IPAD from the school

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

I need some tips on how in the world to handle this.

 

DD14 is jumping in to the local PS starting 9th grade on Monday.  She will be receiving and IPAD with ibooks on it to use for the school year.

 

1.   I have not purchased an Ipad because we have a large family, laptops, a desktop, tv's,  iphones, video game systems, Kindle, and a 3DS.  It is hard to manage all of these already. 

It will be a problem for me to keep the other children away from her Ipad.

And she likes to use Social networks way too much.

 

2.  I have already told her that her screen time is going to be limited more.  If she has access to any screen, she is up all night!

 

 

I may have to do what I read as a suggestion on an older hs thread and disable the wifi.  And I may have to buy a little safe to keep it in overnight.

 

 Any other suggestions or knowledge of what the school usually allows to be downloaded on these?  

 

 

[happypamama]

An iPad can be password protected to keep it away from the littles.

[mysticmomma]

Keep,social networks off the ipad, she can use the family computer. It's her responsibility to keep it in a case and away from the littles.

[Dmmetler]

The school may have downloads disabled anyway. I kind of hope so...

[shawthorne44]

If I were you, I would call the school and ask them about restrictions on the iPad.  You might get good news.  

 

I have experience with computer networks inside schools.  In general, they seem to be locked up incredibly tight, i.e.  only white-listed websites are allowed, and adding to the white-list takes an act of God.  

 

So, there is a chance that the iPads will be secured in some way.  Can you imagine the negative publicity of  "Students at XYZ school use school provided equipment to record and publish p%^%"  

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

I have secured our ipad.  Go into the restriction section, and create a restrictions passcode. From there, you can either whitelite or restrict specific websites/apps/music/whatever.

 

Only I know the ipad restrictions code. I change it often, out of paranoia since I have kids who are code crackers. It stays in a charging station in my room at night, along with all other household electronics.

 

There are ways to hack around restriction codes, but ultimately I think at some point that our children will grow up and leave the nest....so teaching a child to govern their own behavior is just part of parenting.

[Elisabet1]

The ipads were a free for all in our schools. We have over 50,000 kids in our district and the ipads and other computers were not being monitored. That is where one of my children started watching porn and doing first person shooter games. And because the ipads where there, the teachers generally stopped teaching and would tell the kids to look at videos on their ipads and such. Academically, there was very little to be done on them. The kids would talk in to Siri so they did not have to type. "Papers" were now done as power point type presentations with no actual writing. My child going in to 5th grade who left public school in March doesn't even know any sort of punctuation or to start a sentence with a capital letter. My high schoolers reported the ipads were being used to cheat at the higher levels. 

 

I have nothing good to say about giving kids play systems for school, and especially not on my tax dollar and my child's educational time. This is a factor in our choice to home school. 

 

Oh, and restrictions cannot block anything because proxy sites exist.

[aCountingHouse]

Our eldest is in year 8 this year and this is his second year with an IPAD.  Some 'rules' we have at home include:

 

No T's in the bedrooms (that is technology, tablets, tv, telephone).  All technology to be in study or living areas so I can see what they are doing.

No games to be downloaded onto the IPAD.  It is for school use only.  Anyway ours has limited space so he needs to keep it all for his schoolwork.

Must ask us if he wants to download anything onto the IPAD.

All technology to be turned off half an hour before bedtime, reading before bedtime.

No facetime and socialising using the IPAD.  This is easier as he is a boy.....

Password so younger ones cannot jeopardise school documents.

 

So far, so good.  With our eldest daughter in year 6 next year and getting a school IPAD, we will constantly need to reinforce these rules.

 

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

Thanks for all of the information.  She is supposed to get her ipad on Monday.  She did tell me that they are allowed to use social media :(   We will have to set some ground rules at home for sure.

[Unicorn.]

They are a flippin nightmare!!  Don't plan on being able to cut off wifi. The books that are supposed to loaded on to their ipads, aren't actually on the ipad, and don't work w/ out internet.  Half the stuff they do will require internet, even if the school says differently.  You can't turn off face time, as it's on the ipad, and the kids can just go in and turn it back on.  If they are allowed socail media, then you will have games, kik, snapchat, etc to deal with as major distractions.  And deleting any program like facebook or games that they download, they just get it back through the cloud next time they get on.  

 

You have my sympathies.... they suck!  (excuse the language, but I have an extreme hatred of them)

 

 

[Arcadia]

 The books that are supposed to loaded on to their ipads, aren't actually on the ipad, and don't work w/ out internet. 

