K-12 schools going online

[Independent voter]

For years, education experts have debated the merits of self-directed, online learning versus traditional teacher-led classrooms. Proponents argue that programs like Summit provide children, especially those in underserved towns, access to high-quality curriculums and teachers. Skeptics worry about screen time and argue that students miss out on important interpersonal lessons.

Mr. Zuckerberg backed Summit in 2014 and assigned five Facebook engineers to develop the software. In 2015, he wrote that Summit’s program would help “meet the student’s individual needs and interests” and that technology “frees up time for teachers to do what they do best — mentor students.” Since 2016, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has committed $99.1 million in grants to Summit.

Around the country, teachers said they were split on Summit. Some said it freed them from making lesson plans and grading quizzes so they had more time for individual students. Others said it left them as bystanders. Some parents said they worried about their children’s data privacy.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/t...s-schools.html

So there's this Summit program that a lot of schools have adopted. It's self paced and online, students use laptops and PCs to learn. Students still go to school but teachers are there as mentors.

Teachers unions hate it because if any money is spent, teachers want that money to go to salary increases.

If you were in school again, would you like something like the Summit program?

[Asrialol]

Isn't there already online schools and such in the US?

You can get a bachelor degree here without ever going to a physical class room. Giving people an option is good, imo.

Edit - so this is about kindergarten and child schools. Oh.

That's a different story imo. Kids needs to socialize at that age and develop that precious brain of theirs. School is a great way to socialize, get friends, etc. But of course there are cases where an online alternative is necessary.

[Doctor Amadeus]

No, because nothing makes up for the actual one on one personal attention learning, books and reading material is great, but at some point you need to roll up your sleeves, and learn by doing. At least for me anyways.

I think if this can work, I think it's great for higher level education or say maybe in place of school instead of dropping out. But school is the place where you should be getting your education all around from reading, math, social studies, and learning to navigate with other people in a world diverse that we all live in.

[Kathandira]

I'd be down with that.

[kail]

It certainly looks to be the direction for future education as a whole. I do share the slight concern of losing some socialisation when physical attendance isn't as mandatory.

Maybe group assignments could help with that regard. I've done my fair share of online classes for college to cover some credits and the group assignments did not have a fraction of interaction compared to the time I was in UF or even in highschool.

As to your question, I had a good time in my grade school years. While I'd appreciate today's online resources, I wouldn't want to do strictly online schooling over physical.

[Kathandira]

No, because nothing makes up for the actual one on one personal attention learning, books and reading material is great, but at some point you need to roll up your sleeves, and learn by doing. At least for me anyways.

I think if this can work, I think it's great for higher level education or say maybe in place of school instead of dropping out. But school is the place where you should be getting your education all around from reading, math, social studies, and learning to navigate with other people in a world diverse that we all live in.

The first bolded, the teacher is still there. They can sit with the student who has a question or needs help. Not much would change there.

As well with the second bolded. That is still there too. I don't really see the difference between words on paper, or words on a screen.

- - - Updated - - -

Skeptics worry about screen time and argue that students miss out on important interpersonal lessons.

Technology “frees up time for teachers to do what they do best — mentor students.”

[unbound]

So there's this Summit program that a lot of schools have adopted. It's self paced and online, students use laptops and PCs to learn. Students still go to school but teachers are there as mentors.

Teachers unions hate it because if any money is spent, teachers want that money to go to salary increases.

If you were in school again, would you like something like the Summit program?

Teachers unions also hate it because there is no evidence that the program actually performs as advertised. Why do many people get so "look at the money angle" for the poor and average person while completely ignoring it for the rich corporations and their owners?

More importantly, if you are actually interested at getting to the truth, you may want to understand a few more dimensions about this program as previous protesters pointed out a few things:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/educa...=.b1584cb66def

The students said they weren’t learning on the platform and are concerned about the privacy of personal information collected on it.

Akila Robinson, 17, another protest leader at the school, said she had problems logging on to Summit for two months and couldn’t get help.

Leonie Haimson, an advocate for public schools in New York, has been monitoring Summit for two years and said parents in 15 states have reached out to her with complaints. Haimson, co-chair of the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, successfully led the battle to stop nine states from disclosing personal student data to a student database project called inBloom.

An EdSurge story quoted a parent, Michael Ulicki, as saying he had seen no long-term data that the platform was successful in teaching students and that he worried the program was “an experiment on our children.”

[Doctor Amadeus]

The first bolded, the teacher is still there. They can sit with the student who has a question or needs help. Not much would change there.

As well with the second bolded. That is still there too. I don't really see the difference between words on paper, or words on a screen.

- - - Updated - - -

Skeptics worry about screen time and argue that students miss out on important interpersonal lessons.

Technology “frees up time for teachers to do what they do best — mentor students.”

Very good points, thanks for your reply

Well I don't know the point in your post I put in bold.

I am not sure. Personally I work on a computer all day, and all the time, very rare do I write on a physical piece of paper, keep in mind though, since I have used more computers now than I did way back, my physical writing has suffered.

