Blog Response due Friday 9.7
Respond to one of the following two prompts in a sentence. We'll assess the first 86 responses.
1.Would it be in the students' best interests if Rochester Public Schools invested in an iPad for every student?
2.What is one educational implication of the changing technology paradigm?
posted by erdecker @ 1:58 PM
83 comments
83 Comments:
I think that everything the kids can do on ipads can be done on computers and paper. Money should be spent on more field trips or the arts.
I think that the overall benefit of having an iPad for every student would be visible in the quality of education; however, the undetermined benefits may not justify the steep price of the iPad.
-Katie Piens
I think that students would benefit if we all were able to access the plethora of information the internet provides with the ease and portability of an iPad; however, I do not think the benefits justify the school district spending millions of dollars.
~Lauren Reuland
In the long term, iPads in no way add to the educational experience of the youth due to the fact that iPads do not have any unique properties that are not already indemnified into existing technologies in schools.
-Angelo "Jar-a-millo" Jaramillo
I see no justification to spending time and resources operating these machines when the schools have all of the necessary resources to do a fine job teaching us students with what they already have.
-Nick Cox
1. Although the initial cost of purchasing an iPad for every student in the Rochester School District would be steep, the district would recoup funds from savings on textbook purchases and students would gain skills necessary to compete in an economic landscape defined by exponential technological advance.
-Alex Cheng
There could be some educational implementations that could come out of it; but i believe they would be overshadowed by the underlining price of the product. -Timmy Lindquist
I object to the concept of the Rochester Public Schools investing in an iPad for every student because it would cost too much to invest in the education of the teachers in the technology, the education of the teachers in the software, the cost of the software that they will probably replace every 2 years, and the inconvenience of a clunky/slow portable computing device.
-Nickolas Vasquez
While I do not think that purchasing iPads is the right course of action for the school district, I do think that the educational implications of experience with and exposure to broadening technological advancements would be beneficial to the students.
-Sam Bellows
I think IPads might be useful if the students use the programs and applications appropriately.
- Herchran Singh
While I think most students would enjoy being given an iPad, I don't believe that iPads change the accessibility or retention of knowledge and the money is better spent elsewhere.
- Dimitra Andreadaki
The district seems to be stuck in their paradigm of schools limiting the student's accessibility to electronic devices such as iPads; teachers need to be teaching students the technology of the future through the resource of iPads.
-Larsen Orchard
Investing in iPads for all students would be a huge waste of our school's resources, we already have many computers that can do everything an iPad can do, but better.
-Alec Ziegler
One implication of the changing technological paradigm, as it pertains to education, is that tasks such as word processing and monitoring grades will become more convenient for students, teachers, and parents.
--Micah Hunter Ray
IPads would help students by giving them more technological resources however I think that resources like textbooks would be more beneficial to invest in.
~Grace Allen
I believe that iPads would be useful for internet access, but the school has computers right down the hall; therefore, spending money on iPads would be a waste because we already have sufficient resources to learn from.
-Kelli Tobin
I think that even though the district is trying to become more "up to date", I believe we need to focus more on spending money on teachers, fine arts, and trying to get out of the mounting debt that we are facing.
I do not believe that it would be in the students' best interests if the Rochester Public Schools invested in an iPad for every student because with technology comes many added problems. There are many technical problems including the internet shutting down and programs malfunctioning that could distract from the lesson. When using a book you are not going to have those problems.
- Ashley Johnson
Students and scholars are consistently struggling, along with educators themselves, to keep up with the knowledge of how to use, apply, and learn from the constantly progressing technology because each time they must return to point zero.
Gunner Drossel
1. Regarding the iPads in schools I think it would be a positive change with many benefits. Nobody enjoys lugging around 3 or 4 large text books during the day, or having to make multiple stops at their locker. As stated previously eventually the iPads cost would out way the money spent on textbooks.
~Connor Smith
If the students used the iPads appropriately and wisely, there could be many benefits. Such as spending less money on text books that have been worn and lost. This is also beneficial to those students who don't have the privilege to access a computer at home.
-Reina Owecke
I think that too many kids would abuse the use of an ipad and it would counteract the whole idea of improving learning, it would end up distracting.
