No textbooks in Arizona school

There is an article in the Arizona Republic about an Arizona school that is not going to be using textbooks this next school year. There are numerous quotes in the story that might make you quirk an eyebrow.

August 13, 2004 by Uncategorized 5

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5 Responses

  1. Bibliofuture says:
    August 13, 2004 at 7:58 pm

    Language
    From the article, “The generation of students we’re dealing with are students whose first language is digital,” Vail’s Baker said. “It only makes sense to deliver instruction and material in a language they’re most comfortable with.”

    The speaker, Mr. Baker, is confusing digital with electronic. What does it mean to say that “we’re dealing with are students whose first language is digital”? Because a student might have used PBSKIDS.org at home their first language is digital? Or that the child has watched alot of television then their first language is digital?

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  2. Anonymous says:
    August 13, 2004 at 8:05 pm

    quirk an eyebrow

    “If we can rely on almost limitless information available on the Internet, why do we need a textbook?” Vail Superintendent Calvin Baker said.

    “Since they were babies, they’ve used the multimedia world. They engage. When you give them paper and pencil, ugh, it’s harder,” Paradise Valley technology manager Jeff Billings said. “You have to deliver multimedia lessons to these kids. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. It just is.”

    Billings said many Paradise Valley students will tell you they don’t like to write. But get them into a locally controlled chat room, let the teacher give them a topic, such as a new school rule or the presidential election, and away they go, writing and debating, and finding evidence on the Internet.
    A chat room allows participants to read, hear, see and interact simultaneously.

    Reply
  3. Bibliofuture says:
    August 13, 2004 at 8:09 pm

    Book
    I hope schools that consider going “digital” at least read a few BOOKS about the idea. For example, The Children’s Machine: Rethinking School in the Age of the Computer To get the ideas in this book you have to read a book. It is not out on the vast Internet that they are giving the students. Only giving the students the Internet is going to be very limiting.

    Reply
  4. Grumpy Librarian says:
    August 14, 2004 at 12:14 am

    Re:Language
    “It only makes sense to deliver instruction and material in a language they’re most comfortable with.”

    Funny, Arizona doesn’t seem to feel that way when the first language is Spanish.

    Reply
  5. Durst says:
    September 28, 2004 at 6:52 pm

    Re:quirk an eyebrow
    Just because the participants are reading and interacting simultaneously in a chat room does not mean they are PROCESSING the information coming at them.

    There is a lot to be said for the ability to take time to really think about what you are writing or saying. Writing in and of itself, is the most well-known interface around. If these students are not learning to write except on computer or read anything but a screen, how are they going to learn to communicate with those of us in older generations?

    If Arizona is getting rid of text books, is their next step getting rid of libraries?

    And in the same vein as one of my other comments, is the evidence these children are finding on the internet being validated or authenticated? Are the sites they use reputable?

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