Junior School removing IT suite - "We have enough iPads"

It is not crazy at all, and this is coming from a rabid ipad hater.
I have two sister-in-laws aged 25 who don't own a PC/laptop, one has an android tablet+phone, the other just a phone - both of them are completely happy with those devices being the only way they can access the internet, they don't even want another device
Different generations use the internet in different ways..

They're of sod all use for actually doing any thing productive on though.
 
I'm guessing that you're not a parent of a child at this school? If so there is little you can do. I'd still write a letter of complaint to my MP if it were near here.

It's on odd decision to be sure, but then issuing Ipad required homework is just as bad.

Different generations use the internet in different ways..
What has this got to do with accessing the internet?
 
It totally depends on what the school was doing with their computer labs previously.

If they were teaching absolutely nothing of value other than how to find a picture on Google then removing the PCs doesn't impact anything. Putting a 'real' PC in front of a primary school kid doesn't get them interested in programming or curious about how it works without the teaching staff to back it up. Kids who are interested will probably explore that interest regardless of what the school provides them.

That's pretty much the job of a school though, to teach :confused:

You could say the same for any topic. Why have a library in the school, any kids that wants to learn to read will probably explore that interest regardless of what the school provides them.
 
It is not crazy at all, and this is coming from a rabid ipad hater.
I have two sister-in-laws aged 25 who don't own a PC/laptop, one has an android tablet+phone, the other just a phone - both of them are completely happy with those devices being the only way they can access the internet, they don't even want another device
Different generations use the internet in different ways..

Fairly sure schools don't teach children how to browse the internet...
 
That's pretty much the job of a school though, to teach :confused:

You could say the same for any topic. Why have a library in the school, any kids that wants to learn to read will probably explore that interest regardless of what the school provides them.

No I know, but people getting worked up about PCs being replaced by iPads are missing the point that IT teaching has probably gone to **** years prior to this.

Given a bunch of iPads and the right staff, a group of kids can learn more about computers than a bunch of PCs and the wrong staff. It shouldn't just be a debate about the equipment.

My secondary school decided to drop teaching computing at AS/A2 level a few years after I left, not because there wasn't any interest but because the staff just weren't up to the task. So they fixed the symptom rather than the cause.
 
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No I know, but people getting worked up about PCs being replaced by iPads are missing the point that IT teaching has probably gone to **** years prior to this.

Given a bunch of iPads and the right staff, a group of kids can learn more about computers than a bunch of PCs and the wrong staff. It shouldn't just be a debate about the equipment.

I still think you would struggle to teach the KS1 and KS2 parts of the new Computing curriculum come September if the only equipment you have is an iPad regardless of how good you are at IT.
 
It totally depends on what the school was doing with their computer labs previously.

If they were teaching absolutely nothing of value other than how to find a picture on Google then removing the PCs doesn't impact anything. Putting a 'real' PC in front of a primary school kid doesn't get them interested in programming or curious about how it works without the teaching staff to back it up. Kids who are interested will probably explore that interest regardless of what the school provides them.

Well no, because then that would be down to the incompetence of the school failing to teach children anything, which is the point of a school.
 
Well no, because then that would be down to the incompetence of the school failing to teach children anything, which is the point of a school.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I don't think IT teaching in schools is generally worth anything whether they have a lab filled with computers or not. Getting hung up on the equipment in use is ignoring the bigger problem.

People reading this have managed to find a web forum linked to a store selling PC parts, so how many of you can relate to this: going completely off-script when set an assignment in an IT class and solving a problem you own way, using the network for purposes that you weren't supposed to be using it for (Quake etc.), stealing other people's credentials by mocking up fake login dialogs. What was the response every time to this sort of action?
 
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No I know, but people getting worked up about PCs being replaced by iPads are missing the point that IT teaching has probably gone to **** years prior to this.

Given a bunch of iPads and the right staff, a group of kids can learn more about computers than a bunch of PCs and the wrong staff. It shouldn't just be a debate about the equipment.

My secondary school decided to drop teaching computing at AS/A2 level a few years after I left, not because there wasn't any interest but because the staff just weren't up to the task. So they fixed the symptom rather than the cause.

Dropping the subject, one of the most important and relevant subjects today is NOT fixing the symptom. It's amputating a a leg to cure atheletes foot.

Replace and/or retrain the staff. All dropping the subject does is ensure they cant succeed in the subject at all.
 
