As stated in our FAQ, we promote the positive use of technology in education. However, new studies are rolling in, and they overwhelmingly indicate that Batavia's plan is exactly wrong.
- Research on In-Class Use of Laptops and Other Devices: Effects on Students' Learning and Attention
- Classroom Laptop Users Distract Others As Well As Themselves
- You’ll Never Learn! Students can’t resist multitasking, and it’s impairing their memory.
The first study references the Mueller/Oppenheimer study I mentioned on ViewPoint. Nothing good is coming out of these experiments. As a school district, we seem bent on harming our students' ability to learn.
Our only hope at this point is for the board or administration to honestly measure outcomes and reverse the initiative before the harm becomes permanent.
GRO Technology FAQ
We favor the use of strategic technology and its proper use in the classroom. We recognize that technology can unlock greater potential in education under proper application. The District, however, has pursued an initiative that requires every K-12 student to purchase and use a personal device, and it raises a few concerns. The District has not demonstrated the rationale or benefits of a personal device for younger elementary students, such as Kindergartners, nor have they justified the requirement of personal devices in the classroom over community resources like computer labs. Costs are a significant factor to the District (approx. $500,000 per year) as well as to families ($75 per student per year), especially when many families could provide a compatible device. Teacher feedback on the initiative has been anemic and parental input has been unwanted by the Board, except for one current School Board Member. The District must provide justification beyond hearsay and anecdotes.
We are pro-technology, yet it will never be a substitute for caring teachers that will guide, motivate, challenge, and hold the students accountable for doing the work of learning. We encourage you to watch a short video by Derek Muller called This Will Revolutionize Education [or start from the Main Thesis].
