Anonymous wrote:We are at a feeder, and will be watching this closely. I am fine with the idea of doing work electronically, but not wild about the idea of unrestricted phone and tablet use, texting, games, etc. throughout the day. Would like to see some blocks of restricted/no tech time, too.

Yes, also a parent at a feeder school. I have no problem with the paperless part (although I like books!). I don't like the unrestricted access.

We are at a feeder, and will be watching this closely. I am fine with the idea of doing work electronically, but not wild about the idea of unrestricted phone and tablet use, texting, games, etc. throughout the day. Would like to see some blocks of restricted/no tech time, too.

Ok, DCI is middle and upper school. By the time your kids are in 6th or 7th grade they will be dealing with a tsunami of technology and social media. Even if they don't personally have smartphones, their friends will. Just accepting that this is happening and helping to guide kids to use technology appropriately can be a huge benefit to the kid and to the parents.

Second, if the kids don't have their own devices, a lof of school time will be spent pushing around carts of laptops and students powering them up and down. Worse yet, a computer lab that kids go to to do work-- waste of time. When kids carry around their own devices they incorporate them into the curriculum. Teachers plan for computer use and it's fairer for all kids, esp those who couldn't afford a computer and internet at home.

It's for these reasons that most private middle school programs are all moving to 1:1 device programs. This is the future. And for any of you with kids who have organizational problems, ADHD, executive function issues, etc., you'll see that technology will make everything much, much easier. No more lost assignments, no more loose papers, multiple folders, books, etc. It's all on one device.

It's also more environmental. Why print out a finished assignment for the teacher? Just email it. It won't get lost, the teacher can annotate it and email it back. Less paper and ink used.

My DC was in a private school for middle school and used an ipad throughout. Many parents were skeptical and some were downright upset, but in the end the parents overwhelmingly supported the program for the reasons above. And after a while the ipad wasn't the coolest thing ever. The kids got used to it and it stopped being the focus.

I personally think DCI is ahead of the curve.

Sorry to veer off topic, but has there been any update on the permanent location?

I am at a feeder. I read about what they had to say about technology and did not get re picture painted in the other thread at all. Ugh.

Anonymous wrote:I am not at a DCI feeder but read this over a year ago, I think it was on their website.

Again...it's not that they didn't say it. It's that many of us had no idea it was as extreme as it is and what it really meant to our children's years of learning at DCI. No one is accusing DCI of hiding the ball. We just didn't all realize the full rules of the game, even if they were posted.

I am not at a DCI feeder but read this over a year ago, I think it was on their website.

Anonymous wrote:Ditto -- 7 glorious months of not having to worry about my children's academic future are now over. There is no way I would send my kids to a school with such a short-sighted educational philosophy, which is too bad because we really thought we were all set before...

Ditto ditto. If this is true, our immense joy about a great school and no more lotteries evaporates instantly. This is really that big a deal.

Any actual DCI parents who can comment?

On the bright side, with the migration to PARCC and the computer-based assessments, the students are going to test very well.

Ditto -- 7 glorious months of not having to worry about my children's academic future are now over. There is no way I would send my kids to a school with such a short-sighted educational philosophy, which is too bad because we really thought we were all set before...

I am confused about why the school wouldn't have used a more moderate approach, using computers in some classes but not others. Better yet, make sure kids learning computer science instead. Does the school even offer computer science?

I do not that if this approach doesn't change, I will not be sending DC to DCI. Guess we are going to have to play the lottery again.

Anonymous wrote:Was just following the thread that started about DCI's Nov open house, but has evolved into a fascinating discussion of the "paperless" approach DCI is using and whether it is an unhealthy amount of electronic exposure for teens:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/422428.page

Would love it if more current DCI parents posted on this issue - how is it for your kids this year? Is it really 100% "paperless instruction", i.e. no books? Do you feel the kids are online too much? Connected to tablets too much?

Ugh--I hope that this isn't true. Otherwise, it sounds as if DCI is just experimenting with these students' education. I wonder if any DCI board member has business ties to Chrome books, or any other associated technology. Hmmm...

Not at DCI but we knew this was happening. That's one of the main reasons we are at BASIS where students rely on themselves and use their brains instead of constantly referring to technology.

Was just following the thread that started about DCI's Nov open house, but has evolved into a fascinating discussion of the "paperless" approach DCI is using and whether it is an unhealthy amount of electronic exposure for teens:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/422428.page

Would love it if more current DCI parents posted on this issue - how is it for your kids this year? Is it really 100% "paperless instruction", i.e. no books? Do you feel the kids are online too much? Connected to tablets too much?