Fezmid Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Ridiculous. http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_8586/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=3eWYwJLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 But the $200,000 that Superintendent Tom Morrill is proposing to spend on iPads - which retail for around $500 - Morrill said most of the criticism has been about the costs during tough economic times - not about whether tablet computers are age-appropriate. He said he plans to raise the money needed for about 325 iPads and teacher training from foundations, the federal government, the local school department and other sources. So that is about $615.00 per? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Yeah! Screw education! We got BOMBS TO BUILD!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Yeah! Screw education! We got BOMBS TO BUILD!! What does that have to do with iPads for kindergarteners...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Great idea. Kindergartner's are SO careful with things. And no one ever learned his/her ABC's or 123's without an iPad before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 30 years ago people where saying the same thing about paying for computers in schools. You'd be surprised what a six year old can do with an ipad. And you'd be stunned at what a 2 year old can do with one. How about we limit each district to one "assistant superintendent", or have each school employee contribute a measly 10% to their own pension. Or actually fire teachers that have been deemed unfit to be in a classroom (instead of giving them full pay for sitting in the 'rubber room' doing crossword puzzles for the next four years). That would buy one hell of a lot of ipads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) What does that have to do with iPads for kindergarteners...? Supplying up-to-date technology that allows the students to work with THOUSANDS of educational apps. It's basically 100 text books in 1 when used correctly. They arent buying the iPads so kids can check their Facebook and play Angry Birds. Theyre buying them because they are a reusable learning tool that can cover everything from learning the alphabet to high level Physics and Chemistry, and beyond. So they want to spend $200,000 to further advance the education provided to our youth, and you have a problem with that. How pissed were you when we bombed Libya at $150,000+ PER BOMB?? Point is, the money is out there. It's just being wasted on a lot of other unnecessary crap. I guess I dont get taking umbrage with wanting to spend a couple hundred thousand on a serious technology upgrade that will only benefit the education of our youth... Edited April 13, 2011 by DrDankenstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) Used properly, they could be a great tool. I question the fundamental wisdom in giving them to 5-6 year-old children, tho. Have you ever seen screen devices used by kids of this age? They will have to replace these at least every two years. I wonder whether for the older student set, using tablets could actually save money. This is especially so for textbooks for out-of-copyright books, or possibly e-textbooks that would theoretically cost less than traditional texts b/c it cuts production/distribution costs. (Then again, the e-paper of the Hartford Courant actually costs more than print, when standard discounts are applied! Explain that one...). So, I'd definitely want to see cost info for both ways. But, there are other e-readers out there that cost far less, for this purpose. Don't think most people are knocking the idea itself, just the cost and feasibility of what will actually happen once electronics get touched by grimy digits. There's a lot of truth in Jeff Foxworthy's old line that with kids, "We just can't have nice things!!" It would be cool if they could buy or get donations of refurbed/repurposed original iPads and save some coin and then not have to worry so much when they get used and abused. You'd be amazed at the tech that just gets thrown away these days when the newest device debuts --- it would be nice if the workable stuff could be donated and put to use in the classrooms. Edited April 13, 2011 by UConn James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) Used properly, they could be a great tool. I question the wisdom in giving them to 5-6 year-old children, tho. Have you ever seen screen devices used by kids of this age? They will have to replace these at least every two years. I wonder whether for the older student set, using tablets could actually save money. This is especially so for textbooks for out-of-copyright books, or possibly e-textbooks that would theoretically cost less than traditional texts b/c it cuts production/distribution costs. (Then again, the e-paper of the Hartford Courant actually costs more than print, when standard discounts are applied! Explain that one...). But, there are other e-readers out there that cost far less for this purpose. Don't think most people are knocking the idea itself, just the cost and feasibility of what will actually happen once nice things get touched by grimy digits. There's a lot of truth in Jeff Foxworthy's old line that with kids, "We just can't have nice things!!" It would be cool if they could buy or get donations of refurbed/repurposed original iPads and save some coin and then not have to worry so much when they get used and abused. You'd be amazed at the tech that gets thrown away these days when the newest device debuts. They have covers that protect the device and screen which can be disposed and easily/cheaply replaced. Have you ever seen what a brand new text book looks like at the end of the year? The schools are already replacing them every few years, and the books are as costly as the covers, and cant be re-used like the iPads. Its also a great opportunity to start teaching kids how to handle electronics/devices without ruining them. They still will, but at least theyll be ingrained from an early age. Its a great idea. Sorry, but anyone condemning it simply isnt thinking with any foresight. By the time these kids are out of school, iPads will be the obsolete technology that they grew up with. Edited April 13, 2011 by DrDankenstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 They have covers that protect the device and screen which can be disposed and easily/cheaply replaced. Have you ever seen what a brand new text book looks like at the end of the year? The schools are already replacing them every few years, and the books are as costly as the covers, and cant be re-used like the iPads. Its a great idea. Sorry, but anyone condemning it simply isnt thinking with any foresight. Just a question: Do you have kids? Because there's the theory and the reality of this. Unless the covers are made of diamond-plate.... We got my nephew a Leapster for Christmas. Two weeks later, the screen had a quarter-size spiderweb-pattern crack on it. And that thing is pretty well coated in rubber and a plastic lens cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I wonder if Apple considered selling them to schools at greatly reduced rates. I could easily see where kids get hooked on them and then pass the idea on to Mom and Dad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) Just a question: Do you have kids? Because there's the theory and the reality of this. Unless the covers are made of diamond-plate.... We got my nephew a Leapster for