 ....

 And deleting any program like facebook or games that they download, they just get it back through the cloud next time they get on.  

 

I had loaded the Pearson textbooks and HMH textbooks for biology, algebra and geometry on my iPads and they don't need Wi-Fi once loaded.  I also use Word Within the Word on their iPads without internet.

 

For my kids iPad, I disabled the app store so they cannot reload any games or apps that I deleted.

[Unicorn.]

This year, the school took up the ipad over the summer, so they could delete the app store, and only have school apps... we shall see.  Can't get rid of facetime though.  Last year, we tried disconnecting the wifi, and the kids couldn't access their books.  The first page would load, and then nothing.  Another huge problem we had, was several times, kids lost work due to some school-wide ipad crash.. sometimes stuff didn't save/ get turned in, when the kids thought it was turned in.  It was a massive headache, and negatively affected my kids grades.  Oh, and then you have the teachers w/ weird due times.  Like midnight... on a Friday... during football season.  Most of those kids don't even get home until after midnight on Fridays!  They are horrible.  

 

At least if they used an android tablet, then the kids could back up work on a flash drive, and not have to redo it.  Dh did say there were some better updates on a couple of programs.  He's a teacher, and this will be his third year using them.  He hates them too!  They actually create a lot more work for him.  

[Unicorn.]

Again we have none of these issues. They belong to the child not the iPad.

 

The majority of the problems were not due to the kid.  And just FYI, test scores have dropped, and continue to decline since the inception of the ipad in our schools.  Unfortunately, it's a known fact that certain higher ups in the district own stock in ebooks, so they won't admit that they aren't working.  Quite frankly, I found your comment to be rather rude and harsh.  The OP was worried about distractions, and I gave her examples of such.  I didn't list all the problems that occurred, and still haven't.  But I quoted my other post just to give a small sampling of other problems that had nothing to do w/ the kids themselves.  

This year, the school took up the ipad over the summer, so they could delete the app store, and only have school apps... we shall see.  Can't get rid of facetime though.  Last year, we tried disconnecting the wifi, and the kids couldn't access their books.  The first page would load, and then nothing.  Another huge problem we had, was several times, kids lost work due to some school-wide ipad crash.. sometimes stuff didn't save/ get turned in, when the kids thought it was turned in.  It was a massive headache, and negatively affected my kids grades.  Oh, and then you have the teachers w/ weird due times.  Like midnight... on a Friday... during football season.  Most of those kids don't even get home until after midnight on Fridays!  They are horrible.  

 

At least if they used an android tablet, then the kids could back up work on a flash drive, and not have to redo it.  Dh did say there were some better updates on a couple of programs.  He's a teacher, and this will be his third year using them.  He hates them too!  They actually create a lot more work for him.  

[Arcadia]

Last year, we tried disconnecting the wifi, and the kids couldn't access their books. The first page would load, and then nothing. Another huge problem we had, was several times, kids lost work due to some school-wide ipad crash.. sometimes stuff didn't save/ get turned in, when the kids thought it was turned in. It was a massive headache, and negatively affected my kids grades.

I think for textbooks, it is because your child's access is probably a web access version. I bought from the iBook store so the entire book is downloaded to my kids iPads which eats up the storage space.

 

When your kids turn in work to the teacher, see if you can get a notification with time stamp or a screen shot. Sometime school servers crashed or the email server is clogged up.

[Unicorn.]

I'm not sure how an iPad crash could cause lost work. Work should be backed up in the cloud. Electronic communication is the norm now whether people prefer it or not. Seldom do things simply disappear in cyber space when using an appropriate server etc. As for people owning stock in e books pushing technology into schools... Hmm doubtful that this is really the reason technology is being integrated into most school systems.

 

Our district has removed FaceTime and messaging. Devices are not ancillary to kids. They are part of every day life. So is social media.

 

I'm not sure that test scores can possibly be blamed on a tool that delivers curricula.

 

My complaints about the iPads are that they simply are not used very much. We still have textbooks in every single class. It's still easier to type on a computer.

 

It wasn't just that an ipad crashed.. every single ipad in the district got wiped clean..all at the same time.. on more than one occasion.  And one of my kid's ipads would not back up on the cloud..ever.. and tech couldn't figure it out, and wouldn't issue a new one.  

