Klein ISD Students get Personal Computers

[Chris]

Within the next 5-6 School Years each Klein ISD High School and Intermediate School student will have his/her own personal laptop. Starting off for the 2007-2008 school year will be Krimmel Intermediate School. All Teachers throughout the district will also recieve personal laptops. Unfortunately Klein Collins and Klein High are last in the district to recieve their personal laptops. All 4 High Schools should have been first then the 8 Intermediate Schools.

Newly Redesigned Klein ISD 2007 Technolgy Plan

2007-2008

*Krimmel Intermediate School Students

*Krimmel Intermediate School Teachers

*Klein Oak High School Teachers

2008-2009

*Klein Oak High School Students

*Klein Intermediate School Teachers

*Wunderlich Intermediate School Teachers

*Hildebrandt Intermediate Teachers

2009-2010

*Klein Intermediate School Students

*Wunderlich Intermediate School Students

*Hildebrandt Intermediate School Students

*Klein Forest High School Teachers

2010-2011

*Klein Forest High School Students

*Schindewolf Intermediate School Teachers

*Strack Intermediate School Teachers

*Kleb Intermediate School Teachers

*Doerre Intermediate School Teachers

2011-2012

*Schindewolf Intermediate School Students

*Strack Intermediate School Students

*Kleb Intermediate School Students

*Doerre Intermediate School Students

*Klein Collins High School Teachers

*Klein High School Teachers

2012-2013

*Klein Collins High School Students

*Klein High School Students

[pineda]

Yeah, I heard some teachers talking about this last night before the choir concert at The Centrum. I knew they did that already at Vistas. Any idea what kind of computers they're giving out? I remember the old Crapples the district went through years ago.

[Chris]

The district always uses HP Computers. They will also be laptops so students can travel with them. I think they will be very nice.

[mrfootball]

They cut some sort of deal with HP giving tax rebates at their new $400 million data center being built near the Vintage. If I recall correctly that included discounted or free computers for the district.

[Chris]

They cut some sort of deal with HP giving tax rebates at their new $400 million data center being built near the Vintage. If I recall correctly that included discounted or free computers for the district.

Yeah, I also think HP is a Business Partner with Klein ISD. They donate money for the Education Foundation.

[PureAuteur]

No love for Cy-Creek? HP is on their side of 249 too.

[Chris]

No love for Cy-Creek? HP is on their side of 249 too.

What do you mean?

[H-Town Man]

Reading and writing are at all time lows, and we think we'll improve education by giving every student a laptop. Amazing.

[VicMan]

I honestly would be opposed to a Houston ISD blank "give all students laptops" policy, but I would be in favor of allowing certain schools (schools with high rates of returned textbooks) to issue laptops.

[Chris]

Reading and writing are at all time lows, and we think we'll improve education by giving every student a laptop. Amazing.

I actually think it a newer approach to get and encourage students to do homework and major projects in a more fun, advanced, technology way. I think that it is a great program to implement. I just hate that I won't be able to be apart of it. Klein Collins and Klein High are last in the program to recieve their laptops which will be in 2012.

[fresnel151]

This should eliminate any remaining doubt that school district adminstrators are totally out of touch with reality. This is like the insane wifi plan for the city of Houston. Supporting thousands of PCs for people who take care of them is a daunting enough task. The support organization for this folly will need to be enormous and costly.

[nativehou]

The support organization for this folly will need to be enormous and costly.

I agree. And can you imagine the number of laptops that will be stolen by other family members or pawned? Will the district replace those?

[Chris]

I agree. And can you imagine the number of laptops that will be stolen by other family members or pawned? Will the district replace those?

I don't think the laptops will be stolen or pawned. The district will make students check out the computers which means if any damage or anything happens the student will be responsible because he/she checked it out for the year. I'm sure Klein ISD has a great plan.

[dbigtex56]

I agree. And can you imagine the number of laptops that will be stolen by other family members or pawned? Will the district replace those?

I don't think the laptops will be stolen or pawned. The district will make students check out the computers which means if any damage or anything happens the student will be responsible because he/she checked it out for the year. I'm sure Klein ISD has a great plan.

I think it's irresponsible to furnish pre-teens easily fenced equipment worth hundreds of dollars. Talk about taking candy from a baby! Every crackhead in town will be lined up outside those schools like hyenas at a water hole. Kids that age have enough trouble maintaining and keeping track of textbooks, let alone sensitive electronic equipment. Imagine the hardship replacing a computer would place on a low-income family.

On the bright side, this may change the age-old excuse "the dog ate my homework" to "the dog peed on my laptop".

