Professor Palutena

Bippa201, I'm not sure yet. But I did play Melee yesterday!

Bippa201, But Canada DOES have like the highest world college graduate percentage right now.

Hey. Although school starts on the 19th, I might be able to get on sooner, like the 13th or something if you want to do some quick Brawl tutoring.

Bippa201, And still not fully paid for haha.
But I'm blessed to have all of that.

Bippa201, I guess, but it does give me like a $3000 scholarship per year. Plus I have another $2500 one per year. And I haven't even applied for any others. :3

Bippa201, I know right that happens to me too sometimes.

Bippa201, Yeah. Well AP stands for Advanced Placement. Its strict because that is how you get into good colleges. You take AP tests. I got a 3, which covers my local college, but you have to get a 5 to get into like Harvard or whatever. (The scoring is complicated to explain)

You removed me.

Zach H.
English III AP
Stephenson
16 March 2011

Technology In Schools

Schools today are constantly improving. School systems are continuously integrating new technology into their curriculum so that students can learn more efficiently. It makes sense - we should use these programs that today’s generations “have grown up with” to improve their education. [Source B] however, with all of these advancements, it is easy to overlook details and misuse technology. If we focus too heavily on new inventions, the real purpose of school is ignored. Before making the decision to incorporate the use of technology in schools, one must first consider not only the positive motives, but also the potential negative consequences as well.

Calvin Baker is the superintendent of over 7,000 students in the Tucson area. Of these students, 340 are fortunate enough to be a part of a new age of public school academics. Instead of using their old textbooks, these students have received laptops and other “electronic materials [to] get [them] more engaged in learning.” [Source A] This new development changes the way that these and other future students will learn their lessons. But is the change to this new technological medium of learning a good thing? while it is true that textbooks are a relatively universal source of information, their downfall is they lack flexibility. Because of constant news and discoveries, textbooks - especially history books - quickly become outdated by the time they are finally printed. With computers, students gain the flexibility that the textbooks could never give them; students are able to search for an access a vast amount of updated information. This versatility is an improvement that has a huge impact towards improving learning. At a first glance, the only tradeoff is the physical stability of the textbooks, but at a closer look, many more problems arise from the use of technology that cannot be overlooked.

Most people see the new use of the internet as a convenient tool that teachers and educators use “to interact with students, parents, and each other in ways they never had before.” [Source B] However, the internet can pose a threat to the learning process for many students. The internet allows students’ minds to wonder away from schoolwork. A simple “click [of] the mouse, and you’re someplace else.” [Source E] Before schools decide whether or not to use new teaching methods, they must be prepared to face all of the consequences, good and bad.

When comparing all of the opportunities technology gives academics, the small factor of distraction seems minor - just a problem that students should learn to fix themselves. There is however, a possibility that technology is focused on so heavily in class, that the focus is not only brought away from the students, but the lessons made by teachers becomes corrupted. Some lessons today are created totally because of the new technology. Teachers are as much to blame for this misinterpretation of technology as the students are. Power-Points are made in order to decrease lecture time and note taking, but for classes such as Biology, these presentations lesson the hands on experience that students could gain from taking direct notes from a lab experiment. Schools must be careful to avoid making technology the focus of education.

While Calvin Baker’s students benefit from the potential that their computers give them, the school system must be careful. “Schools typically overlay computers onto their instruction ‘like frosting on the cake,’” but Baker’s school district plans to “make the laptops the key ingredient of the cake [and] truly change the way that schools operate.” [Source A] Wait a minute. Technology is a great tool to use in teaching students, but is it important enough to completely change everything we teach just because some computer is easier and more convenient? Up until now, the “key ingredient” of schools has simply been to teach students knowledge and prepare them for college, work, and life after high school. Schools must stick to this idea if they want to keep education the same. Sure, technology can spruce up the lessons, but they should not go close to interfering with the goals of education.

With these issues in mind, we realize that even though computers and the internet “could make it possible for every child... to reach every book...[and] painting,” schools should make sure the focus remains on educating students. Efficient and modern technology applied to academics can improve the learning atmosphere if used correctly as the “frosting on the cake.” [Source A] The fact is that today’s students have grown up with and know technology. If schools have the ability to allow students to use familiar equipment to better their studies, then they should consider incorporating technology in order to teach more efficiently.


Bibliography

Rotstein, Arther H. “Books Are Out, iBooks Are In for Students at Arizona High School.” St Louis Post-Dispatch 19 Aug. 2005: C2. Print. [Source A]

Delaney, Kevin J. “Teaching Tools.” Wall Street Journal 17 Jan. 2005: R4. Print. [Source B]

Gelernter, David. “Should Schools Be Wired To The Internet?” Time. Time Inc., 25 May 1998. Web. 18 Aug. 2006. [Source E]

I think this got like a 6 out of 9, which still equals like a low B. Yeah, the US AP scoring system is weird.

Bippa201, What do you want to read about?

Bippa201, I could let you read some of my school essays..

Bippa201, You doubt me?

Bippa201, Something like that, yeah.

Bippa201, The 19th.

Bippa201, Until school. (A week or so)

Bippa201, Sorry buddy... I'll get back to Skyping after school starts.

Bippa201, No. I must resist Skype.
Must finish summer assignments...

Bippa201, Oh shush, you!

Bippa201, haha if name changes ever occur again, maybe I'll have to consider it if it meant more Bippa <3.

Bippa201, I agree! Waffles >>> pancakes. Maybe I need a name change to CMW?