-Alicia Karls
While iPads would be an simple, portable way to access the internet and other educational applications, they would also depreciate quickly since new iPads are released every year or so and they would be far too expensive to merit purchasing one for each student without a known and significant educational benefit.
-Hannah Tamminga
I think that as long as the students didn't get distracted by all of the fun aspects of the iPad they could prove to be beneficial, because we live in a world filled with technology and new innovations, so the iPads would help keep students integrated in the world they will be living and working in.
~Cathy Northrup
Even though they are costly they would be worth it because for one, the use of iPads are much more convenient than computers in the sense that they are portable and don't take years to power on and off.
~Dylan Cota
Although iPads could be a useful tool for learning, I do not think that they will help any more than the resources we are currently using.
~Claire Olson
If the district was to start investing in iPads for students,it would show that the other programs do not matter due to the fact that there's already so many budget cuts for more important things.
~ My-Linh Vo
The paradigm that technology improves all aspects of life would be incorrectly extended to education if it were believed that ipads would enhance students' cognitive skills.
-Michaela Wentz
Having IPads for students in the classroom would be a new experience and it would be very enjoyable to the students but I do not believe that they would help us learn any more than without them. The money should be spent on more essential tools rather than wasting it on this experiment.
-Janek Walker
It would not be. In fact it would be stupid to do so. Do you really think people are going to use them for there designated purpose? If i was given a free Ipad to do school work on, I'd end up playing angry birds or something. I think it's a nice idea but unpractical. Students are already spending more time doing homework and other assignments on a computer, a computer full of distractions to lower the quality of work a student should do. Use money instead on books or something "old school" or "tangible" that will force students to actually do stuff and not just copy-past from from the internet and BS there work. Overall electronic sources for class has hurt the students ability to take pride in there work and not allowed them to live up to their potential in a time where that potential is at it's highest.
~Barry The Sawyer
Prompt1: I do not believe iPads would aid students in their studies since iPad there are limits to what an iPad can do as well as how they are more fun to play with than learn with. Naima Yusuf
Prompt1: I do not believe iPads would aid students in their studies since iPad there are limits to what an iPad can do as well as how they are more fun to play with than learn with. Naima Yusuf
While iPads may make learning more efficient and let the instructor easily assess class comprehension, they are only as useful as their operators make them.
-Bryan Flanagan
I think that ipads could be useful if there were free apps that presented lessons in a way different from the traditional, text-reliant form; however it seems to me that the likelihood of finding apps like that, or a way to make the ipads properly cost-effective is very low.
-Montana Smith
I think that bringing iPads into the Rochester Public School district would engage more students in learning and would adapt use of new technology in an educational atmosphere, but wouldn't change the overall value of the education that students receive.
~Jackie Buringa
I think that they would be taken advantage of, used to play around instead of learn, and would most likely be broken.
Ethan Pottebaum
Any technological device could be helpful to students; however, I do not think that this particular device would give any additional benefits than what is already being utilized.
-Katie Ollenburg
I believe that an iPad would not significantly improve the quality of the education that every student would receive, as they would merely provide a distraction while failing to provide any uses that current school technologies have, as well as drawing money away from other areas that would be better served to receive the funding, such as the fine arts.
-Dean Allen
Investing in iPads for all Rochester Public School students would be in the students' best interests; having the capability to access textbooks, educational videos and programs, studying aids, and the Internet on one compact, portable device would greatly enrich students' learning and increase their familiarity and comfort with technology that will play a prominent role in the future workplace.
^ Ben Stevens
I don't think RPS should because they would have to deal with a lot more thefts and damages of the iPads; it would be more expensive in the long run.
- Wesley Cammon
Rochester Public Schools shouldn't invest in iPads for students because they are easily broken and you can't upgrade the hardware that an iPad comes with.
Eric Walker ~
If Rochester Public schools wants the hassle of not only buying, but teaching many people how to use an iPad, they can go for it; however, I feel purchasing laptops would be of a greater benefit.
--Ashlan Olson
It's really cool when you don't click anonymous and then click post and it wipes out all the text.
