Computers a NEED in a classroom?

[liambiscuit]

I am in the 8'th grade. A  computer in 7'th would have helped greatly. Our school is offering MacBooks who have no parking violations, pink-slips, etc. and sign a return contract and such. I am taking 4 (out of total 7) High-School classes. Art I, Algebra I, Spanish I, and Keyboarding/Career Investigation (swaps at the semester). My Spanish, art, and algebra teachers have already said they were going to attempt to utilize the MacBooks. To the extent of my knowledge, us 8'th graders in 4 HS classes aren't recieving MacBooks. Three of my teachers are attempting to use these. -- is that a strong point for us in 4 HS classes to reciece Macs?

The poll is asking if computers are/n't a need in a classroom, and what operating system they should have. (and that part about "what is a mac/windows?" pretty much means your a windows/mac user Please, when responding, give your view on both (and vote in the poll!)

Thanks in advance,
Arti

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

They aren't a need. We got around without em in the 20's

It's not the twenties anymore......

I currently go to High School and I have found my Windows XP laptop to be VERY beneficial.
My school is slowly turning to a laptop school as well.
It's currently being decided, but next year laptops may be a compulsory part of our stationary.

In case you are unaware of this, schools (at least mine) are planning to give every student Mac laptops because they're all the same, and if a student's laptop is damaged or not working, the student can swap it for another one in the school.

Also, you have to consider what your school will put on the Macs (software wise). You don't want your Windows laptop to not have the software the school is using in class.
However, I think everyone would agree that Windows can do just as much as Macs, if not more.

So....in conclusion.......which will benefit you the most?

[Austin H]

I voted MacBook, but details aren't my point here.

We really don't have a need for computers.  Civilization has gotten along just fine for 8000 years without them.  They just simplify some things and make others easier.  I honestly wouldn't want to live without them, but I could live without them, every single one of us could.

[ThrowingShapes]

I think computers are an extremely useful educational tool.  Although you will run into illegitment sources of information, once you learn the power of smart searching it's an amazing way to learn.  They also give the teachers more ways to well, teach.  Powerpoints are probably a prime example of this, they're a great way to get information to a large group easily.  The only thing I dislike about the use of computers in school is the security.  Nearly every day there's a story of a student abusing the privelage

As far as the mac/windows thing, I don't think many schools have the budget to incorporate macs into their system.  Windows is much cheaper on a large scale and schools generally have a tight budget.  As much as I would love to see macs in schools I wouldn't hold my breath.

(Oh and I would've killed to have a macbook given to me in eigth grade, but please don't make the news for doing that.)

[Austin H]

Macs are in schools...

In October, Apple announced that Macintosh passed up Dell this school year, as the #1 used computer in public schools.  In fact in Maine, the dean of a university (I can't remember which), made it required that all student to purchase and use a MacBook to enroll there.

[ThrowingShapes]

Wow really? I had no idea, where I'm from schools don't even have the budget to upgrade their ram to run autocad 2008.  The funny part is they finally have enough money to upgrade from 2000 software but then they can't afford to upgrade computers to meet the requirements.  Where my sister went to college they were actually asked not to buy macs and instead use windows for the simple fact that it's what professors use.  That was a few years ago and thats centuries in computer time I suppose.

[Austin H]

I'm fortunate enough to go to a school that can afford such things, but instead, they built a $4.5 million dollar middle school so they could crowd that with students that would instead crowd the elementary schools and high school.  Seriously, it's one third the size of the high school, with two-thirds the students (it doesn't make sense to me either).

And yes, the time conversion from standard years is equal to approximately 100 computer years.

[soybean]

My Spanish, art, and algebra teachers have already said they were going to attempt to utilize the MacBooks.

Can you explain how you need a computer for a foreign language, an art class, and an algebra class?  I just don't see why computers are needed for such  classes? 

I gather your school covers the expense of providing computers to students. Is that right? Considering the difficulty many schools have getting tax levys passed for funds they need for improvement and/or expansion of buildings, facilities, and programs, I'm sure many schools cannot afford to issue computers to all students.

Having a computer room/lab where students can have access to a computer when really needed for certain classes in one thing.  Providing to all students to take to every class is another thing; it's just not necessary, IMO.

[Calum]

I agree with soybean.
My old school (secondary school) had 6 computer rooms, for IT lessons and for general use (maths, making graphics, English, typing essays, etc).  They would never have been able to afford a laptop for each student, and I wouldn't expect them to.
I think giving out laptops to students is a waste of money myself.  A few computer rooms (or labs, as everyone else seems to call them) are, "necessary" - not absolutely necessary for everyday use, but in an increasingly technology-based world, definitely a very useful resource.
My current school (college) has a lack of computers.  I sit in my IT support course with 20 students, and 18 computers in one of the rooms we use.  How we're expected to network two computers each as we did last year I'm not sure - this year, they moved us into a different room and had us work in pairs instead, which I was less than impressed with.  We did have a smaller group last year though - due to budget cuts caused by the massive failure of an extension they built (the rooms lack air-con, with no opening windows that's not funny) they had to merge a lot of classes, leading to a friend of mine being in a Law class of 40 students.  They don't have enough chairs or tables for the class, so they kneel on the floor.
I know that's quite off topic, but I'm just making a point about education, albeit a slightly confused one.

[BC_Programmer]

I didn't even own a single computer until I was in grade 10.

But I did so well in my computer courses- my computer science teacher gave me four computers (two laptops and two desktops- older, of course. But better then my 286 . (BTW, this was in 2002, so the 286 wasn't state of the art by any means.)


In any case- the one thing I hate these days- is graphing calculators. Grade 12, it was pretty much just a lesson on how to use the TI-83. I thought we were learning math here, not how to get a scientific instrument to do it for us. sigh.


Unfortunately, the coursework is designed such that without a graphing calculator, you would use up a LOT of time and grid paper.


And when in the heckleson did Algebra become a separate course? I'd always had it integrated with Math 8, Math 9, Math 10, Math 11, and Math 12.

[computeruler]

windows FWT WOOT

[BC_Programmer]

sigh...

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

I myself think laptops for the whole school is also a bad idea.

First, they don't need to be used for every class. For example, most of the times I don't use my laptop in class and out of five lessons, I have it out probably once or twice the entire day.
Second, what's to stop everyone from playing games or going on websites they should?

It just confuses my why the school is willing to pay for 1200+ laptops when they could use the money to improve the crappy wireless network and all the failing computers and school.
Out of about 6 student printers in the school, only one works, and it never works properly.

[fireballs]

haha someone had the rediculous idea to give us a free Laptop at school, so i spent my business studies lessons emailing my mates... maybe that was less the schools fault but mine. Point being, i think the money could be spent better elsewhere.

FB

[reddevilggg]

My old school had one computer........a BBC............Bad Times