The War Between Tablets and Textbooks

     It's possible this will always be a great controversy: should children use tablets and computers to boost their learning processes or is it best that they stick to the books to get their education? A new article from the NY Times discusses this very topic from the viewpoints of teachers in elementary, high school and even college professors.

     The argument continues to go both ways because some teachers who are new to the game and are used to the new technology, are used to using tablets and laptops in a classroom setting, so they may not have a problem using these tools to teach. Veteran teachers, however, aren't likely to take to tablets for teaching because they're used to using a textbook and being able to actually look at and participate with their students. From the article "No Child Left Untableted," one teacher spoke up saying that he was "technologically retarded," which may not be the case for most, but a lot of teachers and elder professionals are not used to using such advanced technology. However, Joel Klein--chief executive of Amplify--says that, “K-12 isn’t working,”...“and we have to change the way we do it.” 

     Isn't there a better way to change it, though? I would have to agree with the teachers who think that using tablets to learn is destructive and unnecessary, but most people think they're best because of their convenience. Likewise, there's the cost to consider. It seems to me that buying a tablet for every student would cost just as much as their textbooks. The argument here is...textbooks weigh much more and they take up more room; with a tablet, books can be bought directly on the tablet and multiples can be stored there for easy use. Is it worth it, then, if the students are likely to be distracted while in class?

     I believe that attending a laptop enabled University has aided in my opinion on this subject. Too many times I've sat in class either watching my neighbor shop online, check their e-mail or just mindlessly browse their FB page...all of which are distracting to both of us. And, yes, I've lost the fight to resist my own urge to play around online while in class, so I've taken to only opening my computer when necessary. All this to say: if college kids, who are paying thousands of dollars for their education don't pay attention due to technology, how are children who don't pay for their education and are handed a "free" device supposed to focus on their own learning? 

     The battle between Tablet and Textbooks has been and will continue to be a topic of discussion in regards to today's education. The only questions are: who will win and how long will it take to decide that winner? 

Eye Spy...brought to you by Google

My friends and I are not exactly "tech savvy," but we always say that we are waiting for the day that we have a camera put in our eye to take pictures at a moments notice. Imagine my surprise when I found an article telling me that this already (kind of) exists. An article in today's New York Times (online version) tells readers that it may not be as hard as we think to Google ourselves...intriguing, no? Although I had heard of the concept of the Google Glass before, I just thought it was an idea that would make it's way on the market sometime, not be part of our world now.

Don't get too excited, though. After checking out the site for the Glass, I learned that certain ambitious people were only lucky enough to get an application...but for what? It's very possible that these applications were taken some time ago and those certain people have already taken the glasses on a joy ride. A story from Quartz talks about who is likely to get their hands on the Glass and who may have to wait awhile. According to the author of the story, Simone Foxman, a rendezvous was recently held for those who have tested the glasses to weigh the pros and cons of the new gadget. It seems the overall feedback was good, but for the normal people, this isn't exactly "good" news. For those who want the Google Glass, only time will tell when the device will become available. In line first are, of course, businessman. Anyone in the business of medicine or finance are likely to be the first to strap on a pair of these glasses and use them in the work place...I only hope they help, instead of get in the way. This doesn't mean that the average Joe won't own a pair of their own someday, they just may have to wait patiently until their turn comes up. Remember: if you see your doctor looking like Dr. Doolittle when you visit him/her in the office, don't panic, they likely aren't taking pictures of you with their new Google invention.

Clive Thompson, a contributing writer at the NY Times was lucky enough to test drive a pair of the Google Glass this summer and had both positive and negative comments about them. Turns out that they can be helpful for: taking pictures, navigating parking lots, texting and Tweeting. The down side? According to Thompson, when you walk up to someone on the street with a computer on your glasses, they tend to worry and look the other way. Also, since the whole device is mostly voice controlled, talking to air can get you odd looks from the people around you. This is something that would make me not have to think twice about ever getting some.

Not that I ever expect to own a pair of these Google Glasses, but if I did or knew someone that did, I think talking to myself would be worthy of strange looks. Then there's the question of how well voices would be picked up. You don't want something popping up in front of your face because of something your friend said while sitting next to you. If this isn't a problem for you, though, I hope everyone who wants a pair will someday be able to walk around looking like robots and talking to themselves. I mean honestly, Iron Man makes it look bad ass, so why not give it a try.