It is not crazy at all, and this is coming from a rabid ipad hater.
I have two sister-in-laws aged 25 who don't own a PC/laptop, one has an android tablet+phone, the other just a phone - both of them are completely happy with those devices being the only way they can access the internet, they don't even want another device
Different generations use the internet in different ways..

That is a choice they make now, there are a huge number of careers, the majority(for now) in which considerable IT usage isn't required. But then 99% of people don't use most of the maths they learn in school, nor english lit, nor french/spanish/german.

School is about learning to give children OPTIONS for the future, ipads severely limit their options. If you get into a future career in programming, familiarity, being comfortable with a proper computer, being a competent typist, etc, is all going to make a difference.

What other things does your sister not use that she learnt at school. Most people use a small subset of what they learn in school, the entire school system is built to start off as a very broad education narrowing at each level till you pick one or two area's to do a degree in and a general career direction.

THe argument isn't that everyone needs to know how to use a proper computer, the fact is that with a hugely IT heavy job market, which increases by the year with more and more small scale stores running via computers rather than pen and paper, means basic computer usage is the very minimum kids should be taught and have experience with. Being taught some computer fundamentals and some programming languages will be much more beneficial to a far greater number of students than French/Spanish is right now.

I know of essentially no one, beyond going on holiday, that use the second language their learnt for work, where as(because I know a lot of programmers more than anything) huge portions of people I know would have benefited from learning programming earlier.

Getting rid of real computers is completely retarded and any head teacher looking to do so is short sighted, stupid and well, just one of the all to common people who jump on every trend.
 
The school I used to teach at did the same. The IT suite was relocated to a much smaller room with about 6 computers and a bunch of iPads were given to years 1-3.

The result? When I used the computers with the little ones, no one knew how to turn it on, log-in or do anything constructive. All they could do was play games on the iPad.

2 years ago, I taught basic IT to years 1-3 and even a 6 year old knew how to log in and start word, or go to IE and visit a web site I wrote on the board.
As soon as the computers were replaced with iPads, they had no chance.

Really, really disappointing.
iPads are great for Junior school and upwards, but I really don't see the benefit with the lower Primary years.
 
Dropping the subject, one of the most important and relevant subjects today is NOT fixing the symptom. It's amputating a a leg to cure atheletes foot.

Replace and/or retrain the staff. All dropping the subject does is ensure they cant succeed in the subject at all.

I think we're on the same page here. I'm not defending their actions at all, it was incredibly short sighted.
 
I'm not disagreeing with you, but I don't think IT teaching in schools is generally worth anything whether they have a lab filled with computers or not. Getting hung up on the equipment in use is ignoring the bigger problem.

People reading this have managed to find a web forum linked to a store selling PC parts, so how many of you can relate to this: going completely off-script when set an assignment in an IT class and solving a problem you own way, using the network for purposes that you weren't supposed to be using it for (Quake etc.), stealing other people's credentials by mocking up fake login dialogs. What was the response every time to this sort of action?

But there's only a minority of us who will do that. The majority need it forced down them if we're going to have enough people to fill IT based roles. The fact of the matter is that an iPad or similar tablet is completely inappropriate for IT work at school - to be productive you need real computer.
 
But there's only a minority of us who will do that. The majority need it forced down them if we're going to have enough people to fill IT based roles. The fact of the matter is that an iPad or similar tablet is completely inappropriate for IT work at school - to be productive you need real computer.

That's my point though. I'm saying we need to be pushing for better IT teaching not thinking that it's all fine as long as they have a real PC.

I used those examples because they are all showing that a pupil has actually learnt something, but teachers tend to get scared that something has happened that they don't understand and try and shut it down.
 
A Junior school in our area is planning to remove their IT Suite as they feel their "one ipad per pupil" scheme fulfills all their needs.

Is this a common trend? I think it is mad.

Surely we need to be encouraging children to create and develop content at a basic level, not just consume masses of apps and in the process becoming mass consumers of the app store?

I am certain the land of business and science is still dominated by desktop computers at its core with tablets etc used as a periphery object with no obvious specific skills needed to use them.

i wish they would give kids round here ipads... Would do wonders for my repair shop if they brought all the broken ones to me
 
In reality though, the pc is dying. Look at all the stats.
Cloud based systems are primed to take over, and already doing so.
Ask yourself the question, what is your primary device for accessing the Internet?
Ask any CTO if he wants to invest in another PC rollout.
I work in the industry and also with education technology. PC lovers are dinosaurs now, and that's coming from one.
 
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