The Jewish Standard reports on the very generous donation of iPads to Noam, Yavneh and Frisch by local chemist Dan Fried. Children have these tools available all the time & it's critical that they learn how to use them for educational purposes like doing math and research and not just for playing fruit ninja. I've seen first hand how computer games help children learn how to read & research topics they are learning. Tools for Jewish studies are also becoming increasingly available online. I also think the idea of video conferencing with teachers in Israel and around the world is a great idea as well. You could also have students who are home sick attend classes via their iPads.
The article suggests that technology can be used to reduce tuition costs though it didn't specify how, since no one is suggesting eliminating teaching positions and replacing them with the computers. He'atid has long promised to use technology to reduce costs by eliminating the need for a resource room though the resource room costs are small compared to the overall budget.
So far the best example I've seen of technology being used to reduce tuition costs is provided by Yeshivat Avir Yakov in New Square. As reported in The Jewish Week "since 1998, been allotted more than $3.3 million in government funds earmarked for Internet and other telecommunications technology." What's even better is that they don't have a single computer available for the children! So technology funds go directly to tuition reduction without losing anything to the pesky middleman of computers or iPads!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
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thatguy · 631 weeks ago
In each school year there are 3 separate aspects to using the iPad -- using it as an electronic text, using it as a notebook, and using it for interactive (especially internet based) activities. I will ignore the educational arguments about the efficacy of using electronics to complement or even replace traditional means.
The e-book option has strengths but licensing issues have yet to be resolved so it is impossible to say whether licensing or buying electronic versions of text books or novels will be equal to, or more or less than the amount spent each year on print work. That not all novels are available online (or particular editions are not) and that not all texts are yet would complicate matters and require shifts in curriculum and teacher training.
As a notebook, the computer is very handy though not all students type proficiently and files sometimes "disappear" or don't get saved. Is this cheaper than a notebook and pens? Is it necessarily better?
For interactive activities, the one-child-one-device is great but it has no particular analogue in cost to compare it to. The same number of children per class or teacher should be in effect because electronic work actually takes more time to prepare and assess (if not implement) and the individual attention required to follow each students' progress would not allow the 35 students per class model. We aren't talking about 50 students staring at a video in sync with each other, but students looking up and down, participating at different paces etc. So staffing would stay the same while training and development would have to increase. Over time would this normalize and make for better education? No one knows.
So will iPads drive costs down? Maybe over many years when all the kinks are worked out. I don't know if it will have a short-term impact.
Ipad mania · 631 weeks ago
Guest 2 · 631 weeks ago
Ipad mania · 631 weeks ago
Guest 2 · 631 weeks ago
Ipad mania · 630 weeks ago