-I agree with "Jar-a-millo" when he says that iPads do not have any unique properties compared to school technologies. I understand why the schools may be looking into purchasing them, however. iPads are easily portable, and are realitively easy to navigate with even if you are new to the whole "technological hipster" way of doing things. Now let's come back to real life. A $500 iPad cannot educate a student anymore than $1.50 pen and paper can... And what's keeping someone from just deciding to steal an iPad? "Well it's registered under your name," "Well I'll just take that guy's iPad over there and he can pay the replacement bill." Welcome to John Marshall we steal peoples locks in the locker room for crying out loud... And let's assume that everybody is miraculously a fantastic, honest person. To use an iPad to its fullest potential you are going to need a wifi connection, which the school does an absolutely horrible job providing. The internet around John Marshall runs poorly as is and you hook up another 1000 iPad's to the wifi and I do not think that school servers will run efficently or effectively, (or even at all), with all of these connections between smart phones, iPads, iPods, desktops, and laptops. I'm very pessimistic I apologize, but I'm not quite done etiher. To my last point stolen or not the iPads are sure to take abuse and will need to be repaired or replaced, which will cost the school some $$$, which we are short on in the first place.
-So to summarize, iPads would be an inefficient way to try and get kids to learn and may work small scale or short term but bringing it up to a full scale school wide level would be in the long term a complete and utter disaster.
-John Butrum
I agree with Ashlan that the school board should consider purchasing laptops instead of costly iPad. True, iPads are the most up-to-date technology, but is it necessary when laptops would offer the benefits? I certainly don't think so. Laptops offer the same opportunities for students and would be a better use of money if the board decides that new technology is necessary. I understand that some budgets require that a certain amount be dedicated to new technologies, but spending more than need be is not wise. With the extra money, new textbooks or teaching materials could be purchased, which I think are invaluable resources.
-Sarah Leichty
I agree with the changing of the technological paradigm as stated by Hunter but i also agree with Ashlan that the best way to go about this is by investing in laptops because of the ease of use plus it is a rather inexpensive product compared to the ipad.
-Nate Johnson
I believe iPads could be a costly but effective investment for JM. They could make learning easily accessible and would cut down on paper costs.
- Conner Rippie
I believe iPads could be a costly but effective investment for JM. It could make school topics easily accessible and would cut down on paper use. -Conner Rippie
Although getting students accustomed to new technology is a great thought and sounds beneficial, the costs to provide 1600 students with ipads and the risk of damage to them is far to great to be worth the investment. We always have and can continue to learn great without them.
-Aaron Grad-
I believe that it would be beneficial to students to have an iPad to use in school in order to keep up with the ever changing technology and learn different, more updated, methods to accomplish tasks.
-Melissa Parry
I think that by giving an iPad to each student you are providing them with another source that they can use to better their education.
I think that by giving each student an iPad you are providing them with another resource they can use to better their education.
-Adnan Mustic
I think that iPad's would be more of a distraction than a tool for students, especially since students already have access to the internet on the computer and text books in the class room.
~Anna Hicok
1. While the potential benefits of iPads are enormous, the cost is also quite hefty. Every student getting an iPad is a lovely idea, but at something like $300 [if we're choosing to buy an first, a.k.a. already obsolete, generation AND at a significant discount] a pop and 1600 "pops" at JM alone, the cost is just way too much. Had the idea been just, "a tablet" it would have been much more plausible, as the Apple brand itself doesn't offer much more than, for example, the much cheaper Google tablet. [Neither, in my opinion, are advanced enough quite yet to invest in.]
-Rayyan Mikati
I think rather than invest educational funds in iPads, the money would be better spent updating the current hardware/software as it will soon become outdated with exponential growth in the field of technology. Also, compared to a desktop computer, the amount of RAM and the hard drive capacity of an iPad is infinitesimal.
Students and teachers must keep advancing at the rate technology is and keep up to date with technology, because they will be issued to use it in the present and in the future.
-Ahmed Ahmed
1. In my opinion, iPads would be a cool investment if used properly for educational purposes only because of the increased use of technology in today's world, but the things an iPad does can easy be replaced by cheaper things. The money saved can then be used on things that further enrich the lessons taught by teachers.
