teragram Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Well, this is interesting! I just read this from a yahoo news link. Wondering what "the hive" thinks about phasing out textbooks in public schools... ------------------------------------------------- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced plans to phase out school textbooks in favor of digital learning aids as the state looks to plug its massive budget hole. The measure -- dubbed the Digital Textbook Initiative -- will see California schoolchildren ditch "outdated" traditional maths and science textbooks for digital versions later this year, Schwarzenegger said. "Kids, as you all know, today are very familiar with listening to their music digitally and online and to watch TV online, to watch movies online, to be on Twitter and participate in that and on Facebook," Schwarzenegger said. "So this is why I think it is so important that we move on from the textbooks," the Republican Governor told schoolchildren in Sacramento on Monday according to remarks released by his office. "The textbooks are outdated, as far as I'm concerned, and there's no reason why our schools should have our students lug around these antiquated and heavy and expensive textbooks. "California is the home of Silicon Valley. We are the world leader in technology and innovation, so we can do better than that." California is the first state in the United States to introduce such an initiative, Schwarzenegger said. The move comes as Schwarzenegger looks to slash spending across a range of sectors in a bid to narrow California's projected 24 billion dollar budget deficit. With the average price of a school textbook coming in it around 100 dollars, Schwarzenegger said initial savings from the plan would be between 300-400 million dollars. If the scheme was widened to cover more subjects, hundreds of millions more would be trimmed from the annual budget, he said. "I know this is, of course, a dramatic shift from the status quo and there is some resistance in some cases," Schwarzenegger said. "But I feel that this is the wrong time now to hold onto the status quo, because this is one of the worst economic and financial crises that the state has been in since the Great Depression. "The state has a tremendous lack of money; therefore we had to make severe cuts to schools, billions of dollars of cuts, so we have to find every possible way to think outside the box." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Rittenhouse Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Yes, ditching an expensive textbook that can be used by many students for 5 -10 years in favor of a digital textbook shifts the expense from the school district to the family. Now families bear the expense of the "digital reader" or computer, one for each student in the household, because, of course, sharing a computer to do maths homework is impossible. Lest you think mom or dad can just print off the problem pages and not have the multiple computers, think again. Our digital text books do not permit any printing, viewing only via Adobe Acrobat. Next to uselessm especially considering the pages are so graphically heavy it can take minutes to "thumb" through a chapter to find needed example for referral. Homework is more difficult, the textbook less effective and the technology is an expensive and useless inovation. I'm not convinced the expense will be less for the district either as the textbook writers can now shorten their product lifetimes, thus requiring the schoool district to purchase new editions and liscensing more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Great. More screen time. Just what kids need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomLovesClassics Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I was reading that Connections Academy was doing something similar. They call it "going green." I am totally against the idea. I don't think long hours at a computer screen is healthy for children's eyes. I don't think it is healthy period. I am curious to see what the American Academy of Pediarics will have to say. Where does health factor in? Do we really know the health risk of this? Do we need to encourage kids to be at the computer more? Also, this may discourage writing and encourage typing. I am so disappointed in this. Kids are not done with school during the day, some bring home mountains of homework. Could you imagine being at a computer screen for that many hours straight?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bess Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Probably not cost effective, but it would be cool if they could hand each student a Kindle with all texbooks on it. Some colleges are doing that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I read somewhere (yes, read, not watched;)) that there are connections made in the brain through the act of turning pages and writing with a pen or pencil (not typing or watching a screen or listening through an ipod). I think the loss of learning will be bigger than they think by going digital. I was hoping the OP was going to announce that Arnhold was ditching textbooks for real literature and primary source material....then I would have applauded! