The future of Schools

[srkruzich]

http://www.digitallearningnow.com/?page_id=20

I think this is going to make a major impact on education.  With the failure of school systems, With cheating teachers and administration all over this country, there will be an accounting and termination of all that are caught.  This will definitely create a shortage of teachers.  Oh well such is life. 

But in comes Digital learning.  Makes sense!  1 teacher for thousands of students.  Now thats utilization of resources.  Simply put, put the teachers on a digital media, aka tv or computer, hire assistants who do not need "degrees" to assist students in the classroom, and let them learn.  Its pretty much proven that video/computer/digital is a better medium to learn from.  Great example is video games.  All kids can play video games regardless of their intellectual levels.  Give a kid a controller and they'll own the game. 

So why not make education digital.  Keep the traditional teachers for the basics. Reading writing, arithmetic. Though in all reality, digital learning would cover that better.  Science today can be learned digitally. Shoot they can even do the traditional dissection of frogs and such via computer.  Why not?  Saves money, time, and frogs! 

I'm of the generation that went from the era of computers being this mysterious monster located in a huge building taking up floors of that building, to today's cray on a desktop.  (cray is one of the most powerful computers on earth and is the military computer in NORAD).  I Grew up with computers. I cut my teeth on a ibm 950 which was one of those monsters.  Shoot when you ran a program back then, you programmed it with wires and a punch board.  When you had the wires in place, you plugged it into its slot and hollered down to the other end and told them to power it up.  ALL of that huge tube type hardware could only do what today's calculator can do.  Amazing isn't it!  Today's computer literally launch space shuttles. 

We have done a disservice to students by not integrating computer tech into their education.  It's not a end all to be all, just another delivery method.  School books are good BUT imagine being able to carry all of the books you will ever use in your education on your smartphone.  When your medium for dissemination of information changes, you need to educate our youth to utilize such medium.   It can only better prepare them for their futures.   

[Catwoman]

Why not make all education digital?  Because there are students who need the extra imput of the adult standing nearby to guide and fine-tune what the student is doing (individualizing it on the spot for the student)...Because it eliminates the ability of the student to pick up the needed social skills necessary to functioning in group settings (and no...The majority of jobs aren't created so that the socially incapable can work in solitude...Those types end up jumping from job to job or just unemployed, period).  Why not make learning digital?  Gee...Wonder why. 

[srkruzich]

Why not make all education digital?  Because there are students who need the extra imput of the adult standing nearby to guide and fine-tune what the student is doing (individualizing it on the spot for the student)...Because it eliminates the ability of the student to pick up the needed social skills necessary to functioning in group settings (and no...The majority of jobs aren't created so that the socially incapable can work in solitude...Those types end up jumping from job to job or just unemployed, period).  Why not make learning digital?  Gee...Wonder why. 

From what ive been seeing its a huge success.  They now have public school at home.   Delivered via internet. Wonderful idea!   Plus you don't have to deal with your kids picking up the bad behavior from the other kids via the unrealistic peer pressure they place on each other.   From what i have seen the kids in homeschool are better adjusted, more able to say no to things that are wrong as they could care less what their peers think.  Its  a win win for kids and parents.

Colleges today utilize digital learning.  It's a success.  IF the kids need extra help then setup a study hall with people in it that can give them extra help.  A hell of a lot cheaper than the traditional method.

[Catwoman]

For the average to above-average student, this is great.  What about the children on IEPs?  What about the children who live in high risk areas, who have no money for a computer at home?  What about the children who desperately NEED to get out of the home and learn some habits OTHER than the bad ones exemplified at home?  What about them, Steve?  You are typical of those who don't work in the field of education...You don't see the whole picture and you flatly don't get it.  There is SO much more to education than just the imparting of academic content.  I work in a very low SES school.  The primary SAFE PLACE THOSE KIDS HAVE TO GO TO IS THE SCHOOL.  We give them the nutrition that they can't afford at home.  We give them the security to be able to finally direct their minds to their studies.  We listen to them and give them encouragement that they won't get elsewhere.  Again...Your idea is one that is already being utilized in many countries for outlying students who can't get to a traditional school...Your idea works great for those students who have no real needs beyond just learning.  I applaud you for getting religion when it comes to getting on-board with what already exists...But you have no real idea of what it is to work with that segment of the population that it wouldn't work for.

