I need to vent!

[Megatran]

Someone stole my bike. I liked that bike. Bye, bike.

Where was it stolen?

[Ploughmans Lunch]

Where was it stolen?

Front of my house. Lil mistake but generally its been fine to leave it there but whatever hey

[M-bot]

Buying book for my step-son as he starts year 7. Maths book - Digital version - $58. Physical version - $68. Surely - SURELY - the fact that it is digital should make it significantly cheaper? Wondering if the school is getting some kickbacks. Seriously, that price is ridiculous.
They're also wanting us to spend $36 on a scientific calculator, when there is already one integrated in the iPad they need us to buy. Nope, that ain't happening.

[GoktimusPrime]

Had a guy in a van cut across three lanes in front of me today! I beeped my horn and flashed my high beams at him as I had to brake. He incorrectly gave me an apologetic wave with his middle finger extended. If you can't even wave properly, then I dare say that you may lack the dexterity and motor skills to operate a vehicle!

Buying book for my step-son as he starts year 7. Maths book - Digital version - $58. Physical version - $68. Surely - SURELY - the fact that it is digital should make it significantly cheaper? Wondering if the school is getting some kickbacks. Seriously, that price is ridiculous.
They're also wanting us to spend $36 on a scientific calculator, when there is already one integrated in the iPad they need us to buy. Nope, that ain't happening.

I'm still rather skeptical about this whole digital BYOD thing with Year 7 this year, especially as a language teacher. Because language is a social skill, and these devices often encourage kids to be anti-social (i.e. facing screens instead of another human being). We all know that the best way that children learn languages is via human interaction. It's not as if infants learn their first language through a freaking app.

I don't know why the digital version would cost so much, but perhaps one reason is the sheer amount of time it takes to digitise documents. I know that it took us aaages just to document our Year 7 Latin, French, German and Japanese booklets. Ages. Just as well I had a young techno-savvy student teacher who really sped things along quickly for us (she did in a month what would've taken the rest of us about a year ). I think that we've dispensed with using physical copies of the Latin, French and German books, but we're still undecided as to whether or not we want to give them a printed version of the Japanese book, because it does require students to learn how to hand-write new scripts. AFAIK we're not charging any extra though.

I do recommend that you get a calculator though, as I suspect that media devices will not be allowed in tests & exams (because students might be able to cheat by accessing saved documents containing notes, formulae etc.). This is why students aren't allowed to use their phone calculators.

I do share your concern that this all makes education all the more expensive. One of my personal criticisms with the BYOD policy is that it may serve to further marginalise poor families. Theoretically, students who cannot afford their own device can access one from the school's pool, or seek government funding. But there are a lot of families who don't qualify for assistance but aren't overflowing with money to spend on this technology. Something that concerns me is that these devices may become status symbols at school; i.e. more affluent kids can afford to get the latest devices with all the latest apps and doohickeys. This may serve to make the rich and poor kids stand out more.

One great thing in countries like Australia is that most of our schools enforce a uniform. I've spoken to people from countries like the U.S. and Canada where most schools don't, and they tell me that discrimination against poor kids is rife because they obviously can't afford to wear expensive clothes. In a uniform school, you can't immediately tell who are the rich or poor kids because everyone dresses the same. When the government rolled in the free notebook policy for students in Year 9, they were all given the same Lenovo notebooks. So again, no socioeconomic discrimination because everyone had the same model.

Another concern that I have is the distraction factor. This was a problem that we had with the notebooks. A lot of kids were using them to play games or access social media etc. during class. I even had some parents come and complain to me that their child's notebook was proving more of a distracting hindrance than a help. The immediate challenge for teachers is that whenever we stand at the front of the classroom, all we can see are the backs of their devices. So obviously we're going to have to physically roam a lot more during class, which I admit is something I've been doing less of since I started using CLIL teaching, simply because I need constant access to the keyboard for presentations. Last week I bought myself a Logitech Wireless Presenter so that I can use the laser pointer and also remotely control certain features of PowerPoint during presentations while I roam around the classroom. So I am trying to prepare myself for this.

I dunno... maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this big push for preparing our students to be "21st Century Digital Learners" is the right way to go. Maybe I'll completely change my mind about this by the end of this year. I can only hope that my concerns will be proven unfounded.

