The irony of this article and the comments are the same people who say 'Why don't they use the library?" are the same people who probably vote for tax cuts that limit financial support for libraries.
3
I see another surcharge coming on my bill. Right now the Comcast/internet bill is the second largest in our budget, food being first. I am trying to convince my family to bail on a lot of this.
Is it too much to ask the schools to do their jobs without further subsidies or financial requirements on students?
Hand out paper assignments, for heavens sake. How hard is that? Why should everyone pay so the schools can say they are meeting the challenges of the 21st century or whatever silliness they come up with?
Is it too much to ask the schools to do their jobs without further subsidies or financial requirements on students?
Hand out paper assignments, for heavens sake. How hard is that? Why should everyone pay so the schools can say they are meeting the challenges of the 21st century or whatever silliness they come up with?
I've read these sorts of stories before and it always seems like everyone's missing the point. The root of the problem with the "digital divide" in education isn't that some kids have internet and computers at home and some do not (that's its own problem), it's that the need to teach "21st century skills" and the trend of using computers and internet as the (sometimes sole) interface for educating have become conflated.
Just because a kid needs to know how to do stuff on a computer to succeed in life doesn't mean you need to make the kid completely dependent upon computer and internet access to do things that previously did not require a computer or internet, like receiving assignments (do teachers not have chalk/whiteboards on which to write lessons anymore?) or submitting assignments (what happened to handing your printed report or worksheet to the teacher at the start of class?). Do these newfangled education tech options not have low-tech backup options like printable worksheets and syllabuses?
I was in high school in the early-mid 2000's, and even back then, I generally did not need internet access at home to do my assignments. I kept an ancient computer in my room, but it had no internet and was basically a glorified typewriter. I could do my homework in a power outage if I needed to.
It's only been ten years. What happened?
Just because a kid needs to know how to do stuff on a computer to succeed in life doesn't mean you need to make the kid completely dependent upon computer and internet access to do things that previously did not require a computer or internet, like receiving assignments (do teachers not have chalk/whiteboards on which to write lessons anymore?) or submitting assignments (what happened to handing your printed report or worksheet to the teacher at the start of class?). Do these newfangled education tech options not have low-tech backup options like printable worksheets and syllabuses?
I was in high school in the early-mid 2000's, and even back then, I generally did not need internet access at home to do my assignments. I kept an ancient computer in my room, but it had no internet and was basically a glorified typewriter. I could do my homework in a power outage if I needed to.
It's only been ten years. What happened?
1
I'm a little surprised by some of the responses. Being poor is hard; the article points out another "hidden" problem of being poor.
In many of these cases, smartphone seem to be the only device a poor kid has access to at home (ie, no computer or tablet), and frequently the smartphones you see people with are the "free" older phones effectively paid off as part of the service agreement. A lot of those plans come with data limits.
I don't know how easy it is to do homework projects on the phone. I wouldn't want my daughter to have to do her digital homework on such a small screen.
And while I understand the cries that the kids can have access to computers at the library, let's be fair. When my kids have homework that requires a tablet and/or computer and internet access, they can do it in the luxury of their own home. If they need to go to the library for school, I can drive them there in 5 minutes, and get them back.
In contrast, a poor kid who needs to access the internet to do homework is likely going to need to get themselves to the library on the bus - let's just say it's a half hour, waiting and riding to get there (pretty common in my long experience on buses), and another half hour to get back. That's an hour my kids don't have to spend, just to *do* their homework. And it has to be done on the library's schedule, and it assumes that the computers - generally older than the ones at say my house - are available.
In many of these cases, smartphone seem to be the only device a poor kid has access to at home (ie, no computer or tablet), and frequently the smartphones you see people with are the "free" older phones effectively paid off as part of the service agreement. A lot of those plans come with data limits.
I don't know how easy it is to do homework projects on the phone. I wouldn't want my daughter to have to do her digital homework on such a small screen.
And while I understand the cries that the kids can have access to computers at the library, let's be fair. When my kids have homework that requires a tablet and/or computer and internet access, they can do it in the luxury of their own home. If they need to go to the library for school, I can drive them there in 5 minutes, and get them back.
In contrast, a poor kid who needs to access the internet to do homework is likely going to need to get themselves to the library on the bus - let's just say it's a half hour, waiting and riding to get there (pretty common in my long experience on buses), and another half hour to get back. That's an hour my kids don't have to spend, just to *do* their homework. And it has to be done on the library's schedule, and it assumes that the computers - generally older than the ones at say my house - are available.
3
It takes the average student about twenty minutes to figure out a smart phone, and computers are not much more complicated. Learning to write well, or to understand art and history and the sciences, that takes time. "Access" to faster internet is not much of a solution, but neither is "going back to paper." These are side issues to a much bigger problem. Reporters like to talk about tech because it's easy, they use it, and it seems like something they sort of understand. Plus it keeps changing so there's always a new story that writes itself. Keep looking for the real education success stories from places like Finland and you'll find some solutions.
I'm not sure that you would say that it only takes a kid about twenty minutes to learn how to use a computer if you had tried to get a class of tenth graders who come from poverty and have never used a computer for anything other than Facebook or Twitter to type an essay. I've spent entire 90 minute class periods attempting to get the ones who are deprived of computer/Internet access caught up so they can start their work - all while the other students fly ahead of them. Then the next day, I'll often have to start all over again with a few who didn't write their username/password down and expect me to be able to access their Google account. (Yes, I told them to write them down.) There is a huge need to teach students how to use technology for academics and for their careers. We now have to do that in addition to covering our standards.
2
I've used Computer Aided Design and All The Gadgets the Tech community can come up with in trying to connect my students with the curriculum I teach! Trust me, while they have their place, the adolescent mind looks at them as toys, and things to play with! While there is a great push to get these forms of hardware into the schools ( And that's ALL schools!) and you can be sure there is lots of money poured in under the table, nothing beats a motivated and knowledgeable teacher, and a student who WANTS to learn, with the gadgets or not! And as many objective administrators and teachers know, the digital world is NOT Necessarily a panacea for learning.
1
This is frustrating. Yes, every child in school needs Internet access. They also need a phone, computer, a place to work, and time.
There are a variety of ways to provide service. Rather than free or subsidized communications services to individual homes, I favor the use of school hotspots (greatly enhanced) - with extensions to additional sites when schools are a long distance from their students - perhaps libraries, or some portion of another public building - where all students could have access. As expensive as that may be for a local school district or government, to me, it's much superior to Uncle Sugar providing communications service to all homes in the U.S..
There are a variety of ways to provide service. Rather than free or subsidized communications services to individual homes, I favor the use of school hotspots (greatly enhanced) - with extensions to additional sites when schools are a long distance from their students - perhaps libraries, or some portion of another public building - where all students could have access. As expensive as that may be for a local school district or government, to me, it's much superior to Uncle Sugar providing communications service to all homes in the U.S..
What I'm wonderin is if this technology investigative reporter did any actual investigation, like speaking to McAllen ISD. Maybe if she would have Mis Kang would have found out that we are actually deploying a pilot which will provide students with Hotspots that they can take home so they can access the internet to do their homework. This is a solution that is based on a company that specifically provides a CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act) access to Verizon Wireless 4G LTE broadband which is further filtered so the students can only access education sites not entertainment. The company is a small company out of Virgina named Kajeet. We are then looking to put out a RFP (Request for Proposal) to deploy beyond the pilot to students that don't have home access to the internet. Why Mis. Kang didn't do her homework, well l guess we will never know? McAllen ISD is working to solve this problem.
1
A pilot program is not a solution.
Internet access is available in schools as well as libraries across the nation. These kids have smart phones, which are not cheap. Are those already subsidized? At some point, we must admit that we cannot subsidize everything for everyone.
Subsidies/assistance is supposed to be for essential items - food, board. But not for everything. We cannot afford or sustain this notion.
If teachers want convenience - that is, after all the driver here - then they need to re-think their mission. It's to teach and make sure that all kids have access to learning. We gave all the kids in ATL iPads and Internet; scores didn't budge and investigations led to the fact that the iPads were used for video games and non-education related items (FB, etc.).
The law of unintended consequences will bear this out - and waste billions.
Subsidies/assistance is supposed to be for essential items - food, board. But not for everything. We cannot afford or sustain this notion.
If teachers want convenience - that is, after all the driver here - then they need to re-think their mission. It's to teach and make sure that all kids have access to learning. We gave all the kids in ATL iPads and Internet; scores didn't budge and investigations led to the fact that the iPads were used for video games and non-education related items (FB, etc.).
The law of unintended consequences will bear this out - and waste billions.
3
That also happened in L.A. schools. given top of the line Ipads,many of whom were sold,very little learning went on..
The problem is real, and more difficult because children at a young age are expected to have access to the internet, computer and printer at home. Going to the library is one solution, and and limiting weekday homework requiring technology for K-6 could be helpful as well. Homework during the week for young kids shouldn't be regular i.e. shouldn't send young kids to the library every day.
Internet access costs a -lot- more than the computer, so no, we can't presume it's within reach of half the families in urban areas. It's not. And free internet access is not reasonable, any more than free computers or cell phones. The library and limited homework in elementary, should be enough.
Internet access costs a -lot- more than the computer, so no, we can't presume it's within reach of half the families in urban areas. It's not. And free internet access is not reasonable, any more than free computers or cell phones. The library and limited homework in elementary, should be enough.
Libraries have time limits on the computer usage; I thought along the same lines as you, however as a former foster care worker, I visited libraries to see what resources were available & most libraries are consistent with time limits as there's been an increase in use.
1
In terms of the subjects who are featured in these kind of stories to illustrate your point about achievement gap and/or poverty, it's tiring to always see brown faces with Hispanic names associated with these challenges. It perpetuates the stereotype that minorities always need help to catch up with white peers feeding the Trump troll narrative.
Can't you try to find white kids who are going through the same issues? I'm sure there are some out there.
Can't you try to find white kids who are going through the same issues? I'm sure there are some out there.
2
This problem should be easily solved! In California, we have laws that REQUIRE housing developers to include "affordable"units in their offering as a condition of building plan approval. Why not use the same logic for approving the franchise for internet services to a municipality? Require each vendor of internet services to provide a serviceable internet connection to any low income home that has school aged children living there. A school district could easily collect used, but good quality computers from various sources and supply them to their students free of charge. I probably have half a dozen I'd be happy to donate to such a cause.
If we don't give school lunch for free, why would computers or computer access be given for free/donated. Like your idea, but this society doesn't think in that manner
Actually, we do give free lunches to children that are hungry and their parents can't afford to feed them. Every school (not run by Republicans) does this. As to free computers, why not collect perfectly good units that people and corporations have surplus for use by poor students? Poor kids simply need a little help!
1
As a teacher in an independent school in NYC, I am constantly weighing the balance between relying upon the convenience of web access and considering the resources of all my students! It appears as though we are still transitioning to greater internet availability. Until then, the web can only serve as a backup for my class. Great article- important reminder of the diversity of resources of students!
7
Lifeline is not the answer. It serves primarily to prop up the outrageous prices incumbents are extracting. We need a competitive marketplace to bring down prices. The FCC and states have utterly failed us on this, and cities are stepping in to bring affordable internet connections--with initiatives like internet franchise ordinances or muni networks. That's where we need to focus now.
1
Witnessing the unhealthy addiction many teens have with personal technology, maybe they're better off without it!
3
This obsession with every kid on the internet is useless and evil. Achieving that would subject youth to Google and Facebook's tracking. Kids would be bombarded with advertising. The computer skills these kids would be taught won't exist by the time they become adults. The software and hardware schools would spend billions on will quickly become obsolete. We need kids to read, write, compute, and study science, history, music, art, and be physically fit.
They will deal with computers, smart phones, and future technologies that don't exist yet on the fly like we adults do now.
They will deal with computers, smart phones, and future technologies that don't exist yet on the fly like we adults do now.
2
The wealthiest nation in the history of the world and it is reluctant to spend the money to care for its future, its children. Wi-fiing the entire country should be a No. 1 priority. And of course the two GOP FCC commissioners object. That's what Republicans live to do: ensure the wealthy have it all.
6
Bravo....and as a result we will continue seeing the Haves and the Have Nots
Can't schools host a server which will hold much of the needed resources and use their lan at a reasonably high speed to provide material without depending on the Internet for everything?
That should be pretty inexpensive.
At least until broadband is (hopefully) a utility in our third world nation.
That should be pretty inexpensive.
At least until broadband is (hopefully) a utility in our third world nation.
Try to apply for a job without using the internet... go ahead try it.
3
Just go to your local library and use their internet. That is what a friend of mine, who has no internet connection or smart phone, did to get a better job.
5
You can create a gmail account for free and check it daily at your local library--
4
Let's see they have one cracked smart phone that belongs to their mother. The pictures shows every child holding a phone not just one. They have no WiFi. Do they have cable t.v.? They also have no friends in the area that would allow them to download their homework? There is no library with an internet connection either. I think we are always looking to fix something without thinking about other resources. It's time for people to think.
4
I agree with your comment that the photo shows each child holding what appears to be a smartphone, and I don't know why the Times won't correct the phrasing in the story itself. A small point? But if a detail like this is incorrect, it calls into question larger issues of accuracy.
I read in a past, similar NYT article (the ''Lifeline" link in the current article, about one-third the way down the page -- which, btw, can't be accessed now) that Lifeline only covers $9.25 (per month?) on this (for phone? or web? or both?)
As that article pointed-out, $9.25 will not go very far in getting broad-band access for the poor.
So...is there a proposal to increase that $9.25 amount? To what?
As that article pointed-out, $9.25 will not go very far in getting broad-band access for the poor.
So...is there a proposal to increase that $9.25 amount? To what?
1
Do not assume because we provide it for FREE that they will use it correctly as a tool for learning. Teachers know the belligerence and subversive attitudes students are voicing all over the nation's schools ( evidenced by hundreds of school shootings). Integration of technology in classrooms is currently at a standstill until the next wave of grant funding.
1
I was heavily taxed by the State of Texas on my phone and satellite bills for most of the 17 years I was in Texas but had trouble getting it to my own home on a State Hwy just outside of Boerne....so I guess I wasn';t alone. Question is what have the Texas legislators and the administrations of Bush, Perry and Abbott done with those funds? Article just touches the tip of the Texas iceberg. Perhaps Feds should investigate the use of those funds by telcommunication industry and the State of Texas?
3
As a society we have come to far technologically to turn back. But as is always the case throughout history, advancement occurs unevenly in society and is usually based on who can and can't afford it. When schools began making changes towards a more digitally based curriculum, there should have been an immediate realization that this would create another unfortunate advantage for the kids with access over those without. And to those who say the kids should just use the public library, I suggest you try and go the underfunded public library, where the few outdated PCs they have can only be used for short periods of time and the printer is broken more often than not.
My partner and I see how the schools our children attend seem to automatically assume that every child has access to a computer, internet access, and a printer. So what if some poor kid has to ride the bus for 3 hours for free wifi to complete homework? It is said that how far a child goes in life is directly related to how far their parents have gone in life. Increasingly education is becoming more about what opportunities and resources the parents can provide to supplement their curriculum. And poor parents just cannot provide what their kids need to maintain a competitive edge against children from higher income homes.
My partner and I see how the schools our children attend seem to automatically assume that every child has access to a computer, internet access, and a printer. So what if some poor kid has to ride the bus for 3 hours for free wifi to complete homework? It is said that how far a child goes in life is directly related to how far their parents have gone in life. Increasingly education is becoming more about what opportunities and resources the parents can provide to supplement their curriculum. And poor parents just cannot provide what their kids need to maintain a competitive edge against children from higher income homes.
5
Valuable learning like math skills, analytical reading, reading high quality literature, writing well, and hand on science with labs are all real learning. Most of the stuff on the internet is single sentence junk, advertising, and social media. I didn't let my kids use the internet. They played, read books, did sports, played musical instruments, and were in Scouts. Now they are doing very well in Universities.
3
Unless you homeschool your children or can send them to private school, you no longer have the ability to control what they do on the Internet. Schools that can use the Internet constantly, for everything. Sometimes because they want to, sometimes because they have to. Standardized tests now demand typed writing from third and fourth graders. They start learning to type when they are 5. I have never seen a study anywhere that says it is beneficial for five year olds--or third graders for that matter--whose hands can't span the keyboard, to be typing. The people in charge of education today are politicians and school administrators. I believe they do not understand pedagogy, do not see children in the classroom and have no idea what they do or do not have access to, and frankly, do not really care. That is not their job. Their job is to keep their constituencies (including the education lobby, which spends the 7th most amount of money of any sector in the country) happy, to disrupt in an attempt to change--and then to disrupt again when that doesn't seem to be working which will hopefully keep themselves looking good. After all, if everything is always changing, you can't easily track the problems.