You are lucky that your district still has textbooks.. ipads are used in totality here.  NO paper, NO books.  Kids are no longer writing, they use spell check for everything, rarely use complete sentences for any answers to anything.  Reading, and writing scores have dropped tremendously as a result.  As for the ebooks stock, we've known about their involvement for years, before the ipads were implemented.

[Unicorn.]

I think for textbooks, it is because your child's access is probably a web access version. I bought from the iBook store so the entire book is downloaded to my kids iPads which eats up the storage space.

 

When your kids turn in work to the teacher, see if you can get a notification with time stamp or a screen shot. Sometime school servers crashed or the email server is clogged up.

 

Yes, but the school assured all parents that having internet wasn't necessary, as the books would be on the actual ipad.  Not everyone can afford internet.  One of my best friend's doesn't have it.  Her kids have to scramble everyday to find someplace to go w/ internet.  And when you have kids w/ ad/hd and need to cut off wifi in order to cut out distractions... you can't because then they can't do their work either.

[Tiramisu]

Dh works in a school who implemented an IPad program two years ago after having had a lap top program. Long term teachers have seen a significant negative change in the kids since implementing these tools. Dh says he has seen that the really motivated kids are still doing fine. The kids who struggle are still struggling. It's the majority of the kids who are somewhere in between who have been most impacted by the distraction of this technology. One family told him they chose the school because of the lure of the program and now that they see the effects, they are sorry. 

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

We pay about $70 a month for LIMITED internet in PODUNK Kentucky.... AT & T lied to us when we moved here and said internet would be available in 6 months... it has been over 8 years now,  We went from Dial up to Hughes Net and now have Excede which is a little better but download is severely limited.  We have to download most books, pdf files, and videos after midnight.  Sometimes it won't work until 1 or 2 a.m.  

 

We already battle Snapchat, Kik Instagram and Facebook.  

 

The excuse is always: " I need Music to load the dishwasher" ..... or now to do homework... but it always ends up taking hours and I have to find my iphone... so 

 

I am putting my foot down,  

 

DH will have to deal with the Ipad.

 

I have battled this child too long... nothing works... no reward system... the only reason I let her go to ps was that she was sleeping all day anyway!

[Χά�ων]

I find when people blame technology for societal ills it often because they don't understand that what is a distraction to them is just everyday life for these kids. These technophobes seek to limit kids exposure to tech out of fear that it will somehow derail human communication, and to force a return to a golden age of education that never existed.

 

The struggling student benefits from tech help- mindmapping software, spellcheck, voice to text, text to audio. These features make my older child's scholastic life easier. We have the ability to annotate PDF, to highlight and erase. To share digitally and to create typed docs. I love that his handwriting is never an issue and he can't lose his books. I love that "I forgot my homework" isnt possible bc its in the ipad or the laptop. I love that if there is a meltdown or a mess up we can print a new copy (if a hard copy is needed- rare).

You are kidding right? Blame the kids? It's a personality flaw?

 

Wow.

[Χά�ων]

I think you misunderstood.  I can't grasp what you think I wrote so can't clarify.

 

Typing comments in your post as quoted from above

I find when people blame technology for societal ills it often because they don't understand that what is a distraction to them is just everyday life for these kids.  These technophobes seek to limit kids exposure to tech out of fear that it will somehow derail human communication, and to force a return to a golden age of education that never existed.  

For many it is addicting. They cannot just not check facebook/e-mail/messages/etc. There is even a mental health disorder for people who cannot handle being without their cell phone. It is a real mental health issue, much like addiction. Except they cannot just not take the next sip. They are being forced to deal with an addiction head on while being forced to use the thing they are addicted to. Alcoholics cannot just take one sip and the same applies to all addictions. For a young person with limited impulse control this can be a disaster.

 

The struggling student benefits from tech help- mindmapping software, spellcheck, voice to text, text to audio.  These features make my older child's scholastic life easier.

And yet there are many studies that show that child benefit and learn more from the simple act of writing out the information than when they type. Plus iPads are hell to type on. 

 

We have the ability to annotate PDF, to highlight and erase.  To share digitally and to create typed docs.  I love that his handwriting is never an issue and he can't lose his books.  I love that "I forgot my homework" isnt possible bc its in the ipad or the laptop.  I love that if there is a meltdown or a mess up we can print a new copy (if a hard copy is needed- rare).  So, instead of teaching children how to be organized and responsible, just have them do it the last second and not worry about keeping track of papers and homework. 

 

Then throw in that there are a lot of people who cannot read on a screen. I struggle greatly. I manage for places like this but I print as much out as possible. 