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomLovesClassics Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I read somewhere (yes, read, not watched;)) that there are connections made in the brain through the act of turning pages and writing with a pen or pencil (not typing or watching a screen or listening through an ipod). I think the loss of learning will be bigger than they think by going digital.I was hoping the OP was going to announce that Arnhold was ditching textbooks for real literature and primary source material....then I would have applauded! I was just wondering, how this will contribute to more illiteracy. At what point do they start using head phones and no longer require the children to read. Where is this really headed? Other states are sure to follow. How much radiation is emitted from computer screens? They say laptops can cause infertility when used in the lap, cellphones in the pocket can cause infertility. I am so uncomfortable with this. Where does this fit in with the socialization? We all her about how school is socialization. Texting is not socializing, which is what happens in public school. This will mean less interaction with teachers and students, and more with the computer. I understand I am old fashioned here. I just can't imagine computers being the sole source of a child's education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 So Singapore Math will be digital? Did CA go to that statewide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I was reading that Connections Academy was doing something similar. They call it "going green." I am totally against the idea. I don't think long hours at a computer screen is healthy for children's eyes. I don't think it is healthy period. I am curious to see what the American Academy of Pediarics will have to say. Where does health factor in? Do we really know the health risk of this? Do we need to encourage kids to be at the computer more? Also, this may discourage writing and encourage typing. I am so disappointed in this. Kids are not done with school during the day, some bring home mountains of homework. Could you imagine being at a computer screen for that many hours straight?? My ds has been using Connections Academy. We did receive actual textbooks, but they were all available in digital format through links on the lesson plans. I did not allow ds to use the digital format. Connections' lessons already include so many Brain Pop, Discovery Streaming, Audio clips, and on-line-only readers in addition to an average of 2 live lessons/week, on-screen schedule, webmail for notifications and teacher and classmate communications, links to worksheets, PLUS regular internet research and document programs for assignments. It. is. insane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 <Picking up my jaw> I think it's one thing to teach kids about computers; how they work, how they are built, and how to use some useful software, and quite another thing to use them as Skinner boxes in the classrooms (press a button, get a reward). I think of starfall dot com. The kid does a task, and then the program says, "good job" and then they have to choose a button that says how they feel. Imagine that's how they learned everything. Gross. I wonder if the public <the parents> will have any say in the content of the software they will be using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 That would be too hard on a child's eyes and behavior, IMO. My ds cannot sit in front of a computer hour after hour without it affecting his behavior. He becomes a walking zombie. I can't imagine if he had to do his school work on one. It's enough to do, say, spanish and math on computer, but reading books, etc. Too much. Mind numbing and dumbing down of children. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I am completely against this. Even my son, the computer king, starts to complain when he has several hours of on-screen schoolwork (for example, K12 lessons, TT lesson, writing a paper, various exercises that he chooses to type because of mild dysgraphia). I also agree that it shifts the burden to the family to purchase a computer. Also, what if the family "only" has one computer and more that one kid needing to do their homework? It sounds like a nightmare to me. Just another reason I'm glad we left California ten years ago (and that we homeschool). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 This is wrong on so many levels...but not unexpected. When I was in grade school, we were all told that would be the school of the future: every child with a computer tutor. I predict student revolt, especially in the higher grades. Working with texts on a computer is more frustrating and time consuming and less educationally satisfying. Think about the memory tasks we exercise and experience when we become familiar with a book. I call it "book memory." And then there is the urge to explore and flip through pages. With a computer, you can't visualize the whole, your world becomes compartmentalized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I think this will be yet another educational flop that will have messed up another generation of kids. Think "new math". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I think this will be yet another educational flop that will have messed up another generation of kids. Think "new math". Gosh, don't leave out us California Whole Reading kids! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 :iagree: And I'm sure it will end up costing a fortune. I think this will be yet another educational flop that will have messed up another generation of kids. Think "new math". