I sure wish someone in our schools would start teaching the kids about the VALUE OF MONEY. Giving out Ipads and other such gadgets does NOT promote that. You can see the current trend with our governments. Many of our elected officials have no idea about this. Free stuff only leads to more debt and disparity. Think about that for a second. This promotes the concept of "spoiled brats" and pushes it into adulthood. Understanding debt and economics surely is not taught by handing out free ipads.

Sigma, I agree that we must not use technology as a crutch! I have always encouraged students to write drafts by hand (when possible) because it can help a student's case if he or she is ever accused of plagiarism :-) it also cuts down on the cut and paste during the writing process.

Schools should NOT provide students with individual devices. I say keep the computer labs, with a personal device there is no learning... all your answers are there. just like Burger King 30 minutes ago, their computers went down so I was stuck in the drive through for 15 minutes because no one there could do math or write an order on paper.
You can not educate people to rely 100% on technology....it does fail.

Agree with Macdaddy except I don't think schools should flatout provide a device to every student. Many kids have their own. I think it's more fiscally responsible to provide to those kids who need one. That's what the districts I'm familiar w/do.

I think everyone is forgetting 2 important things on this issue.

1. The savings in textbook replacement down the road. As soon as a textbook is published it is outdated. New information is continually coming up and being updated. Also, think of how much room schools can save, by not having a dedicated computer lab, book storage room, etc.

2. Many kids would purchase these on their own and bring to school, but the chance of having it stolen or damaged by others who are jealous is huge. If everyone has the same thing there is no need to steal or show off what your family can or cannot afford. This is also a reason why I am in favor of school uniforms. So the kids' parents who can't afford the name brand clothes wont get picked on or made to feel less of a person.

Curriculum and technology go hand & hand these days as schools embrace ebooks & other technology to save money. It is important for districts to keep their technology infrastructure current because once they start deferring purchases to balance their budget it is very difficult to catch up.

I dont think kids should get tablets. They should increase the computer lab at school and have all study halls equiped with them. If you give them all tablets it becomes a part of them and almost a necessity, a crutch to lean on. If you keep them in the rooms they are tools and remain tools which they should be. They can also be maintained in a room and on a desk. A desktop PC should last 5 years easily. A tablet given to a student... I cant imagine the life expectansy being very high.

Handing out an IPAD is one thing.I would like to see an article on actually HOW they are used in the classroom. You can provide all the technology you want - but what are the teachers and students doing with the tools- how are they incorporating them into the curriculum?

"Lar80" has addressed one of the critical issues of the matter! Well said. You're right on target.
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A masterful teacher, one who has learned how to engage the interests and energy of young people, can do an excellent job with "old fashioned" tools of chalkboard and overhead projector. Sad that some elements of society would wrongly brand Nina as a "dinosaur."
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"Kangaroojack" has it right, too. Apple is NOT the only tool to use. Just as any given age group or gender might learn just as well with books made by Prentice Hall, compared to Harcourt Brace, "...jack" makes perfect sense!

Have any of you actually ever seen a youngster who can't figure out a new electronic device? In my experience they take about 10 minutes to master for many youngsters, yes they are playing games but, the point is if you want your child to have today's technology then purchase it yourself because its going to be old in about 3 months and wow talk about a vicious cycle, trying to keep up will give you Vertigo.

And why does it have to be an expensive ipad if they "need" tablets? You can buy android ones for HALF the price that do exactly the same thing. Plus who is going to be responsible if they are stolen or damaged?

And saxcat is pretty much on the money. Its pretty fun to watch a 20-30ish yr old have a hard time trying to to basic math WITHOUT a calculator. Grew up in school relying on "technology" to get them through.

JQpublic
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You are correct when you say the Union members live and breathe education..
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Sadly 85% of every dues dollar goes to either Madison or the National where the people handling the members money live and breathe liberal politics...
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And believe it or not.. There are a SIGNIFICANT minority of educators who are not into Nancy Pelosi or President Obama.

For clarification, I don't think that an ipad for every student is what needs to be done, but I do feel that we need to catch up with some of the basic technology that is used in classrooms across the United States. Having some tablets available for specific instructional objectives would be fantastic, but I prefer to see core classroom tech put in place first.

Anyone who thinks that an ipad is the core of education, has no idea what the educational needs of the average student is. I recently had (as in past tense) a 30-40 year old man working for me who had virtually no "life" skills at all. and this is not uncommon. he had never used a socket wrench, had no basic math skills, and zero understanding on how a basic machine works. stop giving them fish, and start teaching them to fish.

We don't fear change Sigma, as a matter of fact, we LOVE IT when you change the oil in the deep fryer !

No, we ar not keeping up with technology! When I started in the district, each classroom had two computers and a printer. Now we have one computer. While 2/3 of the district has SmartBoards, rolling labs, projectors, etc. I still teach on a chalkboard and with an overhead. Not impossible to have engaging and useful instruction, but disheartening to both the students and myself at the limitations the lack of technology presents to us on a regular basis.

wislady: With all of the negativity on every blog on every other article in the gazette you mean to tell me that Janesville supports education. You can banter back and forth all you want and say it is the union this and the union that. But in reality that union is made up of individuals who support, live and breath education. Where are you? You're trouble past and opinions mean nothing! Keep on posting it will not make you successful and it will not make people believe you are!

Pandering for open enrollment.

95% of these students will NOT have an Ipad provided for them at University or any job in there life... Why is providing an Ipad seen as advancing educational technology?.
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These "small" schools will most likely still graduate with the same percentage of students having difficulty with whole number, fractions, basic algebra and trig as well as weak communications and writing. Doubtful these small Ipad school will demonstrate improved test scores or retention via the new tools.
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Will they have new CNC Machines? Auto Lab, Science Lab?, Ag Lab, Weld Lab?.... Of course not... That might not point directly to university and we all know every single student must be prepared for university with no thought for real "TECHNICAL" skills... So that *some* students might be more ready enter the workforse close behind H.S. graduation, and possibibly PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH UNIVERSITY IF/WHEN THEY ARE READY.
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Providing tools (like an Ipad) at targeted learning programs is a great idea...
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Throwing Ipads at all students is not a soluion in my opinion...

keep up an I pad for years is better than a new text book

With budgets and a system ran by old people that fear change, of course the answer is no.

I don't know any communities that "despise" education.

Difficult to do in communities that despise education and those who teach it. Technology is an ongoing investment.

Districts who fail to keep up with the educational revolution of using technology in the classroom as an integration alongside the curriculum will get left behind in the information economic future.