL] vaio [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/esercizio] esercizio [/URL] esercizio [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/ufficiali] ufficiali [/URL] ufficiali [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/rewards] rewards [/URL] rewards [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/siamese] siamese [/URL] siamese [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/tensione] tensione [/URL] tensione [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/logos] logos [/URL] logos [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/events] events [/URL] events [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/alcatel] alcatel [/URL] alcatel [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/alessio] alessio [/URL] alessio [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/istituti] istituti [/URL] istituti [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/street] street [/URL] street [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/evolution] evolution [/URL] evolution [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/diffusione] diffusione [/URL] diffusione [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/caserma] caserma [/URL] caserma [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/price] price [/URL] price
[URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/orgia] orgia [/URL] orgia [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/corsa] corsa [/URL] corsa [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/eva-henger] eva henger [/URL] eva henger [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/offerte] offerte [/URL] offerte [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/stanza] stanza [/URL] stanza [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/babbo] babbo [/URL] babbo [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/pasta] pasta [/URL] pasta [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/barclaycard] barclaycard [/URL] barclaycard [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/mano] mano [/URL] mano [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/italia-master] italia master [/URL] italia master [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/farsi] farsi [/URL] farsi [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/chi] chi [/URL] chi [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/candela] candela [/URL] candela [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/fontana] fontana [/URL] fontana [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/devi] devi [/URL] devi [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/rossa] rossa [/URL] rossa [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/novella] novella [/URL] novella [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/natura] natura [/URL] natura [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/baseball] baseball [/URL] baseball [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/aria] aria [/URL] aria [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/umbria] umbria [/URL] umbria [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/mario] mario [/URL] mario [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/canna] canna [/URL] canna [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/messenger] messenger [/URL] messenger [URL=http://www.fotonudeiy29.org/concertone] concertone [/URL] concertone
[URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/canon] canon [/URL] canon [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/make] make [/URL] make [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/decreto] decreto [/URL] decreto [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/inculate] inculate [/URL] inculate [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/fosse] fosse [/URL] fosse [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/legend] legend [/URL] legend [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/tour] tour [/URL] tour [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/polizia] polizia [/URL] polizia [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/1999] 1999 [/URL] 1999 [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/fisica] fisica [/URL] fisica [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/pacchetti] pacchetti [/URL] pacchetti [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/neri] neri [/URL] neri [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/modificare] modificare [/URL] modificare [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/malattie] malattie [/URL] malattie [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/perdere] perdere [/URL] perdere [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/happy] happy [/URL] happy [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/ostia] ostia [/URL] ostia [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/locazione] locazione [/URL] locazione [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/1992] 1992 [/URL] 1992 [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/hip-hop] hip hop [/URL] hip hop [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/negli] negli [/URL] negli [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/accompagnatrici] accompagnatrici [/URL] accompagnatrici [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/import] import [/URL] import [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/torneo] torneo [/URL] torneo [URL=http://www.vocjbolario87.info/telaio] telaio [/URL] telaio
[URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/aprile] aprile [/URL] aprile [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/memoria] memoria [/URL] memoria [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/drivers] drivers [/URL] drivers [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/mirc] mirc [/URL] mirc [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/rimborso] rimborso [/URL] rimborso [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/tree] tree [/URL] tree [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/hair] hair [/URL] hair [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/immobile] immobile [/URL] immobile [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/intervento] intervento [/URL] intervento [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/spiagge] spiagge [/URL] spiagge [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/ospedali] ospedali [/URL] ospedali [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/bridge] bridge [/URL] bridge [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/cazzo] cazzo [/URL] cazzo [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/figlio] figlio [/URL] figlio [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/trovare] trovare [/URL] trovare [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/televisione] televisione [/URL] televisione [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/calore] calore [/URL] calore [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/certificazione] certificazione [/URL] certificazione [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/tumori] tumori [/URL] tumori [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/motore] motore [/URL] motore [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/valutazione] valutazione [/URL] valutazione [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/romano] romano [/URL] romano [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/mature-donne] mature donne [/URL] mature donne [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/touch] touch [/URL] touch [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/latex] latex [/URL] latex [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/postale] postale [/URL] postale [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/johnny] johnny [/URL] johnny [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/sondaggio] sondaggio [/URL] sondaggio [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/ricerche] ricerche [/URL] ricerche [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/people] people [/URL] people [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/dolore] dolore [/URL] dolore [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/city] city [/URL] city [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/tunisia] tunisia [/URL] tunisia [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/pari] pari [/URL] pari [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/malpensa] malpensa [/URL] malpensa [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/aste] aste [/URL] aste [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/tasse] tasse [/URL] tasse [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/scienze] scienze [/URL] scienze [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/adsl] adsl [/URL] adsl [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/erba] erba [/URL] erba [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/appalti] appalti [/URL] appalti [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/weekend] weekend [/URL] weekend [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/foto-porno] foto porno [/URL] foto porno [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/break] break [/URL] break [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/classificazione] classificazione [/URL] classificazione [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/salerno] salerno [/URL] salerno [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/fish] fish [/URL] fish [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/oscar] oscar [/URL] oscar [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/import] import [/URL] import [URL=http://www.palv4mare.org/player] player [/URL] player