SAS parents~what do you think the new laptop policy in high shcool

[scarbowl]

You'd be hard-pressed to find an international school that isn't talking about a "1 to 1" program in one form or another.  This is a tidal wave in education.   So maybe they didn't ask you - but I imagine most parents see the value in this and you are in the minority in objecting.  And solely because you weren't asked?   That seems petty.

Buy a used one.  You can even get a new one for the price of a few months of cable tv.  I don't see much point in trying to stop this - it's happening all over the world.   I hear they have expensive mandatory trips in that school.  Do you opt out of that?

[SAS Parent]

Scarbowl, I guess you still don't get it?  My kids have had laptops for years. That's not the point at all. It's not just the cost issue, but for some it is. It's also a deeper philosophical question that should at least be posed before a decision is made.   I have said plainly I'm not against the policy, just that I wish there was more discussion around it.  Petty? hardly.

And who is trying to stop this exactly?  'Questioning' is not the same as 'opposing'. You've quite runaway with yourself on this one.

My children do go on their Interim trips out-of-singapore, but sadly more and more kids have to stay at home.  I'm sure you had a point in there somewhere?

[Wondering Wandering]

I wonder if this would even be a topic of conversation if the school were purchasing them rather than the parents.

I'm actually surprised that SAS is only now rolling out a 1-1 policy. I'm hard pressed to think of an international school that isn't already doing this in Singapore.

[Tropical Fish]

It's also a deeper philosophical question that should at least be posed before a decision is made.   I have said plainly I'm not against the policy, just that I wish there was more discussion around it.

And who is trying to stop this exactly?  'Questioning' is not the same as 'opposing'.

Agree. I also think the school should provide more information regarding this new change.

[Tropical Fish]

First of all, I would like to thank all the inputs here. I’m glad to see all kinds of point of view and really appreciate everyone’s efforts to put a discussion in this topic. We are here because we are parents and we care about our kids’ well-being and the education they are getting. However, for few people who try to express their point of view by strongly criticizing others with emotional words here, this seems not to be the right topic for you. I’m posting this to get others’ opinion, not to cause any serious debate or argument.

Maybe I didn’t make myself very clear in the first place. Yes, I disapprove the new laptop policy, which requires student to bring their own laptop to school and use it in classroom on daily basis. I’m just not sure if this can really improve our children’s overall education. I’ve done some researches through internet and found many relevant research and reports on this. Indeed, there are various views. And I’m learning from it.

These links are just for your information…

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/education/04laptop.html

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/10/why-i-ban-laptops-in-my-classroom/

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/22_04/lapt224.shtml

http://news.cnet.com/2009-1023-5103805.html

However, I know it’s a trend and it’s coming to all of the school. There is no way we, parents, can stop it. I know some international schools here already have adopted this policy for many years. If your child(ren)’s school requires the students to bring their own laptop to school on daily basis, what are your thoughts on this? Is it really improving kids’ learning at school? Or there are pros and cons?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[out of the mouth of babes]

Our teenager made a rather valid point which might not apply to SAS as she took the IB Diploma exam last year. She said that friends who were in another IB school last year who used their laptops in class for most written assignments as well as research found writing for two hours a torture. Their hands cramped up and precious time was wasted to rest their poor hands. I am not sure how much writing AP exams require and if students (other than those with dyslexia) may use their laptops to write their exams.

[proper channels]

As I posted earlier, my kid was allowed to use a computer all through high school, but external exams had to be taken on a school stand-alone computer with no other programs switched on and under close supervision. Doubt a school could arrange for all students to use laptops like that.

[scarbowl]

Scarbowl, I guess you still don't get it?   It's also a deeper philosophical question that should at least be posed before a decision is made.   I have said plainly I'm not against the policy, just that I wish there was more discussion around it.  Petty? hardly.

You're right.  I don't get it.  I leave it to the admin at my kid's school to decide on the curriculum and how the school is operated and what the students need to have.  They are the professionals at education - I'm not.  And I doubt you are, either.  What sort of conversation would you want to have anyway?  And what if they couldn't justify it to your satisfaction - after all, there must be thousands of parents up there?   Would you then refuse to participate? 

I see parents like you at my school also. There are hundreds or more decisions and the parents want to be part of every one of them.  How can you run a school or any business like that? 

So...go have your say.  Go and complain to them.  Take away your kid's laptop, even.  SAS isn't doing what almost every other school is doing yet you want them to justify it?

Please, though, stay up there.  I beg you NOT to come to UWC!

[Yep!]

Can't speak for everyone, but for $23,000 a year I'd expect an explanation or two. 

[vote with your feet]

Can't speak for everyone, but for $23,000 a year I'd expect an explanation or two. 

You can pay the $23k but you're going to cry about $1k (or less) for a laptop?? If you don't like it, you could always send your kids somewhere else 

Honestly, I can't for the life of me figure out why you are against kids using current technology in school. FFS.

[SAS Parent]

Most kids have lap tops, that's not the point. My kids are all on their second or third lap top. It's the distraction and the open invitation to cheating when they are mandatory in a classroom that worries me, and the teachers who have banned them in their classrooms. In fact I understand that many SAS teachers are not thrilled with the new policy, as it makes their jobs harder.

No one is against kids having access to the latest technology in this discussion.  Vote with your feet -- in your world, aren't there degrees of disatisfaction?  Surely not every disagreement over a school's many policies is reason to take your ball and go home? 

Scarbowl, I'm sorry that you find concerned, involved,  intellectually curious parents so distasteful.  I happen to know a lot of them at UWC, so be sure to steer clear.  As they say, ignorance is bliss. 

[vote with your feet]

The overwhelming theme from the posters on this thread who are against laptops in school seems to be FEAR. Clearly the school has researched and thought about it and sought input from the teachers - does that count for nothing? They didn't just pull the idea out of their backside. Give professional educators the benefit of the doubt, why don't you? Will it make teacher's jobs more challenging in some ways? Probably, but it will also open up a world of possibilities too. And, those teachers who truly can't handle the situation probably won't get their contracts renewed, will they?

[Scummy NLI]

Presumably just because each child has a laptop they won't have it turned on and connected to the net throughout every lesson.

And the teacher can always ask them to turn off if necessary.

[$Pripps]

this never gets old

[Another SAS Parent]

One of the major reasons that I transferred my kids to SAS from another school 3 years ago was that SAS didn’t have the laptop policy.

After reading all the conversations here, I’m pleased that I sent my kids to SAS, not UWC.