[warmup]
Laptop turn in is May 27. For warmup defend out one-to-one program. (Here are comments from a star-tribune article on schools using laptops and ipads are classroom tools.)
"" We have so many budget cuts, lets buy the most expensive computers possible. Apple. What a waste of money buy 3 cheap laptops for the price of one macbook, or better yet make the students SHARE them!
So the choice between laying off teachers or buying non needed laptops?"
"Simply hard to believe, schools are telling us they are short on money Teachers are paying for paper and other supplies. Just wait until the kids loose or break the ipads. I suppose they just go in and pick up another one. The students should share the cost if possible. I think a $40.00 fee is a great idea. One thing the students will not learn is how to use the library and research facts etc for a paper."
"I have to say, I have been unimpressed with the games our school district has been promoting. The play to learning ratio is way too high. Games like hop some frog over obstacles and then you get to some place and you get a multiplication problems to solve. I prefer to just give my kid 60 problems to do with a pencil and when he is done, he can go outside and play."
"Sounds like a great idea, LOL. Children drop things, to give them a $500 piece of electronics is foolish. How many children drop their backpacks on the floor when they get home? How many children are "book dropped" in the hallway? This sounds like a very costly endeavor."
"Yep -- the old way isn't working. So the new choice is to trying a new expensive gadget or to get rid of the "old way"? I recommend getting rid of the unions (the old way) just like WI, and see how that works. It doesn't cost anything, and it CERTAINLY corrects the "old way"!!!"
"And how does this help an elementary school student learn? Can they learn to read just as well by using a BOOK? Isn't a good thing to go to the LIBRARY to do research rather than go to Wikipedia? Other districts have tried the laptop experiment and that was trumped as a "must have" How did that work out? Did those kids learn better? This is a case of extra money that needs a place to be spent."
Write about why our one-to-one program is good for students and their ability to learn or take the opposite side and write about why the program is a waste of money and should end. Start with a theses statement (The one-to-one laptop program has an overwhelmingly positive effect on my learning). Then use specific examples from your time here at FAIR DT to support your view.
Having a computer in school is awesome. Having access to photoshop it just awesome for me. I can't imagine going to school without my laptop anymore. Its been such a amazing resource. Thank You FAIR school.
ReplyDeleteI like the one:to:one program, because we get laptops that help us out through the year. The only thing I don't like is that the computer gets on my last nerves. Sometimes it runs really really slow and sometimes the apps don't open up. I think another thing is that some students can't afford it and they don't have a laptop all year and everyone else does and it makes school a lot hard for them.
ReplyDeleteI hate it because we don't get to keep the laptops when we graduate.
ReplyDeleteI think the 1:1 program is great and it helps me out a lot more in school. I have learned to type better and faster, i have an unlimited access to information through the internet, i can stay connected even when i dont even notice it. When i want to know something i can simply get on the internet and look it up. But if i didnt have my computer i would have to look for a book. What if its 2 in the morning when im working on a project and i need information, theres no mcdonalds library where i can drive thru and just get a book like a mcgriddle.
ReplyDeleteI think the one on one program is good because it helps students become more independent in a way. Also, it allows kids to get homework done without having to go to a library. Another opportunity is that kids are able to do more educational things with the laptops.
ReplyDeleteThose comments are riddled with generalization, it's also insulting how much adult don't remember what it's like to be this age. Basically they say they don't trust us "kids" and we're simply just going to not appreciate it and ruin it. Personally, I do well with the laptop, and I feel like it does help the school experience. They act like you can't learn anything from a computer, you can still learn things about books, library's, etc. That's because while having a computer, there is also many resources on the computer, and we learn which are good ones and which are not. To say that we only learn from wikipedia is just so dumb. Generally we are told not to use that one often,and it's not like a bible. I have more to say, adults make me angry sometimes. I hope I will never be so bitter.
ReplyDeleteI'm in between about the one-to-one program. I think that there are benefits, but there are also negative parts about it. It makes taking notes and researching easier, but it doesn't help to stop teenagers being so obsessed with and reliant on electronics.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a bind with this issue. Many schools are giving computers to students younger than 14/15, which I believe is stupid and foolish. They don't need them, nor do they understand how to use them properly for work. Laptops, iPads, or whatever you're giving your students should be given to older kids who know what it means, and can comprehend the consequences of breaking or loosing them. So I agree that young kids, 13 down, should not get them from schools, but as you get older (especially now) you need a computer to get through school anyways. We're reaching a technological age where pencil and paper will be replaced with typing. Which is fine; as long as this is restricted to certain areas. English, history, or classes were you need to take many notes or where you write many reports it's a good tool to have handy. Math or the arts, on the other hand, a computer like this one is rendered useless. "Games" are really pointless, because you focus more on the actual gaming techniques (hand-eye coordination etc) than the math. I think mathematics, unless ridiculously advanced, should stay true to text books, paper, and pencil.
ReplyDeleteI kinda like the 1 to 1 program. I get access to a laptop that I get to take home everyday. If it wasn't for this laptop I would not be able to do my work or anything. This laptop has made it so i don't have to travel all the way to a library to check my facebook or email.