 

Further more, I view the iPod, iPads and all tablets as toys. Is it good to have an understanding about how to use a touch screen for checking in at doctors offices? Yes. Do kids need to have a tablet 24/7 to build this knowledge? No. Does sitting on their rumps playing video games give them knowledge on how to use technology appropriately? No. Does have an iPod for school actually teach them how to do basic computer maintenance?  No.

 

I am not anti technology. I am Pro technology knowledge and usage when appropriate. I am against iPads and computers being relied on for school work. 

[wapiti]

My guess is that many schools' ipad programs may not have "evolved" enough yet for worthwhile use in public schools, if that makes any sense.

 

My dd13 had an ipad from her private school last year and she will have one this year in 8th as well - we pay an annual insurance.  We will be required to buy one for her for a different private high school that she will likely attend.  It has been a good thing for her though she's relatively responsible and disciplined.  There are strict rules at school though I'm sure the rules get broken - discipline for broken rules is obviously a different ball of wax at a private school than at PS.  Our house is full of technology and not enough to satisfy all six kids LOL so I don't mind another ipad around (no one else is allowed to use dd's school ipad, period).  Still, there is much she prefers to do on the PC over the ipad.

 

I can't type on an ipad either, FWIW, though my dd has a separate keyboard case, which makes typing much, much easier.

 

Eta, chalk me up as another who is grateful for the state of technology for my dysgraphic-ish kids.  My boys will be required to have a device (PC or ipad) at their charter middle school next year, whereas in the past, it would have been an accommodation we'd have to argue for, get expensive testing, etc.  Now if someone would just teach them LATEX or some such math software :)

[Unicorn.]

Well it sounds to me like your school system has some implementation issues.

 

It's 2014. Not having internet isn't an option now. It's available to needy families here for $10 a month. I live in Podunk IN

 

You obviously have no experience w/ having $5 to get you through the next week or two til payday.  I get really tired of people saying "It's just ten dollars, or just 20 dollars, or even five.  Some people just don't have that extra five or ten dollars a month.  And it doesn't matter where you live.  Internet is just not an option for a lot of people.  Period.  There's a new middle class in this country.  They make just enough not to qualify for aid, but not enough to really live on, either.

 

And yes, the school system has issues, which is why ipads should not be the be all, end all of someones education, as they are making them.  

[Χά�ων]

Actually I have quite a lot of experience with that. But regardless free Internet is available all over the place as well. It is not a luxury to have Internet connectivity any longer. The homeless families we work with invariably have Internet connections on their phones because it is essential.

Bull crap. 

 

IF you live in the city or in the suburbs free internet is easy to come by. When you live rural and have to drive 30 minutes to get to the internet and there are no options within walking distance it is not free. Gas is not free. In my small town the only place with free internet is the library and that is so slow that downloading is near impossible. 

[Χά�ων]

Then that should play into the decision to use iPads. But I live semi rurally and we have free wifi at all our local restaurants like McDs and Panera etc.

We do not have McDonalds or a Panera.  Frankly, the only chain anything in my small town is a Sonic and even that is unique in that the owner grows as much of the produce as possible. And no free internet there. If I want to go to a chain anything I have to drive 25 minutes to the only sizable city in my county or drive the opposite direction to get to the next county. That is the only city in my county with any type of chain restaurant. 

 

As shocking as it is McDonald and Panera are not options everywhere.

[Tanaqui]

But in order to use that "free wifi" at McDonald's or Panera, you have to actually go to those places - right? Are they really okay with people sitting in there for hours, taking their wifi, and not buying anything? (Not to mention, it doesn't really sound like a calm environment for studying or working!)

[Unicorn.]

The homeless are given free internet.  Families making less than X amount of money, are given free internet.  Families making just above that line, don't qualify, and can't afford internet, or cell phones, etc.  

 

The OP asked for potential problems, and help with issues that might crop up.  I told her some of the problems.  I don't understand why you feel a need to insult anyone who has issues with them, or who recognizes that sometimes technology isn't always better.  I'm glad they work for your dysgraphic kid.  They don't work for everybody.  

 

 

[Χά�ων]

I don't understand why you would use words like bull crap directed towards me and then accuse me of insulting you.

 

I'm defending the use of iPads not making personal attacks.

I called your over generalized statement bull crap. It does a grave disservice to all involved to assume that free wifi is plentiful everywhere. This is simply not the case. 