--Emily Sands
Although the iPad may have incredible capabilities, I think it would serve more towards making education more convenient rather than making education more effective. For this reason, I do not find the cost of an iPad for every student to be worth the investment.
-Rebekah Frost
While the integration of tablets in the district curriculum would bring students opportunities to explore learning beyond the classroom and thus equipt them with the tools necessary for a technologically advanced society, I do not belive that an Apple product which is actually very limited in the exponentially growing market, is the investment that the district should make as the returns on such an expensive device are minimal compared to an as capable and cheaper Android device.
-Ekram Abdullahi
I dont know if this sent before so I'll try again, sorry if it worked before and this is a repeat.
In the world of today, many teachers are paralyzed in their old paradigms of how school was traditionally tought in the past; however, the paradigm pioneers of the teaching world may discover that using new technology, such as laptops, cell phones, and ipads, often helps connect to the modern youth while providing a fast, versitile means to convey new information in an interesting manner.
Sincerely,
Danny Luedtke
Unless the school is getting the i-pads free through some sort of program, JM doesn't have enough funds to purchase an i-pad for every student to bring home with them. Although it would make the size of our backpacks shrink as we get our textbooks from the i-pad, the investment is not worth the risk. It would be an improvement, but it's not worth $399 per student at the cheapest with over 1000 students (price according to store.apple.com). JM should not purchase an i-pad for each student because we can't afford it, teachers are notorious for being technologically challenged, and there are too many problems in the concept of loaning free i-pads to students.
With teachers struggling with shrinking budgets, JM can find better uses for the money. It wasn't very long ago that the school district was fearing massive budget cuts and layoffs. Unless JM found a stash of money, I find it hard to believe that we could suddenly afford a more than $400,000 expenditure. In the least, that money can go to prevent future teacher layoffs and budget cuts, providing more security to the education and clubs that arm students for both college and success. $400,000 can also pay for the annual salary of five new AP teachers at a starting salary of $70,000, diminishing class sizes and giving students a more personalized education. Further, we can update the Spanish textbooks which are so aged that they theorize in the future tense about us having hover-cars and curing cancer by the year 2000.
Many teachers don't have any clue how to work an i-pad. We saw a preview of this when some teachers got smartboards. Even after getting trained to use them, teachers were constantly fighting the smartboards for the things they wrote to stay on the screen. The teachers necessarily must also have an i-pad to choose which apps to tell their students to add to their list of apps. As the smartboards have indicated, there is no guarantee that teachers will understand how to utilize an i-pad. If the teachers don't know how to work an i-pad, they can't be helped by the advance in technology and the i-pads will remain unused by the students while the teachers take time to tinker. Teachers need a solid plan to do something with the i-pads in order for students to fully benefit from it in class and for students to potentially receive homework through it.
Lastly, there are too many issues in the idea itself. At the end of the school year, what's to stop members of the graduating class or someone dropping out to "forget" to turn in their i-pad? How can you stop the theft and sale of i-pads from student to student? If tracking devices are put into the i-pad to protect against theft, how do you address the privacy problems? In addition, what's to say that i-pads won't become more of a distraction to students during class than cell phones? What about the teachers who don't see a way to improve their class with the i-pad and prefer to do it old-school?
i-pads are great tools, and have the potential to be good learning instruments, but more substantial improvements can be made with the $400,000 that it would cost. Conjointly, the teachers who would be responsible to lead the i-pad generation would themselves be i-pad-ularly incompetent. Finally, there are too many unanswered questions about how the i-pads will be used and protected against theft. If JM decides to implement the i-pads and they are searching for a name for the project, I suggest that they call it Operation i-had a Bad i-dea.
Jacob Pintos
P.S. I was bored.
Not sure if my first one sent so I guess I'll answer the other prompt. If money was no object for the district I would have to say that giving every student and ipad would boost learning because the sharing of information would be easier and faster. However, Ipads do cost money and the money could probably be spent somewhere else to improve the programs that we already have instead of taking away from another part of the budget (thus underfunding some other aspect of this district).