Today's education is very different than what your children had. You can not compare the two things.
Today's education is very different than what your children had. You can not compare the two things.
6
Dave your concept is all well & good. But as a NYC parent, I had to recently send a note to my kid's elementary school teacher to explain why my daughter hadn't typed her homework. In the end I had to make adjustments to have her bought somewhere after school and then picked up from there & bought to afterschool so I could pick her up after 5pm when I left work.
We even had her complete the work in script but of course that's not what teacher had asked for. By the way, the computer is back from the manufacturer where it was being repaired.
We even had her complete the work in script but of course that's not what teacher had asked for. By the way, the computer is back from the manufacturer where it was being repaired.
1
The libraries near me are all equipped with wifi.
The kids are not just doing their homework. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, music videos, etc. is most of what they are doing. Books, newspapers and magazines made out of paper are still available. Free haircuts are coming soon.
I am not against kids having internet connections in their homes. I am against portraying them as victims when they don't.
The kids are not just doing their homework. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, music videos, etc. is most of what they are doing. Books, newspapers and magazines made out of paper are still available. Free haircuts are coming soon.
I am not against kids having internet connections in their homes. I am against portraying them as victims when they don't.
5
If these families did not spend money on various toys for the adults and children they would have enough money for internet access. The problem is simply discipline and focus. Many, many people from Europe who came over decades ago had no money but were able to focus on what has always been important in life.
1
Operating word in your statement: "decades ago." If you look at immigrants now, even poor ones, they are commonly internet/ electronic savvy. This is a little known fact but immigrants to any country are often quite different from the natives of their own countries in many ways. They're usually more connected socially, wealthier, more educated and greater risk takers. If they weren't, they would have stayed behind in their original countries.
2
Those posters who have the quixotic notion of suggesting pencil and paper are adequate for learning, represent the echo of voices of bygone days who objected to the cost of electrifying rural homes. Can't they see just as well by candle light?
3
Freely available internet service would be far cheaper to provide to the public than water. We don't simply due to lobbying from internet service and mobile providers and the successful effort to make people paranoid and to some degree legally responsible, for policing what travels to an from a router. It is nonsense that every home or apartment needs its own private secure connection.
These technologies aren't about education. They are about convenience for teachers and administrators, saving money for the district and a valuable source of BIG DATA on the next generation for the technology companies. There is little or no improvement in learning the underlying skills of reading, writing and math. What the children and parents get are hassles, more expense and pressure to "get with the program." It is part of the "education" that kids get used to being "on" 24/7 and siphoned for information about themselves. Question - what lessons are elementary school students learning from computers that won't be obsolete by the time they enter the workforce? Answer - for almost all of you the system is set up to either own you or exclude you.
6
I too think we need to address access in schools before we address access out of schools. I'd like to see a federal matching grant program where local communities can put forward the case for federal dollars to increase their internet access, upgrade their school computers, add WiFi to buses in rural communities for long commutes, open school libraries extended hours with proctored study halls and areas for study groups to work together. Once our communities start functioning like communities there will be a return to communal good will in addition to better prepared students.
1
The government has distributed well over 200 billion and counting to phone companies and others from astronomical taxes on phone service and general revenues, promising a nationwide fiber build-out more than a decade ago, yet within a 35 mile radius of Washington tens of thousands of families still have no broadband access. This is a story about corruption, influence peddling and incompetence and I hope the Times investigates and names names.
2
Please....if subsidies are to Bridge the inability of certain students to "do home work", make sure the servers are not delivering funnies, music, sex, pranks and games. Many people agree with me that "Virtual Immersion Drowns Holistic Development" a book, that shows the developmental and academic problems that develop from giving young people small screens.
2
And this is why Bernie Sanders' ideas about inequality and the domination of corporate interests are gaining a steady audience. The poorest of the poor need help definitely with obtaining access but so do those just slightly above them and even middle class households. Internet access and speed is costlier and slower in the US because of regulations in place that allow companies to have virtual monopolies all over the US. Our government could have allowed the "free market" to work and competition to reign but lobbyists and special interests prevent this from happening. Compare our situation to Europe or even Asia where competition has allowed consumers to choose and prices to be much lower.
http://www.cheatsheet.com/business/heres-proof-that-isp-monopoly-power-t...
http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/we-need-real-competition-not...
http://www.cheatsheet.com/business/heres-proof-that-isp-monopoly-power-t...
http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/we-need-real-competition-not...
5
as someone who has taught at a state university as well as in an urban middle school, i think those commenting that "good ole' pen and paper" is sufficient for middle or high schoolers haven't been in a college classroom in the last 5 years. while i agree wholeheartedly that techno utopianism is problematic and that technology cannot substitute for certain in person engagement and interaction with physical materials, that doesn't change the reality that pen and paper only students will be at a serious disadvantage if they attend college. the "libraries are available" argument is also not in sync with the economic realities of many urban areas; strapped city budgets have often meant cutting back on public library hours. i think some of this could be the pernicious "i-walked-three-miles-in-the-snow-to-school-everyday" syndrome that is out of touch with the hard lived realities of many poor and working class families today. that is why it's called structural poverty, there are so many structures (in this case, lack of affordable internet access) that disadvantage low income children and while one may not break the bank, it's the accumulation of all these little challenges that make it harder to succeed over a lifetime.
4
Amen!! I can not tell you how many low income college students I have sat with for hours while they sat on hold with customer service for hours trying to get their state-required electronic textbook activated. They try to use Visa gift cards because they don't have credit cards (doesn't work), they unknowingly buy used books or gray market books with activation cards that don't work, or they buy the wrong book and then can't return it because they've opened the activation card. (Those students often drop the class because they can't afford another book.) Then, after a few hours, when they finally do get through to customer service, they aren't able to speak with the authority that gets you what you need when your'e talking to overworked customer service people. Middle class kids just put the credit card number into computer and get the textbook, no problem. And that's just step #1.
Constantly working to bang your head against walls over and over again is exhausting. If people could just sit with me and watch my low income students work to access the internet consistently over the course of a semester, the way we think about online education would change.
Constantly working to bang your head against walls over and over again is exhausting. If people could just sit with me and watch my low income students work to access the internet consistently over the course of a semester, the way we think about online education would change.
15
This is certainly an area where we should be putting resources. The GOP is always saying that justice is about equal "opportunity, not equal outcome." Well, folks, here is a chance to actually provide "equal opportunity." Some of these stories are heartbreaking - a high schooler who rides the bus much longer than she has to so that she can get an 'A.' Let's help these kids, now!
Stories such as these certainly show how advantage and disadvantage play out. If these kids don't get good access they not only fall behind in their schooling, they are also less likely to succeed in college where other kids have, by that time been on the computer and online regularly for 10 plus years. Then they step out into the work world at an extreme disadvantage from which it is very hard to recover.
Stories such as these certainly show how advantage and disadvantage play out. If these kids don't get good access they not only fall behind in their schooling, they are also less likely to succeed in college where other kids have, by that time been on the computer and online regularly for 10 plus years. Then they step out into the work world at an extreme disadvantage from which it is very hard to recover.
3
The schools should stay open for three or four hours after the end of the school day. Open up a large room like the cafeteria, gym or auditorium and assign one or two teachers on a rotating basis to serve as classroom monitors.
Teachers always claim they work massive hours on class prep. Let them spend three or four hours every other week grading papers while they keep the school open for the students who don't have internet access.
Teachers always claim they work massive hours on class prep. Let them spend three or four hours every other week grading papers while they keep the school open for the students who don't have internet access.
7
That will happen when hell freezes over. Teachers are used to be able to leave school and go home at 2:30PM in my region, and it is rare to see it later than 3:30PM anywhere. Imagine! that must be so nice. Drive home with no traffic 2 hours before rush hour -- maybe get a snack, do some shopping, start dinner early, etc. Homework to grade? well, not if you are the gym teacher or typing teacher or art teacher or music teacher or kindergarten teacher (and they all get paid IDENTICALLY).
And you can do that grading of papers later in the evening, in front of the TV, while snuggled in your pjs. BTW: I have to work to take home and do in the evening, several times a week! or over weekends. So it is NOT JUST TEACHERS; they are not special or unique. Most workers must do this.
And you can do that grading of papers later in the evening, in front of the TV, while snuggled in your pjs. BTW: I have to work to take home and do in the evening, several times a week! or over weekends. So it is NOT JUST TEACHERS; they are not special or unique. Most workers must do this.
2
I'm sure the schools administration would go along. I;m not so sure about the teachers and janitorial staff unions.
Are we going to pay the teachers for the additional three or four hours every week plus pay for child care for their children when they stay after?
6
I'm a college teacher, and it took me a while to realize that for many of my students, their phone IS their primary computer. Many students can't afford a decent laptop, their families may not have internet at home, and many of them spend a good chunk of time on public transit.
By college, everyone does need a computer (or easy access to one). But I don't see why this is needed in grade school. It sounds like it's driven by district-purchased educational software and not by the needs of students or teachers.
By college, everyone does need a computer (or easy access to one). But I don't see why this is needed in grade school. It sounds like it's driven by district-purchased educational software and not by the needs of students or teachers.
6
Wireless (W-Fi) or wired internet access should be available in all schools and public places like libraries for the benefit of all students – regardless of their economic class. It should be free as the common utilities - water, electricity etc. Some of the students enabled by access will go on to achieve great success for themselves and the country. No reason to hold them back.
3
But it IS -- it would be an exceedingly rare school or library that did not have wi fi internet access.
My own library system had this 20 years ago. It is not new, nor rocket science.
The issue is AT HOME. And it seems nearly every kid today has his or her own smartphone, and they are VERY expensive with monthly charges of $40 or more EACH -- yet they are screaming they can't get homework assignments? Call the teacher, demand the assignments to be xeroxed and handed out, and all students allowed to hand in paper assignments. PROBLEM SOLVED and for zero money.
My own library system had this 20 years ago. It is not new, nor rocket science.
The issue is AT HOME. And it seems nearly every kid today has his or her own smartphone, and they are VERY expensive with monthly charges of $40 or more EACH -- yet they are screaming they can't get homework assignments? Call the teacher, demand the assignments to be xeroxed and handed out, and all students allowed to hand in paper assignments. PROBLEM SOLVED and for zero money.
3
The US is pretty skimpy when it comes to free Internet access. In some cities around the world, free wi-fi hotspots or even city-wide access is available. For example, see Taipei, Taiwan where subway stations, city buildings, etc. automatically have wi-fi and Canberra, Australia, with city-wide wi-fi.
http://www.tpe-free.taipei.gov.tw/tpe/index_en.aspx
http://digitalcanberra.com.au/projects/canberra-public-wi-fi-strategy-2/...
http://www.tpe-free.taipei.gov.tw/tpe/index_en.aspx
http://digitalcanberra.com.au/projects/canberra-public-wi-fi-strategy-2/...
"It should be free as the common utilities - water, electricity "
Electricity is most certainly NOT free as is city water unless one steals it from a nearby building.
Electricity is most certainly NOT free as is city water unless one steals it from a nearby building.
2
Irrespective of the problems described in this article, there is a larger case to be made for converting internet into a public utility with mandated minimum speeds. The internet is becoming more & more crucial to our way of life just like electricity & water. Companies like Comcast & AT&T are holding back development of higher speed internet and making existing internet services costlier every year.
10
It is true that companies are ripping us off. But this is a huge profit center -- not unlike cable TV.
Once any company knows you "want it bad", they know they can jack up prices to the moon. (See: health care.) They have a captive audience!
Once any company knows you "want it bad", they know they can jack up prices to the moon. (See: health care.) They have a captive audience!
1
" Companies like Comcast & AT&T are holding back development of higher speed internet and making existing internet services costlier every year."
Just last week the Times and Wall Street Journal ran a story on the massive investment AT&T is making Internet speed faster and the service itself more available. Nothing was said of Comcast but I would assume they are in the same race with AT&T and GOOGLE.
Just last week the Times and Wall Street Journal ran a story on the massive investment AT&T is making Internet speed faster and the service itself more available. Nothing was said of Comcast but I would assume they are in the same race with AT&T and GOOGLE.
1
Seymour Cray of Cray Computer more or less invented high speed computing in this country. Mr. Cray had access to personal computers, but did almost all of his programming and design in longhand on a legal tablet.
This idea that elementary students need access to digital instruments all the time to do the work of learning fundamentals is absolute nonsense. The transmission of basic knowledge into long term memory is not a function of speed, it is more associated with contemplation and thinking of how the elements come together.
This idea that elementary students need access to digital instruments all the time to do the work of learning fundamentals is absolute nonsense. The transmission of basic knowledge into long term memory is not a function of speed, it is more associated with contemplation and thinking of how the elements come together.
9
They don't. Children can clearly learn and thrive without computers, because EVERYONE IN THE WORLD did so until about 20 years ago. Even just 10 years ago, it was rare for a CHILD to have a cellphone -- let alone a smart phone, as they were not even invented until around 2007.
Many of had internet via "dial up service" until just a decade or so ago, and it ran at glacial speeds -- impossible to download movies or anything but simple text -- just reading at that speed was slow.
I don't see anything here but lazy spoiled teachers, who are using "technology" as an excuse to not xerox homework assignments for POOR KIDS. How clueless can they be? how insensitive to economic reality? WHY HAVE NO PARENTS SPOKEN UP?
Many of had internet via "dial up service" until just a decade or so ago, and it ran at glacial speeds -- impossible to download movies or anything but simple text -- just reading at that speed was slow.
I don't see anything here but lazy spoiled teachers, who are using "technology" as an excuse to not xerox homework assignments for POOR KIDS. How clueless can they be? how insensitive to economic reality? WHY HAVE NO PARENTS SPOKEN UP?
3
@Concerned Citizen,
You asked why no parents have spoken? Ms. Maria Ruiz, the mother of Tony and Isabella Ruiz, expressed her concern about the situation in the fifth paragraph of this article.
2-23-16@12:56 pm
You asked why no parents have spoken? Ms. Maria Ruiz, the mother of Tony and Isabella Ruiz, expressed her concern about the situation in the fifth paragraph of this article.
2-23-16@12:56 pm
3
I can't quite figure out how public school teachers would assign homework which requires internet access. How about more traditional homework assignments, and the teachers and students use the internet while in class together, if it is indeed that essential to education. Some people are losing sight that most of the amazing stuff that has graced our lives, including computers and the internet, have come to be without the use of a computer.
5
Or that countless millions of us graduated high school -- graduated college -- even grad school and medical school -- WITHOUT COMPUTERS -- and we have managed to run the world just fine.
I love my computer, clearly am typing here on one and sacrifice to pay for internet service. We gave up OTHER THINGS to get internet, including having cable TV with 200 stations. How many of those "poor folks" in this article would agree to do that? How about giving up cigarettes? Beer? Pot? Lotto tickets?
I love my computer, clearly am typing here on one and sacrifice to pay for internet service. We gave up OTHER THINGS to get internet, including having cable TV with 200 stations. How many of those "poor folks" in this article would agree to do that? How about giving up cigarettes? Beer? Pot? Lotto tickets?
2
There is certainly quite a lot which can be done without a computer but it's easy to forget how most technical fields now rely on computers and Internet access if you don't work in those fields or are a decade or more out of school. The public school teachers I know are quite sensitive to this issue and try to avoid making it a regular dependency but by the same token the students are missing out if the assumption is that progress ended somewhere around the 1970s.
It's incredibly cool that high school biology student can see the data and often even use the same analysis tools as the scientists who published a paper which was covered in class, and interacting with the data will give a depth of understanding which is otherwise hard to accomplish. All of the major scientific funding agencies, major universities, etc. have placed huge amounts of information and interactive tools online, which is incredible for those of us who remember being limited to low-quality excerpts in a textbook and having questions which couldn't be answered unless you knew someone with access to a university library.
I think the right approach is to accelerate roughly what's happening: let teachers be sensitive to this issue and ensure that students have options but also as a country recognize the importance of making access to the defining technology of our century available to everyone.
It's incredibly cool that high school biology student can see the data and often even use the same analysis tools as the scientists who published a paper which was covered in class, and interacting with the data will give a depth of understanding which is otherwise hard to accomplish. All of the major scientific funding agencies, major universities, etc. have placed huge amounts of information and interactive tools online, which is incredible for those of us who remember being limited to low-quality excerpts in a textbook and having questions which couldn't be answered unless you knew someone with access to a university library.