 

That is why I bolded part of your post that I quoted. And I bold after another poster had a fit when I quoted her and deleted everything except what I was addressing. I was accused of changing her words. So I now quote the entire thing and either bold the part I am addressing or I write inside the quote in a different font. 

 

 

And part of learning is the sensory input. Typing on a standard keyboard provides way more sensory input than typing on an iPad screen.

[wapiti]

And yes, the school system has issues, which is why ipads should not be the be all, end all of someones education, as they are making them.  

 

When ipads arrived on the educational scene, one could see this issue coming from a mile away, that ipads can't make teachers better teachers nor unmotivated students better learners. As is typical, school boards - or whatever administrators make such decisions - are "sold a bill of goods" in that they seem easily swayed by corporate salespeople, just as they are with lame curricula from the big publishers, as if they really don't know what they're doing, if you know what I mean. I blame the purchasers.

 

Even though I prefer PCs, I have no issues with Apple's ipad sales though one can easily understand the motive, getting the student accustomed to Apple products when they don't have a choice, though that has been their angle for many years - before there were ipads, there were apple computers in the school's computer room.

 

An ipad is simply a tool to facilitate input and output, and I'd guess that a savvy teacher or student will find ways to use the ipad for greater efficiency. Unmotivated students and teachers will not. I do think there is special utility in ipads for at least some subsets of students with learning issues, though again personal effort and motivation to learn are involved.

 

And part of learning is the sensory input. Typing on a standard keyboard provides way more sensory input than typing on an iPad screen.

 FWIW, for students required to use ipads, I would recommend taking a look at the many separate keyboards available - from what my dd tells me about the various ones used by her friends, quality does not always equate with price for these, though this sort of tech purchase involves a little research.

 

eta, personally, for sensory issues I prefer cursive. However, for middle and high school, I do think that typing is the way to go regardless, especially for a student already proficient in cursive.

[Χά�ων]

I didn't insist free wifi was all over the US in every district that has schools

Umm see bolded in your previous post.

 

Actually I have quite a lot of experience with that. But regardless free Internet is available all over the place as well. It is not a luxury to have Internet connectivity any longer. The homeless families we work with invariably have Internet connections on their phones because it is essential.

[Tanaqui]

I was recently at panera and unable to sit to eat bc so many ppl were using the place as an office. Lol

 

Which means that it's not an ideal environment for a kid wanting to study and needing silence, not if they have to wait for a seat.

 

And of course, the less money you have, the more problems pop up. A kid whose family can't afford internet might not be able to afford transportation to a place that has internet. They might not be able to afford babysitting for a younger sibling - and geez, I can't imagine anything worse than trying to do homework at McDonald's while also supervising a younger brother or sister who has to do homework *at McDonald's*. Or they might not be able to afford elder care, so the high schooler HAS to stay home (with no internet) in case Grandma needs him.

 

If you have the money for internet access at home, you are less likely to have those secondary issues that make obtaining free wifi in public difficult.

 

I agree that internet should be run like a public utility, just like electricity and water. But at the moment, it's not. Schools which operate on the assumption that "all the kids have internet!" are doing their students a disservice, especially in poorer neighborhoods.

 

[Tanaqui]

Which means that 29% of them - more than a quarter of them! - did NOT have internet access, nor did 40% - 2/5 - of the rural population. You're not proving your point with those statistics.

 

I agree that the internet is often a necessity. However, it is not as necessary as food, a roof over your head, heat, clothes, running water....

 

Again, it is flawed and damaging for schools to simply assume that their students have internet or can just rearrange their bills to GET internet.

 

I don't think anyone has shown that schools are operating on any such assumption.

 

"Schools" are not a monolith. If the issues mentioned earlier are accurate - such as textbooks only being available online, and assignments only being able to be handed in, again, online - then certain schools most definitely do seem to be operating on that assumption.

 

 

[Tanaqui]

Again I don't think this assumption is being made. Comcast basics is what is provided locally as an option at $10 monthly (and I think many families would jump at it) and I think it may even be free for families receiving free lunch.

 

Online public schools provide internet stipends to needy families as well. Our indiana charter schools certainly do.

 

Those aren't options for every family. Some families can't afford even $10 a month. Some don't have online public schools available to them, or at least not those that offer stipends. Or they can't go with an online public school because their kids are too young to be unsupervised and every adult is needed to work out of the home. Some can't even afford a computer, or other internet-capable device, so even if there is free internet access it isn't going to do them much good.

