Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great article and comments, but disappointing how little easy research WaPo does when discussing health and privacy dangers of technology in K-12 education. Yes, smartphones in class are distracting, but big carrots like playing "games" on the PC are as well.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/04/06/new-research-teachers-deeply-concerned-about-digital-devices-but-parents-take-rosier-view/?utm_term=.63da89c1608d

The comments show 95% believe less screen time in K-12 is considerably better. Lots of teachers and professors wrote in.
Going to HK next week and I'm going to see what they're doing.

Anonymous wrote:Great article and comments, but disappointing how little easy research WaPo does when discussing health and privacy dangers of technology in K-12 education. Yes, smartphones in class are distracting, but big carrots like playing "games" on the PC are as well.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/04/06/new-research-teachers-deeply-concerned-about-digital-devices-but-parents-take-rosier-view/?utm_term=.63da89c1608d

Anonymous wrote:I work at the same school as the teacher who said that, and I respect her. She speaks her mind and pushes back when she thinks something isn’t good for students. She has a “reputation” for it, and I’ve been told our principal doesnt really like her. We younger teachers (not new, but not as experienced) are grateful to her for speaking up in general, and many of us think he should listen very closely to what she says instead of listening to someone else in the building who is competitive with her—though I think he’s figured that out in the last year. I’ve felt a change, anyway, and I’m crossing my fingers on that—because the other person kisses up and craps down in the worst most disgusting ways, but she has more “politics” sense than the teacher in this article. Anyway, I doubt a younger or less confident teacher would have spoken on the record about tech in schools, even in this general way. And as teachers like her get fed up and move on, we’re going to lose important voices. I don’t have her guts (which is why I’m here on DCUM and not in the Washington Post speaking up), but I hope I get her guts as I get older. She’s a role model for me, though she doesn’t know it and would probably be surprised to hear me of all people say that. So if you’re reading this, JG, please know that you’re appreciated! Stay fearless! Some of us are watching and learning and quietly encouraging you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teachers advocate for their students. People assume that teachers have more decision making opportunities than they do. Many of us feel like cogs in the machine.

PP here

Sorry, I did NOT mean to imply that teachers do not advocate for their students. I completely empathize. I work in healthcare and nurses/doctors feel the same way - we want to advocate for our patients but we feel like cigs in a poorly-running machine.

I think parents and teachers in MCPS are probably both equally frustrated by the ridiculous beauracracy of MCPS.

Anonymous wrote:All teachers advocate for their students. People assume that teachers have more decision making opportunities than they do. Many of us feel like cogs in the machine.

Anonymous wrote:All teachers advocate for their students. People assume that teachers have more decision making opportunities than they do. Many of us feel like cogs in the machine.

Anonymous wrote:I work at the same school as the teacher who said that, and I respect her. She speaks her mind and pushes back when she thinks something isn’t good for students. She has a “reputation” for it, and I’ve been told our principal doesnt really like her. We younger teachers (not new, but not as experienced) are grateful to her for speaking up in general, and many of us think he should listen very closely to what she says instead of listening to someone else in the building who is competitive with her—though I think he’s figured that out in the last year. I’ve felt a change, anyway, and I’m crossing my fingers on that—because the other person kisses up and craps down in the worst most disgusting ways, but she has more “politics” sense than the teacher in this article. Anyway, I doubt a younger or less confident teacher would have spoken on the record about tech in schools, even in this general way. And as teachers like her get fed up and move on, we’re going to lose important voices. I don’t have her guts (which is why I’m here on DCUM and not in the Washington Post speaking up), but I hope I get her guts as I get older. She’s a role model for me, though she doesn’t know it and would probably be surprised to hear me of all people say that. So if you’re reading this, JG, please know that you’re appreciated! Stay fearless! Some of us are watching and learning and quietly encouraging you.

Anonymous wrote:Great article and comments, but disappointing how little easy research WaPo does when discussing health and privacy dangers of technology in K-12 education. Yes, smartphones in class are distracting, but big carrots like playing "games" on the PC are as well.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/04/06/new-research-teachers-deeply-concerned-about-digital-devices-but-parents-take-rosier-view/?utm_term=.63da89c1608d

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just so everyone has all the facts...

Go Guardian not only allows teachers to monitor/track student Chromebook use-it also allows them to block certain sites at certain times (or always if needed) and customize by student, if needed. Additionally you can limit the number of tabs students can open up. I am a media specialist and we use the Chromebooks with the older grades for one research project a quarter. Occasionally we also use them in order to incorporate interactive tools such as Kahoot, padlet, and Nearpod into classroom lessons. We are reading and discussing books the majority of the time.

There are plenty of teachers who know how to effectively implement instructional technology and ration independent use of computers to a reasonable degree. We go by the philosophy that technology is yet another tool in our teacher toolbox not a replacement for books and other instructional tools. Feel free to ask your child's teacher about their philosophy regarding Chromebooks and instructional technology in general. Hopefully it will be a productive conversation and you will find that they are being used very purposefully--if not feel free to discuss it with them or go to the principal if that avenue doesn't yield good results. But just complaining here in a blanket fashion, making sweeping generalizations about Chromebook use in MCPS schools, is not very productive. Both my ES children are in schools where they are used to good effect and truly boost classroom instruction.

This sounds so reasonable and I bought this line when our school announced it had gotten Chromebooks for even the second graders. Kids need to learn how to use technology, so I was in.

Then reality.