[M-bot]

Hmmmm... I hadn't thought of the exam/test scenario you propose, where he may not be allowed to have access to his device. I will have to talk to teachers about that when the time comes. Even so, I can't imagine why a scientific calculator would cost that much. It's possibly one of the simplest computing devices you can get, so it just shouldn't be that expensive, to my mind anyway.

As for digitizing books, unless the original text books were typed out with a typewriter or hand written, I can imagine it would be too difficult. What was it that took a long time for your language booklets? Presuming you didn't have digital copies somewhere?

As for the changes in the classroom setting - I imagine there were changes every time a new technology has been introduced. This is no different. There are going to be adjustments along the way, for sure. It sounds like you're finding your way in your classroom, despite the limitations.

[GoktimusPrime]

Hmmmm... I hadn't thought of the exam/test scenario you propose, where he may not be allowed to have access to his device. I will have to talk to teachers about that when the time comes. Even so, I can't imagine why a scientific calculator would cost that much. It's possibly one of the simplest computing devices you can get, so it just shouldn't be that expensive, to my mind anyway.

In my personal opinion, I think that Year 7's too early to begin introducing calculators. Maths teachers all say that it's to get Year 7s used to operating calculators at an early age so that it gets easier when they have to use more complex scientific functions later on. But let's face it, there's not a whole lot in Year 7-8 level maths that really requires the use of a calculator. When I was in Year 7-8, using a calculator actually started killing off my maths skills. My maths coach outside of school forbade me from using a calculator, basically weened me off it and forced me to do sums with my head again. My maths results improved after that.

As for digitizing books, unless the original text books were typed out with a typewriter or hand written, I can imagine it would be too difficult. What was it that took a long time for your language booklets? Presuming you didn't have digital copies somewhere?

^The latter. We didn't have digital copies.

As for the changes in the classroom setting - I imagine there were changes every time a new technology has been introduced. This is no different. There are going to be adjustments along the way, for sure. It sounds like you're finding your way in your classroom, despite the limitations.

Well... anytime anything new of any nature is introduced. And I'll admit that I've been wrong about new innovations that I was initially hesitant about. Two of the biggest revolutions to my own teaching that I was initially skeptical about were:

PBEL (Positive Behaviour in Engaging Learners); the idea of being able to manage children's behaviour without shouting and getting angry at them? Giving kids choice and power instead of telling them what to do? I thought that this was just some do-gooder hippie idea that would ultimately spoil the kids rather than giving them discipline. How wrong I was. To this day I still use PBEL, I still teach it to my student-teachers, and I even use it in dealing with my own daughter.

CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning); teach a class entirely in the target language using ZERO English? And you want me to move away from teaching the target language but to actually teach a broader course curriculum in that language (e.g. maths, history, science)? Again, I thought that this was more impractical fluff. I couldn't have been more wrong. I only recently learnt about CLIL last term, and I can't wait to get back to school and try to develop my skills in using it more! It not only boosts student engagement (and enjoyment of lessons), but also drastically reduces misbehaviour (because most students act out in class because they're not engaged in the lesson).

So hopefully I'll be proven wrong about BYOD too. Honestly, there are times when I want to be proven wrong. I'm still waiting to be proven wrong about my thoughts regarding Michael Bay's TF movies, but uh... 5th time lucky?

[Ultra Mackness]

Buying book for my step-son as he starts year 7. Maths book - Digital version - $58. Physical version - $68. Surely - SURELY - the fact that it is digital should make it significantly cheaper? Wondering if the school is getting some kickbacks. Seriously, that price is ridiculous.
They're also wanting us to spend $36 on a scientific calculator, when there is already one integrated in the iPad they need us to buy. Nope, that ain't happening.

I really feel for you M-bot. I'm the Maths coordinator at my school and responsible for decisions exactly like this one. I can give you a bit of insight on the use of digital books which we haven't been at all happy with.

For its entire history, our College has had second hand book sales which until about the last 5 years have run successfully and been a great way to ease the burden of new book costs for parents. The publishers haven't liked this, naturally, and have been working towards a scenario where parents are forced to buy brand new text books each year. The way they've done this is by beefing up the "bonus" electronic content which came with the text. Previously on a CD which came attached to the back cover, the electronic content is now only accessible with a code which is only valid for 12 months!