[Χά�ων]

Oh dear god. You could clearly pick fly poo out of pepper with boxing gloves on.

 

The google tells me in 2011 60% of rural families had internet access.

So 40% of rural families do not have internet.

 

And rural means thy have to drive someplace with internet. For rural families that can be a long drive and cost a pretty penny in gas and wear and tear on a vehicle. 

[Tanaqui]

This is getting ridiculous. If you want to erect insurmountable imaginary barriers to providing kids with today's technology I'm sure you can.

 

 

These aren't "imaginary" barriers. These actually exist for actual people. I'm sorry for having to say this, but it seems very uncompassionate of you to just brush off actual concerns like this. You are fortunate not to have these problems, but in my neighborhood every one of these is a common issue.

 

[Χά�ων]

I don't understand why you would use words like bull crap directed towards me and then accuse me of insulting you.

 

I'm defending the use of iPads not making personal attacks.

I said bull crap towards your comment that is very very clearly inaccurate. 

[Χά�ων]

These aren't "imaginary" barriers. These actually exist for actual people.

:iagree:  :iagree:

[Tanaqui]

Your right. The rural poor will have to make do with carrier pigeons and cow patties. Nothing can be done about it. :(

 

Well, we could treat internet as a public utility, like electricity and water. But we don't.

 

Acting as though these aren't problems is pretty much the definition of "doing nothing". Pointing out that they ARE problems for many families isn't.

 

 

For fewer than 30 percent of families who may or may not even live in districts which have even considered using iPads. It's imaginary.

 

No. It's not. 30% is a HUGE chunk of the population.

 

[Χά�ων]

Your right. The rural poor will have to make do with carrier pigeons and cow patties. Nothing can be done about it. :(

OR they can use pencil and paper and the text books provided by the schools, as has been done for decades in this country. 

[Unicorn.]

 

When ipads arrived on the educational scene, one could see this issue coming from a mile away, that ipads can't make teachers better teachers nor unmotivated students better learners. As is typical, school boards - or whatever administrators make such decisions - are "sold a bill of goods" in that they seem easily swayed by corporate salespeople, just as they are with lame curricula from the big publishers, as if they really don't know what they're doing, if you know what I mean. I blame the purchasers.

 

Even though I prefer PCs, I have no issues with Apple's ipad sales though one can easily understand the motive, getting the student accustomed to Apple products when they don't have a choice, though that has been their angle for many years - before there were ipads, there were apple computers in the school's computer room.

 

An ipad is simply a tool to facilitate input and output, and I'd guess that a savvy teacher or student will find ways to use the ipad for greater efficiency. Unmotivated students and teachers will not. I do think there is special utility in ipads for at least some subsets of students with learning issues, though again personal effort and motivation to learn are involved.  The fact that my husband and children (dh is a teahcer) recognize that ipads are not necessarily more efficient, and they do better with books and paper, does not make them unmotivated.  They recognize the extreme limitations, and are quite frustrated.  My kids are highly motivated learners, and think Ipads are great as a tool, especially if they need to look something up quickly.  However, the ipads have proven to be less efficient than books, paper, and laptops.  Daily assignments take much longer on ipads, because of the constant flipping back and forth between files to read, and then answer questions.  My husband used to be able to grade an assignment in 20-30 seconds, then spend another 20-30 seconds or less entering it into a gradebook on the computer.  Now it takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes per assignment, for the same reason.   All the flipping between different programs.  

 

 FWIW, for students required to use ipads, I would recommend taking a look at the many separate keyboards available - from what my dd tells me about the various ones used by her friends, quality does not always equate with price for these, though this sort of tech purchase involves a little research.

 

eta, personally, for sensory issues I prefer cursive. However, for middle and high school, I do think that typing is the way to go regardless, especially for a student already proficient in cursive.

 

You are correct in that school boards were sold a bill of goods.

[Tanaqui]

Which is wht communities who face these issues are probably doing.

 

Are you calling the earlier poster a liar when she said that students in her community are in this exact situation right now, but they are stuck with the ipads that are functionally unusable and no other textbook?

 

[Χά�ων]

Well, we could treat internet as a public utility, like electricity and water. But we don't.

 

Acting as though these aren't problems is pretty much the definition of "doing nothing". Pointing out that they ARE problems for many families isn't.

 

 

No. It's not. 30% is a HUGE chunk of the population.

30% for non rural families is huge. That is a HUGE number. 

 

 

Electricity is kind of important for cooking and heating homes.

