Chapter 10 Reflection
Let me begin by saying I’m not a math teacher. So, what jumped out at me was the initial discussion of the use of calculators and, “how [they] can be tools to think with rather than tools to replace thinking” (Niess, Lee, Kajder, 2008, pg. 215 ). I am always amazed at how the kids use calculators in the classroom today. When I was in high school, there were only a select few that had the privilege of using a calculator, and they were the ‘smart kids’ taking tough math, obviously not me! The rest of us sloughed through. One of my fellow teachers has the kids use calculators quite regularly, but she uses them as the quote above desires – not to replace thinking, but to enhance thinking.
A way to integrate this technology into the classroom might be by the use of ebooks. I like the idea of being able to use books, or sections of books, without having to purchase the entire book and then not using it. Students with the internet at home could also not have to lug books around when studying. I have heard that some schools in the U.S. are experimenting with online textbooks. I will have to wait on that one, but for short excerpts of one or two chapters, ebooks could be the way to go.
What concerns me most after reading Ch. 10 is the cost in acquiring the new technology. The idea of using tablets or handhelds is great, but the cost of having enough of them for each student is going to be prohibitive. It’s challenging enough in today’s economy to get the basics, much less these tools. A tablet PC costs about twice as much as a desktop computer, and it’s hard to argue with people that such an expenditure might be better used on a desktop. Everyone wants the best for their children, but if the technology really is outdated within a few years, the question must be asked whether or not such an expenditure is a necessity and not a luxury.
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Bryan,
ReplyDeleteMany of the teachers in our school have gone to a combination of online text availabilty so students have access at home, and then they purchase one set of classroom textbooks--that has actually cut down on the cost. We also just purchased our first mobile netbook lab--much cheaper than desktops, easier to share, and basically stripped down-not really used for word processing, but math accessment through the online program. One of our science teachers went completely text book free--did all his stuff online-he created most of his labs and learning opportunities, so I guess it's possible with not as much cost as we might expect.
Cathy Ziebarth
I have one other concern like you about these technologies relating to cost. They are great but I believe these are even less upgradeable than current computers. Like Palms they are out of date in less than a year. I am afraid that due to the size of the technologies they will not last. But I have not looked very closely at the cost yet even if they last awhile they might be worth it.
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