Someone hacked into the system. All chrome books were collected until the problem can be resolved. There is no school tomorrow, so don't know how homework will be accomplished over the weekend. I guess this is one of the downsides to over reliance of technology.

To clarify, by not using the Chromebook I mean have a class where it stays closed and off the desk.

Great to hear that students are not spending all classes on the computer. Why, though, do students need to read literature books on the computer instead of the getting actual books? And, why doesn't the school just ban screen time during breaks, especially given the other activities offered? Also, I would like to know if they have some entirely classes where they are not using the computer. Thanks

to the person who claimed to be there at the open house: did you come in late? because you clearly missed the whole tech conversation. students use paper and pencil, and real books and workbooks as well as chromebooks. usage assessments show 50% of time on devices only---much of it collaborative with multiple students doing group work on a common document or project.
morning break time and lunch are the only times students can use cellphones: they are confiscated otherwise.
they have content filtering that works at home and school.
teachers can control desktops and monitor what students are doing and have been doing.
students have multiple options at morning break and lunch for activities other than screen time: clubs, speakers, indoor and outdoor activities. The student reps who were there all talked about loving hanging out with friends the most.
i was pleased to hear the info straight from the admin's and students' mouths and feel like there has been a lot of hysteria on this thread that is unwarranted.
flame away!!!

+1

Anonymous wrote:PP, no one is doubting that language immersion is great thing or that DCI is a promising school. Let's stick together as we find the best way to meet our children's needs for a great education. Surely a variety of viewpoints can coexist among dedicated parents in the city and within the school.

Current DCI parent

+1, feeder parent

PP, no one is doubting that language immersion is great thing or that DCI is a promising school. Let's stick together as we find the best way to meet our children's needs for a great education. Surely a variety of viewpoints can coexist among dedicated parents in the city and within the school.

Current DCI parent

Anonymous wrote:My DCI kid has approx 1 hour of homework per night. A large chunk is in the language. If you don't like it, go to a school with no language immersion and no technology. Then try and get your kid into a great school and the workforce when my kid is the competition. Enjoy!!

HAHAAHA!!! My child will be speaking Chinese, perfectly able to navigate technology and running intellectual circles around yours after attending a DC Charter School that has reasonable limits on use of technology during the school day. Thanks very much.

11:26 poster: Thank you!!

Anonymous wrote:My DCI kid has approx 1 hour of homework per night. A large chunk is in the language. If you don't like it, go to a school with no language immersion and no technology. Then try and get your kid into a great school and the workforce when my kid is the competition. Enjoy!!

Why so defensive? And do you really expect the technology of today will be the same in 6 years when you kid graduates?

savvy. please. for future ref.

not "inevitable"

I am a prospective parent and went to the open house. i did not read this thread prior to that, but have been concerned about the over-use of technology. For one thing, the use of paper and pencil seems to trigger more long-term memory learning. Also, the ability of kids to engage in sociocratic discussions wih their teachers and peers is integral to being a functional participant in society. ie. one who is not head-down in a computer and doesn't know how to function either socially or to problem-solve with others.

This quote was in an article posted and I found it spot on. There is so much that our kids will be missing by being on screens.

Paul Thomas, a former teacher and an associate professor of education at Furman University, who has written 12 books about public educational methods, disagreed <with technology-laden classrooms>, saying that “a spare approach to technology in the classroom will always benefit learning.”

“Teaching is a human experience,” he said. “Technology is a distraction when we need literacy, numeracy and critical thinking.”

It does not surprise me that Steve Jobs and others protect their kids from over-teching as they are aware of how it does not promote their actual brain development. Kids can pick up computers easily later. I value that I had a great education without computers and am pretty tech savie. I also note that technology has actually interfered with my productivity and socializing. but i digress.

I did ask about use of computers and if there were "filters" on what they were allowed to access. They said they block things initially, but the kids figure out how to unblock. I am sure there are ways to do this where the control is not in the student's computer to do so. Perhaps, DCI is not tech-savie enough to figure out how to universally block things that are not educationally related? They also said that kids can access anything at anytime during breaks.

At the very least, they should re-think open access at times where social interaction is taking place. This is when kids learn how to function as human beings in communities where they are interconnected. How can we tell kids we are teaching them to be International Ambassadors and connecting them to the World when they are not learning to be connected to the person sitting next to them at lunch?!

These recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics in regards to technology in schools should be followed by DCI and other high tech schools to reduce the negative affects:

-Educate school boards and school administrators about evidence-based health risks associated with unsupervised, unlimited media access and use by children and adolescents, as well as ways to mitigate those risks.

-Work collaboratively with parent-teacher associations to encourage parental guidance in limiting or monitoring age-appropriate screen times. In addition, schools that do use new technology like iPads need to have strict rules about what students can access.

I for one am seriously considering not exercising my right to feed into DCI since the jury is still out on their technological experiment, which I think could go really wrong. I agree with the other poster who said it is not inevible nor unavoidable. But it might be if I send my kid to DCI.

Anonymous wrote:My DCI kid has approx 1 hour of homework per night. A large chunk is in the language. If you don't like it, go to a school with no language immersion and no technology. Then try and get your kid into a great school and the workforce when my kid is the competition. Enjoy!!

the languiage will be helpful. The lack of an ability to read and think critically because the constant multitasking and distraction never allowed for a space for your kid to develop these skills will be less helpful.

How about a low tech immersion IB missle and highschool. My kid can learn all the tech skills your kid has in one afternoon (it's not hard to be tech savy since the interfaces are more and more user friendly - no need to spend 6 years "practicing" it).

My DCI kid has approx 1 hour of homework per night. A large chunk is in the language. If you don't like it, go to a school with no language immersion and no technology. Then try and get your kid into a great school and the workforce when my kid is the competition. Enjoy!!