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OverTea: Laptop for school kids
Computer for school kids seems to be gaining momentum in India. But is it necessary when schools don't have basic infrastructure? Or is it a leap forward to ensure that the demographic dividend actually pays? What is your take?
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Comments
I really wonder if laptops are necessary for school children. I can assume maybe necessary for higher secondary, but before that I really doubt if they make any appreciable difference. I guess more important than laptops are the good teachers, sports, and so on. I have the feeling that the laptops make the teaching virtual, and guess for school things should be more real.
While I don't disagree with your points on practical learning, there is still a good use for computers even for middle and high school level. There are quite a few things that may not be learnt in a practical manner. For example, how do you understand formation of clouds or photosynthesis in a practical manner? Its not hard to imagine that computers help here. For primary schools, I guess we need to take a look at the computer OLPC is offering before we comment.
I think the right way to see this as an effort to to computerise classroom learning, rather than to replace outdoor learning.
I think laptops are a waste of resources for school children of std 10 and below. Badri's point is well taken that there do exist scenarios where a multimedia presentation can comfortably outperform the conventional teaching methods. But even for that, a projector in a school suffices. My bigger argument is with where our priorities should lie. Before focusing on how best to teach advanced topics, we ought to ensure that the basics reach out to all and sundry. Else, it will be again "excellence for some", but not "justice for all".
Besides, how many of these advanced topics can be claimed to be "essential"? If one is able to show that some form of computer animations makes math easy for primary kids hailing from economically-and-educationally backward communities, it may be worth a try. But, I wouldn't vote for the use of these rather expensive techniques for stuff like cloud formation which is important but not enough.
I don't doubt the benefits of a laptop/computer for children one bit. I am only concerned about it's feasibility. If that's taken care I guess there is little need to worry. There is no way conventional education can beat what promises laptops have to offer.
My 3 and half year old nephew who despises schools loves listening to rhymes and educational games on his laptop. He uses it with much finesse (I believe a lot of people brag bout that - just that it has been accessible to these kids - I guess most would be equally good).
Nothing in books is as interesting as on the programs on Discovery, NatGeo, History, etc. Media can make things very interesting for even average children. Laptops make enccylopedias very accessible. Looking up anything is like a piece of cake.
Most importantly most schools today (not just govt. schools) don't have competent teachers but good material once made on science, math, etc can be re-used. Extremely efficient and effective. These outweigh easily the braindead ways of teaching in school that are out there to kill any kind of creativity.
Laptops may not replace other forms of learning but are a good means by themselves for _all_ ages! I just came across this game -
http://fantasticcontraption.com/
Learning cudn't be more fun with such tools around! :) These attack the ability of a student to reason and understand more than any amount of cramming typical of most schools.
Yes it sounds absurd for kids who don't get basic amenities even but if viable this is a neat way to learn.
There is no doubting that computers are amazing learning aids but we should remember that they are just one of the many aids to learning. Before we come to the point of what is fair and what is feasible, lets try to understand what this approach actually delivers.
Students should get used to the information at a finger tip paradigm, after all Google answers almost all questions I have. But, one also has to think where the initial questions come from. A computer will not teach you what to ask! And that's why there is just no replacement for a hands on approach to learning. Build models, do experiments, visit nature retreats - all this when supported by a computer can really enrich the experience. And for this reference kind of work, I really don't think a laptop per child is needed.
Am reminded of this wonderful talk by Clifford Skoll on TED (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/clifford_stoll_on_everything.html), which talks about a lot of stuff, but mainly about the importance of primary education. He makes a very good point that computers *should not* be in the classroom.
Marvellous video but he speaks more of kids giving up playing and stuff as they are hooked on to technology - a beautiful song on the same -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyapY97ugNk
We can't have Clifford Stoll teaching 8th graders all over the world but what we could do is use a recorded session of his - something like a virtual classrooms. Laptops merely serving as a medium... Another story on the subject =
http://ngopost.org/story.php?title=The_Digital_StudyHall
I think we are talking about effective education and I think Laptops can do just that. They won't replace the existing methods but augment them and very well at that! :)
Shared my experience with teaching kids in this post -
http://ngopost.org/story.php?title=Learning_can_be_fun-1
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