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 :iagree: And I'm sure it will end up costing a fortune. Of course it will. After they mess the kids up really good they will have to pay to "fix" them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 quite another thing to use them as Skinner boxes in the classrooms (press a button, get a reward). I think of starfall dot com. The kid does a task, and then the program says, "good job" and then they have to choose a button that says how they feel. Imagine that's how they learned everything. Gross. That is so funny -- I have been having my son play computer games for a smallish period, a few times a week, for completely other reasons, and I've noticed that he occasionally talks like this, or repeats other "supportive" computer game talk. I don't talk like that at all, and I find it to be ridiculous, so I am always amused when it rubs off in the short term. What's funny is literactive, which is almost harsh when you make a "mistake," but the voice talks so fast, my son had to ask me what she was saying when she blurts out "Have another try!" Funny. Back to books -- I was forced to buy a Chemistry textbook, from the publisher, when I was in public high school during a "budget crisis." It cost nearly $70 (that was a long time ago!) and I got ads from the publisher for about 10 years. But the rest of my texts, such as for math, were about 30 years old. Seriously. I find it very hard to read something long on a screen. I'd imagine someone would just print things out to refer to, or write them down in a notebook -- which seems counterproductive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfarm Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I agree that more screen time is NOT the answer. But what is? The state of California is deeply in debt. Hard cuts need to be made. Does anyone here have a better plan to save $400 million in the schools? While I don't like the idea of online textbooks at all, I do think it might make even more families turn to homeschooling for a better education. And I don't see that as a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 And they wonder why so many families choose to homeschool... Maybe more will now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 (edited) I thought I'd add...My sister lives in the SW and her ds's school doesn't allow the students to bring home texts anyway:confused:. Edited June 10, 2009 by Tammyla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara R Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Wow, math must have really changed in the last 7 years, for all of those textbooks to become outdated so quickly! How has arithmetic changed so greatly? For the science books, maybe we can just get a bunch of Sharpies and cross out Pluto. What other changes to basic science have we seen on the elementary and secondary levels? Technology has changed a lot, sure. But basic math and algebra and physics and chemistry? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara R Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I agree that more screen time is NOT the answer. But what is? The state of California is deeply in debt. Hard cuts need to be made. Does anyone here have a better plan to save $400 million in the schools? Yes, keep using the old textbooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Here is another article on it.... http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/06/whats-the-eco-impact-of-californias-plan-to-ditch-school-textbooks-for-ebooks.php I just don't see the long term savings in going this route. This article points out some of the things i immediately thought of reading the yahoo one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I agree that more screen time is NOT the answer. But what is? The state of California is deeply in debt. Hard cuts need to be made. Does anyone here have a better plan to save $400 million in the schools? While I don't like the idea of online textbooks at all, I do think it might make even more families turn to homeschooling for a better education. And I don't see that as a bad thing. Except that California is one of the hardest states to homeschool in. You have to get permision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 <Picking up my jaw> I think it's one thing to teach kids about computers; how they work, how they are built, and how to use some useful software, and quite another thing to use them as Skinner boxes in the classrooms (press a button, get a reward). I think of starfall dot com. The kid does a task, and then the program says, "good job" and then they have to choose a button that says how they feel. Imagine that's how they learned everything. Gross. I wonder if the public <the parents> will have any say in the content of the software they will be using. I used Starfall.com a bit with my youngest. She was 3, and she despised the "how do you feel" screen. She always clicked the frownie face because the question pissed her off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I found California to be the easiest state I have lived in to homeschool. Harder ones were or are NM, OH, FL, and VA. There are easier ones like TX and OK and a number of others. But CA has to be up there since there is no attendance, no testing, no descriptions of curriculum, no portfolio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagnfun Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I agree that more screen time is NOT the answer. But what is? The state of California is deeply in debt. Hard cuts need to be made. Does anyone here have a better plan to save $400 million in the schools? Yep, lets dump the "make them feel good & give no grades" crap & actually teach them. Did you know California