Christmas. Two weeks later, the screen had a quarter-size spiderweb-pattern crack on it. And that thing is pretty well coated in rubber and a plastic lens cover. I dont have kids, but Ive taught Kindergarten. It can be done. Of course there will be some casualties, Im not saying theyll be 100% perfect. But they wont be replacing ALL of them every year either. And we know it's a fact that the schools already have to spend thousands replacing books and supplies every year anyways. This is just consolidating everything down to one device. Also, Apple has historically worked well with Schools and Students/Teachers. I'm sure that if the district was buying a whole bunch of them at once, they could get a good deal on a service contract for support and repairs. As far as the Leapster, was your nephew using it under the same supervision he would while he was at school? An adult was there working with him when he cracked it? Edited April 13, 2011 by DrDankenstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Have you ever seen what a brand new text book looks like at the end of the year? The schools are already replacing them every few years, and the books are as costly as the covers, and cant be re-used like the iPads. How many textbooks is your kindergarten class using...? I know we had exactly 0, aside from the ones that the teacher used to read from. I have no problem with computers in schools -- but personal tablets for a 5 year old? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Fong Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 How is this "ridiculous?" I think it's a great idea. You ever been around a kid that age when using an Ipad? They friggin love it and actually are receptive when learning things in this format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) How many textbooks is your kindergarten class using...? I know we had exactly 0, aside from the ones that the teacher used to read from. I have no problem with computers in schools -- but personal tablets for a 5 year old? No. Not textbooks in Kindergarten per se, but reams and reams of paper when they are learning to make letters and what not, all of which could be eliminated by a reusable touch screen. Why do you have a problem with tablets for Kindergarten kids? Theyre just smaller, portable computers. There are thousands of educational apps to use on them. And this would only cause more apps to be developed. Furthermore, by the time these kids are in high school, all there will probably be are Tablets with the big bulky PCs going away. I honestly dont understand your problem with this. Other than you are incorrectly associating an iPad as an "adult toy", which it is, but that's not ALL it is. They just passed ruling that Flight Manuals will be put on iPads instead of those huge books pilots need to lug around with them. Restaurants are using them as interactive menus. Schools have already started using them as teaching tools. They're not just toys. You dont have a problem with computers in schools, an iPad IS a computer. It just doesnt LOOK like the computer you are used to. And most of those PCs end up being $500+ anyways. I dont get the problem here... Edited April 13, 2011 by DrDankenstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Not textbooks in Kindergarten per se, but reams and reams of paper when they are learning to make letters and what not, all of which could be eliminated by a reusable touch screen. Why do you have a problem with tablets for Kindergarten kids? Theyre just smaller, portable computers. There are thousands of educational apps to use on them. And this would only cause more apps to be developed. Furthermore, by the time these kids are in high school, all there will probably be are Tablets with the big bulky PCs going away. I honestly dont understand your problem with this. Other than you are incorrectly associating an iPad as an "adult toy", which it is, but that's not ALL it is. They just passed ruling that Flight Manuals will be put on iPads instead of those huge books pilots need to lug around with them. Restaurants are using them as interactive menus. Schools have already started using them as teaching tools. They're not just toys. You dont have a problem with computers in schools, an iPad IS a computer. It just doesnt LOOK like the computer you are used to. And most of those PCs end up being $500+ anyways. I dont get the problem here... I don't have a problem with OLDER children using computers. A 5 year old should not be using an iPad as their main focus of learning. They SHOULD be using paper and crayons and paint. There have been scientific studies that show children develop better with physical, tangible items as compared to learning from a computer screen. If I had time, I'd look that up again now -- maybe I'll have time tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I don't have a problem with OLDER children using computers. A 5 year old should not be using an iPad as their main focus of learning. They SHOULD be using paper and crayons and paint. There have been scientific studies that show children develop better with physical, tangible items as compared to learning from a computer screen. If I had time, I'd look that up again now -- maybe I'll have time tonight. Just think of all the bombs the children could make!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I don't have a problem with OLDER children using computers. A 5 year old should not be using an iPad as their main focus of learning. They SHOULD be using paper and crayons and paint. There have been scientific studies that show children develop better with physical, tangible items as compared to learning from a computer screen. If I had time, I'd look that up again now -- maybe I'll have time tonight. Hell with the 5 year olds. I have an issue with adults using the damn things. We were driving through Sonoma a couple of weeks ago with some friends. Beautiful day. Farms all around with bright green grass and yellow mustard from all the rains. Cows, sheep, rolling hills and grape vines as far as the eye could see. And two of our friends were on their iPads playing games. And these were not local folks who were used to this scenery. They were from southern CA. I couldn't believe it. I can't get enough of that scenery and I go to wine country at least once a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Just a question: Do you have kids? Because there's the theory and the reality of this. Unless the covers are made of diamond-plate.... We got my nephew a Leapster for Christmas. Two weeks later, the screen had a quarter-size spiderweb-pattern crack on it. And that thing is pretty well coated in rubber and a plastic lens cover. LOL...yep. My 5 year old will be in kindergarten next year. Giving him an IPad would be ridiculous. It would end up soaked in apple juice. Smart boards...yeah, I could get behind that. Have the kids learn to stand up in front of class and use them...sure, perfect skill to teach. But an Ipad...sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 How is this "ridiculous?" I think it's a great idea. You ever been around a kid that age when using an Ipad? They friggin love it and actually are receptive when learning things in this format. We have to pry our 2 year old away from it kicking and screaming. Of course it's just a fun toy for her, but many of the apps are very educationally sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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