I think the right approach is to accelerate roughly what's happening: let teachers be sensitive to this issue and ensure that students have options but also as a country recognize the importance of making access to the defining technology of our century available to everyone.
Teachers should give students an option of receiving the homework via paper or online. The web access should not be a default mode of delivery unless everyone has access to the internet.
"We cannot hold back .." is nonsense. Not every homework has to be delivered on line. Technology skills are important, but anyone who ever done any research or reading on-line knows that internet has limitations, not to mention that it gives the illusion that "everything' is online, which is also not true.
"We cannot hold back .." is nonsense. Not every homework has to be delivered on line. Technology skills are important, but anyone who ever done any research or reading on-line knows that internet has limitations, not to mention that it gives the illusion that "everything' is online, which is also not true.
14
The bottom line here is that effectively punishing public school students because their parents can't afford Internet access is unfair, definitely un-American, and is not good for our society as a whole.
7
Learning via the internet is all well and good, but there are problems too. In addition to the unreliability and uneven access, I feel like it promotes this "staring into the screen" mentality. It's very 1984 with everyone walking around staring into their laptops, smart phones etc. Also, it's going to be interesting if our electric grid ever goes down. More and more stress is being placed on the grid without the necessary upgrades. How will we learn then?
With that said, it is sad that these kids have to work twice as hard to find internet access - whether it be an elementary school, library, or Starbucks. Not having enough money for the basics is a horrible, stressful feeling and today fast, reliable internet access is considered a basic necessity for everyone.
With that said, it is sad that these kids have to work twice as hard to find internet access - whether it be an elementary school, library, or Starbucks. Not having enough money for the basics is a horrible, stressful feeling and today fast, reliable internet access is considered a basic necessity for everyone.
3
We had to either come up with 5 figures to pay the cable company to run wire for low latency fat pipe, or sell our house and move out of the area. Ma copper is subsidizing wireless service by pillaging old wireline... 20 years and not even DSL, district manager saying we should get our neighbors (many of whom have cable) to buy into DSL (if enough get together, maybe some hollow suit will listen at corporate. Sure). Satellite: low caps and huge latency with irregular weather outages. Wireless: weak signal, low caps. Hills obscure LOS to alternate providers. Yes, tried everything else first. We were in one of those NY Metro dark spots, end of the pole line and why should cable run out the few poles to us if they don't have to, they can just tell us how much to pay, with no other options, PSC couldn't care less.
Rural folks don't stand a chance unless someone subsidizes their service, or the 2 generations old obsolete tech spreads out enough into the poor areas to provide adequate service. Too late for your kids though, we're talking 20-30 years to advance to the point of streaming 2D to the dark lifeless areas.
Yes, paid the 5 figure price after managing to get them to drop a few K on the price. We're the ones driving rusty old beaters, but we have low latency broadband for the offspring.
Rural folks don't stand a chance unless someone subsidizes their service, or the 2 generations old obsolete tech spreads out enough into the poor areas to provide adequate service. Too late for your kids though, we're talking 20-30 years to advance to the point of streaming 2D to the dark lifeless areas.
Yes, paid the 5 figure price after managing to get them to drop a few K on the price. We're the ones driving rusty old beaters, but we have low latency broadband for the offspring.
1
Your kids would have been better off if you'd spent the money on books, or saved it for their college expenses.
You don't have to buy into every tech trend. And satellite internet is imperfect, but fine for most purposes.
You don't have to buy into every tech trend. And satellite internet is imperfect, but fine for most purposes.
2
Americans are always so wildly gob smacked by technology and the march towards the new and shiny. I would venture a guess that in many countries 5th and 6th grade students do not download homework assignments but rather have cogent well written textbooks that they use. If schools want to have projects that require access to a computer they should do this during school hours with school computers. It seems like we are always wringing our hands about the divide and yet simultaneously exacerbating it with all of the things we do in education. We are seduced by the jargon and buzz words that dominate education today and yet have failed to write good textbooks.
11
I agree. We forget one thing - there is no requirement for anybody to own any type of electronic device, phone or TV, for that matter. Teachers are becoming too reliant on the internet. Many times, students need one on one assistance that can't be given over the internet.
I think the push for using computers comes from the districts and school boards. They want to impress people by saying that their teachers are having students use the internet.
How much time is wasted in doing Google searches and what about children in shelters or severely handicapped with a disease like cerebral palsy that makes using a keyboard impossible?
The teacher who lowered a grade because of late submission seems to me to be very uncaring.
I think the push for using computers comes from the districts and school boards. They want to impress people by saying that their teachers are having students use the internet.
How much time is wasted in doing Google searches and what about children in shelters or severely handicapped with a disease like cerebral palsy that makes using a keyboard impossible?
The teacher who lowered a grade because of late submission seems to me to be very uncaring.
2
LIGUY,
You've made good points: children in shelters, those with extremely severe handicaps and the lack of caring and compassion in the teacher for late submissions; And goodness, certain types of one on one assistance. As someone else said, why not allow both paper and tech homework to be brought in?
2-23-16@1:23 pm
You've made good points: children in shelters, those with extremely severe handicaps and the lack of caring and compassion in the teacher for late submissions; And goodness, certain types of one on one assistance. As someone else said, why not allow both paper and tech homework to be brought in?
2-23-16@1:23 pm
2
Books are relatively inexpensive and, when cared for properly, can be passed down through through successive waves of students, resulting in a high return on invested capital, not to mention educated students. The problem? The profit margin for those in the education complex is compromised when books are used, as the books are passed down and shared, and book users do not need to subscribe to online content as a cash paying client "subscriber"; all of this online innovation feeds a vast profit machine for publishers, who burrow like blood ticks into the public purse.
7
Online courses, videos, manuals, software -- no printing needed, no distribution needed -- nothing physical at all -- but you can charge for yearly "updates".
SWEET!
SWEET!
it is unbelievable in China especially in small city of China.bringing smartphone will be punished because teachers and parents only want their children study with the traditional ways
5
And this is why they will someday "eat our lunches" economically.
While we have a generation of kids who grow up semi-literate, and unable to function without a "smart phone" glued to their hands.
I'd rather have a smart KID than a kid with a smart PHONE.
BTW: I am grandmother. My two oldest grandkids literally cannot read a map. They have always had GPS and today at 14 and 12, they have their own costly iPhones or Androids. They sit and stare at them 24/7, even sleep with them. But ask them to read aloud from a "chapter book" and OMG, they read haltingly, like English was not their first language.
They are brilliant at playing Skylanders and Minecraft, though.
While we have a generation of kids who grow up semi-literate, and unable to function without a "smart phone" glued to their hands.
I'd rather have a smart KID than a kid with a smart PHONE.
BTW: I am grandmother. My two oldest grandkids literally cannot read a map. They have always had GPS and today at 14 and 12, they have their own costly iPhones or Androids. They sit and stare at them 24/7, even sleep with them. But ask them to read aloud from a "chapter book" and OMG, they read haltingly, like English was not their first language.
They are brilliant at playing Skylanders and Minecraft, though.
2
Instead of offering free internet per household, the Federal government should institute a program to get free WiFi across the country. Start with the cities and move out across the countryside. Let us nationalize the communications highway.
8
Definitely. Other cities outside the US already have free WiFi available for their citizens and even visitors.
1
The digital divide creates even greater disparities when teachers "flip the classroom" and assign instructional videos for homework, rather than teaching during class. The pedagogical idea is that students work on problems in class while the teacher is there to help them rather than at home. Sounds good in theory, but students who lack internet access at home cannot watch instructional videos and learn the material. I know a very bright, low income high school student who failed trigonometry being taught with a flipped classroom because she didn't have internet at home. Her appeals to the trigonometry teacher and her high school counselor fell on deaf ears and she received an "F" grade. She has to repeat trigonometry and hope for a teacher who uses traditional methods rather than a flipped classroom which she cannot access without strenuous efforts. It's not clear whether she will catch up with her higher income peers despite no difference in intelligence or effort.
5
Unless the kids are taking a coding or computer skills class, I'm not convinced that computers or Wifi are necessary. It may be cheaper for the school or easier for the teacher to use this technology, but not necessary. Somehow, I'm sure these kids still know how to send emails and use a computer without having to do their homework on one.
If they are taking a computer skills or coding class, the schools should provide the necessary materials as they provided the typewriters in previous days.
If they are taking a computer skills or coding class, the schools should provide the necessary materials as they provided the typewriters in previous days.
14
"The Lifeline plan has drawn strong criticism from the two Republicans among the five F.C.C. commissioners, and from some lawmakers, who say the program, which was introduced in 1985 to bring phone services to low-income families, has been wasteful and was abused."
It's a government program. Waste and abuse is inevitable. There's waste and abuse in the military but we still need one. The teachers should not be requiring home Internet to get or do assignments but regardless, a kid without home Internet access is going to be at a huge disadavantage.
It's a government program. Waste and abuse is inevitable. There's waste and abuse in the military but we still need one. The teachers should not be requiring home Internet to get or do assignments but regardless, a kid without home Internet access is going to be at a huge disadavantage.
4
The child will only be "disadvantaged" if the spoiled union teachers refuse to print out homework assignments, or let them be handed in on paper.
The child will only be at a "disadvantage" if he or she does not learn to read, write, do math or know history -- knowledge of how to use a cellphone or play video games or download porn will not get you a job.
The child will only be at a "disadvantage" if he or she does not learn to read, write, do math or know history -- knowledge of how to use a cellphone or play video games or download porn will not get you a job.
3
How about just giving kids less homework? My children have tons more homework than I did at the same ages, most of it time consuming without necessarily being enlightening. In particular, the use of technology often makes it more time consuming. And most often the technology use is not an enrichment but mere word processing or a replacement for the encyclopedias and news magazines which were the standard for low level "research" in the previous century's school days. My childrens' best school years were spent in France, where learning is expected to go on in class (where teachers still lecture and demand class participation), and where homework is much lighter and much less technologically driven.
10
Some thoughts relative to other comments:
Many/most online homework systems are NOT applicable to 'the real world'. These systems use software from various publishing companies that will not translate to any workplace. Workplaces and higher ed. use standard word processing, spreadsheet, and email software and perhaps some other specialized software; these are useful. Other software for online homework will produce very few skills that are broadly applicable.
The so-called digital native generation is excellent with all social medias and decidedly less capable when it comes to any academic use of technology (i.e. the boring stuff, word processing and spreadsheets).
Online systems miss one giant necessity for learning - writing! Writing notes in no matter what subject allows for information to be retained and land in the long term memory. Note taking is an essential part of learning that online systems would prefer to forget because they can't address this need and there is no profit in handwritten class notes.
Lastly teachers generally know the above and many only use all this wonderful technology to satisfy directives coming down from above. Pencil and paper and chalkboards are passé and their use is not presently a defensible position to take relative to job security.
Many/most online homework systems are NOT applicable to 'the real world'. These systems use software from various publishing companies that will not translate to any workplace. Workplaces and higher ed. use standard word processing, spreadsheet, and email software and perhaps some other specialized software; these are useful. Other software for online homework will produce very few skills that are broadly applicable.
The so-called digital native generation is excellent with all social medias and decidedly less capable when it comes to any academic use of technology (i.e. the boring stuff, word processing and spreadsheets).
Online systems miss one giant necessity for learning - writing! Writing notes in no matter what subject allows for information to be retained and land in the long term memory. Note taking is an essential part of learning that online systems would prefer to forget because they can't address this need and there is no profit in handwritten class notes.
Lastly teachers generally know the above and many only use all this wonderful technology to satisfy directives coming down from above. Pencil and paper and chalkboards are passé and their use is not presently a defensible position to take relative to job security.
10
"Many/most online homework systems are NOT applicable to 'the real world'... the boring stuff, word processing and spreadsheets). "
I've been watching my children do and submit assignments using Google Classroom. Mostly, this appears to be using word processing (Google Docs) and spreadsheets (Sheets). They are learning these tools.
They are also exploiting and exploring the support for collaboration. I was watching recently as a bunch of 5th graders helped one another with a brief essay assignment, all online. This wasn't part of the assignment; they did this on their own.
...Andrew
I've been watching my children do and submit assignments using Google Classroom. Mostly, this appears to be using word processing (Google Docs) and spreadsheets (Sheets). They are learning these tools.
They are also exploiting and exploring the support for collaboration. I was watching recently as a bunch of 5th graders helped one another with a brief essay assignment, all online. This wasn't part of the assignment; they did this on their own.
...Andrew
4
Wow! Never thought American families would be going thru this kind of situation. Even on Brazil, where I live, its almost rare seeing kids with poor access to the Internet, no matter where. Hope you find a way out of it. Internet and broadband are not only the future of these children but also the present.
7
I live in a district that has very wealthy families as well as poor families, and school issued ipads. Not once was a letter sent home confirming that we had internet service at home or asking if we needed assistance getting online. This should be done in the same way we receive free lunch applications. Many of these same kids can't stay after school to use their internet, because they may not have a way to get home if they miss the school bus. There is a serious disconnect here.
18
using a smartphone is not cheap. How can these families, low-income according to the article, are able to afford the monthly charges?
Three smartphones at least, in one family? I have 2 (my husband and I) and the bill is well over $200 a month
Let me in on the secret, and I will gladly stop paying my phone carrier.
And the answer to the pressing question - those teachers should NOT be giving homework needing internet access unless all the teacher's students HAVE internet access.
Three smartphones at least, in one family? I have 2 (my husband and I) and the bill is well over $200 a month
Let me in on the secret, and I will gladly stop paying my phone carrier.
And the answer to the pressing question - those teachers should NOT be giving homework needing internet access unless all the teacher's students HAVE internet access.
11
How things should or should not be is not an answer to this pressing need, nor is criticism of why these families have smartphones. There are subsidized programs that offer low-income persons access to mobile devices and carrier service. Of course, we do want these people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, even the children who fall behind because of a situation over which they have no control.
5
The one family who was cited as having one said they had a "family" smartphone. You can get one smartphone on a plan for $30-40 if you go with a low data plan, especially on a secondary carrier like Boost or MetroPCS.
1
Is your monthly bill for the smartphone itself or for the connectivity? I suspect it is the latter. These kids have phones -- which can be bought used or at very basic levels sometimes quite cheaply -- but they don't have connectivity, which is why they are spending hours on the wi-fi buses or standing outside for hours at a time around a hotspot to do their homework.
Having once been gifted an Ipod 5 with no connectivity except Wi-Fi, I can assure you what I could do was very limited until I was given a Samsung Galaxy with an unlimited data plan. (Yes, I am lucky and am not poor but am giving you this example for illustrative purposes.)
Having once been gifted an Ipod 5 with no connectivity except Wi-Fi, I can assure you what I could do was very limited until I was given a Samsung Galaxy with an unlimited data plan. (Yes, I am lucky and am not poor but am giving you this example for illustrative purposes.)
1
The GOP would rather spend billions on tax breaks for oil companies and hedge funds, rather than spend millions on public WiFi in poor communities.
8
By what Constitutional authority does the federal government have a responsibility to provide Broadband? There are LOTS of great ideas in the world but again.... by what AUTHORITY does the federal government have a responsibility to take taxpayers' money and dedicate it to what is today's "good idea du jour?" Should the government also supply the Ruiz's with propane for the outdoor grill? Or should it instead pay the local utility company for the gas or electric stove? And isn't it discriminatory to live in a house with peeling paint? Yep--lots of GOOD IDEAS, but at the end of the day, who pays and who has the RIGHT to compel others to pay for what somebody else thinks is a good idea? The administrative state run amuck....
6
The same authority that gave us the Tennessee Valley Authority. The same authority that brought electrification to rural Texas where grown men and women broke down in tears because they would finally be able to have things like lights and refrigerant. The same authority that built the interstate highway system. The same authority that compelled Alexander Hamilton to establish a national bank . . . Welcome to 1789.
5
@ROK: the TVA put in power plants and lines to give ACCESS to poor rural folks. It did not give them electricity FOR FREE.
We already have internet available in nearly all parts of the US, as well as a very broad network of phone access.
The question is do we have to give this to ALL people? do people below a certain income require it FREE? We do not give people free electricity, gas, heating, hot water, etc.
Remember that homework -- easily xeroxed or done without computers -- is not what most poor people would use this for. Most would use it to socialize -- check Facebook -- play online poker -- look at porn.
We already have internet available in nearly all parts of the US, as well as a very broad network of phone access.