has an "approved movie list"? These are for when the teacher believes the class deserves an award or a party (or resently at Corona high when a unqualifed sub had to take over Spanish b/c the teacher wasn't available that day) so they have a movie day. The movie was "Click". Study hall? Nope, a movie. I look at that as they just used my tax dollars to let the kids watch a movie in class. Someone mentioned using the same text books for 10 years. The text books in our area are FULL of cartoony drawings & "fun facts" and are updated every few years at $100 a pop. Students in this district do not bring home text books. Teachers give worksheets & copies instead. There are MANY things that could be done differently to save $400 million dollars; I don't see going digital in high school as one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Yes, ditching an expensive textbook that can be used by many students for 5 -10 years in favor of a digital textbook shifts the expense from the school district to the family. Now families bear the expense of the "digital reader" or computer, one for each student in the household, because, of course, sharing a computer to do maths homework is impossible. Lest you think mom or dad can just print off the problem pages and not have the multiple computers, think again. Our digital text books do not permit any printing, viewing only via Adobe Acrobat. Next to uselessm especially considering the pages are so graphically heavy it can take minutes to "thumb" through a chapter to find needed example for referral. Homework is more difficult, the textbook less effective and the technology is an expensive and useless inovation. I'm not convinced the expense will be less for the district either as the textbook writers can now shorten their product lifetimes, thus requiring the schoool district to purchase new editions and liscensing more often. I have one PSer and her school has textbooks that stay at school and then computer access for homework. We found this so incredibly frustrating that I ended up buying a copy of all of her textbooks to keep at home. It would make a 15 minute assignment take an hour. And I happen to know that at least on a personal level the online textbooks with access code cost about the same as a textbook. Now, schools might get a group rate discount or something but the cost has to be paid every year. With a textbook, you buy it and then you own it forever and as many people have mentioned basic subjects haven't changed a whole heck of a lot in a good long time. As a matter of fact some of the older textbooks are much better than what is available now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgm Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 (edited) I have mixed feelings. First, hooray that someone is trying to get the ridiculous textbook prices down to earth. Second, most of the middle school public school teachers here don't use the science and math texts, as the view here is that teachers are to teach rather than sit up front and monitor while the students read the text, do exercises and check the answers in the back. The text is only a backup for someone who has missed a day of instruction or has trouble with auditory processing. Math here, for example, looks a lot like Professor Burger (Thinkwell) only with the teacher actually checking for student comprehension and tailoring to their processing speed (if possible) during each segment. Same with middle school science. It's effective. So, it wouldn't kill me if our math texts and middle school science texts were digital since they are rarely used. Students with LDs and physical disabilities would get the text in their media of choice anyway, as dyslexics and non-readers now get audiotexts. High school science would be a different matter, as the amount of material is increasing and reading science outside of class and adding to class notes is necessary for most college bound students. A print copy seems to work much better for students who are just gaining these skills, while digital seems fine for those who are competent and can use text search and annotate features...but I haven't seen data to back up my observations. I guess the Gov. of Calif is taking the lead there.:) Also, for foreign language, we would punt the text if we could in favor of the CD from the text publisher. Hearing the language and having many exercises to use is incredibly valuable. Edited June 10, 2009 by lgm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 CA is an easy state, in the legal sense, for homeschooling. And if this ridiculousness actually goes into practice, I hope many, MANY more families here find out how easy it truly is. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Yeah, that's our Governor...I'm so proud. :cursing::banghead: Just another reason to continue homeschooling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzannah Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 It has been my observation that electronic devices become outdated much more quickly than books. I have also noticed that while it is easy to damage paper (tearing, spilling water on it, etc.) it is also very easy to damage electronic devices and software (spilling water, breaking, scratching, etc.) and much more expensive to repair or replace them. I agree to some extent that it seems wrong to make little kids lug home backpacks full of huge textbooks when they are very young. But I don't think more computer time is the answer. I don't buy into all of John Taylor Gatto's philosophy, but in one of