[thatsMRSc2u]

Exactly

[srkruzich]

For the average to above-average student, this is great.  What about the children on IEPs?  What about the children who live in high risk areas, who have no money for a computer at home?  What about the children who desperately NEED to get out of the home and learn some habits OTHER than the bad ones exemplified at home?  What about them, Steve?

You know after some real thought and reflection...I don't care about other peoples kids education problems.  Sorry but Its not our problem. What i am tired of is paying for them to graduate uneducated.  
Being an educator you've never had to deal with hiring todays "graduate".  You've never had to go through hundreds of applications to find the one nugget that actually learned.  And you've never had to deal with being saddled with complete idiots who cannot think and act without someone being over their shoulder telling them what to do.  Kinda like what your proposing about those kids that you think need that "guidance".  

There are some kids that do not belong in school period.  I know some good folks that have a son who essentially is a 1 year old in his mind. 20 something years old. Yet we WASTE tends of thousands of dollars on his education. WHY?  He's 20 years old and still in school.  Whats up with that?  He never should have been forced to go to school.  BUt the law required him to go.  

I'm sorry but when below average kids are able to do the work, then there is no reason to specialize anything.

We give them the nutrition that they can't afford at home.

Again WHY?  ITs not our job to feed them.  WHy aren't they getting food? IF they are low income like that, then they get foodstamps.  Again, not my or your problem.  Its the parents responsibility to feed their kids!  You think i enjoyed working 2 and 3 jobs to feed my kids? Hell no.  But i did so. SO can these parents.  I was dirt ass poor when i had my kids at first.  Got no help whatsoever.  Nor did i expect it.  

We give them the security to be able to finally direct their minds to their studies.

ROTFLMAO  My mom and dad gave me the belt to direct my mind to my studies, and i did the same to my kids!  

We listen to them and give them encouragement that they won't get elsewhere.

thats great but it doesn't require a school to do that.

Again...Your idea is one that is already being utilized in many countries for outlying students who can't get to a traditional school...Your idea works great for those students who have no real needs beyond just learning.  I applaud you for getting religion when it comes to getting on-board with what already exists...But you have no real idea of what it is to work with that segment of the population that it wouldn't work for.

Again why won't it work for them?  We import them from all areas of a county to a central institution.  Box them in for 8 hours or more a day, and why won't this work for all of them.  And folks not having computers?  COME ON GIVE ME A BREAK.  I can go onto any campus out there and i'll dare say that 90% of them have iphones, droides or whatever smartphone is out there. Their parents cant afford to feed them but they can afford to buy them the iphones??? Sheesh.  IF not iphones what about nintendo?  Sega?  Sorry but they can't afford it isn't an excuse.  Tell mom and dad to give up their 2 pack a day habit, that 12 -24 pack a day beverage of choice, and when they do and still cant afford to take on their responsibilities then come ask us for money.  Until then, i have no compassion for them.   I've been there done that got out of it and I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack either!  IF i can do it they can do it.

I know ya think i hate kids, not true. I love em they taste like chicken you know.... But really what its all about is responsibility.  WHen my children got to 18 years old, my responsibility for any child ended. PERIOD. I Fulfilled my obligations and requirements of law and resent anyone saddling me with someone elses responsibility.  I didn't saddle one taxpayer with my responsibility! NOT ONE.  
Why do i and every other parent have to pay for someone elses(i'm going to say what wilma wouldn't say the other day)
brat?

[srkruzich]

BTW  the other day my mom called me up and told me something i knew but she didn't. She went to go pay 1300 dollars for her property taxes on her house.  When she got there, the lady pulled up the account on computer and said Mrs. Kruzich that will be 65.00 for your property tax this year.  My mom apparantly was in a state of shock and the lady explained, Mrs. Kruzich you are 70 years old now and the state of Georgia at age 65 cuts your tax burden in half and when your 70 years old eliminates the entire school system tax from your property taxes.   Now I call that common sense and a good law! 

[Catwoman]

We, as a society, owe it to every child to make sure they have every advantage possible...Those kids didn't ask to be born.  We owe it to them just as much as we owe it to those who can't work to pay our taxes so that they can go on disability and still be able to afford to function as a hopefully independent adult.  As far as how you handle your children...More power to you.  Wish all parents were carbon copies of you BUT THEY ARE NOT.  GET OVER YOURSELF AND YOUR EXALTED POSITION IN HOW YOU, YOURSELF, HANDLE YOUR KIDS.  Once again, you are showing your ignorance of what really is involved in the field of education.  I applaud your position...Now, try looking at from reality instead of the position of "it's not my problem".

