re: Laptops in the classroom -- a reverse of direction

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
> Date: March 9, 2010 11:51:51 AM EST
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] ] Laptops in the classroom -- a reverse of direction

> Isn't the deeper question one of why teachers cannot command  
> attention in their own classrooms?
>
> I used to read a book held inside my 8th grade Algebra I textbook in  
> Alexandria VA public school.  That multitasking didn't affect my  
> particular situation, because I already had self-taught myself  
> Algebra sufficiently so that with a small amount of attention I  
> could respond to the teacher's questions.
>
> On the other hand, I was not able to do so in my World History  
> class.   In both cases, the teachers did a *great* job of engaging  
> students' attention sufficient to master the subject.
>
> Let's not blame the technology, the teachers, or the students.   
> Let's consider that the entire system is being "politicized" - with  
> people who have no clue about how to help kids learn seeking to  
> control the system by micromanaging: micromanaging the technology,  
> micromanaging the teachers, micromanaging the curriculum.
>
> I suspect that laptops can be very helpful in classrooms, to  
> students and to teachers. Thoughtless reactions like this don't  
> advance learning, they just "sell papers" or create ad-generating  
> echo chambers in the blogosphere and the IP list.
> On 03/09/2010 11:31 AM, Dave Farber wrote:
> > Anyone care to estimate time to jailbreak the ipad.  djf
> >
> >
> >
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > > From: Adam Fields <ip20398470293845 () aquick org>
> > > Date: March 9, 2010 10:42:59 AM EST
> > > To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> > > Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> > > Subject: Re: [IP] Laptops in the classroom -- a reverse of direction
> >
> > > For IP, if you wish:
> > >
> > > On Tue, Mar 09, 2010 at 10:33:42AM -0500, David Farber wrote:
> > > [...]
> > > > The Post carries a story this morning about the trend to ban  
> > > > laptops
> > >
> > > > in the classroom.  Faculty who used to welcome laptops now banning
> > >
> > > > them because multitasking students don't pay full attention to the
> > >
> > > > discussion.  This is a possibility, I audited Julie Cohen's
> > >
> > > > copyright law class at Georgetown back in 2006 and although some
> > >
> > > > students seems to be taking noted intensively, I was struck by the
> > >
> > > > number of students who were using their laptops for other tasks.  
> > > > One
> > >
> > > > young man sitting in front of me spent my of the class writing for
> > >
> > > > his election blog.
> > > [...]
> > >
> > > This seems like a perfect for the iPad and other devices that don't
> > > "support" user multitasking. It seems a very short stretch to simply
> > > disable the home button on the iPad until the teacher code is typed
> > > in, allowing teachers to load up an application relevant to the  
> > > class
> > > and not permitting students access to anything else while the  
> > > class is
> > > going on.
> > >
> > > --
> > >                - Adam
> > >
> > > --
> > > ** I design intricate-yet-elegant processes for user and machine  
> > > problems.
> > > ** Custom development project broken? Contact me, I can help.
> > > ** Some of what I do: http://workstuff.tumblr.com/post/70505118/aboutworkstuff
> > >
> > > [ http://workstuff.tumblr.com ] ........... Technology Blog
> > > [ http://www.aquick.org/blog ] ............ Personal Blog
> > > [ http://www.adamfields.com/resume.html ].. Experience
> > > [ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fields ] ... Photos
> > > [ http://www.twitter.com/fields ].......... Twitter
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> > > [ http://www.confabb.com ] ................ Founder
> > Archives        



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