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"I still continue to be mystified about the emotion that has been generated as a result of this program," Melmer said.
"Do people just philosophically object to putting 21st Century tools in the hands of kids for the future? If so, that's a conversation worth having," the education secretary said. "It almost appears to me that people are angry we're providing kids with this opportunity."
Melmer said initial evaluations of the laptop project soon will be available to help lawmakers judge whether the computers help improve students' performance [Chet Brokaw, "Education Secretary: Students Need Laptops," AP, 2008.07.08].
Melmer tries to throw us off the trail with talk of emotion (a typical rhetorical tactic to belittle the opposition as irrational), opportunity for kids (and Republicans used to criticize Democrats for using children as human shields for big government proposals), and coming data on laptops and student performance. Clever—reminds me of the time I asked Governor Rounds how a Republican could support the big-government No Child Left Behind Act, and the Governor responded that he couldn't imagine anyone not supporting the best education possible for our kids.
Melmer's response totally misses the point. The main question here is not whether laptops are a worthwhile educational tool (although that is also an important debate to have). Legislators (and some of us regular citizens) are primarily upset that the governor appears to have lied to the Legislature about the funds available for funding the laptop program and is now ruling by executive fiat to circumvent to proper fiscal authority of the Legislature:
“If we want to have a state program, I think it should go through the normal process of the Legislature,’’ Republican Sen. Jason Gant of Sioux Falls said. “It just seems like it was a back-door way of trying to fund this program, when it could have been straightforward, upfront" [Terry Woster, "Laptop Talks Spark Sharp Exchange Between Legislators, Administration Officials," that Sioux Falls paper, 2008.07.08].
We can have a debate about the merits of laptops in the classroom. But our immediate concern should be whether the governor deliberately withheld information from the Legislature and subverted the authority of the Legislature. In some places, that kind of executive behavior is an impeachable offense. Secretary Melmer is an educated fellow; surely he isn't mystified to see citizens get a little emotional about that.
Melmer's passion about laptops in the classroom is sincere. When he was Superintendent at Watertown, they led the way in the implementation of laptops in the classroom, so he does know his stuff.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, though. The Governor is trying to smoke & mirror this issue, play a little shuffle game and move a few shells around so legislators look like they're against the program.
In South Dakota, the Governor has a broad brush when it comes to moving money around within the budget. Janklow did it all the time and Rounds, while not as "in your face" about special funding, has used it too. He's just not as authoritative and bullish as Janklow was.
Rounds just needs to quit pussy-footing around and lay his cards on the table. After all, he IS the Governor.
A computer does not teach our kids to think. We are investing in technology and not teachers.
ReplyDeleteNo child left behind has made teachers instruct students how to pass a test and again the student is not taught to think.
I hate to think what would've happened to me without the great education provided to me by teachers I did not always appreciate...the ones that made me think...like Mr. Struwe, Mr. Connor, Mr. Erickson, Mr. Groce...
I can only comment on laptops in our higher education system. Mines recently deployed here (tablet PC's). It was a top down decision. Shouldn't this have been left up to the students to decide the value of a laptop in class? If they were a useful tool, everyone would have one and we wouldn't need to require them.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, they are a complete waste. The only selling point that was pushed was the concept of students having all of their notes from every class at their finger tips 24/7. I have never seen a student say "Eureka! I remember that we talked about X during Chem I and can now use those notes to better understand P Chem." But, I have seen students pull out their old text books to look up information from previous classes. This may happen for subjects other than engineering, but I have my doubts.
In terms of achievement, I can correlate that students who actively use the tablets score more poorly than those who put them away and take notes by hand. I don't know why this is the case. My only thought is that the act of writing helps engrain information into a mind. I don't think that typing locks in the information in a similar way. (kind of like how students who use calculators in math classes score more poorly than those who don't)
Lastly, computers in a class room add a miriad of distractions. Boring discussion? Start replying to email. Tired of listening to the lecture? Play solitaire/etc.
Another big issue here is this: Is this contract for the computers up for bid? Or is it just a plum for Gateway? And why do the kids need such an expensive type computer? A more basic computer would do just as well with taking notes. And from what I have heard from kids regarding their computers, they get more use for games and emailing etc than anything else.
ReplyDeleteIt might sound good and look good on paper, but that shouldn't be the standard we use to determine if the laptops are a wise decision and wise use of tax dollars.
And I don't for a minute believe that all the feedback is as positive as Melmer said. I have heard too many comments that argue against that.
I'm all for giving kids the tools they need for learning. But I don't necessarily think that an expensive persnoal laptop is a necessary tool for high schoolers.
Amen, Tony! I see the same distraction from laptops in my graduate classes... heck, in my own hands. Seeing an e-mail pop into the inbox during class is like hearing your cell phone go off during a conversation: my first urge is to drop everything and answer, or at least see who's calling. When I really want to pay attention in class, I shut the computer down and lock my eyes on the prof.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes: Acer/Gateway is getting a sweetheart deal, selling us crappy equipment even as it continues to go back on its word and fire more South Dakota workers.
I won't call for impeaching the Governor over pursuing a silly policy. I will call for impeaching the Governor for hiding money from the Legislature and usurping their fiscal authority. That's what the Legislature should investigate right now.
Side note. Are Acer and Gateway one and the same?
ReplyDeleteYup: Acer bought Gateway last year.
ReplyDeleteI agree ... we don't need computers in high school. We need them in elementary.
ReplyDeleteHilarious, P.i.G. Laptops in first grade—at least five computers get soaked during the first milk break, guaranteed.
ReplyDelete