[flo]

  OMG, srkruzich, I can't hardly believe your idiotic ideas and your "everyone has one or can afford one" "I'm not responsuible for every kids education" and on and on bull crap.  Remember the "It takes a village to raise a child?"  Your responsibility ended when your kids turned 18?  Did you home school them?  or did you just give them a COMPUTER and tell them to go teach themselves?  My oldest is almost 53, a mother and a grandmother,  and she is still my responsibility when she has problems OF ANY KIND.  Our educational system may not be perfect, but take away the computers till they are in high school and teach them the 3 R's, penmanship, science, world and state history, health and some physical activity.  Make healthy citizens out of them along with education.  All children need to be with other children to learn to socially mix with other people and proper actions in public.  Yes, social graces should be taught by parents, but many don't and there still no interaction with other children if they are not with other children.  Restrict the time they spend in front of the TV or computer screen.  Give them chores to do AFTER the homework is done.  Teach them responsibility and educate them and you have a person ready for the working class.  I can count in 30 seconds and on one hand the number of close friends I have that do not have a computer or a cell phone.

[Diane Amberg]

I agree with all of you at one point or another.
Steve, younger kids are still learning HOW to learn. They need constant oversight to help them develop longer attention spans and concentration.( Time on Task) They are, at least here, exposed to computer lab training in K and on up. High school can be very different and will surely use more and more technology, once folks ever decide what the curriculum should be.
As far back as 1962, when I was a lowly frosh, UD had huge classes in lecture halls run by teaching assistants, usually scheduled for three days a week. The materials were on film and we rarely ever saw the professor except for an occasional lecture.  The syllabus and homework assignments were handed out by the assistants. This was very common in the 101 level classes that were required for almost everyone. It's not a new idea.
I took Delaware History ,a required course, on Saturday morning  (second semester) on the one dorm TV. Then we went to an assigned place for the final exam, a 200 question multiple choice test. That era was also the beginning of "programmed texts." They had the course information, but then also had built in quizzes. Depending on how one scored, the book would then send you to another section for remedial work, or on to new information. Self teaching.  I had a few of those that we used with the kids during my first years of teaching also, not very popular or successful.
I also totally also agree with Cat, Angie and Flo. There is much more to effective education than just laying out information....but, I can see in the upper grades and college too, technology ,when not abused, can be exciting and wonderful.
But Steve, weren't you the one who also said to ditch all the gadgets and make the kids work with nothing more than pencil and paper? I think that still has a place too.
Using all the senses is important .We've talked about that before. Everybody has comfort learning areas, whether one is a visual learner, an auditory learner, a tactile learner or a combination of all. People who are not teachers don't necessarily know that. But teachers do, and try to help all kids achieve as much as they can by using a combination of things that hit all learning areas. Tactile learners don't do as well on computers as auditory and visual learners do, but they can get around it. There will always have to be memorization for applied skills to work, such as memorizing x tables, and shop, and science where doing things is more important than theory. In other areas in the future  some educational topics may depend more on learning how to look up facts, rather than memorizing such things as time lines. My goodness, some folks may actually learn the apostrophe rules.   Of course the grammar checks and spell checks will help too.Then there is the use of the correctly spelled, but wrong word.( Site, sight) People will still need to learn grammar basics, even if just to be good examples for their own kids. NO EXCUSES
Remember, ultimately we are creating a whole person, not just a brain on a stick. We want them to succeed in the world they will live in,not necessarily the world we were born into.
The social skills away from home... judgement, all of it, come in time and have to be reenforced, if not taught in school. Teachers are responsible for the education and safety of all the kids, not just the kids of one family. 
Steve, often the parents of the severely retarded demand that schools take their kids, no matter how wasteful it may seem or how expensive it is because they pay taxes too. Institutionalizing those kids isn't cheap either, so what is the alternative?  It's a heart wrenching thing and very expensive no matter how it's handled. No easy answers on this one.
As far as your stance on "avoidance learning," I strongly object and always will. Most parents would NOT agree with you.These are children, not pigs, dogs and horses. A swat for misbehavior is one thing, associating education to violence just isn't right.