 

Water is vital for living. 

 

Child Services can and does remove children from homes that do not have water or electricity. 

 

No one has died from not having internet. People have died from not being able to heat their homes in subzero temperatures. People do die from not having access to clean water. 

[Tanaqui]

I'm just confused. I don't really get why you're so worked up over this. You started off saying that everybody has internet, then you posted statistics showing that quite a few people don't have internet (which would've stopped me, I'll just say, if I were making your argument), now you're saying that problems with access to internet don't really exist - I just don't get why this is such a big deal to you to be *right* that you need to brush off all other concerns like they aren't real.

 

You're not being very nice, either. We're not "luddites". We are obviously all communicating with you via the internet. But just because we may individually think the internet is useful, or interesting, or God's own gift to communication (as an aspie, I really *do* think that last one), that doesn't mean we all think that everybody *has* internet or that real barriers to internet access don't exist.

 

They do. And it's tragic, or at least upsetting. But what's more upsetting is people like you choosing to pretend these barriers are "imaginary" instead of looking into ways to fix them.

 

[Χά�ων]

Yes! That's exactly what I said! She is a LIAR!

 

 

What is wrong with you??????

Some of us are wondering what is wrong with you. Are you OK, because your posts are kind of out there. If you need anything the hive is here for you.

[Χά�ων]

Luddites.

No, just living a life that uses technology as a tool rather than as a crutch.

 

I have taught my son how to wipe his bum rather than to search for an app to do it for him. 

[Χά�ων]

Which is wht communities who face these issues are probably doing.

Which per your earlier posts is doing them a huge disservice and keeping them in the stone age. Pasted below:

 

 

 

 

I find when people blame technology for societal ills it often because they don't understand that what is a distraction to them is just everyday life for these kids.  These technophobes seek to limit kids exposure to tech out of fear that it will somehow derail human communication, and to force a return to a golden age of education that never existed.  

 

The struggling student benefits from tech help- mindmapping software, spellcheck, voice to text, text to audio.  These features make my older child's scholastic life easier.  We have the ability to annotate PDF, to highlight and erase.  To share digitally and to create typed docs.  I love that his handwriting is never an issue and he can't lose his books.  I love that "I forgot my homework" isnt possible bc its in the ipad or the laptop.  I love that if there is a meltdown or a mess up we can print a new copy (if a hard copy is needed- rare).

[wapiti]

However, the ipads have proven to be less efficient than books, paper, and laptops. Daily assignments take much longer on ipads, because of the constant flipping back and forth between files to read, and then answer questions. My husband used to be able to grade an assignment in 20-30 seconds, then spend another 20-30 seconds or less entering it into a gradebook on the computer. Now it takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes per assignment, for the same reason. All the flipping between different program

Maybe there are two different issues then, ipads vs no ipads, or ipads vs laptops. There are clearly advantages and disadvantages for any scenario. The expense involved would point toward holding off on the technology for most PS students, however.

 

I definitely prefer laptops myself, though I think ipads are sometimes more durable than latops, depending on specifics (pc brands, ipad cases, how they are typically handled, etc.). On the other hand, the screens crack so darn easily - even my dd managed to drop hers last year and crack it a bit. When we have to get something for my boys next school year, it will not be easy to decide PC vs ipad, even though the high school they are likely to attend requires ipads (one can never predict what latest version might be required).

 

Certainly, it'll be interesting to see what the market offers in the coming years. I noticed an ad for some sort of Dell tablet/notebook thing that looked similar to an ipad with keyboard. Really I'd like a laptop with the small size of the ipad. I don't even care for the touchscreen - I prefer the mouse. Maybe what I want is a Macbook air (I don't even know what it's called!) at a cheap price, LOL.

[Χά�ων]

Maybe there are two different issues then, ipads vs no ipads, or ipads vs laptops. There are clearly advantages and disadvantages for any scenario.

 

I definitely prefer laptops myself, though I think ipads are sometimes more durable than latops, depending on specifics (pc brands, ipad cases, how they are typically handled, etc.). On the other hand, the screens crack so darn easily - even my dd managed to drop hers last year and crack it a bit. When we have to get something for my boys next school year, it will not be easy to decide PC vs ipad, even though the high school they are likely to attend requires ipads (one can never predict what latest version might be required).

 

Certainly, it'll be interesting to see what the market offers in the coming years. I noticed an ad for some sort of Dell tablet/notebook thing that looked similar to an ipad with keyboard. Really I'd like a laptop with the small size of the ipad. I don't even care for the touchscreen - I prefer the mouse. Maybe what I want is a Macbook air (I don't even know what it's called!) at a cheap price, LOL.

