100% Digital Education

Slainte · 09-16-07, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Hi-tech leap for island's pupils
By Ruth Davidson
BBC Scotland's Politics Show

A small corner of Scotland has big ideas about the future of education. Pupils on the island of Islay are the first in Europe to go digital, and are gaining admiring glances from across the water.

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With cutting edge software, multi-media applications and write-on technology the PCs are more powerful and expensive than the average laptop.

And it is not just web design classes like that are benefiting. The Islay pupils use the new technology in all their lessons, changing the way they and their teachers work.

The real revolution is happening after the school bell, in kitchens and bedrooms in houses on Islay and Jura.

When the pupils get home, these PCs are not just their jotters - they will act as textbooks, notes and videos too; their window on the world.

Homework can be e-mailed to teachers and, such is the excitement with the new technology so far, pupils' productivity has gone through the roof and assignments are being handed in on time more often.

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At Islay High School, the benefits are clearly outweighing the costs and the computers are even offsetting expenses in other areas.

Mr Stuart said the equipment could half photocopying costs.

"Our education money was going on paying for paper which went into the pupils' and teachers' hands, was there for a short time and then was put in the recycle bin," he said.

It's unclear what will happen to the Schools of Ambition programme, currently involving 52 schools, when it has run its course - but by any measure, it has been a success story in the Hebrides.

Could the age of textbooks, pens and jotters be ending?

This sounds really amazing to me. I hope this project will be continued, it sounds like it could grow pretty fast if properly supported, in 10-15 years who knows where it might be.

It's obvioulsy too soon to have much of a clue as to how this will effect educational standards, but I think simply by providing children with such easy (and in some cases fun) access to information a difference is verly likely.

It's also going to make children very proficient on computers which is now a must if you want a decent job when you're older.

Sergeant Stinger1 · 09-16-07, 08:46 PM

Here in the U.S.A. they should only be teaching:
Reading, writing and arithmetic all through the first seven or so years of education.
Common sense dictates that further education cannot be done without these three basics methods being mastered.
Little Johny and Mary-Jane graduate without knowing these three and are lost in life without them.

Slainte · 09-17-07, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sergeant Stinger1

Here in the U.S.A. they should only be teaching:
Reading, writing and arithmetic all through the first seven or so years of education.

I think in the future that might just become reading, typing and arithmetic

Sure handwriting isn't just going to dissapear, you'll always need it for casual reasons and of course every child should be taught how to do it and how do to it well. But everything is becoming computerised these days, soon it may be more important to be able to communicate through computers than through paper.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sergeant Stinger1

Common sense dictates that further education cannot be done without these three basics methods being mastered.
Little Johny and Mary-Jane graduate without knowing these three and are lost in life without them.

These days if you graduate without being capable with a computer you're in very big trouble and in 10 years you'll be in even more trouble. I think we should maintain a strong focus on teaching children about computers from a young age now.

Thinker · 09-17-07, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slainte

Could the age of textbooks, pens and jotters be ending?

This should solve one big problem.

Kids here often have to carry bags made excessively heavy with schoolbooks for
numerous subjects. Add to that kit bags, musical instruments, and whatever,
and the kids end up carrying far more (relatively) than an adult would be allowed
to under safety legislation.

Switching to electronic media would save them having to lug dead trees around
with them and develop back problems that will be with them for their whole lives.