The question is do we have to give this to ALL people? do people below a certain income require it FREE? We do not give people free electricity, gas, heating, hot water, etc.
Remember that homework -- easily xeroxed or done without computers -- is not what most poor people would use this for. Most would use it to socialize -- check Facebook -- play online poker -- look at porn.
2
There are already federal and state programs that pay electricity and gas, or portions of it, for low income families - so yep, there is authority for that. There are also programs that purchase the food they grill.
1
I teach at a large public university with
a large number of students who have
difficulty making ends meet. We have always
been very cautious to avoid this scenario where
students are at a severe dis-advantage if we assume
everyone has access to the latest technology.
a large number of students who have
difficulty making ends meet. We have always
been very cautious to avoid this scenario where
students are at a severe dis-advantage if we assume
everyone has access to the latest technology.
7
I, too, taught at a large university. These institutions have more resources to provide students living on or off campus with a variety of ways to connect through 24/7 access to computer labs or laptops available for free. We might learn from this model, especially how to provide spaces for students without access to the internet or computers. Public libraries are one place, but I think it's a limited remedy for all sorts of reasons.
Internet should be considered a utility like electricity. You can't apply for a decent job, properly manage your finances, get an education, or understand your healthcare and insurance options without it. That's not including other services like travel planning, car and home buying, and online comparison shopping which enable savvy consumers to save money.
Furthermore, children are learning fundamental skills with Internet-based technologies. In America today, the workers who earn a true middle-class wage are those who work in jobs (usually in offices or hospitals) that demand computer-literate employees. The competition for good jobs is fierce and we need to arm ALL our students with reading, math, critical thinking, and computer skills to be competitive in the increasingly global job market.
Furthermore, children are learning fundamental skills with Internet-based technologies. In America today, the workers who earn a true middle-class wage are those who work in jobs (usually in offices or hospitals) that demand computer-literate employees. The competition for good jobs is fierce and we need to arm ALL our students with reading, math, critical thinking, and computer skills to be competitive in the increasingly global job market.
5
I am a U.S. diplomat. When I get to post, the typical lodging for us assigned abroad is furnished, but furnishing means chair, table, bed, couch, etc. It does not mean anything electronic. When 9/11 happened, I had just arrived a week earlier in Warsaw and had to depend on the goodness of a neighbor who lent us a radio. Television does not ordinarily come in the "welcome kit" or standard outfitting of a post. Internet certainly does not (which would be nice to email the family back home "we got here." Or Skype them). So, we can talk about "subsidizing," but then why should the "unsubsidizied" pay for the subsidized, and when eventually do the taxpaying unsubsidized run out of money to pay for all the other worthies on the other side of the track?
4
What do your provisions as a well-paid US diplomat have to do with Internet as a public utility for the poor? The difference is that you can probably afford $50 a month for your Internet service with no harm to yourself whereas these folks have to choose between eating and being able to apply for a job or letting their kids do homework. That's why we should subsidize it. An educated populace is a better one to work with and live with, and it helps the children be able to compete for jobs and maybe become diplomats themselves one day.
4
The issue of the digital divide will persist until we recognize that internet access needs to be treated as utility. Internet access based on income
is the new roadblock to class mobility.
There is little debate, technology is the most important aspect of a 21st century education. The jobs these students will be competing for, in an ever globalizing economy, will require extensive technical expertise.
These future doctors, engineers, teachers, firefighters, and business people will need to use technology to create solutions to increasingly complex issues. Global warming, sustainable development, clean energy, believe me - I could go on. Despite this, we refuse to allocate more resources to teach our students how to use these tools. Instead we cut school funding to give tax breaks, sacrificing our future for ideological means.
I hope they can forgive us.
is the new roadblock to class mobility.
There is little debate, technology is the most important aspect of a 21st century education. The jobs these students will be competing for, in an ever globalizing economy, will require extensive technical expertise.
These future doctors, engineers, teachers, firefighters, and business people will need to use technology to create solutions to increasingly complex issues. Global warming, sustainable development, clean energy, believe me - I could go on. Despite this, we refuse to allocate more resources to teach our students how to use these tools. Instead we cut school funding to give tax breaks, sacrificing our future for ideological means.
I hope they can forgive us.
8
What about public libraries in these communities? I used to spend some time at the library doing research.
4
It might not be on the bus route.
7
Texas is a driving state - very little is in walking distance even in the cities. So getting to the library might be hard - and then even if you can get there you have to vie for time on the terminal with everyone else in your community who doesn't have Internet at home. A lot of libraries limit time on Internet connected computers to an hour or less, which isn't helpful if you have 3 hours of homework.
2
Libraries often do provide essential services — the DC ones provide wifi and every time I go by mine, every computer is in use — but it's also important to remember that in most of the country libraries have had years of budget cuts. That means closed locations, reduced hours, and delays on things like network or computer improvements.
1
I am not a big fan of technology at school as my personal experience shows that my kids aren't learning as much Math, Science, or English when I was in school 25 years ago. They seem to spend more time on computers trying to learn the material than we did on paper assignments and reading textbook. This is not 21st century skill, it is just ineffective use of technology. It seems as though teachers are constantly prepping students for standardized tests. I get the sense that students increasingly feel our schools as boring places. My suggestion for the federal government is not to waste money on improving access - instead reduce technology, standardized tests, and give more flexibility in the curriculum.
25
If all this "high tech" and internet and computers were helping -- why are kids measurably worse off, learning less, dropping out more -- than in other generations? Why do fewer know how to read? Why do so many know nothing of history, government, math, science?
How many kids today cannot read a simple map, dependent on a phone or GPS device to tell them where to go?
How many of these devices and wi fi are NOT used for "homework" -- but for socializing, chatting with friends, Facebook, games, apps, shopping and even porn????
How many kids today cannot read a simple map, dependent on a phone or GPS device to tell them where to go?
How many of these devices and wi fi are NOT used for "homework" -- but for socializing, chatting with friends, Facebook, games, apps, shopping and even porn????
2
For those of us concerned about racism, here's an area that needs addressing. Greater connectivity, while not THE answer, can make a difference toward opening larger world to poorer children--and their families.
2
If FDR could electrify the country with plans like the TVA and Hoover Dam during the Great Depression, it should be a snap to get Wi-Fi to kids in times without a depression.
5
Sounds like another Obamacare-type solution, where the government essentially gets into bed with big corporations and enriches them in the form of guaranteed subsidies so people have access to basic necessities, supposedly in the name of the public good.
So what happens once every kid's education and future is totally tied to the internet and dependent on the private communication companies for access? Like with drugs, so what if they raise their rates through the roof, what's anyone left to do? Relent to the extortion the government has tacitly handed to them on a silver platter?
It's only a matter of time, I'm sure, before they'll be hanging a meter around my neck that measures the air I breathe so that a bill will come to me every month that I'll be forced to pay or I'll die of suffocation.
So what happens once every kid's education and future is totally tied to the internet and dependent on the private communication companies for access? Like with drugs, so what if they raise their rates through the roof, what's anyone left to do? Relent to the extortion the government has tacitly handed to them on a silver platter?
It's only a matter of time, I'm sure, before they'll be hanging a meter around my neck that measures the air I breathe so that a bill will come to me every month that I'll be forced to pay or I'll die of suffocation.
3
That is precisely what they are doing. I was paying about $9 a month for basic dial up service. But as the internet got more complex and the software more sophisticated, it was virtually impossible to access most sites with dial up. I clung to it for economics for as long as I could. (Does it exist AT ALL anymore? Remember those whining sounds it made as it connected?)
Today I am FORCED to pay $27 a month, even though likely with it so ubiquitous and established, and nearly everyone on it, the true cost is LOWER than 20 years ago -- but my costs have tripled!!!!
I am sympathetic to the plight of kids who are poor, but honestly, very little in school is absolutely necessary to do online, let alone with a phone. Assignments can be written down. Homework can be written by hand. VIdeos can be shown in class. Studying can be done at the library. This is more about lazy teachers than high technology!
Today I am FORCED to pay $27 a month, even though likely with it so ubiquitous and established, and nearly everyone on it, the true cost is LOWER than 20 years ago -- but my costs have tripled!!!!
I am sympathetic to the plight of kids who are poor, but honestly, very little in school is absolutely necessary to do online, let alone with a phone. Assignments can be written down. Homework can be written by hand. VIdeos can be shown in class. Studying can be done at the library. This is more about lazy teachers than high technology!
2
Education is already dependent upon the Internet. I went to high school in the early 2000s and it already was heavily reliant then. By the time I went graduate school in the 2010s it would've been impossible to get through without access. The whole discussion around making Internet a public utility is trying to prevent what you've just said from happening.
2
I taught seniors for 5 years at a school where all students had a macbook something or other. I totally took advantage of this and had students learn to use their computers for so much more than simple consumption/word processing/uploading/downloading. I taught students how to use their computing power to create. Being able to create is what students should be able to do when considering 21st century skills. Not simply consume. It amazed me, in my setting, that teachers weren't taking advantage of our situation but simply used (if they even did) the computer for basic word processing or communication alone (posting HW, submitting HW blah blah blah...). This is a lazy way of using the computer and internet that I think happens in a classroom. I wonder what the teachers in this article are actually doing with the use of the internet....Sharing and caring...great.. Teach them how to use Excel or Power point. Octave. Have them make movies... Make them create in the content area.... None of this requires the internet. They do need a computer though. And, for crying out loud, teach them how to read and learn from a book. That's a skill that eventually carries over into the internet. That's the process that worked for me. I graduate HS in 96. What's really neat is when students start showing me a thing or two in terms computing creativity and I learn from them.
If I understand correctly, it is about PHONE access and not computers.
Many kids today use their phone as their sole computer and internet access.
The problem is, the screen is SO small that it really is not possible to effectively use many things that way. And you are distracted constantly by calls coming in, Facebook alerts, ads. If you read on a phone screen, even the biggest iPhone, it is a small cramped area, where you read paragraph by paragraph, and slowly. Worse than the smallest paperback book!
I shudder to think of some kid having to "thumb type" his homework that way. It surely leads to fast, sloppy writing and atrocious spelling.
Kids need to spend LESS time with phones and electronic toys -- NOT MORE.
Many kids today use their phone as their sole computer and internet access.
The problem is, the screen is SO small that it really is not possible to effectively use many things that way. And you are distracted constantly by calls coming in, Facebook alerts, ads. If you read on a phone screen, even the biggest iPhone, it is a small cramped area, where you read paragraph by paragraph, and slowly. Worse than the smallest paperback book!
I shudder to think of some kid having to "thumb type" his homework that way. It surely leads to fast, sloppy writing and atrocious spelling.
Kids need to spend LESS time with phones and electronic toys -- NOT MORE.
1
Simple answer to the problem; teachers should not be giving assignments outside of the classroom requiring internet access. That includes potential extra credit assignments as another poster stated. The last thing that we need is another big government boondoggle program to provide home internet access. If these households are so poor, how do these students have smartphones? I don't.
9
"Teachers should not be giving assignments outside of the classroom requiring internet access."
Is there a more pressing lesson for young people in the 21st century than guided, scaffolded practice in how to critically and independently navigate the internet?
Is there a more pressing lesson for young people in the 21st century than guided, scaffolded practice in how to critically and independently navigate the internet?
4
"teachers should not be giving assignments outside of the classroom requiring internet access"
Oh, give me a break. The world changes and education keeps up; it's not some precious bubble-boy shelter from reality.
This is the equivalent of being in 1956 and saying, "Teachers should not be assigning term papers outside of the classroom that demand use of typewriters!" or the equivalent of being in 1990 and saying, "Teachers should not be assigning writing reports outside of the classroom that demand the use of these new-fangled word processors!"
Oh, give me a break. The world changes and education keeps up; it's not some precious bubble-boy shelter from reality.
This is the equivalent of being in 1956 and saying, "Teachers should not be assigning term papers outside of the classroom that demand use of typewriters!" or the equivalent of being in 1990 and saying, "Teachers should not be assigning writing reports outside of the classroom that demand the use of these new-fangled word processors!"
3
@Jen: I guess you are very young.
I was born in 1955. I was in high school in 1970-1973. I loved to type and I had a typewriter because my mom had been a secretary (she typed a mean 120 wpm, too!). I learned to type around age 8 or 9 and I thought it was really fun.
I had bad handwriting, and I loved to use the typewriter to complete homework and papers. And my teachers HATED IT! Some of them handed papers back to me and told me to write it out in longhand. I had to argue and beg to use the typewriter!
I also remember the era of simple word processors, and I NEVER saw teachers give my kids assignments that required a word processor -- never. It was always OK in school (up until my own kids graduated, late 90s) to write neatly by hand.
So you are dead wrong.
I was born in 1955. I was in high school in 1970-1973. I loved to type and I had a typewriter because my mom had been a secretary (she typed a mean 120 wpm, too!). I learned to type around age 8 or 9 and I thought it was really fun.
I had bad handwriting, and I loved to use the typewriter to complete homework and papers. And my teachers HATED IT! Some of them handed papers back to me and told me to write it out in longhand. I had to argue and beg to use the typewriter!
I also remember the era of simple word processors, and I NEVER saw teachers give my kids assignments that required a word processor -- never. It was always OK in school (up until my own kids graduated, late 90s) to write neatly by hand.
So you are dead wrong.
1
The young people in classrooms across the United States are individuals not statistics. Schools and teachers need to know the circumstances of the students so that their needs can be addressed. Schools should be places where income disparity is not an issue but unfortunately this is not often the case. Children who do not have internet access, a place to study, enough food or adequate school supplies suffer.
We have unrealistic expectations for young people when we do not provide them with the tools they need to do well in school.
As a high school teacher when I find out that a student does not have internet access I make accommodations so that they can have written copies of the work. If school libraries were open after school this might give students a place to study and use the internet.
We have unrealistic expectations for young people when we do not provide them with the tools they need to do well in school.
As a high school teacher when I find out that a student does not have internet access I make accommodations so that they can have written copies of the work. If school libraries were open after school this might give students a place to study and use the internet.
7
More money and "resources" for schools is a con. Spending has very little correlation to academic achievement historically. This connectivity initiative is another federal boondoggle that will not raise student achievement. End government-operated schools is the only hope to finally start seeing improvement. Government schools have been failing for more than 50 years. As Einstein said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."
6
This reader is unaware of how massively connected the Atlanta area is, or of the successful "flipped classrooms" model that is becoming the prevailing way for kids to get customized instruction. The definition of insanity is running off at the mouth without bothering to know what you're talking about. You can quote me, Jim.
1
@Empircal: "fllipped classrooms" has to be literally the worst idea in education since whole language (which was also ballyhooed, but failed miserably).
It is just so teachers can get out of teaching. So much easier to assign videos. Soon instead of reading "Moby Dick", you can just watch the movie! on your smart phone!
Meanwhile the union teacher sits around and gold bricks, while kids fill out worksheets. Why bother with a class plan? Why bother to lecture or explain anything? Just watch a video and send me my $3 million retirement windfall.
It is just so teachers can get out of teaching. So much easier to assign videos. Soon instead of reading "Moby Dick", you can just watch the movie! on your smart phone!
Meanwhile the union teacher sits around and gold bricks, while kids fill out worksheets. Why bother with a class plan? Why bother to lecture or explain anything? Just watch a video and send me my $3 million retirement windfall.
"Spending has very little correlation to academic achievement historically."
Very true, due to special state funding many inner city, low income schools in NJ actually spend more money per pubil than the most affluent suburbs but still have the lowest test scores and graduation rates. Money is not important when student do not value education.
Very true, due to special state funding many inner city, low income schools in NJ actually spend more money per pubil than the most affluent suburbs but still have the lowest test scores and graduation rates. Money is not important when student do not value education.
1
I do undergraduate interviewing for my alma mater university, and it is remarkable how many high school level students have little to no access to computers at home. I usually ask this as a neutral discussion question, and occasionally students have a family computer, and some students have limited access at the school.
Universities generally have complete residential internet access and library computer access for those without a computer. But we're not preparing high school students for this environment equally or in a way that can be considered competitive yet.
High school level teachers or below can't fairly assign internet based assignments on the assumption that everyone has access to a computer, "or else". I don't believe schools actually do that. If this is our goal, we need a fair way to encourage computer access for all students first.
Universities generally have complete residential internet access and library computer access for those without a computer. But we're not preparing high school students for this environment equally or in a way that can be considered competitive yet.
High school level teachers or below can't fairly assign internet based assignments on the assumption that everyone has access to a computer, "or else". I don't believe schools actually do that. If this is our goal, we need a fair way to encourage computer access for all students first.
