Hellobee Boards

It doesn't ring true at all. Use of statements like "when was the last time you used chalk to express yourself" just prove the bias as chalk is rarely used by students or really anyone other than teachers...ask about pencils, pens, markers, or crayons and the answer is very different.

I'm not really seeing where there is demonstrable evidence of this, so...dunno. Have they implemented this and actually seen better results vs. the traditional classroom?

I can see maybe some room for this, in ways that encourage interaction (like the referenced UK study in that article). But there are probably other ways to encourage interaction I would think--not just through these hefty investments in highly breakable tech.

I hadn't read it until now but there is some truth in it (not the whole thing and not the marketing). Too few classes are using all of the tools available to them which does mean iPads and computers. Using google for classroom this quarter has been amazing. I was out for a week having my daughter and I could keep up with my class as they got assignments and posted assignments on google drive.

Kids need to learn to type as much as they need to learn handwriting (because who wants to go back to signatures of x). Kids need to learn programming and critical thinking skills. And they need to learn them in different areas.

Kind of like a new puppy being introduced to many different environments so they won't freak out when taken home. There is a need for electronics in the class and a definite need for time without them.

I just heard this last week. There is nothing that shows that Student + Technology = Better learning . It all depends on whats done with the technology. Technology cannot be a substitution device. It has to transform teaching and learning (which would be based on many teaching pedagogy) in order to have research to show that it has an improvement.

@T.H.O.U.: Absolutely. I actually am grateful that we have the devices. I have been able to do so many engaging, differentiated lessons with them but I hate that due to the policies in place I can't utilize anything other than digital. For example, our books are all digital and just like many adults can't use kindles, my students can't stay focused reading from their 11" screen.

Plus, students are WAY more tech savvy than half of the adults. Proxies, cheating, etc happen far too frequently. Teachers with poor classroom management have students that spend most of their time on Youtube or playing video games.

@Mrs. Taco: Yes the PD needed for true digital integration is very lagging. I'm glad you enjoy them!

I feel like this is a timely conversation--a co-worker just emailed me about "article spinning", a new form of cheating. Basically a student can copy any text off the internet, input it into a spinner website and the website will alter the text enough so it would not be detectable through our plagiarism tools. Seriously.

Example from Wiki: Theodore Roosevelt Jr., often referred to by his initials TR, was an American statesman, author, explorer, soldier, naturalist, and historian who served as the 26th President of the United States. A leader of the Republican Party, he was the spokesman for the Progressive Era.

Turned into: Theodore Roosevelt Jr., frequently alluded to by his initials TR, was an American statesman, creator, wayfarer, trooper, naturalist, and antiquarian who served as the 26th President of the United States. A pioneer of the Republican Party, he was the representative for the Progressive Era.

Uh-huh. Sure. That is coming from a Microsoft rep, so I'd take it with a biiiiig grain of salt.

I don't think, at least with modern technology, there is a substitute to learning with pen and paper. Let's say you're working on a math problem and need to sketch something out - you probably need to switch between a couple different applications, and keep flipping between them instead of seeing your equation and sketch on the same page. Plus there is the temptation to use a calculator for the simplest number crunching - but not being able to do basic math in your head will put you at so many disadvantages in life. Plus there's less opportunity to get distracted by web surfing if you're not taking notes on a device.

I'm not even going into how addictive all these digital devices are. I'll be honest, I'm a little bit addicted to my phone. But I'm a grown woman with developed social skills. I'm a little nervous about the implications of kids handling electronics from a very young age, before they have the chance to really get into things that don't happen on screen.

I think there's a place for both electronic and traditional implements in a classroom.

I struggled with math as a child, because I can't visualize in my head, which then in turn makes me nervous and then I can't even add a row of numbers together without making a computation error. Had I had access to Excel, I would have been able to get those numbers summed and focus on the larger problem.

I think any time there is a big leap in technology, people dig in their heels and try to resist it. I just try not to be a bleeding edger and wait for a stable platform and then make my judgements.

@looch: lol, I'm sure you can! I mean really basic stuff like figuring how many apples to buy to last three people a week, or if you really want to walk to that meeting or it's too many blocks and better just take a cab

@Mama Bird: well, I can do simple math and a lot of it is memorized. Ask me to multiply 35 by 7, for example and I can't do it without writing it down. Then, I work myself up and make computation errors.

All I am saying is, tools could have been used to build my confidence as a child, rather than forcing me to use visuals that didn't work for me. It is a mistake I hope doesn't happen to my son.