~Carol Hickman
I don't think that buying an iPad would be in the districts best interest because a lot of the students could waste their time on apps and they would probably not end up doing much of anything that is actually productive on it.
-Perla Olivas
Funds should be spend weeding out bad teachers, hiring new ones, and buying crayons, not ipads.
-alex ness
I believe that the use of iPads in a classroom setting would distract from the main objective of the lessons taught, and place the focus on the excitement of using a new piece of technology and having to teach students how to operate it. - Sarah Owens
I think iPads come in handy just because they are portible, they don't take up as much space like laptops or computers, & they also provide many useful applications that aren't available anywhere else. Overall if it's for the best interests of the students it would not be a wise investment simply because Rochester Public Schools should not invest thousands or even millions of dollars on something like an iPad when we already have laptops and computers provided to us. Also because certain applications on the iPads will distract students.
- Diana Gomez
I think investing in iPads would be a beneficial idea and a successful paradigm shift in the near future because it would cut down the cost of replacing and maintaining multiple textbooks (keeping in mind this can cost hundreds of dollars) and give students access to thousands of textbooks, but as of right now, I don't think it would be a financial decision that could be made confidently.
--Lanaea Bowie
Today's youth are being constantly bombarded by technology, therefore school should remain a place where students are not forced to stare at a screen all day.
-Anna Riester
I think that although some may benefit from all the applications and data on an iPad, most would go on the internet during inappropriate times which only offers as another distraction to actual learning. Not worth the money. Not worth the more "pay attention" lectures..would be sweet to have though.
-Tim Moore
In the fast pace world one lives’ in today the ipad provides a huge amount of information on the internet, easy program accessibility and student friendly controls. This could have the potential of increasing student comprehension on many classes that they may have difficulty in. Although the high cost of the ipad makes one rethink the purchase. The amount that would be spent on the product could be put to greater use in other field of education that are lacking in funds.
-Luis Cisneros
Although I think iPads would give great educational advantage to the students, the cost outweighs the advantages.
~Nathan Jones
I think iPads would be a good way to incorporate technology with education, and would be a good experience for the students.
-Ainsley Riebow
I think combining technology with education would be a really good experience to expose the students to.
-Ainsley Riebow
I think that Ipads would distract students and are too expensive. There is also a huge risk of them getting broken or stolen, so it is a waste of money.
--Kaitlyn Zander
I believe that buying ipads for the school district althought it would be a great tool for the students in researching material would serve more as a distraction in the class. The money that it would cost to buy all of these ipads could be used more effectively in our school district then to buy an expensive toy.
-Tanner Barlow
the idea of each student having an ipad in replacement of books and notebooks does sound like quite a utopia, and in reality that's what it is. This idea truthfully is a good idea, but for in the future. At this point in time, electronics such as the ipad are too new, and people aren't used to them being considered an everyday electronic, such as the ipod. Because of this the ipad is still, in my mind, considered too valuable to be used in schools. It will be an amazing advancement in the future for schools, but as for now, there is too big a risk.
I think that giving all the students ipads is a good idea but there are pros and cons. The good: light back packs (if any), faster learning, economical, and more. The bad: to expensive, not all students will take good care of them, the money used could be used in better places, and more. I think that they should just wait until ipads are more common with the student generation and teachers. They will be less expensive then and easier to use.
Cassandra Curry
No, the new technology would encourage students to simply look up information rather than use critical thinking and problem solving to get work done.
-Alexander Amundson
If the school district decided to invest on Ipads for the teachers and students, they would both become reliant more on technology than their own brains.
- Anna Riley
The question the schools should be asking is this: is getting an Ipad for every student worth the time and effort, or are they looking for changes in the wrong places? I personally do not see how an Ipad can help an education.
Investing in an ipad would not benefit students, anything that can be done on an ipad can already be done on computers, and physical keyboards are faster to use then ones on a touchscreen.
^^^Still top 86^^^
-Chase
iPads would possibly help with students and education. This is because the future of the world involves technology and learning to use it in school will prepare students.
iPads would possibly help with students and education. This is because the future of the world involves technology and learning to use it in school will prepare students.
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