ReplyDeleteThe one-to-one program is good for students and their ability to learn. Its money saving I think you don't waste as much money and it is a lot more easy to keep on top of your schedule and the one-to-one program will prepare you for college. It also helps out from having a big mess of papers in you back. plus they are portable.
ReplyDeleteI think that this program with these laptops are very helpful as a tool. This tool is good for us to keep track of our work & check our grades. So what i think that we should keep going with this program.
ReplyDeleteI think the one-to-one program is a good program, but I rather have note books instead of these laptops because I would think of this high school more of a normal high school if we didn't have these computer.
ReplyDeleteARIANA WARREN
The one-to-one laptop program has an overwhelmingly positive effect on my learning. We have been able to do a lot more than we can do with text books. Also, our teachers have been able to share things, like files and videos, with us so easily.
ReplyDeleteThe one-to-one program has helped me and other students learn because we have programs and resources that that we normally wouldn't have at home. This allows us to be more artistic and make cleaner work. The laptops are also funded by something other than the school and the students have to pay to use them (insurance).
ReplyDeleteI think the laptop program is a good thing but i think that some students may use it for the wrong things.
ReplyDeleteThe programs is good, I like use the laptops it's nice to have when we do papers and projects. even though i hate taking notes on the laptop i think the program was a good idea because the laptops do come in handy.
ReplyDeleteI think the One-To-One Program is very useful. The Program giving us laptops is good because later on in the years, there's going to be more technology in the world and in our workplaces, schools, etc. So with the laptops we get to learn how to use them. Also they make it easier to take notes instead of writing it all down on a piece of paper.
ReplyDeleteI think that the FAIR Downtown one-to-one program is pretty good, I think that without the laptop we wouldn't be able to do as much as we have been with our laptops. With our laptops we are able to create soo many things, I think it's kind of cool, what some people create. The cool part about it is that you can see what different things people create, and just by watching that one thing that they create you can learn so much about that one person, just by watching one video or looking at one picture that they have created. I think we should continue to use this program, it shows you how to manage your time. Like with doing homework, and then just searching the web.
ReplyDeleteThe one on one program is very helpful because we can check out grades individually and check what is necessary to turn in yet to get our grades up. We can talk to the teachers that we have missing work.
ReplyDeleteThe FAIR Downtown one-to-one program is definitely a good thing. Whether people like it or not, computers are becoming an enormous part of life- play and work. And the fastest growing fields are in computers, especially new media things. Plus, the internet is bringing itself more and more to the forefront of everyone's lives. So I think it makes perfect sense for schools to teach students with computers. They are everywhere!!! I believe that if FAIR would take away the one-to-one program is would have similar effects to the school completely removing all science-related classes. I mean come on!!! If schools don't do this then we are going to go to college un-prepared, since colleges have mostly embraced the use of computers (look into any college lecture hall and see what the students are taking notes on). And computers are excellent for organizing and creating.
ReplyDeleteBut in schools? they should definitely be there. There are a lot of comments about kids breaking stuff, well perhaps we shouldn't give them to little kids, but at least older middle schoolers and high schoolers. Of COURSE there are distractions. there are always distractions, there are always kids who will tune out. that is not affacted by technology, that is just attitude. And as for prices? I am completely confident that a school would not invest such a great deal of money if they were facing budget problems. While I can't speak for other schools, I know that both FAIR Schools received a "@1st Century Grant" (or something to that effect) which is a federal grant meant specifically for purchasing technology-related things. I even hear a lot of comments from people in my school like, "how is it that we have laptops and smartboards but none of our pencil sharpeners work!?!?" and the simple fact is that the school's money doesn't all exist in one big pile. It is separated, and the 21st century grant can only be used for high technology.
FURTHERMORE I do believe that macs for education are much better than PCs. Now I don't want to start a "Mac vs PC" flame war; I love both computers, but I think macs are a lot more easy to use and well-rounded. PCs are great for very specific things, such as gaming, business stuff, etc. But macs are just well rounded, PLUS they have iMovie, Final Cut, and GarageBand, which are FANTASTIC programs that simply do not have PC alternatives. FURTHERMORE, Apple offers discounts for education, so they are probably not as expensive as retail, and AGAIN, this comes from a 21st century grant, so it doesn't really matter anyways. We got a brand new mac lab as well as smart boards for every classroom so I do not believe there was any shortage of money.
So as you can see, laptops have many benefits. Now of course they are not a fix-all things, and I completely understand the people who are talking about libraries and books. Nearly everyone I know, including myself, does not read books or go to libraries often enough. But I think schools can help teach those skills-- using laptops, books, and other resources in tandem. And I love this, especially as an independent learner. With these laptops, an idea can spark in my head and I can immediately read about it, write something down, or create something. I am always reading about something random in my spare time. If someone asks a question, I pull out my laptop. Need to take the city bus home? take out the laptop. Forget the name of that famous philosopher? google it and maybe find out a little more. Plus, I often visit sites such as google news so I can learn about the world WHILE I am learning about the world. So much information!!! I think these are very valuable skills to have that can only be taught with laptopts. okay I am done
I think one-to one program is a good program that we should keep it going because having a laptop is new and different.I think it is new to have one because I get to learn more programs and be able to do my homework on the computer.
ReplyDelete