Will tablets (the eDGe) be a disruptive influence in the classroom?

New editions of textbooks seem to exist solely for the publishers to make money; students tend to resell textbooks after the semester and new students buy used. Now the publishers income is down, a new version is published and the schools switch to the new version with the new year.

Originally Posted by cheyennedonna

New editions of textbooks seem to exist solely for the publishers to make money; students tend to resell textbooks after the semester and new students buy used. Now the publishers income is down, a new version is published and the schools switch to the new version with the new year.

Which the publishers in their electronic versions are strictly forcing now since an eTextbook is often locked to 6-12 months of use only, after which you have to buy another copy (old or new version), i.e., no more hand-me-downs, or used copies.

Originally Posted by Chubulor

Maybe I'm just old school, but in my opinion if you can't learn algebra or trigonometry or calculus using a textbook written in 1900, you can't learn it period.

An inconvenient truth

I should mention at this point that my original discussion was regarding elementary and secondary students only - students that for the most part tolerate if not outright hate going to school and learning. Ceertainly for post secondary students, tablets are a boon for education (and they also a more matured sense of appropriate use).

Originally Posted by Chubulor

Yes, but keeping students engaged is often a euphemism for entertaining them in class.

There is a big difference between engaging and entertaining, but I'll admit it is often a euphemism. I don't teach K-12 so I don't face many of the same issues as the other teachers here. However, I teach economics which is a topic that is hated and feared by many (as is algebra and calculus which you mentioned in another post). Showing students how the topic connects to their lives everyday is the only way to get some of them interested and the technology helps do that in many cases. Making those connections is engaging, not entertaining.

Regarding decrepit books and costs in K-12 programs, I don't remember where exactly but there is a school district around Cleveland, OH that was in serious financial trouble and facing these same issues. It was a relatively low income area so the school purchased netbooks for their students and provided digital text books. The school experienced incredible cost savings within just a couple of years.

Originally Posted by Chubulor

Yes, but keeping students engaged is often a euphemism for entertaining them in class. It is extremely difficult, and in many cases impossible, to mix true education and entertainment appealing enough to drag them away from what they habitually do otherwise. . . ..

It's not just kids. My wife teaches college classes and one of her classes is unfortunately in a computer lab. The ADULTS (granted, mostly 20-somethings) are constantly distracted -- surfing, playing on facebook, reading emails, etc. during the class. She says they're all doing considerably worse than a different group of students taking the same class which isn't scheduled in a computer room. Can't send college students to the principal's office of give them detention. I suggested she talk to IT and find out if there is an easy way of temporarily removing the computers in the room from the school's LAN during class time.

From the New York Times recently, Learning By Playing: Video Games in the Classroom.

The next time my wife complains about me playing Call of Duty I can't wait to tell her that I'm actually getting "neurological benefits, including improving peripheral vision and the ability to focus attention", and also, "enhanc[ing] ... visual-spatial thinking." Wooo Hoooo!

Originally Posted by kenjennings

Can't send college students to the principal's office of give them detention. I suggested she talk to IT and find out if there is an easy way of temporarily removing the computers in the room from the school's LAN during class time.

That seems extreme, plus, don't you think a college student should be responsible for their actions? If they fail the class it only hinders their goals, and costs them time and money.

you would think that there would be a way to make it a Win-win. from in school i took a rubics cube to class and played with it, but it helped me fouces. I think some students will use it to do school work and not goof and there will be some that goof of.

Originally Posted by aidren

I was thinking more along the lines of blocking 'very locally' -- meaning within a classroom (classroom independent), but leaving the campus signal unrestricted. Kind of like having a bubble within each classroom, ideally, one that can be turned on and off with a switch.

There are very low-power jammers I've found to work perfectly just for this purpose. It creates a small bubble a few meters across that whacks any cell signal including 3G and texting. My wife's classroom has a hardline by her desk so emergency use isn't really an issue, including the fact there are two classrooms adjacent to her's with open doorways where when you pass that portal cell phones work fine. The best part is the look on the kids faces when they scrunch up at the screen noticing they get no cell connection in just that class. After a week or two they actually get used to it and don't bother looking at their phones. There are a few nasty abusers that this works perfectly for. Cool thing is - after a while they don't bother trying and then she can turn off the jammer until it starts becoming a problem again. Works like a charm.

Originally Posted by RyanH

There are very low-power jammers I've found to work perfectly just for this purpose. It creates a small bubble a few meters across that whacks any cell signal including 3G and texting. My wife's classroom has a hardline by her desk so emergency use isn't really an issue, including the fact there are two classrooms adjacent to her's with open doorways where when you pass that portal cell phones work fine. The best part is the look on the kids faces when they scrunch up at the screen noticing they get no cell connection in just that class. After a week or two they actually get used to it and don't bother looking at their phones. There are a few nasty abusers that this works perfectly for. Cool thing is - after a while they don't bother trying and then she can turn off the jammer until it starts becoming a problem again. Works like a charm.

How much do they cost and where can I get one?

I just PM'd ya. I don't want to use the forum to openly advertise another companies wares. :-)

Originally Posted by RyanH

There are very low-power jammers I've found to work perfectly just for this purpose. It creates a small bubble a few meters across that whacks any cell signal including 3G and texting.

That's very cool. I thought there must be something around like this.

The best part is the look on the kids faces when they scrunch up at the screen noticing they get no cell connection in just that class.

Hah... this is even cooler. I know some adults I'd like to try it on!