Laptops in high schools, and digital devices for all grades

[Innocent Bystander]

I don't think the kids have the same issues switching between platforms that us old folks do. they are a lot more fluent in all kinds of computers and technology and all that stuff. I doubt it bothers them to learn both.

Agreed. Most kids don't even notice the difference anymore. Both my children used macs and pcs---and one is now a computer scientist---and the differences to them are negligible. They both use open source programs or internet based programs and haven't actually bought a piece of software for years.

[munn5]

My issue is not that the district is using Apple products, but that they want to be on the bleeding edge (as Mr. Logan said "no other district would have this") of both the particular platform (first generation iPads) and of a 1:1 initiative in middle school in NC. (Yes, I know Maine has had middle school laptops for several years, but much of the materials teachers need is curriculum specific, and the NC standard course of study is different than Maine's.) It ALWAYS costs more to be an early adopter. And it takes much more than just computers - you need adequate technical support, extensive teacher training, and TIME for teachers to integrate the technology into their teaching.

[natvrabit]

I don't think the kids have the same issues switching between platforms that us old folks do. they are a lot more fluent in all kinds of computers and technology and all that stuff. I doubt it bothers them to learn both.

I'd agree and think it is a good idea to learn both. Both exist and are utilized. Be prepared.

[mary51802]

The problem is with this passing Apple is so much pricier. Why does not the system go with a better cost effective alternative. Apply to Pepsi for their refresh project grant. They give Windows laptops to schools if the request is valid. To just spend the money without thinking through the options of how to get them seems bureaucratic and old fashioned.

[Bearlover]

There's more to consider than just the cost of the product.  You must also consider the technical support and any other services of the manufacturer.  With technology, there are always bugs to work out.  CCS has a wonderful, competent technology staff.  The 1:1 initiative has been a huge success.

Also, don't sell teachers short when it comes to learning whatever knowledge and skills are necessary to get the most benefit in instruction from this endeavor.  We already have teachers using cutting edge strategies, knowledge they have brought to the classroom, with the technology available at this time.  Imagine this creativity moving forward at a fast pace if the students have the hardware in hand.

A lot of the points and questions in previous posts are necessary concerns.  However, when is it okay to move forward?  At no time will everyone be happy.  We are charged by the state to prepare students for 21st century success.

 

[munn5]

For those of you who don't wade through my school board meeting updates, I'm reposting this budget update here:

Budget update for 2010-11

The state discretionary cuts are $206.53 per student - using an ADM of 7795, that means a cut of $1,609,926 for Chatham. That is equal to 29 positions and 13,534 from non-instructional support category. Last year, the cut was $1.2M or $152.60 per student.

We are receiving $2,179,034 in federal subsidies (ARRA funds), an increase over the $1.9M last year. There are a lot of strings attached to this money, particularly if it is used for non-personnel reasons (competitive bidding using the federal computer system for any purchase over $5k, for example), so it is being used primarily to fund positions. DPI has approved of the way the district has moved funding around.

For 2011-12, the district is planning on a state cut of the same size, $1,609,926, as well as the loss of the $3.352,846 in ARRA funds (I know, that doesn't add up from the previous paragraph - I'm just transcribing my notes). Those 2 amounts total $4,962,772 which at this point is the expected shortfall in the budget for next year. The governor's early budget could include a state cut of $4,656,209 for Chatham. Add that to the loss of federal funds, and we could be facing an $8 million dollar shortfall in next year's budget. There is no where to cut the budget $5-8 million, except large cuts in staff. The district has cut $4.6 million in the past 2 years, with no layoffs (only reductions through retirement or other voluntary means). THERE WILL BE CUTS IN TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL STAFF IN 2011-12, UNLESS THE ECONOMY IMPROVES DRAMATICALLY.

(This is why I was so against committing funds for iPads - we know we are going to be cutting staff in 2011-12, so I don't want to commit funds to technology that will lead to more teachers losing their jobs.)

The state is in essence charging back for last year's usage of the NC Virtual Public School. The district was charged $108,741. If usage increases, that amount will likely increase next year.

[munn5]

I talked to some of the district tech folks Monday - last year, out of the 750 new laptops at JM, there were 146 damage claims, almost 20%. In the other high schools with older laptops, there were 199 damage claims out of about 1450, or about 14%. For damaged computer, the student/parent has to pay $50 and insurance through the state DPI pays the rest.

In total 11 laptops, 1/2 of 1% were stolen. (Also 2 power supplies were stolen, as well as 12 power supplies or laptop cases that were lost.)

There were about 20 extra laptops at each school. There were some instances at Northwood when there were so many damaged at one time that they ran out (students were without a laptop for a period of time.)

[Gene Galin]

Maybe it's a good thing we didn't go with the 1st generation iPads?

I've Completely Ditched My iPad For the iPhone 4

http://gizmodo.com/5609578/ive-completely-ditched-my-ipad-for-the-iphone-4



Three months ago I couldn't imagine a life without my iPad's big beautiful screen. Today, I am living that life, having ditched my iPad for the iPhone 4, almost completely. What the sh*t.

It's mostly the screen. The res is the same, but I really got used to not being able to pick out the pixels on the tight little package. With the bumper, the iPhone's handfeel better for casual use than the iPad with its deceptively dense form factor that is hard to hold with one hand, as you would a magazine or other object of that size.

But it's also the apps. The initial rush of iPad apps was ok, but we expected more. And after looking over our weekly app roundups, it's clear that developers aren't working as hard on the iPad versions. They're just not coming. Our theory is that the iPhone's greater body of devices makes it a naturally better target. That body of potential customers is, of course, supplemented by the iPad, which can run the iPhone apps in higher or lower resolution, no problem. The iPad apps, however, remain an island. It's sad. Maybe iPad apps will get more attention once devs build out more iPhone 4 apps with higher resolution assets which can be used on the bigger multitouch device. But the fact that the iPad can use iPhone apps and not the other way around sets the precedence for which platform is the primary form factor to build for. That won't change.

Here's where I feel a little terrible: Imagine if the iPhone 4 launched before the iPad? I can say with certainty that I would have not purchased an iPad. And now, I'm considering selling mine to help pay for a notebook computer that I need pretty badly.

I bothered a few people on staff about this with iPads and iPhone 4s and almost all of them have stopped using the iPad entirely in exchange for the iPhone 4. Most iPhone 3gs users on staff with both are still using both, so it's not just the addition of OS 4. (Although that doesn't help since the iPad won't get this update till this fall.)

How about you?

[whatsup]

Bumping this to the top, so that people can see how we were ready to blow a $1 million on IPads just a year ago and now want to restructure the entire Chatham School system to "save" less than a million.

Maybe we need to do a line item examination and set priorities?

[munn5]

Mr. Logan has been talking about next year's funding cliff for more than a year. That's why I objected so strenuously to the iPad proposal - it didn't make sense to spend $1M on technology (that's $1M a year for 3 years) when it was certain that we would have to have layoffs a year later. That is one of the reasons I am skeptical about this proposal - if it would save money, why hasn't that been mentioned before. Mr. Logan has mentioned wanting to move to a middle school model several times a year at board meetings, but he has never mentioned cost savings as a reason.

[Gene Galin]

Mr. Logan has mentioned wanting to move to a middle school model several times a year at board meetings, but he has never mentioned cost savings as a reason.

Mia -

Can we easily pull up those references from previous minutes?

[munn5]

I don't think they ever made the minute - they were more offhand comments, but I've heard him say it at least 5 or 6 times in the past 20 months. I'll look.

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