4
Why is it that every picture here shows kids who appear to be texting on smart phones? This is anything but learning on tablets or computers. I want my tax dollars spent on helping kids learn - not on social texting.
8
Teachers have been screaming about this for years. Those ARE their computers. They connect to the internet through their phones. Educational software works terribly on smartphones. Pieces of assignments don't show up. Text gets cut off. Some text is too small. People who do not know how kids who don't have access to the Internet should stop talking and listen. I'm not saying kids don't text, but my students do homework on their phones all the time. These kids are 100% no doubt about it getting left behind. More and more often, the teachers do not control the assignments or the software that their students are required to use. We try to help them through the tough parts, but the ways some of them manage to get their work done absolutely amaze me. They beat wealthier kids out in miles with their tenacity and all we do is look at pictures say "poor people shouldn't have smartphones."
16
Thanks, Chris, for your observation. The kids were all access apps for school and doing research on their smartphones. They don't have their own laptops and tablets so they rely on their smartphones as their gateway to the Internet.
10
As the article indicates, some of those kids are using their phones to do class work, not for texting. Since you can't see the screen, you can't assume they are texting...especially in the context of what the articles says.
7
This lifeline service isn't just for students!
Anyone who's looked for a job in the last half decade is pretty much required use the Internet to apply, reply, set appointments, interview via Skype, and submit proof of legal residency.
Public Libraries have reduced hours as budgets have been cut, and commercial hot-spots like McDonald's and Starbucks are pretty few and far between in rural areas, and low-income urban neighborhoods.
Without the Internet, getting a job, keeping a job, or continuing to upgrade your skills and marketability is almost impossible for BOTH low-income children and adults.
Anyone who's looked for a job in the last half decade is pretty much required use the Internet to apply, reply, set appointments, interview via Skype, and submit proof of legal residency.
Public Libraries have reduced hours as budgets have been cut, and commercial hot-spots like McDonald's and Starbucks are pretty few and far between in rural areas, and low-income urban neighborhoods.
Without the Internet, getting a job, keeping a job, or continuing to upgrade your skills and marketability is almost impossible for BOTH low-income children and adults.
15
Great point, SAB. Lifeline is for any qualifying low-income homes. And there are many needs for broadband. The Homework Gap is just one. Thank you for reading.
4
Pedagogy and assignments delivered through digital, web-based technology is not necessarily the best way for schools to teach or serve their students. The downsides (dare one even say "dangers"?) of this technology's structure and interface, including its deleterious effects on deep learning and recall, and on the emotional and psychological development of young people (not to mention its addictiveness -- especially when unsupervised), have all been documented by scientific studies and popularized by journalists such as Nicholas Carr, Sherry Turkle, Maggie Jackson, and Mark Bauerlein. To read that more school systems are depending on these technologies to deliver content is distressing (with flipped classrooms being perhaps an exception). As a college professor with fifteen years experience in the classroom, it is clear to me that students today are far less able to read, spell, write, understand, critically analyze, constructively argue, or remember basic information and skills across semesters than they were even eight years ago. That's because students are using more technology, not less.
11
So your solution is to do nothing for the kids that can't change the system that punishes them for something they have no control over? What have you been teaching for 15 years? Or should I say lecturing? When my the prof I was a lab tech for showed me what we would today call a PC and how my work of a year could be done in a sitting I didn't say bad idea. Besides, just like you, what I said didn't matter. What mattered is what the world is already doing and adapting to it. But seriously, 15 years? and this is what you have come up with? Glad I already have my degrees.
I have been whiny about my broadband lately, because it is overpriced and under performing. But, geez. At least my kids have it. With no sarcasm, I will now go say a couple of Hail Marys for whining about nothing.
For my own kids, access is required for submitting papers, including running anti-plagiarism checks. It is required fro group work, and for advanced language assignments.
It is critical for college applications; for studying for the SAT independently. For FAFSA, the CSA, all the forms that are demanded by the college-industrial complex.
If the program to supply internet access to students who cannot afford it is inefficient, then fix it. The technology exists and the software exists to build the database. If marketing companies can track every keystroke on every website, surely the government can track broadband. If they want to.
For my own kids, access is required for submitting papers, including running anti-plagiarism checks. It is required fro group work, and for advanced language assignments.
It is critical for college applications; for studying for the SAT independently. For FAFSA, the CSA, all the forms that are demanded by the college-industrial complex.
If the program to supply internet access to students who cannot afford it is inefficient, then fix it. The technology exists and the software exists to build the database. If marketing companies can track every keystroke on every website, surely the government can track broadband. If they want to.
9
No, Cathy, keep whining but also educate yourself about how other countries manage to get cheaper, quicker, and better internet than US residents despite the Internet originating in this country. And push our government to do better; they've given virtual monopolies to internet service providers.
"Even though the Internet was invented in the United States, Americans pay the most in the world for broadband access."
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/internet-u-s-compare-globally-hint-s...
"Even though the Internet was invented in the United States, Americans pay the most in the world for broadband access."
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/internet-u-s-compare-globally-hint-s...
1
Tech in schools isn't about helping the children, it's about money - that is all. I've raised 3 kids in NYC and taught computers as a volunteer in my kids elementary school. What came of that experience was insightful. The software companies have done a wonderful job making user interfaces easy and self-explanatory: i.e., there is no need to teach children how to use computers. They already know. If that isn't the reason what is? We're left with trying to improve productivity and reduce costs, which is the usual reason to use tech. Management can know find out if Johnny or Maria have submitted their homework on time. What were are doing is teaching our kids that their measurable productivity is all that is important.
5
The problem is not just internet access, but also that so many students must do their homework assignments--both reading and writing--on phones rather than on laptops or desktop monitors. Sure, a cellphone is handy and a great tool for quick internet searches and leisure reading, but low-income students not only lack internet access, they lack the current computers to best use the internet. It's as if low-income students are being asked to do their homework with quills in an age when the middle class has ballpoint pens.
9
A program to give poor children a basic, used laptop with software to take home? -- I have no problem with THAT.
But I have never seen that done, or even proposed. When my district got a grant, it all went for the "latest, greatest iPads". And 60% were stolen in the first 3 months -- most by the PARENT, who then sold the "hot selling" iPad on craigslist or ebay.
An iPad is only slightly better than a smartphone for typing. And it is not a substitute for reading BOOKS. I'd love to see someone track this kind of thing, and see what kids REALLY DO with tablets and smartphones -- I would bet $1000 that 90% of the time, they are not doing "homework" at all, but socializing, Facebook, funny videos, Snapchat, Instragram, GAMES and in some cases, porn. If parents knew how much of this lofty "high tech" was used in fact for pornography, they might not be so hot on distributing it to the masses for free.
But I have never seen that done, or even proposed. When my district got a grant, it all went for the "latest, greatest iPads". And 60% were stolen in the first 3 months -- most by the PARENT, who then sold the "hot selling" iPad on craigslist or ebay.
An iPad is only slightly better than a smartphone for typing. And it is not a substitute for reading BOOKS. I'd love to see someone track this kind of thing, and see what kids REALLY DO with tablets and smartphones -- I would bet $1000 that 90% of the time, they are not doing "homework" at all, but socializing, Facebook, funny videos, Snapchat, Instragram, GAMES and in some cases, porn. If parents knew how much of this lofty "high tech" was used in fact for pornography, they might not be so hot on distributing it to the masses for free.
2
I wonder...who profits by this? The schools don't save money, the students don't learn any better.
6
The vendors forcing everyone to buy their product benefits. Then the vendors kickback money to district, state and fed politicians in the form of campaign contributions.
Taxpayers get the bill; the oligarchs get rich.
Taxpayers get the bill; the oligarchs get rich.
10
I work in an impoverished inner city district. Connectivity is not an issue, but affordability is. I've never given any assignment that mandates online use. I always have alternatives, or make it extra credit (e.g. ebooks).
Any teacher knows to do this. I suspect that this is a state initiative here. States are putting a lot of pressure on schools to be saturated with tech. Millions of dollars are mandated to be spent - mandated, not suggested - & the money comes from taxpayers & out of teachers' salaries. This is supposed to be amazing. Just a few years ago, the Times ran this glowing article about how the LA district spent a fortune getting each student an iPad. The state & media practically have an addiction for it. It's all so meaningless & unnecessary
And just once I'd like the media to cover the reality--kids do not have filters. The majority then go onto YouTube & social media & games. They see the most disturbing things--real murders, violent misogyny, fights, porn. I have so many students who are up until 2 am just surfing social media when their parents think they're asleep. They fall asleep in class.
Then there's sports & other activities with the body. Many districts are seeing a drop in sports participation as kids are happy to do just what these teens are doing in the photo here (overweight, with future neck problems).
And don't get me started on the fact that we have $ for soon-to-be obsolete tablets, but no $ for pencils & paper...
Any teacher knows to do this. I suspect that this is a state initiative here. States are putting a lot of pressure on schools to be saturated with tech. Millions of dollars are mandated to be spent - mandated, not suggested - & the money comes from taxpayers & out of teachers' salaries. This is supposed to be amazing. Just a few years ago, the Times ran this glowing article about how the LA district spent a fortune getting each student an iPad. The state & media practically have an addiction for it. It's all so meaningless & unnecessary
And just once I'd like the media to cover the reality--kids do not have filters. The majority then go onto YouTube & social media & games. They see the most disturbing things--real murders, violent misogyny, fights, porn. I have so many students who are up until 2 am just surfing social media when their parents think they're asleep. They fall asleep in class.
Then there's sports & other activities with the body. Many districts are seeing a drop in sports participation as kids are happy to do just what these teens are doing in the photo here (overweight, with future neck problems).
And don't get me started on the fact that we have $ for soon-to-be obsolete tablets, but no $ for pencils & paper...
34
Technology changes constantly, but any reasonably bright person would be able to quickly pickup the skills that millions of users have mastered at any point, so keeping up with those changes is not really an excuse for schools and teachers to require its use, unless they happen to teach coding. Where this sort of access could really make a difference, however, is with respect to parents' ability to monitor whether their children are doing the assigned homework, as well as what sort of grades the children have earned to date, becoming involved sooner, rather than later, should any problems arise. That in turn will make for more responsible and productive students and happier teachers.
3
Schools would be far, far better off if they had zero technology, but spent their time teaching children how to READ BOOKS and do math (without a computer or calculator).
CC, part of my job is to read books. And guess what--I read most of them on my tablet. Why? Because it beats hauling home piles of manuscripts and saves the company money in mailing them out. And it's easier to look words/research up when you are already net-connected. So, what was your point again?
2
It's great to hear students have to complete assignments online! I bet they're learning important skills like messing with the time stamp so it looks like you sent in your assignment hours earlier, or "accidentally" sending a corrupted file to hide the fact that your paper's not done. That will definitely help kids in college! (Unless, of course, they get the profs who are onto undergrads' procrastinating ways and who demand a physical copy of the assignment be handed in in person.)
I'm all for equitable Internet access and recognizing it's a necessary utility. But if we want to ensure kids succeed in college, perhaps there should be assignments from a textbook or printed worksheet, so students can learn essential skills like math regardless of their home situation. Technology is important, but to succeed in college and the workplace, you still need to learn very old school skills like reading, writing, and math. And those take a bit more effort to learn than how to upload or download a file.
I'm all for equitable Internet access and recognizing it's a necessary utility. But if we want to ensure kids succeed in college, perhaps there should be assignments from a textbook or printed worksheet, so students can learn essential skills like math regardless of their home situation. Technology is important, but to succeed in college and the workplace, you still need to learn very old school skills like reading, writing, and math. And those take a bit more effort to learn than how to upload or download a file.
9
I'm a teacher and I sometimes get the "I don't have internet access at home" excuse. To that, my reply is that they get themselves over to one of our very underutilized local public libraries which does indeed have internet access, printers, and a wealth of other resources, not the least of which are helpful librarians. The vast majority of assignments can also be done without the internet, albeit without all the fancy bells and whistles. The solution to this problem is not to issue every student a computer -- but to simply keep the computer labs at school open later and potentially on weekends as well. That is indeed how many of us got through college in the 1990's before the days of portable laptops, and there is no reason it can't be applied today, especially to high schools. My guess is they would be lightly utilized in any event. Those who don't do their homework, more often than not, are not trying - yet getting stymied due to their lack of internet access.
30
And, to provide transportation from school to home in rural areas, where public transportation is not an option.
5
John, you just flat out should not be requiring your students to have internet access. In our area, the nearest public library with computers and internet access is in the next town over, about six miles away.
11
What about those who need to work? Or what about the ones who has to help around the home?
6
Thank God I went to school in the 1990s and early 2000s, when the internet was just becoming a big thing in public education. Like the Ruiz kids (who, appropriately enough, share my surname), I was a poor Latino kid with parents who could've never afforded computers, internet connectivity or expensive cellphone data plans. I remember that my mom tried to address my need for typed assignments by buying me a cheap, decades-old typewriter. After alerting my teachers to my family's inability to afford a computer and a printer, and that I found typing on the ancient clunker too time-consuming, they accommodated me by allowing me to turn in papers in pen and ink. That accommodation was a godsend, because then I could spend more time on actual reading, writing and studying--you know, the education part of the equation. And there was no requirement that collaborative assignments be done over the internet--these were done during school hours.
That some public schools don't seem to accommodate students who have no access to the internet is appalling. This is just abetting future income inequality by further burdening children who already have plenty of obstacles to overcome. Shameful.
And I fully expect the FCC's Lifeline program to be a huge give-away to greedy ISP companies like Comcast and Time Warner. Considering how these companies treat paying customers, I fully expect these quasi-monopolies to abuse this subsidized system for all its worth.
That some public schools don't seem to accommodate students who have no access to the internet is appalling. This is just abetting future income inequality by further burdening children who already have plenty of obstacles to overcome. Shameful.
And I fully expect the FCC's Lifeline program to be a huge give-away to greedy ISP companies like Comcast and Time Warner. Considering how these companies treat paying customers, I fully expect these quasi-monopolies to abuse this subsidized system for all its worth.
13
Phone companies already make out like bandits, by having the government pay for Obamaphones.
If you look at ads or on TV, they advertise relentlessly to "get your FREE government phone!"
Imagine if we also gave away free internet!!!!
If you look at ads or on TV, they advertise relentlessly to "get your FREE government phone!"
Imagine if we also gave away free internet!!!!
Where is this relentless advertising for free government phones? This isn't what I see anywhere.
Guess who pushes homework and classwork that requires internet access?
Guess who is pushing online testing?
Guess who wants taxpayers to foot the bill so "poor" kids can have top-of-the-line (in terms of price) access?
Vendors, charters, TFA, Eli Broad, the Waltons, the Gates.
They always stick the taxpayers with the bill while they hoard the profits.
Guess who is pushing online testing?
Guess who wants taxpayers to foot the bill so "poor" kids can have top-of-the-line (in terms of price) access?
Vendors, charters, TFA, Eli Broad, the Waltons, the Gates.
They always stick the taxpayers with the bill while they hoard the profits.
17
I grew up in a rural and mountainous area where there are still problems with Internet connectivity, and where there is a fair amount of poverty. Some of my relatives who are retired do not have Internet access at home, so I rely on local hotspots when visiting. (As an expat, I can't afford a plan to provide "normal" connectivity in the U.S.) Not everyone who uses these hotspots is visiting; a number are locals, both young people and adults. For a person living in poverty to cross the digital divide is not a trivial matter. A computer or wireless device that doesn't break down costs several hundred dollars minimum, plus the cost of the modem (in many cases), set-up and monthly fees, and often a printer and ink. Those who print at school sometimes need a memory stick. School districts, meanwhile, have gone digital not only due to technological change but because buying software and electronic reading rights is usually less expensive than purchasing hard copies. For test preparation, software and apps are less pricey than staff. Plagiarism detection is usually electronic nowadays (this may be why the student in the article had to submit on line). Electronics may be overused (e.g., taking notes has turned out to be more effective longhand), but some use of technology is unavoidable. The key is to come up with workarounds that meet everyone's needs. Avoiding ruthless late penalties and having more hotspots and an equipment bank is only the beginning.
19
Or just insist that lazy teachers actually print out assignments, and allow kids without computers or smartphones to hand in paper homework.
Problem solved, zero cost.
Problem solved, zero cost.
