Mobiles ring death knell for the PC
In a radical attempt to develop the concept of a 'classroom without walls', many UK schools are starting to abandon PCs in favour of mobile technology stated the Guardian on November 15th.
It is a radical attempt to develop the concept of a "classroom without walls", or to extend the learning environment beyond the physical location of the centre and its opening hours. Instead of being tied to a desktop PC, its students, a mix of local pupils, their parents and members of the wider community, will shortly be loaned tiny, net-enabled palmtop computers and invited to take them home on short-term loans.
The article goes onto say
One reason for the change is an attempt to engage students with a technology that they feel more comfortable, even passionate, about. The new palmtop computers are really just upmarket mobile phones plus tiny qwerty keyboards and, according to the market research firm BMRB, 71% of 9- to 19-year-olds in the UK now have their own mobile phone. As any teacher will tell you, they need no encouragement to use them.
OK say the cynics, the kids are going to damge and nick the technology right?
Wrong
"In the last three years, we've had no equipment stolen. The environment we've tried to create is very adult and professional. And I think it's an environment the pupils respect. The kids look after the stuff partially because they don't want it to be taken away." Indeed, one of the first things you notice on a visit to Highbury Grove is the complete absence of graffiti on the desks.Islington's experience is backed up by recent research by the Centre for the Study of Children, Youth and Media at the Institute of Education in London. Such schemes are "about making school relevant to what goes on outside school," says David Buckingham, a professor of education at the institute.
Not only that but it has benefited staff as well
In fact, the students are not the only ones to benefit from greater flexibility. Last week, Islington implemented its first virtual staff meeting. "Everyone was at home," says Davey. "We set up a forum, everyone could leave their comments. Everything on the agenda was discussed but over a period of seven hours. We now have an electronic record of the meeting and it's all online. It reduces workload and adds flexibility to the job.
If you don't get it yet - we are witnessing the supremacy of the community, which empowers everybody on a collective and individual basis in every avenue of life.
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