More Computers In Schools
from the they're-everywhere dept
While not everyone is thrilled with the idea of putting computers in the hands of every student, it increasingly appears to be the direction many school systems are moving in. Here are two stories about two very different communities that will soon have more tech-savvy kids. First, folks in rural northeastern Arkansas are part of a new pilot program to put "Free Pads" in the hands of every student, no matter what grade they're in. It's a little unclear from the article what the technology is behind those Free Pads, but they apparently cost about $450 per device, and it sounds like a tablet computer of some kind (though, one of the kids expects to be able to put it in his pocket). Part of the reason for this program isn't just adopting technology for the sake of technology, but to use it as a way to study whether or not such things are actually helpful for kids. Meanwhile, over in Van Nuys, California they're building a high tech charter school, which is supposed to help students learn math, science and engineering. The entire high school building is being built from the ground up to support uses of technology - suggesting that it will be obsolete long before the first entering class graduates. Update: As for the "Free Pads" a little research turns up the answer. Looks like (as expected) a modified tablet PC, designed specifically for schoolroom use. As someone in the original article stated, it appears to be just a much more modern version of a slate and a piece of chalk.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