The current scenario that schools are presented with is that we can book list either:
i) brand new text with "fresh" e-content code, or

ii) second hand text book, AND new e-content code

If the parent goes for option 2, whatever money they saved on the book will go on the e-content.

With schools investing heavily in technology, whether from there own funding, or levying parents or simply getting parents to purchase the tech, there is pressure on teachers to use that tech (whether there are to be any genuine learning advantages or not!), consequently forcing the current book list situation.

The publisher we currently use, not that there is much difference between any of them, is Jacaranda. They don't bother to print chapter reviews in their text anymore, it's e-content. So even if parents went for a second hand text and not the e-content, their child is disadvantaged.

It's not just Maths either, it's the 4 core subjects and languages, so far.

The use of calculators in class around Years 7 and 8 is always a bit contentious. While much of the curriculum involves arithmetic (which is to Maths what spelling and grammar are to English) which could be easily done by a practiced adult, and should be easily done by a student, the purpose of any Maths class is to encourage within the student creative ways of applying algorithms, not to demonstrate one pathway to a "correct answer" and reward those students who can mindlessly lemming their way through to that answer. One of those creative means is the appropriate selection and use of technology - particularly the importance of generating within the student an intuition (as much as a cognisant decision) about when technology should and should not be used. This is examined in Year 12 and requires years of exposure to the decision making process.

Our school book lists a Scientific calculator in Year 7, probably the same one - comes in at about $36. But we require the students to keep it until the end of Year 12, where subjects like Chemistry and Physics only permit Scientific Calculators and CAS calculators are not permitted. This way the cost is effectively $6 per year. I think Gok also mentioned that for assessments, iPads would not be permitted, especially for NAPLAN.

Hope this helps

[M-bot]

It does help Ultra Mackness. You and Gok have given me some valuable insights. See? It pays to vent around smart people who know more about your vent than you do!

I'm still not entirely sold on the idea that an e-book should cost virtually the same as a print book. The logic just doesn't follow. If you're not producing physical copies of something, it should be a fraction of the cost to produce and distribute. As I said before, I suspect there's a bit of rorting going on. The school and the book publishers know that parents have no recourse or reasonable alternatives and they can charge whatever they want.

As for the scientific calculator, I think we'll probably bite the bullet and get one, just not immediately. We've outlayed a stack of money in the last few weeks (not just on school stuff, but thats a whole other vent), so we'll have to get it when we can.

[GoktimusPrime]

Do you know anyone who's just finished high school and may no longer need their calculator? There should be nothing wrong with using a second hand calculator so long as it's still in good nick. Also better for the environment. Do any of our Melbourne based teachers know of any Class of 2015 Year 12s who may no longer want their calculators?

With schools investing heavily in technology, whether from there own funding, or levying parents or simply getting parents to purchase the tech, there is pressure on teachers to use that tech (whether there are to be any genuine learning advantages or not!),

^This! It's also too reminiscent of what happened with the Lenovo notebooks. Often we integrated them into our lesson plans because we were pressured to, and not because we felt that there was necessarily any actual learning benefit to it. This is also why I refuse to have the old traditional whiteboards removed from my classrooms. Yes, I do use the IWB frequently, but there are other times where I'd just rather use a regular whiteboard. And yes, I've been asked numerous times if I'd like to have a normal whiteboard removed from a classroom... (-_-)

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

iPad they need us to buy. Nope, that ain't happening.

I assume you can't get away with buying another ipad thing that isn't an Ipad? I often wonder about the kick back deals that go on with things like this, like did the education dept get some cheap ipads, to ensure that schools now have to buy ipads. My sceptic is large.

Just recently I had an exhibition lesson where we were forced to apply ipads to a lesson. We ended up adapting a lesson we were planning to do, to fit in the ipads and it was OK, but for another (newly added) part of the lesson the ipads completely failed meaning that part of the lesson was a complete loss.
We changed tacts and did some basic paperwork and what not, but had I the choice, I would have used the ipads for the section that worked and not for the secondary section.

Annoyingly the setup and connection shenanigans took 2 hours prep time as we messed about trying to set them up. That's two hours prep time that is unavailable before lessons normally.

the after lesson was interesting, in that not many other teachers were convinced of the benfits of technology in classrooms. Doesn't help that most teachers here are scared of tech