The reason I point this out is because while I can see your points and some advantages, I think inevitably there are going to be some things lost, or some other kind of cost.

Which doesn't have to be a bad thing, I mean things change, we did things back then that previous generations didn't do, for good or bad.

I think my personal fear is as I described, human beings get out of the habit of interacting with other people and having everything at their finger tips, that can come with some drawbacks. Like I described.

[zenkai]

So there's this Summit program that a lot of schools have adopted. It's self paced and online, students use laptops and PCs to learn. Students still go to school but teachers are there as mentors.

Teachers unions hate it because if any money is spent, teachers want that money to go to salary increases.

If you were in school again, would you like something like the Summit program?

My wife does lesson plans on ipads, and chrome books. She also has a great salary compared to the other districts but she's teaching in a city. That covers the cost so it can be done but I do like the tailored lesson plan, kids learn at different rates and in different ways, I am all for improving how we teach kids. I wish I had a computer and internet when I was a kid, the possibilities to learn all you want online is amazing, I am always trying to learn new things. But some kids are also not motivated to learn on their own, some would rather just try to ignore the computer and not do their lesson plans, so I am not sure how well it will go.

[Kathandira]

Very good points, thanks for your reply

Well I don't know the point in your post I put in bold.

I am not sure. Personally I work on a computer all day, and all the time, very rare do I write on a physical piece of paper, keep in mind though, since I have used more computers now than I did way back, my physical writing has suffered.

The reason I point this out is because while I can see your points and some advantages, I think inevitably there are going to be some things lost, or some other kind of cost.

Which doesn't have to be a bad thing, I mean things change, we did things back then that previous generations didn't do, for good or bad.

I think my personal fear is as I described, human beings get out of the habit of interacting with other people and having everything at their finger tips, that can come with some drawbacks. Like I described.

I think we see things the same way. The concerns you present are quite valid.

What I was trying to point out, is that the kids for the most part will still be in school which will retain the social aspect. And the teachers will still be there to help the kids with the lessons.

[Daedius]

Is this the new and improved version from K-9s ?



Seriously though... late teens onwards it's got its merit but before that a lot of kids lack self discipline to be self thought.

[Molis]

K - 12 need the social aspect of school in a classroom setting.

I do not see how this is healthy to be taught by a computer isolated from peers.

[PACOX]

My hometown has had online school for at least 10-15 years now.

[Johnny Walker]

As anti-social we have become, to me this is a big no. Especially children need other children around them. All creativity go away, unless parents take over part of the teachers jobs.

[Weeps]

Do I support using cutting edge technology in the class room? Absolutely.

Do I support the idea that technology replaces teachers? Not at all. There is just something special that teachers can do to clear cobwebs in the student's head.

Say, students go to a classroom with their laptop (my daughter will be doing that in middle school), all the kids open it and listen to the teacher then do small online quizzes online to gauge where they're having trouble... that is something I fully endorse.

Would need to have classes with social elements involved, liek group tasks, etc... we all hate that but it has to be done. I can easily see a FitBit like situation with socialization, "You have met your social needs for today, congratulations!" lol

[PACOX]

As anti-social we have become, to me this is a big no. Especially children need other children around them. All creativity go away, unless parents take over part of the teachers jobs.

Half of my upper courses in college were group oriented. Adults still can't work in groups...

[Shadowferal]

Pretty much a big NO myself...More like HELL NO really.
School isn't just about learning academics...and every generation seems to be growing further apart even as they crowd each other.

[Crissi]

I can see it supplementing a classroom, but never fully replacing it. Nor should it. face to face interaction is necessary for proper development, and socializing online is always going to be different than socializing offline.

and werent there studies where excessive screen time was actually a bad thing for kids?

[Johnny Walker]

Half of my upper courses in college were group oriented. Adults still can't work in groups...

You call college kids adults? But I didn't say they need it so they learn to work together. They need it for socializing, to learn hierarchy for example.

[Shadowferal]

and werent there studies where excessive screen time was actually a bad thing for kids?

Ya; Excessive Screen Time for Kids Can Cause Developmental Delays by Kindergarten

The ultimate value for children is parental attention and the love that ideally comes with it. We’re living in busy modern times, and our attention is often pulled in numerous directions, resulting in less time for parenting,” Dimitriu said. “Ideally, screen time should be replaced with interactive play, arts, crafts, and reading.”

Madigan recommends parents learn more about screen time guidelines for children.

“Families should try to balance technology and screens with device-free family time,” she said. “Media and device plans can help families decide when, where, and how often screens will be used. And parents should make viewing screens together the norm.”

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That was about the little ones.

Teens: Screen Time Is Killing Teens

The statistics are stark. Depression diagnoses among adolescents, defined as individuals ages 12 through 17, grew 63 percent between 2013 and 2016, according to a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association study. Even more alarmingly, teen suicide rates are soaring. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that suicides among black 10- to 17 year-olds increased by 77 percent between 2006 and 2016, with white suicides among that age group growing by a similar 70 percent.