I don't want to sound like a skeptic, but I'd bet that the numbers they cite about how many kids don't have home internet access are wildly inflated; used by interested parties (the nonprofits advocating on these causes, and the internet providers who stand to gain) and no one has any reliable data to challenge. I'd bet the stats are based, just by way of example, on having a home desktop or laptop, and doesn't include smart phones connected to wifi. I just find the numbers they cite to be totally unrealistic.
Also, to those who cite the need to train kids for the real world, which requires technology, are we really concerned that there are kids out there who aren't learning the basic computer skills that would be gained under this program? We're not teaching them coding or anything. The skills they are learning here are google, email, downloading docs and basic web usage. I'd hazard a guess that ALL kids are going to have these skills down pat by the time they're 16, regardless of what the stats say about their home access to internet.
Finally, I hate the fact that this kind of program will normalize the need for everyone to have a smartphone. Smartphones are expensive and outside many people's budget - but it's another thing that everyone just "has" to have.
If this technology really makes kids learn better, then let's embrace it. But i don't know if teaching kids to use google drive is a goal in and of itself.
Also, to those who cite the need to train kids for the real world, which requires technology, are we really concerned that there are kids out there who aren't learning the basic computer skills that would be gained under this program? We're not teaching them coding or anything. The skills they are learning here are google, email, downloading docs and basic web usage. I'd hazard a guess that ALL kids are going to have these skills down pat by the time they're 16, regardless of what the stats say about their home access to internet.
Finally, I hate the fact that this kind of program will normalize the need for everyone to have a smartphone. Smartphones are expensive and outside many people's budget - but it's another thing that everyone just "has" to have.
If this technology really makes kids learn better, then let's embrace it. But i don't know if teaching kids to use google drive is a goal in and of itself.
8
We need a massive public infrastructure project which brings fiber optics to every school, library, and public meeting place in the US. Even DSL bandwidth is insufficient for students to keep up with internet based learning. In rural areas there is no cable based Internet. Spreading DSL to disadvantaged young people house by house is spending money on a straw when a culvert is needed.
19
I agree with you. We live in a town wich is not rural but the fiber optic infrastructure doesn't reach our house in fact it stops a mile from us. The cable companies just don't want to spend a dime in infrastructure instead their solution is for us to pay a ridiculous amount of money just for the cable from the main road to our house. And satellite internet is so expensive and slow but it's the only alternative that we have, my husband works from home couple of days a week and we need the Internet. Goeverment does nothing about it either. I just hope that we can get high speed internet by the time my baby go to school otherwise it's gonna be though.
2
Commercial providers of cable television (think Comcast) are required to fund a community access channel in Connecticut towns, with cameras and recording equipment and instructions for residents who want to make and broadcast videos. Why not require companies that profit from providing Internet access to homes and businesses (think Comcast) to fund access for schools and to offer central WiFi points at places towns designate where children from disadvantaged families could congregate to do homework?
2
My assignments are both/and - that is, homework is an article on one of the topics in our class. I have print versions and post it as a pdf on-line in Google Classroom. Students can do there work there or by hand, in a notebook. Some of my Special Ed. students prefer typing (because their fine motor coordination and thus their penmanship is so poor). I teach in a high poverty school district, though, and find that if I ever assign a large project or a lab report, it has to be done in class, or it does not get done at all (or done well, if attempted).
Hours in the school day are finite, and hours in childhood come to an end with graduation, so it's tempting to try to pack in more, and there IS so much more on the internet than what is available in a biology textbook. Animations of mitosis, for example. Animations of mitosis in Spanish, for my students who don't speak English: all of that! So much more than what I had access to as a high school student in the 80s.
Check this out, for example! A song all in Spanish about mitosis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Me4vSnEns
I could link to that when it comes to reading this article about medical applications and research:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5472801_Regrowing_Human_Limbs
Learning does require independent practice and synthesizing the material and the time to concentrate without being interrupted, but where I work, it would be insensitive to require a student to do something entirely on-line.
Hours in the school day are finite, and hours in childhood come to an end with graduation, so it's tempting to try to pack in more, and there IS so much more on the internet than what is available in a biology textbook. Animations of mitosis, for example. Animations of mitosis in Spanish, for my students who don't speak English: all of that! So much more than what I had access to as a high school student in the 80s.
Check this out, for example! A song all in Spanish about mitosis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Me4vSnEns
I could link to that when it comes to reading this article about medical applications and research:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5472801_Regrowing_Human_Limbs
Learning does require independent practice and synthesizing the material and the time to concentrate without being interrupted, but where I work, it would be insensitive to require a student to do something entirely on-line.
4
Your students don't speak English? Shouldn't this be their first task in school?
5
Wow Chris, educate yourself about Lau v. Nichols 1974, case law stating that students must have access to the subject area content while they are learning English. Academics are a moving target, and our English-language learning students have two tasks: keep up with their peers in social studies, math, and science while at the same time learning English.
I love the internet for this reason. Most of my students are proficient in English, but we have several newcomers each year. As high school students, past that critical window of brain development, language can be a real barrier.
I love the internet for this reason. Most of my students are proficient in English, but we have several newcomers each year. As high school students, past that critical window of brain development, language can be a real barrier.
5
I'm not sure I agree with the majority of the comments here. Everyone seems focused on reverting back to paper-based learning, instead of focusing on the real problem here: that children do not have access to the internet to finish their assignments. We live in a different world than we lived in 10 years ago. If schools skipped over technology to make it easier for students (and I do agree that it is pretty unfair for students without access to not have an alternative), then we would not be preparing those students for the real world. The best jobs right now involve computers -- it is almost inconceivable that you would get a very high paying job without computer skills. So no, the solution isn't to just use paper. The solution is that every child should have access to high speed internet.
43
Students have plenty of computer access and tech education in school. No one is saying that they shouldn't. That's not the point at all. The point is access after school, if it's necessary, and how much.
4
This is the key argument, Suchitha. We need to be sure that all school kids have access to the resources that their colleges and employers will expect them to have.
And none of those have a great shot at getting to college, and getting those jobs, if they don't have the ability to look for schools online; apply to them online; apply for aid on-line.
The Times published a piece about colleges trying to retain students. How can they possibly retain kids who don't even have the experience using the technologies that other students are very familiar with.
We just set them up for failure.
And none of those have a great shot at getting to college, and getting those jobs, if they don't have the ability to look for schools online; apply to them online; apply for aid on-line.
The Times published a piece about colleges trying to retain students. How can they possibly retain kids who don't even have the experience using the technologies that other students are very familiar with.
We just set them up for failure.
1
I disagree. I grew up and went through college without a computer. I got my first computer after I graduated. Yet here I am, just about as proficient on the internet as everyone else. A computer is not the answer, but it can very well be the problem. A good education does not and should not rely on technology.
4
Until it is documented that ALL students in a given class have access to wifi at home to do "HOME" work, teachers should not make assignments contingent on internet access beyond what students can use at school part of their curriculum. It's obscene that so called educators would deliberately sabotage disadvantaged students!
8
I live in a mostly low income neighborhood and students use the grade school's wifi after hours, hanging around the front school yard and sidewalks well into the evening, using iPads that were given to all students. I wonder if the school district considered that many students' families would not be able to provide wifi at home?
4
It is shameful that teachers and administrators are so insensitive to this -- they should be compelled to give out assignments on paper, and allow children to write by hand and turn in papers in person and not just online.
HOWEVER....the greater favor would be to teach those kids to read and use the library, not depend on iPads or smartphones. Any monkey can use those devices. People who are educated READ BOOKS.
HOWEVER....the greater favor would be to teach those kids to read and use the library, not depend on iPads or smartphones. Any monkey can use those devices. People who are educated READ BOOKS.
This is just something capitalism has to face: lack of web access equals enforced illiteracy, plus alienation from social development, Period. There are no gray areas here - the world just changed, and if the country is content to leave millions of people out of the future based on income inequalities its the final collapse of "democracy."
4
The divide is between us and nature. Look at the poor children. They are self-involved. They have no idea how far they are from nature. Readers, take a look at all the disadvantaged children.
1
Are there no public libraries? Is the school library not open both before and after school? Both have free wi-fi! And somehow I have the sneaking suspicion that those students are busily texting friends, not doing their homework. For that matter, why do they even HAVE SmartPhones if they're that poor?
The school district need to go back to worksheets on PAPER, and homework turned in the same way. This is ridiculous...
The school district need to go back to worksheets on PAPER, and homework turned in the same way. This is ridiculous...
28
India, when was the last time you took a "class", helped a youngster with their schoolwork, or tried to get on a library's public access terminals? Just as the Kindle revolutionized the "book" market a decade ago, and brought brick and mortar stores, magazines, and newspapers to their knees, education has left the world of tree pulp forever.
3
Are there no workhouses? Are there no jails? Charles Dickenson really nailed the miserly personality type. Try a little empathy. McAllen does indeed have public libraries, the largest closes at 9 pm. Not nearly late enough for students working jobs after school. Middle school students with working parents may also have trouble with transportation to libraries. There is not a library (or a Starbucks for that matter) on every corner of McAllen.
8
The world has moved on, India. It's not the kids' fault. How could you read about the struggles of these families and instead of compassion go right to evidence-free accusation? Sad.
3
Lack of books and reading at home also keeps children behind and that is a 15th century technology.
15
Look at the excuse making in just these comments -- wah! wah! everybody has to have a smartphone!
Meanwhile, the same kids cannot read a "chapter" book.
Meanwhile, the same kids cannot read a "chapter" book.
1
I see the largest issue being that school districts are switching to digital textbooks, they have a cost savings in the short run, but push the financial burden on families. This is where the economic divide sets in, if you do not have access to a computer and the internet then a student is unable to complete the assignment. Many public libraries in the suburbs are not open late, so for many this is not an option. There is also an expectation that students will "type" all their work and many times submit through Google docs. As someone stated; the big winners are corporations like Google, Pearson, Dell, Apple, HP, IBM, eTc. Teaching and learning has not changed. A student does not achieve higher grades simply because they use technology. The basics are the best. Reading, writing, practice, dialogue and studying have always yielded results. Let's face it, the mechanical pencil did not make better math/science students, it just gave an alternative instrument with which to write.
64
In addition, there is a lot of peer-reviewed research demonstrating that students learn information more effectively from hard copies of books, not from digital editions. There are several possible explanations given - fewer distractions in a non-digital environment; different ways of reading electronic devices vs. hard printed copies; etc. Even the simple act of physically turning pages appears to provide a way to reinforce learned information that is not obtained from electronic materials.
5
Closing the digital divide is essential not only for new technology skills, but also for new assistive technologies that improve basic literacy, including reading proficiency, writing and vocabulary.
An example of such a digital literacy tool is Visual Syntactic Text Formatting, VSTF.
Federally-funded research has shown that VSTF, (which requires minimal bandwidth), improves learning, especially in Common Core non-fiction topics, while also making students stronger readers and writers, in any format.
This NYTimes article is available in VSTF here: http://www.liveink.com/Walker/WiFI_Digital_Divide_in_K12.htm
An example of such a digital literacy tool is Visual Syntactic Text Formatting, VSTF.
Federally-funded research has shown that VSTF, (which requires minimal bandwidth), improves learning, especially in Common Core non-fiction topics, while also making students stronger readers and writers, in any format.
This NYTimes article is available in VSTF here: http://www.liveink.com/Walker/WiFI_Digital_Divide_in_K12.htm
1
For teachers there is a lot of pressure to integrate "technology" in the classroom. Administrators get all giddy whenever they see an electronic whiteboard flashing things to students or they see a webquest in a lesson plan. The flashiness of it all seems to make them happy, and if it is new and flashy it must be the best, right? Unfortunately, teachers have many people to please, other than their students.
What is the best way to convey material to students? Inquiry? Stations? Webquest? Lecture (a dirty word in education)? Cooperative learning?
It will take time to find out the best practice for instruction and learning. There is probably no "best practice" for all, since kids differ in so many ways.
So, before everyone gets all down on teachers for utilizing technology, remember that they not only have to meet the needs of students, but also of their administrators, Common Core, and the not so subtle moves in privatize public education.
How about we make fewer large bombers and give every family with a child in school free internet access. If we are feeling stingy we can limit to the hours between 3 and 11 pm. If students don't have a laptop or comparable device why not give them a cheap chromebook with access to all the free google applications and internet. Investing in education will prove to be some of the best defense spending.
What is the best way to convey material to students? Inquiry? Stations? Webquest? Lecture (a dirty word in education)? Cooperative learning?
It will take time to find out the best practice for instruction and learning. There is probably no "best practice" for all, since kids differ in so many ways.
So, before everyone gets all down on teachers for utilizing technology, remember that they not only have to meet the needs of students, but also of their administrators, Common Core, and the not so subtle moves in privatize public education.
How about we make fewer large bombers and give every family with a child in school free internet access. If we are feeling stingy we can limit to the hours between 3 and 11 pm. If students don't have a laptop or comparable device why not give them a cheap chromebook with access to all the free google applications and internet. Investing in education will prove to be some of the best defense spending.
10
Access to the internet at an affordable price is a public good. Many organizations communicate almost exclusively through email and most employers have some component of their application process online. Just because we didn't 'used to' need it doesn't mean we don't now. Not everyone can be a farmer and even farmers use email.
40
So should the government subsidize rural satellite Internet? AND run Saturday snail mail delivery? Or which one do we choose?
3
The government should do both. We should instead choose to avoid costly wars and overseas interventions without clear goals or an exit strategy. One fighter jet -- not even the fanciest one -- costs $35 million. One B-2 Stealth bomber costs $1 billion.
1
Internet access is no longer a "nice to have." It's a "must have." Sure, I went to public school and got a first-rate education before PC's and smartphones came along. But that was then. This is now.
Computer literacy is crucial for anyone who wants to be employable. It's not just a teaching aid. It's a mandatory job skill. I would be glad to pay extra to help subsidize broadband for everyone. Better yet, I'd like to see more cities do what cities such as Elk Grove, CA have done: build municipal wireless networks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_wireless_network#United_States
Computer literacy is crucial for anyone who wants to be employable. It's not just a teaching aid. It's a mandatory job skill. I would be glad to pay extra to help subsidize broadband for everyone. Better yet, I'd like to see more cities do what cities such as Elk Grove, CA have done: build municipal wireless networks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_wireless_network#United_States
14
They learn the computer literacy during class. At home they can work with a pen and paper, with printouts. Does a scientist take his lab home with him?
If someone has a way to fund broadband access, thats great. But since we don't, quit whining and get on with their education!
If someone has a way to fund broadband access, thats great. But since we don't, quit whining and get on with their education!
4
As a medical researcher, yes, I do take my work home with me. My home desktop computers allow me to analyze complex data remotely via secure connections.
We could fund broadband access if we stopped throwing millions of dollars daily toward wars and foreign interventions without clear goals.
We could fund broadband access if we stopped throwing millions of dollars daily toward wars and foreign interventions without clear goals.
1
"but we can’t hold back on our use of technology in the classrooms because we have to prepare our children for the world that is waiting for them.”
This is not true. Traditional text books work better than online books. Internet is just an alternative medium of transporting the data to people's home. It has absolutely nothing, zero, to do with learning technology. Nobody ever learned on TV electronics just by having a TV at home and watching movies.
Teach kids math and programming and they will really know something about technology.
This is not true. Traditional text books work better than online books. Internet is just an alternative medium of transporting the data to people's home. It has absolutely nothing, zero, to do with learning technology. Nobody ever learned on TV electronics just by having a TV at home and watching movies.
Teach kids math and programming and they will really know something about technology.
6
On top of the many, many reasons this is NOT true....
Technology is a fast moving target. Anything you learn in school will be oudated in 5-10 years anyway.
I went to school before personal computers were even invented. Yet I learned to use one, without any training or classes and make my livelihood that way. I didn't require classes to teach me how to use a tablet or smartphone either. Do you need a class to teach you how to watch TELEVISION?
My kids went to school in the late 80s-90s and they learned on older type laptops, no internet or social media -- basic typing on a keyboard and software like MS Word. Yet today, they all work in tech fields and one is a software analyst at a major US corporation doing internet security!
In 2020 or 2025, stuff like iPads and iPhones will seem like ancient technology and totally irrelevant -- like dial-up internet, or Palm Pilots (remember THEM? The latest greatest tech of 18 years ago?).
What LASTS is basic skills and knowledge -- knowing how to read well, good math skills, a basic knowledge of history and science. THAT is what our children are lacking!
The tech stuff is just kerfluffle.
Technology is a fast moving target. Anything you learn in school will be oudated in 5-10 years anyway.