his books he talks about kids learning about magnetism with a computer program. They weren't allowed to have real magnets in the classroom...because they might damage the computers. Some educators are really head-over-heels for computers and I think they are missing the point that there are some things which need to be taught in a more concrete and personal way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I'm not surprised. I'm writing a novel that takes place 25 years in the future and most students attend "virtual academy" in their home. I don't see that as too far-fetched. I'm a book gal myself. While I like being on the computer I can't stand reading from a screen. It's almost an antsy feeling I get if I have to. I need the material in my hand to focus fully. I do hope it will save money in the long run from updating books every few years. However, aside from science and maybe geography I don't see why the textbooks NEED to be updated so often. ($$$$ I know) Come on, how many of us teach from texts or spines that are "old". My Dolciani algebra books I hope to have ds use are older than me! I wish schools could simply educate the children, instead of seeming to get caught up in the latest educational vortex. I guess we do that too sometimes, with the latest and greatest curriculum on the horizon. :001_huh: Technology is changing the way we do things, like it or not. I'm glad I homeschool so I can have some control of when those changes happen in our household. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Probably not cost effective, but it would be cool if they could hand each student a Kindle with all texbooks on it. Some colleges are doing that now. Having owned a Kindle for a few months now- I agree! Reading from a Kindle is not that much different from reading a book. It is certainly easier to carry around than a backpack full of heavy textbooks. Updates to the book can be done over the air... no need to wait years for the next edition to be printed... For HS students and younger, the biggest issue would probably be keeping the device charged so they don't run out of battery life during class. And the Kindles (or whatever they might use) would definitely have to be locked into some kind of protective sleeve to avoid damage from scratching the screen or dropping, etc. A digital book format might save the publishers some money. Not sure if providing every student with a Kindle-like device would save the school districts all that much? Also, the Kindle, with e-ink technology, is devoid of color. You get shades of grey to black. It's easier on the eyes than reading from a laptop screen, though. My POV is that of a person who uses K12 and laptops a lot during our school day. We absolutely do more offline work than online work. I would not mind in the slightest if all our textbooks were available in Kindle format. We would still have our consumable workbooks, our pencil and paper work, etc. The kids would still have to take notes (either typed into the Kindle or hand written in a notebook), and could still highlight items in their textbooks (without ruining the book for the next person!) It would completely eliminate the problem of, for example, used math textbooks arriving with all the work written in them. :glare: (That only happened to us once with K12, but I remember using old textbooks in grade school, HS, and college... full of other people's notes, doodles, and distracting highlights.) I would definitely like the convenience factor of digital textbooks. It's a lot easier to make a spot for one Kindle/student than it is to find room for a bunch of textbooks on the table. If it can actually save schools money too... I like the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamasteff Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Oh, so many, many thoughts on this one.... Has he no idea of the "digital divide"? There are LIBRARIES in California that do not have high-speed internet access / wireless access. These of course are in cities that also have the lowest test scores, poorly rated schools, high rates of poverty and... how is this going to help those kids who don't have computers at home and VERY POOR internet access at the public library? Has anyone else recently read Fahrenheit 451? Visions of the school Clarisse describes... everyone sitting in front of a screen, no one really engaged in learning. Instead of looking at where ACTUAL, realistic and useful cuts can be made, he is making silly pie in the sky statements that won't save a blessed cent and will dumb down our kids even further. Oooh. I guess this hit a nerve! (BTW - it is EXTREMELY easy to homeschool in CA, as mentioned above: you fill out a 5-minute form online stating "I am teaching in a private school. We have one student. This is the teacher's name, this is the principal's name, this is the street address." No one has to turn in any work or proof of attendance to anyone). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 (BTW - it is EXTREMELY easy to homeschool in CA, as mentioned above: you fill out a 5-minute form online stating "I am teaching in a private school. We have one student. This is the teacher's name, this is the principal's name, this is the street address." No one has to turn in any work or proof of attendance to anyone). Easy until you are sitting in a deposition and the lawyer asks you when and what that principal was doing... and that didn't you really just put that persons name down to fulfill the legal requirements.... oh wait, you aren't asking about my bad dream last week are you? :001_huh: But yes, it's "easy" to legally HS in CA with few legal requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagsWife Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Except that California is one of the hardest states to homeschool in.You have to get permision. It is actually one of the easiest! You fill out a form at the beginning of Oct...it takes 5-10 mins, after that you are done. No permission, no testing, no portfolios...nothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 So Singapore Math will be digital? Did CA go to that statewide? Singapore Math is "approved" for use statewide, but to the best of my knowledge has limited penetration into schools thus far. I know the LA schools (LAUSD) are using Scott Foresman for math. But the schools that have used Singapore Math have seen test-score improvements, and the Los Angeles Times did a big story about it last year, so the clamoring has begun. We will see. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I read somewhere (yes, read, not watched;)) that there are connections made in the brain through the act of turning pages and writing with a pen or pencil (not typing or watching a screen or listening through an ipod). I think the loss of learning will be bigger than they think by going digital.I was hoping the OP was going to announce that Arnhold was ditching textbooks for real literature and primary source material....then I would have applauded! I know it would effect me profoundly. I have a sort of photographic memory... if I don't remember the information, I can turn right to the page that I read the information on and remember which paragraph to go to. Now scrolling through documents on a computer... useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Oh, so many, many thoughts on this one.... Has he no idea of the "digital divide"? There are LIBRARIES in California that do not have high-speed internet access / wireless access. These of course are in cities that also have the lowest test scores, poorly rated schools, high rates of poverty and... how is this going to help those kids who don't have computers at home and VERY POOR internet access at the public library? Yes, I agree. If he is suggesting just making textbooks available online, I don't think that could possibly work for every student. I don't think that would work out very well for the publishers, either. Pre-loaded e-readers could bridge that gap. But I don't know how much money that could actually save the public schools. And yes! It is very easy to file the affidavit and "homeschool" in CA as a private school student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akmommy Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Has anyone else recently read Fahrenheit 451? Visions of the school Clarisse describes... everyone sitting in front of a screen, no one really engaged in learning. LOL! This was the first thing I thought of when reading the OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Singapore Math is "approved" for use statewide, but to the best of my knowledge has limited penetration into schools thus far. I know the LA schools (LAUSD) are using Scott Foresman for math. But the schools that have used Singapore Math have seen test-score improvements, and the Los Angeles Times did a big story about it last year, so the clamoring has begun. We will see. Bill Thanks Bill - not living out west anymore i couldn't remember the "details" of it, just that a friends mom told her she should be using this great new math that CA was using (they are in VA)... she said gee mom, we've been using it for years! LOL!! I would think the low cost of Singapore would have more clamoring to use it too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatMomof3 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I have an idea ... Why don't we put all the kids in a big room (bigger than a gym) with rows of computers. The kids sit down and do the lessons on the computer, no interaction with each other. The "teachers" will be walking around and make sure the kids stay at there desks. There done. Mass education. This is a joke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 This is a publisher's dream!! No more used books, easy updates, cheaper royalties and NOT that much cheaper to purchase for the state either. I'm suspicious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I used Starfall.com a bit with my youngest. She was 3, and she despised the "how do you feel" screen. She always clicked the frownie face because the question pissed her off. :lol: I used it with 4 out of 5 and they all hated that part too! They did the same thing :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I have an idea ...Why don't we put all the kids in a big room (bigger than a gym) with rows of computers. The kids sit down and do the lessons on the computer, no interaction with each other. The "teachers" will be walking around and make sure the kids stay at there desks. There done. Mass education. This is a joke But.....what about socialization????? :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 But.....what about socialization????? :tongue_smilie: They will teach them to Twitter or use Facebook and that will be socialization!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 But.....what about socialization????? :tongue_smilie: They are in the same room with over 10 kids the exact same age... that is socialization, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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