School Surplus Input Requested

What is the county's TOTAL bill for these boards? and what is the yearly maintenance costs?
I think the answer may be eye opening.

 

When I was in school we had filmstrips, card catalogs, typewriters, overhead projectors, microfilm, and chalkboards. Seemed to work just fine. Of course, kids used to learn in one room schoolhouses with chalkboards, too, so learning isn't about the technology. But I guess that doesn't mean that technology can't improve upon the learning process. Several of the speakers at the school board meeting praised the boards for getting the kids motivated to learn because they enjoyed the interactivity. Yeah, I know a good teacher would inspire also, but this is an aspect of the board's use that cannot be denied.

Back when I was a kid if I wanted to change the station (one of about 7) on the TV I had to get up and touch the TV to do it. Atari was an awesome video game system and the lucky kids had Walkmans with cassette players. Technology is advancing and that applies to its use in schools as well. As much as I'd like to downplay the influence and value of technology because I'm literally "old school" I suppose it's going to move along anyway, just like it did when I was a kid (eventually we got fancy typewriters with a preview screen - woo hoo!).

I hope the IWBs are worth the hoopla. I read an article that said some schools provide iPads for kids to use in class. Supposedly someday there won't be arm loads of books to carry, just electronics. Maybe that day is sooner than we think.

 

I don't know the total cost for the district or the maintenance costs but our school's PTA almost bought a Promethean ActivBoard 387 Pro Mobile for about $4,800. Fortunately we hadn't bought it yet and now the district will pay for it instead.

 

I just watched the video for the ActiVote and a few of the other devices. From a gadget perspective they seem cool and I love gadgets as much as the next person. But what struck me is that the hand held devices didn't do anything that couldn't be done without them. It gives feedback to the teacher about whether or not the kids are understanding the lesson, but so does just asking the kids. I guess if a kid is too shy to speak up in front of everyone and admit they don't get it, the ActiVote can be helpful, but it seems to me that a good teacher would figure out who is lost. Although as I type that I realize that when I was in school I floated along not getting stuff plenty of times but never spoke up. So maybe it IS helpful after all. I just don't know but I'm certainly not 100% gung ho about it. But I'm willing to admit that, not being a teacher and in a classroom with kids every day, there's plenty I do not know about teaching and the value of technology in the classroom.

 

I'd buy into that, and spring for the IPAD to boot. Our girl's backpack is insanely heavy. Not saying she needs 'every' single item in there every day, but it would be nice for here to have access to all of the content all of the time..one of the great things the internet did for most of us in IT a long time ago - my tech reference book collection dates back to the 90's and now are relegated to conversation pieces for the new guys coming through. "You see this, we had to write our own code to do what you now click a button to achieve..."

Now.. how just need to teach them how to filter the wheat from the chaff in this cloud of information.