I went to school before personal computers were even invented. Yet I learned to use one, without any training or classes and make my livelihood that way. I didn't require classes to teach me how to use a tablet or smartphone either. Do you need a class to teach you how to watch TELEVISION?
My kids went to school in the late 80s-90s and they learned on older type laptops, no internet or social media -- basic typing on a keyboard and software like MS Word. Yet today, they all work in tech fields and one is a software analyst at a major US corporation doing internet security!
In 2020 or 2025, stuff like iPads and iPhones will seem like ancient technology and totally irrelevant -- like dial-up internet, or Palm Pilots (remember THEM? The latest greatest tech of 18 years ago?).
What LASTS is basic skills and knowledge -- knowing how to read well, good math skills, a basic knowledge of history and science. THAT is what our children are lacking!
The tech stuff is just kerfluffle.
Bad, bad, bad idea. Children do not need to be online to do "research." Their homework should not be online. What they need to learn is not so complex that it cannot be learned through books and other printed materials. The internet for children is just a huge time-waster and its "use," if one can call it that, should be discouraged.
I'm a college prof and by the time these students get to college they will have no idea whatsoever what research really amounts to--what the difference is between an opinion on a blog and sound research in a published paper, for example. After all, it's all online... It's almost impossible for me to get a serious "research" paper nowadays--all I get is recycled junk from the internet, cut and paste exercises that are not worth anyone's time. Why teach them in grade school that recycling predigested (or semidigested) material from the internet has something to do with "learning"?
I'm a college prof and by the time these students get to college they will have no idea whatsoever what research really amounts to--what the difference is between an opinion on a blog and sound research in a published paper, for example. After all, it's all online... It's almost impossible for me to get a serious "research" paper nowadays--all I get is recycled junk from the internet, cut and paste exercises that are not worth anyone's time. Why teach them in grade school that recycling predigested (or semidigested) material from the internet has something to do with "learning"?
13
I have taught in the Rio Grande Valley, the area this article is centered on, and in the Bronx. Although both of these areas are impoverished and disenfranchised, the majority of students I taught had smart phones and access to computers with internet access. My students spent far more time online than any of their teachers required. The sad reality is the overwhelming majority of their time online was wasted on social media gossiping (many online fights became physical altercations at school), consuming non-academic content, and playing games. Students would spend hours playing video games, conversing on KIK, and documenting their lives on SnapChat, only to come into school with incomplete homework. Students were provided access to the computer labs after school, but the majority didn't go because they wanted go hang with their friends or engage with their mobile devices. The mindless entertainment available on the internet is far more compelling to disinterested students than Khan Academy, CrashCourse, or CodeAcademy (none of which require a powerful internet connection like Playstation IV does). Without parents and family members engaging with student's coursework and homework, setting strict boundaries, and continually tracking their academic progress, the internet will exacerbate the achievement gap. To end on a positive note: a few students did take advantage of Khan Academy and other free resources and were able to progress much faster than the class.
25
Your first-hand experience confirms my suspicions. The kids in this story are probably far from typical.
2
This article and some of the comments thus far worry me. I work in a rural, economically fairly well-positioned district with a one-to-one tablet initiative 7-12. I know we're lucky that all (most?) of our students have easy access to the internet. But I can't help but think that there are families who are perhaps forgoing other important services or goods (meds? food? clothing?) to make sure that the kids can do homework. I can't think of a student in my community who would be comfortable admitting that he/she doesn't have the internet at home. I vow to be more sensitive about this.
Also, mobile devices are lifelines (pun intended). For many, these devices are often the one thing that will connect them to work (how many job applications are only online now?) or needed services. And quite often one can get decent deals on devices so that they're cheaper than having landlines or in-home internet. If you've ever witnessed people without access to the internet or phone services trying to use, say, a library's free computers for their allotted half hour, you understand.
And finally, the argument of "school without computers worked for me" is
outdated and irrelevant. Education is a reflection of the world around us - we're all evolving. To make the assumption that education should regress is ludicrous; didn't we all read and respond to this article using a device of some sort?
Also, mobile devices are lifelines (pun intended). For many, these devices are often the one thing that will connect them to work (how many job applications are only online now?) or needed services. And quite often one can get decent deals on devices so that they're cheaper than having landlines or in-home internet. If you've ever witnessed people without access to the internet or phone services trying to use, say, a library's free computers for their allotted half hour, you understand.
And finally, the argument of "school without computers worked for me" is
outdated and irrelevant. Education is a reflection of the world around us - we're all evolving. To make the assumption that education should regress is ludicrous; didn't we all read and respond to this article using a device of some sort?
5
Until you can find a way to fund broadband for all (good luck!), then closed minded educators, that think that the world will come to an end without it need to be replaced.
Technology should be taught at the school, during school hours. Does a PE teacher's students all have basketball courts at home? How will they practice after hours.....?
Stop complaining about it. We're probably another 20 years away from everyone having broadband access in the U.S. Its not going to change anytime soon.
Technology should be taught at the school, during school hours. Does a PE teacher's students all have basketball courts at home? How will they practice after hours.....?
Stop complaining about it. We're probably another 20 years away from everyone having broadband access in the U.S. Its not going to change anytime soon.
3
Not to diminish this very serious plight but, I'm sure almost every public library today has free unlimited access to Wi-Fi and computers.
7
Nope. Our library computers have waiting lists. You only get a half-hour block of time on a slow computer. The max is 1 hr / day. Also, our libraries arent open in the mornings. Or the evenings. The libraries have free WIFI but its extremely slow and unreliable.
6
Yes, but with budget cuts library hours in a lot of places have been reduced. I live in the Phoenix suburbs (so, not exactly remote) and the local library is only open 9am - 5pm, 4 days/week.
4
This is a very serious plight. Libraries do not have computers for every student to sit at and do homework all night long. We've defunded libraries. They're often closed when kids need to do homework. The internet is slow. The computers are clunky and can't run Pearson's software. Sometimes they can't run sound. I've pleaded with software company vendors to tell their companies we need programs that can be run on iPhones. They use Flash. We need software to not hog memory. We need to be able to run the software on browsers that are a couple years old. THEY DON'T CARE. Students simply can not access the material they need, and you can't brush it off by telling them to just work harder.
7
Why is this such a problem? In class show the kids how to access the information. Download in front of them. Then distribute a packet of print outs for their homework that evening.
How spoiled and helpless have we gotten that we can only operate when we have the latest and greatest tools on hand? It used to be said in the 1960s that the best mechanics in the world were from New Zealand as they had little access to replacement parts and had to fabricate their own.
I find a lack of imagination and troubleshooting by these educators as a failure to do their jobs. Get over it, and get on with it. These kids aren't getting any younger. What happens, heaven forbid, when some new software becomes available and the school can't afford it? Does everything stop, and the students get sent home?
How spoiled and helpless have we gotten that we can only operate when we have the latest and greatest tools on hand? It used to be said in the 1960s that the best mechanics in the world were from New Zealand as they had little access to replacement parts and had to fabricate their own.
I find a lack of imagination and troubleshooting by these educators as a failure to do their jobs. Get over it, and get on with it. These kids aren't getting any younger. What happens, heaven forbid, when some new software becomes available and the school can't afford it? Does everything stop, and the students get sent home?
9
Sure let's not do something constructive like controlling corp costs through subsidies or doing something great like free wide area wireless but instead fall back on traditional Dem approach to throw a bone to the poor and tax dollars to the corporations/rich!
3
Just look at these photos! Do we really want to destroy the freshness, vivancy, and presence of these kids too? Give them a real break, and leave them alone. Get the electronics gym class out of school! Do not confuse sparkly consumer beads with education.
9
Teach them to read.
Teach the kids who are immigrants (most illegal) to read and write and speak English.
Teach them good basic math and science skills and an broad knowledge of history and government.
Then leave them alone.
Nobody needs a class in how to use Facebook or play Candy Crush.
Teach the kids who are immigrants (most illegal) to read and write and speak English.
Teach them good basic math and science skills and an broad knowledge of history and government.
Then leave them alone.
Nobody needs a class in how to use Facebook or play Candy Crush.
1
Scene: Early-Mid1990s, Ted Turner, incoming Chair of the National Cable Television (now Telecommunications) Association BOD, is hosting 20 or so industry reporters regarding what he hoped to be able to accomplish during his term...
One goal, he says; To convince Congress and the White House that Internet connectivity is so important to education and economic well-being that in addition to food stamps they should fund "Cable Stamps."
Response: collective laughter and chuckles.
Ted says, "Mark my word..."
Always was a visionary...and, true to his word...he tried.
One goal, he says; To convince Congress and the White House that Internet connectivity is so important to education and economic well-being that in addition to food stamps they should fund "Cable Stamps."
Response: collective laughter and chuckles.
Ted says, "Mark my word..."
Always was a visionary...and, true to his word...he tried.
5
I used my first calculator in Engineering College. My son is using it in 5th grade. Though I try to get him to focus on the fundamentals, he keeps pointing me to the foot note that says "you may use a calculator".
Though this topic is about using computers for school work, the point I want to make is that kids are forgetting what it is like to have good handwriting and use paperwork to solve problems. Schools these days are pushing out the fundamentals way too soon.
And, the worst thing about using computers? Only a click or two on advertisement links away from lewd images popping up on the screen.
Though this topic is about using computers for school work, the point I want to make is that kids are forgetting what it is like to have good handwriting and use paperwork to solve problems. Schools these days are pushing out the fundamentals way too soon.
And, the worst thing about using computers? Only a click or two on advertisement links away from lewd images popping up on the screen.
8
Couldn't agree more. You learn math by NOT using a calculator. The calculator is a tool of convenience at best. Good schools and colleges limit the use of calculators and formulate math problems that do not require calculators.
5
Try an experiment, Sunny.
See if your son can use a map -- a basic paper map. I'll bet he can't. Most kids today can't read a map, they are used to GPS telling them where to go.
If their beloved phone networks go down, they are helpless -- can't do math, can't look anything up, can't find anything on a map.
Is this really what we want? Is this "education"?
See if your son can use a map -- a basic paper map. I'll bet he can't. Most kids today can't read a map, they are used to GPS telling them where to go.
If their beloved phone networks go down, they are helpless -- can't do math, can't look anything up, can't find anything on a map.
Is this really what we want? Is this "education"?
How about giving the SCHOOLS decent internet access?! Ours is shameful at the school I work in. As an English teacher in an urban setting, I give homework at least once a week that must be submitted online. In order to be successful in college students must know how to email and submit work. But I provide laptops and lab time when appropriate. Students can also use their phones (which they often have to because the wifi at our school is so terrible). Internet access, like water and education, cause massive inequities when privatized. Make it a right (which it should be as the richest country in the history of the world). Why is it that we have so much money for endless war but nothing that actually helps people?
93
It takes at best 30 minutes to learn how to email and submit work. Spend class time on the last day of the school year demonstrating. If they are unsuccessful in college because they cannot learn to submit their work online, you have failed them.
You have them submit work online because it is convenient for you. Allow the children who do not have internet access to give you their assignments on a thumb drive.
You have them submit work online because it is convenient for you. Allow the children who do not have internet access to give you their assignments on a thumb drive.
2
This is one of the most amazing statements, I think, that I have ever read: "I give homework that MUST be submitted online... "
Why in the world would you NOT give your students the option of handing in a handwritten assignment? What's wrong with this picture?
Why in the world would you NOT give your students the option of handing in a handwritten assignment? What's wrong with this picture?
Before the "1% are no-good doodies" attacks begin, consider how students from one of the most technologically-advanced colleges are required to use paper & paper --
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/02/17/why-naval-a...
" .. Hogan is a sailor, too — a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, surrounded by some of the most advanced geolocation technology ever devised. But even though GPS can pinpoint Hogan and his shipmates on the most remote oceans on the planet, the Navy is once again teaching them the ancient art of celestial navigation .."
Obviously, the Public Education Monopoly (P.E.M.) has forgotten that not every home has high-speed access (and Netflix and PornHub). P.E.M. needs to fix their mistakes, now.
OK, resume hating those paying 40% of federal income taxes ..
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/02/17/why-naval-a...
" .. Hogan is a sailor, too — a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, surrounded by some of the most advanced geolocation technology ever devised. But even though GPS can pinpoint Hogan and his shipmates on the most remote oceans on the planet, the Navy is once again teaching them the ancient art of celestial navigation .."
Obviously, the Public Education Monopoly (P.E.M.) has forgotten that not every home has high-speed access (and Netflix and PornHub). P.E.M. needs to fix their mistakes, now.
OK, resume hating those paying 40% of federal income taxes ..
Although it is troublesome that a significant number of students do not have access to the same tools that other students in their classes have, I also think that a lot of the problem is created by the schools and the teachers. My daughter is in 10th grade and her homework assignments are posted on the school's internal website in the late afternoon. There is no reason whatsoever that a teacher can't give an assignment in class. Just because technology is available doesn't mean it has to be used especially when it is no more efficient or beneficial than NOT using it. There are certainly some assignments where internet access could be necessary but not every assignment and not every day. In those cases, what about using public libraries or keeping the school open a little later in the day to let the kids who don't have access at home use it at school. This should not be an insurmountable problem if a little common sense and creativity are used.
75
Thank you! Exactly, couldn't agree more.
I work in IT and am frustrated constantly by people who claim that they cannot function without the latest and greatest toys. Learning tools do not have to be new, to be valid and worthwhile. I believe that schools should have good internet access, and good computer labs, but to demand that students edit and submit assignments online, is just an indulgence for teachers that just may not be available in the environment that they work in.
I work in IT and am frustrated constantly by people who claim that they cannot function without the latest and greatest toys. Learning tools do not have to be new, to be valid and worthwhile. I believe that schools should have good internet access, and good computer labs, but to demand that students edit and submit assignments online, is just an indulgence for teachers that just may not be available in the environment that they work in.
8
For the last twenty years of my teaching career, I made the argument against assignments and class requirements that unnecessarily advantaged more affluent students. I took students to the computer lab and showed them how to do the work that needed to be word processed, how to complete research, and how to use the internet. I was clear about when the library and its computers were available before and after school, and on Wednesday nights I stayed until 7pm for nineteen years without pay to ensure students had access to a teacher and the technology the school offered. An administrator often stayed for a few hours Saturday morning. Students need to know how to use technology, but public schools have an obligation to ensure all students have instruction and access to it.
2
If there were more teachers like you, students would be better prepared for life. Thank you for your service.
2
Aha, the Educational-Industrial Complex championed by Liberals are about to join hands with the Entertainment Industrial Complex -- bringing help from teacher on polynomials on one window while LeBron dunks on another window of the screen. The finest Edutainment that taxpayer money can buy!
The obtuse populace tolerates this abuse of technology by school district administrators who foist the latest fad to draw attention away from the root causes of student failure. If the citizenry really cared, they would not allow any school to demand students be able to access the Internet outside the school.
The obtuse populace tolerates this abuse of technology by school district administrators who foist the latest fad to draw attention away from the root causes of student failure. If the citizenry really cared, they would not allow any school to demand students be able to access the Internet outside the school.
10
There is a chilling quality to this article, families in sore need so make sure the kids have Internet access. Am I missing somethings about what fundamental education is all about? I am young, have educated, employed well and can learn and work without a computer easily. I could teach without a computer and teach well.
10
I agree with several of the other commenters regarding the over reliance on technology in school. There are very few things you learn in grade school and even high school that require technology and about the only one that is helped by it is research, but that can be done at a library in most cases.
54
I'm personally not a fan of having all work on the computer, but it's the norm in many places these days. My kids no longer have physical text books, so when they don't have internet access they are hampered in their ability to do their homework. We've had panic issues on days the internet is down in our house or over issues of whether or not the assignment went through when we hit the 'send' button. And we're pretty affluent, so my kids have only minor issues with it. I've often wondered what the poorer students do because not everyone can afford a bill of $175 a month on cable/internet. The plight of the last child, Yunuen, really struck me as unfair. To get a C when your problem is internet access and not laziness or forgetfulness is just wrong. I know she doesn't want to complain or be seen as a whiner, but that teacher should have some empathy for kids who have to work so much harder to get their assignments completed than children of parents with means.
34
How much would you like to bet that the family cut their internet but not the cable when Mom lost her job?
1
Sorry, but nobody HAS to have cable. Any provider can sell you internet alone. Out of that $175, maybe $35 is for internet -- the rest is PREMIUM cable. Basic cable reception even in my overpriced area is only $15 a month.
If having homework online is the norm, it has to stop. This is just teachers being lazy, and buying into the latest fad.
