In the Student Town Hall meeting in March, Superintendent Joshua Starr took a poll on how many students have access to

technology such as laptops and iPads, as well as whether or not they should be allowed within the learning environment.

Pro

by Shaan Verma ‘13

As technology advances and becomes more efficient, the older, more outdated ways of teaching become more and more obsolete. Technology is ever-evolving and becoming increasingly accessible to younger generations as they are the ones that are growing up with said technology. The younger generation, namely the students entering into secondary education, will be more likely to identify with technology such as tablets and laptops and be able to use it to its full potential within the learning environment.

Not only this, but as technology grows more advanced there is less and less of a need to use the “older methods” of learning such as written notes or binders full of worksheets. Technology proves to be quicker and more efficient than having stressed out students organize pages upon pages of notes while developing spinal problems from the amount of books that they have to carry.

The skill and knowledge to use technology in this day and age is nearly as fundamental as being able to read and write. Technology is all around us and is constantly advancing, which means that students either need to adapt or be left behind. The use of technology in classrooms enhances students’ experience and heightens learning potential through efficiency, and it will also provide students with an opportunity to be able to understand and control the technology that is at their disposal.

Technology has also been used to advance a multitude of professional fields such as medicine, finance and communication. Education should not be an exception. The use of laptops and tablets will provide for a new learning environment because it would also allow teachers to cater to different types of learners. Technology bridges the gap in learning styles. Students are all different and some learn differently than others. Laptops and tablets are completely capable of providing options for different types of learners via unique presentations of information like graphics and audio, and its ability to do so is expanding in leaps and bounds. Technology will allow students to learn better by giving them a way to relate to the material that they are learning. It is no secret that students’ lives are now digital, and as such, students will be able to learn better by making the information in textbooks and assignments available in their digital worlds.

The digital age is upon us and schools should not be excluded from utilizing the technology that is at students’ disposal to further enhance the learning environment. Laptops and tablets in the classroom will provide a way to bridge the gap between traditional learning and the way that students gain and apply knowledge.

Con

by Jamie Langbein ‘13

The best class I ever had was AP Biology, and one thing I loved about the class was the lack of a Promethean board. I don’t think I could have learned so much material so effectively without the chalkboard my teacher used, as it slowed down the pace to one students can handle. In most of my classes, I copy notes off a Promethean. The notes are taken either in terrible handwriting that I can’t read later or too slowly as I try to write legibly, which leads to missing material.

Promethean boards allow teachers to flip through information at a rate too rapid for students. They always tell us “don’t puke on the page,” but that is exactly what technology allows teachers to do. This makes note-taking even harder, because students have to sort through information even more quickly.

Don’t get me wrong. I have an iPhone sitting next to me as I type on a computer. I use technology, and I appreciate all it has done for me. I, too, would be lost without my iPhone, but I still firmly believe in the need to keep technology out of classrooms.

So when Superintendent Joshua Starr proposes we add even more technology like iPads and laptops in class, I am apprehensive.

I see so many ways for things to go wrong. There are the obvious outlets for distraction such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. The consequences may only get worse. It would be even harder for teachers to regulate activity as students can easily switch or exit screens if a teacher approaches them.

And where do we plan to get the money from? We can barely afford to keep the heat on in the winter and the AC on in the summer. A 16 gigabyte iPad 2 with Wi-Fi costs $400. Multiply that by the 148,777 students enrolled in MCPS in the 2012-2013 school year, and it would cost the county $59,510,800. Dr. Starr, good luck finding that kind of money.

Another huge problem would be an even bigger overload of information. If in the future there are iPads in classrooms, there would be even more puking on the page than there already is. Teachers would be able to just load information onto students’ iPads. Notes would turn into teachers re-writing the textbook, which doesn’t help students to sort through information and pick out what they need to know.

Laptops and computers are fine for students in college, and they should be encouraged to use them. College students are more mature, and are trying to prepare themselves for the “real world” working scenario. Technology is incorporated in the workplace, and students should be learning in college how to utilize the privilege without abusing it, but not any sooner.