*Teachers use the time as a reward for finishing seat work, so kids anxiously rush and don’t pay attention to their work.
*We got all these Chromebooks so we might as well use them, right? So now kids spend their “reading” time on myOn, which is mediocrity personified, but hey, it provides the administration with “data” so let’s love it no matter what.
*Speed math programs like Xtra Math and Fast Math have become teacher tools for assessment in our school, despite the lack of any research that they benefit kids’ math skills and ignoring the profound performance anxiety fully 1/4 of my child’s class exhibits about these high pressure programs. But they provide such enticing data and analysis performance charts!
*Instead of using their time to write or imagine, students spend their device time fooling with avatars, fancy fonts, lame clip art, and other things on which no lower-grader should be wasting their school time.
*Since you are a media specialist, I’ll throw in this one - when my kids go to media, they often have a book “read” to them by a computer. Happens in class, too, to keep the kids occupied for a few minutes while the teacher catches a break. Don’t love it, but I understand. But in the school library?! I’m speechless (well... not really!).

Discussions about this at our MCPS school, with teachers and principal, are like speaking to an uncomprehending brick wall. Clearly, I am stupid and troublesome for not understanding how critical and amazing data and persistent technology access are for my young kids (btw, I develop apps for a living). Most other parents think screens are fine, don’t have the interest or genuinely don’t have the time to care about it. (thank you, DCUM, for letting me know I am not entirely alone in thinking this is all insane). And these are generally great and experienced teachers. The principal is “embracing technology” and our school has lost several excellent staff members who couldn’t stand the assessment and data obsessed environment. Remaining teachers are forced to use the above programs whether they like them or not. Staff development time seems to be focused on analyzing performance data and learning how to use yet more digital programs (and then analyzing yet more data charts).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just so everyone has all the facts...

Go Guardian not only allows teachers to monitor/track student Chromebook use-it also allows them to block certain sites at certain times (or always if needed) and customize by student, if needed. Additionally you can limit the number of tabs students can open up. I am a media specialist and we use the Chromebooks with the older grades for one research project a quarter. Occasionally we also use them in order to incorporate interactive tools such as Kahoot, padlet, and Nearpod into classroom lessons. We are reading and discussing books the majority of the time.

There are plenty of teachers who know how to effectively implement instructional technology and ration independent use of computers to a reasonable degree. We go by the philosophy that technology is yet another tool in our teacher toolbox not a replacement for books and other instructional tools. Feel free to ask your child's teacher about their philosophy regarding Chromebooks and instructional technology in general. Hopefully it will be a productive conversation and you will find that they are being used very purposefully--if not feel free to discuss it with them or go to the principal if that avenue doesn't yield good results. But just complaining here in a blanket fashion, making sweeping generalizations about Chromebook use in MCPS schools, is not very productive. Both my ES children are in schools where they are used to good effect and truly boost classroom instruction.

This sounds so reasonable and I bought this line when our school announced it had gotten Chromebooks for even the second graders. Kids need to learn how to use technology, so I was in.

Then reality.

*Teachers use the time as a reward for finishing seat work, so kids anxiously rush and don’t pay attention to their work.
*We got all these Chromebooks so we might as well use them, right? So now kids spend their “reading” time on myOn, which is mediocrity personified, but hey, it provides the administration with “data” so let’s love it no matter what.
*Speed math programs like Xtra Math and Fast Math have become teacher tools for assessment in our school, despite the lack of any research that they benefit kids’ math skills and ignoring the profound performance anxiety fully 1/4 of my child’s class exhibits about these high pressure programs. But they provide such enticing data and analysis performance charts!
*Instead of using their time to write or imagine, students spend their device time fooling with avatars, fancy fonts, lame clip art, and other things on which no lower-grader should be wasting their school time.
*Since you are a media specialist, I’ll throw in this one - when my kids go to media, they often have a book “read” to them by a computer. Happens in class, too, to keep the kids occupied for a few minutes while the teacher catches a break. Don’t love it, but I understand. But in the school library?! I’m speechless (well... not really!).

Discussions about this at our MCPS school, with teachers and principal, are like speaking to an uncomprehending brick wall. Clearly, I am stupid and troublesome for not understanding how critical and amazing data and persistent technology access are for my young kids (btw, I develop apps for a living). Most other parents think screens are fine, don’t have the interest or genuinely don’t have the time to care about it. (thank you, DCUM, for letting me know I am not entirely alone in thinking this is all insane). And these are generally great and experienced teachers. The principal is “embracing technology” and our school has lost several excellent staff members who couldn’t stand the assessment and data obsessed environment. Remaining teachers are forced to use the above programs whether they like them or not. Staff development time seems to be focused on analyzing performance data and learning how to use yet more digital programs (and then analyzing yet more data charts).

I am with you on the overuse of Chromebooks in some schools for math practice and the like. Data gathering is super important but we take it to a crazy level. I also feel that we need to be careful with giving free time on Chromebooks as a reward. It's a slippery slope. Hopefully these are some of the kinks/issues of the early phases of Chromebook use and teachers, admins, and parents can pull back, reflect, and improve upon our current use. It is a learning curve and I truly believe most teachers and media specialists have good intentions for the use of these devices.

As for students having books read to them via computer vs. a teacher I am not a fan of this at all. I became a media specialist partly because of my interest in instructional technology but mainly because of my passion for reading books to children and matching books to readers. There is no greater joy than sharing good books with children and discussing these texts with them. I even like to go old school and use songs, felt boards, and puppets to supplement these stories.