because of problems and no success, Schools drop laptop programs

[mzkhadir]

NYTimes

 

[wetcat007]

Not really sure how laptops benefit most classes, might be better for taking notes with but other than that what is exactly seen as the need for one? I'm amazed at how money at schools seems to work. High school where I am is cutting teachers and creating bigger class sizes, however they have money to put into surround sound systems, projectors and smart-boards in every classroom.

I doubt this school actually put anything like this to use, but what about getting rid of expensive textbooks, and getting some kind of replacement on the computer for them. Not sure what exactly is out there in this respect though.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

My school has about 50 laptops. And every single one of them breaks every 5 days.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Why don't they allow the use of common sense rather than money and technology? Teaching isn't a new thing, it's been done for ages without all these tools. Yes, people change over time, no question about that, and so should the methods they are taught with, but when they blame the success of what they're teaching on things like this, they're just looking for something to blame.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Why don't they allow the use of common sense rather than money and technology? Teaching isn't a new thing, it's been done for ages without all these tools. Yes, people change over time, no question about that, and so should the methods they are taught with, but when they blame the success of what they're teaching on things like this, they're just looking for something to blame.

True. But the aids really help. Especially in Sciences

On A side note, I find it hard to believe that 7th grade Social Studies gets thousands of of dollars in touch screen computers, laptops, and Smartboards (A huge touch screen used as a chalkboard)

At the same time, AP Computer Science A and AB get 0.

 

[Willoughbyva]

Perhaps there is more utility because more students will benefit from it?

 

[intogamer]

Theres virtually no benefit of having a Laptop. It just costs more maintain, fix, and highly breakable by students.

Plus those mobile laptop rack charging station shelf lock cart probably cost a few Gs too

 

[mugs]

Funny, I was just saying to my wife the other day that schools spend retarded amounts of money on technology that provides marginal benefits at best...

 

[Ricemarine]

IMHO I found no reason for schools to carry laptops. The middle school I did community service for had given out laptops. Pretty much after class all the kids do is play games or surf the web... Or show off the hidden goodies they uploaded to their laptop. High school students on the other hand were all about bypassing the school's filtering system by using different proxies. Then, they would install games and upload HD movies on their server folder so that others can download from it...

IMHO it's not really worth it, and it's more of a nuisance than a tool.

 

[nageov3t]

it's amazing how much money schools throw away at technology as if it's some silver bullet cure.

I honestly never saw a single use for having a laptop at school... even when I did have a laptop in college, the only time it left the dorm room was when I went away for long breaks and needed to get work done while on vacation.