 

Do you mean like a netbook or are you thinking something else?

[Unicorn.]

Oh dear god. You could clearly pick fly poo out of pepper with boxing gloves on.

 

The google tells me in 2011 60% of rural families had internet access.

 

Which means 40% did not.  

 

Last year 71% of families making less than 30k a year had internet access

So we should throw away the 29% who don't have access?  

 

Again I don't think this assumption is being made. Comcast basics is what is provided locally as an option at $10 monthly (and I think many families would jump at it) and I think it may even be free for families receiving free lunch.

 

Online public schools provide internet stipends to needy families as well. Our indiana charter schools certainly do.

TX doesn't.  And you still don't get that there is a large percentage of people who fall above the poverty line, but can't afford the luxury of internet and cell phones.  and yes, they are both a luxury.

 

This is getting ridiculous. If you want to erect insurmountable imaginary barriers to providing kids with today's technology I'm sure you can.

 

Your attitude proves that you are among the priviiged, and just don't get it. 

Those aren't options for every family. Some families can't afford even $10 a month. Some don't have online public schools available to them, or at least not those that offer stipends. Or they can't go with an online public school because their kids are too young to be unsupervised and every adult is needed to work out of the home. Some can't even afford a computer, or other internet-capable device, so even if there is free internet access it isn't going to do them much good.

 

EXACTLY!

For fewer than 30 percent of families who may or may not even live in districts which have even considered using iPads. It's imaginary.

 

Find me a rural community school system which has implemented iPad use despite lack of access to wifi. Please

You don't have to be rural to not have access.  You could just be poor, but not totally impoverished by govt. standards, and not be able to get yourself or your kids across town to the wifi.

 

Which is wht communities who face these issues are probably doing.

But they aren't.  Our district doesn't allow books anymore.  

[wapiti]

Do you mean like a netbook or are you thinking something else?

See, this is where I get tripped up. Last time I looked into things (not lately!!) the netbooks were not as fully-functional as a PC, so a netbook didn't make sense for us.

 

Then there's the vision angle - to some extent, a larger screen is easier to work on. (And my old eyes; though I'm not the student, my kids don't have the best vision either.) But, larger screen size adds weigh and bulk, for something that gets carried around all day long to classes. My dd carries her ipad along with a trapper binder to her classes, though at least she has no more heavy textbooks. She has back issues so we got her a rolling backpack though she doesn't take it to all her classes.

 

The way her ipad was set up within the case/keyboard, it would turn off automatically upon shutting and turn back on upon opening - something with magnets in the case - easy to do when arriving at class or leaving class. My old Dell laptop here has a hissy fit if I close the screen without shutting down properly, LOL... maybe I'll look into fixing that one day.

 

Maybe the best of both worlds will be available next time I look, a medium-sized laptop that is slim and light and durable and functions well, at a reasonable price. I can dream :)

[Χά�ων]

See, this is where I get tripped up. Last time I looked into things (not lately!!) the netbooks were not as fully-functional as a PC, so a netbook didn't make sense for us.

 

Then there's the vision angle - to some extent, a larger screen is easier to work on. (And my old eyes; though I'm not the student, my kids don't have the best vision either.) But, larger screen size adds weigh and bulk, for something that gets carried around all day long to classes. My dd carries her ipad along with a trapper binder to her classes, though at least she has no more heavy textbooks. She has back issues so we got her a rolling backpack though she doesn't take it to all her classes.

 

The way her ipad was set up within the case/keyboard, it would turn off automatically upon shutting and turn back on upon opening - something with magnets in the case - easy to do when arriving at class or leaving class. My old Dell laptop here has a hissy fit if I close the screen without shutting down properly, LOL... maybe I'll look into fixing that one day.

I will admit that it has been a while since I looked at netbooks. I have been too busy chiseling stone for DS's math worksheets to keep up on what is happening in the netbook world. I had one when they first came out. The thing was insane and ever worked right. I gave it to my mother and she left it outside and could not figure out why it did not work a few weeks later.

 

Links:

Netbook vs Tablet

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/buying-advice/tablets/3450587/netbook-vs-tablet/

Laptop vs Netbook vs Tablet

http://adroitalien.hubpages.com/hub/Laptop-vs-Netbook-vs-Tablet-Which-Should-I-Buy