[musicman]

I think it's irresponsible to furnish pre-teens easily fenced equipment worth hundreds of dollars. Talk about taking candy from a baby! Every crackhead in town will be lined up outside those schools like hyenas at a water hole. Kids that age have enough trouble maintaining and keeping track of textbooks, let alone sensitive electronic equipment. Imagine the hardship replacing a computer would place on a low-income family.

concur. whatever happened to books and paper? no wonder sally can't read nor write. i guess she can type though.

[Chris]

I think it's irresponsible to furnish pre-teens easily fenced equipment worth hundreds of dollars. Talk about taking candy from a baby! Every crackhead in town will be lined up outside those schools like hyenas at a water hole. Kids that age have enough trouble maintaining and keeping track of textbooks, let alone sensitive electronic equipment. Imagine the hardship replacing a computer would place on a low-income family.

On the bright side, this may change the age-old excuse "the dog ate my homework" to "the dog peed on my laptop".

Once again I think it is a great idea. I think students will take care of them and appreciate them. I am not sure but I think Klein ISD is the only district in Houston doing such a thing. I could be wrong. If it turns out to be a success, maybe other districts will implement the major technology plan.

[fresnel151]

This was shot down in a previous Spring ISD Bond election - thank goodness. When are these school districts going to get down to the business of education and stop trying to be cool with technology. You don't think the PC manufacturers are behind this stuff? I've seen this time and time again (not just in the education fantasy world) where a slick salesman sells clueless management on some technology that becomes a huge albatross around the neck of the entire organization.

Please excuse the rant...as you can probably tell, this a hot button for me.

[ENGcons]

This was shot down in a previous Spring ISD Bond election - thank goodness. When are these school districts going to get down to the business of education and stop trying to be cool with technology. You don't think the PC manufacturers are behind this stuff? I've seen this time and time again (not just in the education fantasy world) where a slick salesman sells clueless management on some technology that becomes a huge albatross around the neck of the entire organization.

Please excuse the rant...as you can probably tell, this a hot button for me.

"Be cool with technology?" What do you think goes on in the work place these days? Business isn't run with a chief tablet and a #2 pencil, it is run with computers and high tech equipment, and it is only going to get more complex.

While the traditional educational practices of reading, writing, math and science are essential and critical to the educational process in the ever changing world it has become crucial to teach with a computer. These are tools to be used, not replacements for teachers. I for one am really impressed with this program and glad to see it implemented.

[fresnel151]

"Be cool with technology?" What do you think goes on in the work place these days? Business isn't run with a chief tablet and a #2 pencil, it is run with computers and high tech equipment, and it is only going to get more complex.

While the traditional educational practices of reading, writing, math and science are essential and critical to the educational process in the ever changing world it has become crucial to teach with a computer. These are tools to be used, not replacements for teachers. I for one am really impressed with this program and glad to see it implemented.

I am well aware of the technology requirements in today's workplace - it's my job. Computer education is crucial, but it is not crucial to educate with a computer. Education in computer usage does not require handing out a laptop to every high school student in the district. A student should have access to or be issued a PC if the machine is fundamental to the acquisition of knowledge in a specific course. Handing out laptops to every student just so most can write a term paper in MS Word is an egregious waste of taxpayer

[ENGcons]

I am well aware of the technology requirements in today's workplace - it's my job. Computer education is crucial, but it is not crucial to educate with a computer. Education in computer usage does not require handing out a laptop to every high school student in the district. A student should have access to or be issued a PC if the machine is fundamental to the acquisition of knowledge in a specific course. Handing out laptops to every student just so most can write a term paper in MS Word is an egregious waste of taxpayer

[Chris]

I seriously think the district has thought this out with further intentions than handing out expensive typewriters. This is a very innovative move and one that will pay dividends for the District. Computer literacy will become one of the fundamental eduational requirements if it isn't already. The district is trying to prepare students for what's out there in the world today and by handing out computers to students who wouldn't normally have access to them becasue of their economic situation is a great move by Klein.

I am not a big cheerleader for the District these days, while I think the Board does a pretty decent job the District has done a very poor job in managing the current bond program. In fact you want to look for waste look no further than those who are in charge of the construction of new facilities for Klein. Absolutly pathetic, but every once in a while they do something good and this computer program is a good thing.

Klein ISD actually hired a company to plan and redesign their technology plan. I don't think they just out of the blue said we are going to give over 20,000 Intermediate and High School students a laptop. This was a plan that they gave much thought ans insight to. What do you mean by "look no further than those in charge of the construction of ne facilities in Klein?" Do you not like facilities in Klein ISD?

