Yes, we can go paperless...so what's the cost/benefit
From Eduwiki
Posted by Christopher Dawson @ ZDNet Education Blog
Contents |
Hugging Trees and Web 2.0
Our author is a self described tree hugger. Please don't hold this against him if you are conservative and hate the environment. The indoors is cool too.
Social media, the vast array of web 2.0, and the dropping cost of hardware, according to the article can help to create the paperless school. All stakeholders can benefit from this switch in philosophy, including the environment.
We need RESEARCH
Little research has been done to back up claims of the benefits of both paperless education and social technology in schools. The author would like to expand on current research. The author suggests studying a small elementary school in his area that is typical in regards to the technology available to small elementary schools i.e. decent network, old equipment, not enough equipment, and extreme paper consumption.
The Plan
- 1. Every student gets a "Classmate" pc. (a small tablet type computer)
- 2. Every teacher gets a laptop.
- 3. Install software library for learning (Moodle, learning software, quiz and polling software).
- 4. Network for sharing and storing everything.
- 5. E-textbooks and shared online curriculum and resources.
- 6. Wireless. Here's a kicker. Provide the wireless at both the school and surrounding area.
- 7. Create a robust school website that is meaningful to the educational experience.
- 8. Announcements pushed to student's laptops for sharing with parents.
- 9. Ongoing professional development for teachers.
- 10. Create additional Web 2.0 tools.
- 11. Solicit feedback from all of the stakeholders.
- 12. Use standard testing as assessment of the plan.
What's it gonna cost?
$110,000 every three years for a school with 140 students is a conservative estimate considering the machines for each student, network infrastructure, wireless hardware, software, and training.
Here's what we'll get
We'll see consistent 24/7 access to learning materials for all stakeholders. Parents will be involved and will be a part of the frequent assessments that are built into the lessons. Computer science will be taught at a young age, thus increasing critical thinking skills and logical thought. It seems as though, other than the cost, only positives come from the increased interactivity of all stakeholders.
We are left to poder the possibilities at the end of the author, as the author ponders a question asked by many teachers everyday, "Where am I going to get the money?"