If having homework online is the norm, it has to stop. This is just teachers being lazy, and buying into the latest fad.
Looks like the local broadband provider is in need of public funds. Education is not the point here, and the 'kids' are not the beneficiaries. Sadly, this has almost nothing to do with helping anyone, except possibly some rich guys.
Want smart kids? Get them to read and study. That's it!
Want smart kids? Get them to read and study. That's it!
22
It is easy to say that schools ran just fine before technology, and its true. But the thing is, in today's world, schools need to use technology. Students need to learn 21st century skills in order to be marketable when they join the working force.
48
"Student 'need' to learn ... ". Sorry but this is hogwash. Kids have always picked up the trinket electronic mumbo jumbo faster than parents and trachers, w/o any help at all. The ones who haven't may not want to ... ever consider what is good for them as opposed to what sort of consumer automatons you might be wanting to convert them into?
9
Having said that, how do propose we level the playing field? Oh wait, if we spent more money on education and less on playing fields, would that help?
1
Except that nobody taught me (except myself). And I had no advantages and came from an ordinary working class family.
I was the first one to learn how to use a computer, then to buy one and master it so that I worked in a tech field. The field I worked in DID NOT EVEN EXIST when I was in school! So how could they have trained me for it????
I was the first one to learn how to use a computer, then to buy one and master it so that I worked in a tech field. The field I worked in DID NOT EVEN EXIST when I was in school! So how could they have trained me for it????
Which is single "family smart phone" with the cracked glass? The one Tony, Isabella or Leo is using? What are the others doing?
9
The children should not be penalized because they don't have technological advantage. The teachers should be ashamed assigning homework that requires internet when they know some children don't possess it. Why don't they provide paper versions of the homework? Is the school pushing so hard for technology that they miss the point which is to educate children, to give them the confidence to succeed. Also, the pictures of the children in this article with their heads down looking at screens is a travesty on childhood. What happened to children engaged with each other after a long day of school. Look up and out and see the world.
62
Those kids are trying to do their homework. You know, to be successful.
4
@lars: OR they are playing Candy Crush. Or checking out Facebook. Or IM'ing their friends.
How can you tell?
How can you tell?
Please read the article. Those kids are trying to do their homework.
How absurd. A teacher always needs to be sure students can complete lessons with just what is available to each student. Even a single student with no computer at home must be accommodated and students can learn very, very well in older ways when necessary.
76
Sure, "a student can learn very, very well in older ways" - Aristotle did, so did you (apparently) and I. That said, the world is technology based; colleges expect students to show up skilled in computer use and able to do research on the internet; employers expect tech knowledge and skill. So, kids can learn our way (mine being 1950s-1970s), but then they are prepared only for our world, which no longer exists.
I'm sorry, but on the list of problems facing our students, lack of internet access is at the bottom.
Why does the Times spend ink covering this, instead of the vast number of students who think its okay to assault their teacher, or not come to class?
Complaining about internet at many schools is like saying the deck chairs on the Titanic are scratched.
Why does the Times spend ink covering this, instead of the vast number of students who think its okay to assault their teacher, or not come to class?
Complaining about internet at many schools is like saying the deck chairs on the Titanic are scratched.
22
A "vast number of students" do not think it is okay to assault a teacher, and many students who are truant have other reasons that they are unfortunately missing school, like domestic issues or hunger.
And just because this is not the primary cause of failing students, that doesn't mean it is not worth writing about. People who live in middle class or affluent communities, or who are so removed from the modern school system that they don't understand how reliant schools are on online resources, are often unaware of how big an obstacle lack of access to reliable internet can be to a middle school or high school student.
And just because this is not the primary cause of failing students, that doesn't mean it is not worth writing about. People who live in middle class or affluent communities, or who are so removed from the modern school system that they don't understand how reliant schools are on online resources, are often unaware of how big an obstacle lack of access to reliable internet can be to a middle school or high school student.
6
Children are not missing school where they get free breakfast and lunch because of hunger. Unless of course they are not hungry enough to follow Michelle's dietary rules.
1
The divide is felt even in the 5th grade. At a local public school that is 97% African American, children don't have access to computers to access a federal program called Moby that could help them raise their test scores. The Moby program trains students to raise their grades and knowledge base to their correct grade level. There is hype about this exciting program, but it means nothing if it is never used.
It is heartbreaking to see children fail because no one in government can come up with a solution which should be simple. Providing these children with ipads to use in school would cost much less than one of the current redevelopment programs costing $12 million.
It is heartbreaking to see children fail because no one in government can come up with a solution which should be simple. Providing these children with ipads to use in school would cost much less than one of the current redevelopment programs costing $12 million.
5
What would be easier to accomplish--get everyone broadband access, or make Moby, or a replacement, available offline?
Teachers are supposed to be educating these kids, not providing them with a URL and some good wishes for the evening!
Teachers are supposed to be educating these kids, not providing them with a URL and some good wishes for the evening!
5
How about if the school day is lengthened by two hours and study halls in computer labs are assigned where children can do their homework or access Moby? The teachers can do their class prep and grading in the schoolhouse instead of at home, so there would be no need to increase their compensation. The buildings are otherwise underutilized.
Since when did math homework require internet access unless you needed it to cheat? I get it for long (5+ pages) history research papers to flush out sources when a teacher mandates at least five or ten (do high school students write these often now?), but my memory of internet access in school was for sparknotes in lieu of reading the actual book and altavista babelfish to translate for French/Spanish. You could also post your math problem on yahoo answers for help and download English papers before sophisticated plagiarism programs came around. If the schools can't teach math in 50 mins, that teacher needs remediation or fired for failing to do his/her job. Maybe borrow lesson plans from a more seasoned teacher. Have we as a society completely lost our minds? If we need internet to do homework, what good are schools and teachers? We might as well sign up every kid for online classes from home like we now allow for college.
24
Everyone ... plead this excellent comment again and again and again until you get it.
3
@BA and Marvinsky: wish I could click "recommend" here about 10,000 times.
1
This is ridiculous, why don't they just do their job and regulate broadband/internet like it should be: as a utility; instead of creating a plan to subsidize the outrageous prices of most cable and phone companies charge for internet. Or if not that how about forcing them compete with one another by outlawing the geographic monopolies they currently have. But no we can't do that here...Vote for Bernie. Of course if people can't afford even the prices we should have then government subsidies would be in order, but you should be able to get decent internet for ~$10/month, (I currently have the slowest speed from TWC, which is only $15/month and I am very happy with it).
38
Nailed it far better then I did. Thank you..
2
"This is ridiculous, why don't they just do their job and regulate broadband/internet like it should be: as a utility;"
Because in many communities, there are already competing providers (e.g., Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, DirecTV).
We don't need a "Bern." We fix our own problems, he needs to fix his.
Because in many communities, there are already competing providers (e.g., Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, DirecTV).
We don't need a "Bern." We fix our own problems, he needs to fix his.
1
RussP, we have several of these competing suppliers in our community and the cheapest service is still $60. Is the competition considered to "work" in this case if other countries manage to have the same service for $10 or $15? Again, Americans are getting ripped off. Don't you get sick of it?
1
This is for sure a growing problem. My local school district contains a dense small city, and a large rural population. The district just handed every child from grades 5-12 tablets this year, and began using a web-based platform for assignments. Many rural areas in the district have no options for internet access. None. For students with no wifi, the district offered cellular modems. But the geography and low population density combine to create large areas where cell service is spotty or nonexistent. Many kids are struggling with staying on top of assignments, and parents are unhappy that the push for technology in the schools is leaving their families behind.
Unless or until internet access is considered an essential utility, where cables (or other means of access) reach every home, and where financial assistance is offered, school districts have no business making such broad assumptions about connectivity. Our superintendent pats himself on the back for his technology initiative, but this does no good for the children who are getting left behind.
Unless or until internet access is considered an essential utility, where cables (or other means of access) reach every home, and where financial assistance is offered, school districts have no business making such broad assumptions about connectivity. Our superintendent pats himself on the back for his technology initiative, but this does no good for the children who are getting left behind.
88
Before the "Bush's fault/Koch Brothers" cat-calls start, something the reporter apparently left out of the story --
http://blogs.denverpost.com/tech/2015/08/04/comcasts-10-internet-plan-sp...
" .. Comcast announced plans to expand the program to more families at eligible schools plus make the registration process easier. The company is also starting a pilot program to reach out to low-income senior citizens.
" .. In Colorado, there are 300,000 individuals who qualify for Internet Essentials plan with about 80,000 buying in, said Cindy Parsons, a Comcast spokesperson. Of those, approximately 23,000 are families .."
OK, resume "Citizens United" attacks ..
http://blogs.denverpost.com/tech/2015/08/04/comcasts-10-internet-plan-sp...
" .. Comcast announced plans to expand the program to more families at eligible schools plus make the registration process easier. The company is also starting a pilot program to reach out to low-income senior citizens.
" .. In Colorado, there are 300,000 individuals who qualify for Internet Essentials plan with about 80,000 buying in, said Cindy Parsons, a Comcast spokesperson. Of those, approximately 23,000 are families .."
OK, resume "Citizens United" attacks ..
3
Not all of the rural families are poor, but they do not want to pay the cost of internet service so are demanding somebody else pay.
1
The people posting here are going to object to the notion that people have to be humiliated into accepting charity for something they are entitled to receive free from the government.
1
I don't get it. Something doesn't add up. The problem is the digital divide?
What did we do before computers? Somehow we managed to learn physics, calculus, biology, languages, history, English, etc. So it can be done.
Frankly, that people are suggesting that this cannot be done without a computer is surprising. I think all schools would be better off without computers.
What did we do before computers? Somehow we managed to learn physics, calculus, biology, languages, history, English, etc. So it can be done.
Frankly, that people are suggesting that this cannot be done without a computer is surprising. I think all schools would be better off without computers.
51
I think you may be missing the point. The lessons are given to the students by computer and the students are expected to do their homework on computer. Of course schools could continue to use textbooks and teachers could continue to grade papers. Relying on computers basically cuts off our most needy students.
This access to equal educational opportunity is precisely the issue that Brown v. Board of Education tackled. It's bad.
Not to be ignored is the waste and theft of machines. One district of which I am aware suffered significant losses through theft last year.
This access to equal educational opportunity is precisely the issue that Brown v. Board of Education tackled. It's bad.
Not to be ignored is the waste and theft of machines. One district of which I am aware suffered significant losses through theft last year.
14
In response to pat from chi:
You may not be aware of the advantage students who have internet access at home have over those who don't. It's like night and day. Students with internet access can look up YouTube or Khan Academy videos to get tutorials on subjects they are having difficulty with. Also these students are developing computer skills that they will use in their future employment. And if a school district institutes on-line assignments, students without computers can actually fail their classes if they have trouble producing the same assignment via pencil and paper...because they won't have access to all the resources the teacher placed online.
Students who don't have internet access at home are not only being left behind academically. They will also be unprepared for the job market...if there are jobs to be had when they graduate. In a shrinking job market, those with highly developed computer and internet skills will always win jobs over those who don't.
You may not be aware of the advantage students who have internet access at home have over those who don't. It's like night and day. Students with internet access can look up YouTube or Khan Academy videos to get tutorials on subjects they are having difficulty with. Also these students are developing computer skills that they will use in their future employment. And if a school district institutes on-line assignments, students without computers can actually fail their classes if they have trouble producing the same assignment via pencil and paper...because they won't have access to all the resources the teacher placed online.
Students who don't have internet access at home are not only being left behind academically. They will also be unprepared for the job market...if there are jobs to be had when they graduate. In a shrinking job market, those with highly developed computer and internet skills will always win jobs over those who don't.
10
I'm not surprised. It's nothing but a push to get more money from taxpayers, and to remove the blame for failing students off teachers and parents; and to move more control to DC, which is controlled by Democrats, specifically Unions.
Some kids in an LA barrio in the 80s learned Calculus, at the worst school in the district, WITHOUT broadband or computers. Yet, here is the left-wing NYT saying that we need another government program, more money to fund a different government program, so that kids can learn Calculus. Oh wait, not even Calculus, how to add and subtract.
Maybe we need to stop wasting money on the "new math," and "common core?"
Some kids in an LA barrio in the 80s learned Calculus, at the worst school in the district, WITHOUT broadband or computers. Yet, here is the left-wing NYT saying that we need another government program, more money to fund a different government program, so that kids can learn Calculus. Oh wait, not even Calculus, how to add and subtract.
Maybe we need to stop wasting money on the "new math," and "common core?"
8
McAllen Texas has one of the highest concentrations of illegal immigrants in the U.S. Do you think there's any link between the high poverty rates and the immigrants?
So now, we're being asked not only to provide a free education to illegal immigrants, but given them phones and wifi. Why don't we hand out free iPhones to them, too?
And please, spare the "the children didn't do anything wrong." The parents know we will take that approach, and are playing us like the fools we are.
So now, we're being asked not only to provide a free education to illegal immigrants, but given them phones and wifi. Why don't we hand out free iPhones to them, too?
And please, spare the "the children didn't do anything wrong." The parents know we will take that approach, and are playing us like the fools we are.
30
You might want to re-read the article. McAllen may be where the article starts, but as the article says, the problem is nationwide.
11
Actually, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi have the highest poverty rates in the country, with some of the smallest populations of illegal immigrants. I think you are off point.
6
You have no evidence to support your allegations. Shame on you.
2
How and why is this lack of equal access tolerated? Looks like teachers and school districts are shifting responsibility for access to the unfortunate students and their families who struggle to make ends meet. As a teacher all my homework assignments are given in dual formats: online and on paper. I find it appalling that these young students are squinting into a smartphone to complete assignments while riding the school bus or standing on the sidewalk. How much learning is going on here? Our (your) tax dollars at work? Disgraceful.
77
It's not the teachers. It is being forced on them by administration. Recall that a couple of years ago, the Los Angeles Unified school district paid $29 million for a computer program, and computers, only to find that there was very little software available.
6
I don't know if this reporter did her homework right but I thought we've all been paying 5.65% of our monthly cellphone bills as the Universal Service Fee for years now. The FCC has already deployed broadband to millions of homes by setting up a separate fund to use up the USF money.
https://www.fcc.gov/general/connect-america-fund-caf
Who is right? I'm confused.
https://www.fcc.gov/general/connect-america-fund-caf
Who is right? I'm confused.
4
I'm amazed that these families can afford (multiple) smart phones. I am sure that they are skimping on other things. Do the homeless have smart phones? The Syrian refugees do.
12
Three kids, three smartphones. Let them share one non smartphone and buy internet access with the savings. Virtually all of the ISP's have a low cost option.
The driver behind the "right of everyone to have broadband" is not to benefit poor children anymore than farm subsidies are intended to save the family farm.
The ISPs are looking for federal dollars to line their pockets. The poor children, like the family farmers are the false beneficiaries.
The driver behind the "right of everyone to have broadband" is not to benefit poor children anymore than farm subsidies are intended to save the family farm.
The ISPs are looking for federal dollars to line their pockets. The poor children, like the family farmers are the false beneficiaries.
2
I think subsidizing broadband for lower-income people is a great idea.
However, why do teachers assign homework that requires internet access if their students do not all have it? Those of us who graduated before 1995 or so can vouch that it is possible to get an excellent education without ever going online.
However, why do teachers assign homework that requires internet access if their students do not all have it? Those of us who graduated before 1995 or so can vouch that it is possible to get an excellent education without ever going online.
49
Sure, I got an excellent education without the internet. But could it have been better with it? And a modern education should include the skill of navigating through all the internet chaff to find the wheat.
3
In my district they are sometimes forced to use specific lessons which often are available only online.
4
Everything is online now--including textbooks, exams etc. This is how publishers package it. Many in the early grades you can avoid it, but by 4th grade it really gets difficult.
Internet access should be a right and considered a public utility. the phone companies are eating us alive.
Internet access should be a right and considered a public utility. the phone companies are eating us alive.
4
My younger sibling attends the local public school. They gave every student iPads and have moved to an internet based assignment system. He completes worksheets online, does reading and multiple choice questions, then submits them. I cannot tell you the amount of time that there have been problems with the submission of his homework that have resulted in tension and stress at home. The iPad just seems to overcomplicate the process of what should be a simple work sheet.
I have also noticed that on the iPad, games outnumber actual productive apps. According to my brother, kids in study hall just play around the entire period on the machines instead of working.
Students today do need to learn technology skills, but they would be better taught in school classes. Every kid I know can operate an iPad or laptop. Schools should teach skills with marketable value today like coding or Excel or graphic design. Keep homework basic and effective.