DCI: Too much focus on tablets/devices?

[Anonymous]

Mind Shift from KQED/NPR posted a very useful piece today about how to do "deep reading" on devices.

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/10/16/strategies-to-help-students-go-deep-when-reading-digitally/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2049

I think this sounds like an exciting way to use very tailored resources to analyze material - IF DCI teaches this way, and IF the students can be taught to use the devices this way.

[Anonymous]

Where's the oversight on the tablets/devices AND immersion language instruction for DCI, and the feeder schools? I look at the bios of the DCPC board members and don't see any one of them with any sort of academic or professional background in immersion language instruction. The truth is that DCI students can interact with Chromebooks and peers who aren't native speakers all day and night without any of it working very well on the language acquisition front.

[Anonymous]

The charter board members have great expertise in "education reform" and "civil rights and public education." Tablets/devises? Language immersion? Who needs it!

[Anonymous]

Great to hear that teachers are working on ways to maximize learning on computers but still no strong evidence to back up these ideas.

[Anonymous]

Here is an interesting article from the Atlantic.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/11/the-binge-breaker/501122/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blended classrooms also use teachers. Teachers work with small groups of students while others work on computer based learning. If DCI isn't using some blended learning, then what are they doing with the chromebooks? Given its 1:1 approach, DCI is probably relying more on computer use than most other schools even if it doesn't offer complete on line classes, such as Algebra. In fact, DCI talks about how kids can learn at their own pace and how computers allow teachers to differentiate learning.

Lots of research suggests tech has many disadvantages. Does that mean schools shouldn't us computers? No, I don't think so. Lots of great ways to use computers in the classrom. But schools need to be thoughtful about how they are using them, something DCI (and other school districts) isn't doing. At the open houses, DCI just talks about how great the tech is, how it saves kids from carrying heavy books and helps them stay organized.



I

The chromebooks to me are simply electronic binders/textbooks - that's where the students read, do their homework (math problems), and draft essays / turn them in. It's more a paperless school than a 'tech focus'

There are some things being done online - chemistry simulations - and the makers-type elective teaches some coding.

Online chemistry? That's surprising to me. Do they also do in person real lab experiments at DCI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blended classrooms also use teachers. Teachers work with small groups of students while others work on computer based learning. If DCI isn't using some blended learning, then what are they doing with the chromebooks? Given its 1:1 approach, DCI is probably relying more on computer use than most other schools even if it doesn't offer complete on line classes, such as Algebra. In fact, DCI talks about how kids can learn at their own pace and how computers allow teachers to differentiate learning.

Lots of research suggests tech has many disadvantages. Does that mean schools shouldn't us computers? No, I don't think so. Lots of great ways to use computers in the classrom. But schools need to be thoughtful about how they are using them, something DCI (and other school districts) isn't doing. At the open houses, DCI just talks about how great the tech is, how it saves kids from carrying heavy books and helps them stay organized.



I

The chromebooks to me are simply electronic binders/textbooks - that's where the students read, do their homework (math problems), and draft essays / turn them in. It's more a paperless school than a 'tech focus'

There are some things being done online - chemistry simulations - and the makers-type elective teaches some coding.

Online chemistry? That's surprising to me. Do they also do in person real lab experiments at DCI?

As much as they can without and wager or gas in the classroom (in temporary space; no traditional science lab yet).

[Anonymous]

An interesting article from the posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/10/31/sleeplessness-of-worlds-children-may-be-linked-to-bedtime-use-of-electronic-gadgets/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we have IEP (now in elementary), but we're not connected to DCI special ed team.

What kind of work do DCI kids need to do outside of a list of approved sites, which would make it difficult to get the work done? Sincere question. Thanks.

NP. It's features like google chat which kids keep open and essentially text while doing homework. Also sites like YouTube have a lot of educational content - but even more crap. Very hard to filter out just the junk.

I wish DCI had used ipads rather than Chromebooks. Just the design of the devices makes it harder for students to open another window and go on teh internet during class -- because it's easier for a teacher to see what's up on their screens. But the laptop part of the Chromebook makes it easier to 'hide' what you are dong.
[/quote

Not only can the teachers see everything that is on every child's screen at any time in any given class, but sometimes ALL of the screens are put up on a huge monitor that EVERYONE can see as a reminder to the students that nothing is private, according to the Principal.

ALL social media is blocked. All games--blocked. Youtube--blocked. Content is filtered. They are also working on allowing parents access to anything that has ever been on the 'book. As of now only senior admins have that access. Nothing is private.

[Anonymous]

Not only can the teachers see everything that is on every child's screen at any time in any given class, but sometimes ALL of the screens are put up on a huge monitor that EVERYONE can see as a reminder to the students that nothing is private, according to the Principal.

ALL social media is blocked. All games--blocked. Youtube--blocked. Content is filtered. They are also working on allowing parents access to anything that has ever been on the 'book. As of now only senior admins have that access. Nothing is private.

[Anonymous]

Glad to see the administration is finally explaining and/or changing how the computers are used. Does this mean kids no longer have access to Netflix?

[Anonymous]

Netflix, really? He didn't mention this specifically, but if you don't want your kid to have access, don't give them the passwords, right?

They aren't allowed to install things. He did mention that the system isn't totally hackproof, and that they constantly monitor and change what isn't working.

Also, older kids would be allowed more leeway (re games). Lots of emphasis on developing autonomy.

[Anonymous]

An interesting article

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/11/the-binge-breaker/501122/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Netflix, really? He didn't mention this specifically, but if you don't want your kid to have access, don't give them the passwords, right?

They aren't allowed to install things. He did mention that the system isn't totally hackproof, and that they constantly monitor and change what isn't working.

Also, older kids would be allowed more leeway (re games). Lots of emphasis on developing autonomy.

This all sounds like more trouble (monitoring, blocking, developing ways to let parents see what's on the devices) than doing work online is worth. They aren't learning coding or anything technical, just how to be end users.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Netflix, really? He didn't mention this specifically, but if you don't want your kid to have access, don't give them the passwords, right?

They aren't allowed to install things. He did mention that the system isn't totally hackproof, and that they constantly monitor and change what isn't working.

Also, older kids would be allowed more leeway (re games). Lots of emphasis on developing autonomy.

This all sounds like more trouble (monitoring, blocking, developing ways to let parents see what's on the devices) than doing work online is worth. They aren't learning coding or anything technical, just how to be end users.

The idea is that we will all be end users in the future, so prepare the kids for digital lives now...not sure I agree, but that's what he said. No one has ever said anything about coding.