[pineda]

Gen Yes website

a blog discussing this issue

I appreciate all the comments that the comments that have been made regarding this topic. I can't wait to bring up some of these with the school board to see how they're going to be addressed. Personally, I like this initiative from Klein ISD. My kids already pass me by when it comes to the computer. They use podcasts and power points for book reports and presentations. They communicate with students in other countries via video conferencing to learn more about those countries. They've even done video conferences with the astronauts while they're in space. They use Excel to create complex spread sheets for projects. They and their friends are definitely part of the Ipod, Aim, Facebook, MySpace, PSP, XBox Live, T-Mobile generation, that's for sure. Their teachers, for the most part, all have websites and they're loaded with pages devoted to homework and review work, with links to other sites for more in-depth studies. Teachers use e-mail to reach students and parents now.

Living in the Klein district, I've seen slides, swings, monkey bars all disappear from our schools (due to liability issues), field trips have become all but non-existent (due to liability issues), no live animals, not even fish in the classrooms (due to liability issues), and textbooks with mistakes, ones too old to be relevant (especially current history and science) where students get "inserts" to replace them with, and textbooks so written in by others to almost be unusable, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how this program will be implemented, especially when it comes to the dreaded "liability issues".

[H-Town Man]

Some of you need to get a whiff of reality... there is absolutely no problem with kids coming out of high school not knowing how to use computers. Kids acquire computer literacy on their own time - they need it to send e-mails, read about their favorite musicians, set up their myspace page, look at porn, etc.

What there IS a problem with is children who have never read a book in their life, and can't write a three page research paper to save their life. I teach freshman composition in college, so I know a little bit about this. And the culprit, in my opinion, is delusional high school teachers who put aside those "boring, old-fashioned" writing projects for "fun, advanced, exciting" technology projects.

Remember those days in school growing up when the teacher took you to computer lab? Every student in class knew it was a joke, and spent most of the class period playing games or stealing the rollerballs out of the mouses. There probably wasn't a day in the school year when you did less work or thought less hard. The irony is that the school district spent tens of thousands of dollars on those labs that could have been spent on important things, like hiring more teachers or putting more books in the library, and now they are determined to spend even more money, because they think that otherwise, kids won't learn how to use computers!

[pineda]

H-Town-

I hear what you're saying. Some of my children's friends are getting ready to be either seniors in high school or freshmen in college next year, and they're talking about signing up for Freshman Composition online at community colleges in order to get this course out of the way so they don't have to take it in college. Have you noticed this trend where you are?

[ENGcons]

Klein ISD actually hired a company to plan and redesign their technology plan. I don't think they just out of the blue said we are going to give over 20,000 Intermediate and High School students a laptop. This was a plan that they gave much thought ans insight to. What do you mean by "look no further than those in charge of the construction of ne facilities in Klein?" Do you not like facilities in Klein ISD?

No the facilities are great, it is the management of the construction of the new facilities that is severely lacking. It is a personel problem the district has, they won't hire qualified people internally to run such things. And the district is not getting their money's worth on construction management. It is pretty clear to anyone who is paying attention.

Some of you need to get a whiff of reality... there is absolutely no problem with kids coming out of high school not knowing how to use computers. Kids acquire computer literacy on their own time - they need it to send e-mails, read about their favorite musicians, set up their myspace page, look at porn, etc.

What there IS a problem with is children who have never read a book in their life, and can't write a three page research paper to save their life. I teach freshman composition in college, so I know a little bit about this. And the culprit, in my opinion, is delusional high school teachers who put aside those "boring, old-fashioned" writing projects for "fun, advanced, exciting" technology projects.

Remember those days in school growing up when the teacher took you to computer lab? Every student in class knew it was a joke, and spent most of the class period playing games or stealing the rollerballs out of the mouses. There probably wasn't a day in the school year when you did less work or thought less hard. The irony is that the school district spent tens of thousands of dollars on those labs that could have been spent on important things, like hiring more teachers or putting more books in the library, and now they are determined to spend even more money, because they think that otherwise, kids won't learn how to use computers!

That is a pretty narrow view. Their are entire degree programs in college that require computer skills that you don't learn on your own time. My child 4 years old already has aquired many basic skills ont eh commputer that will aid her in her education. It is up to the parents to parnet their childredn on how they use technology, not the schools, it is however a positive step that the school is providing the means for some that normally wouldn't have access.

You act like books are going away, whcih is not the case, and is another narrow view. I think the only reason you don't embrace this is becasue your scare of change. We can't stay stuck in the past forever, the world is going to move on either with us, or without us.

[Chris]

The only thing I think Klein ISD should do before handing out these expensive pieces of equipment is have all 6-12 grade students go through a training course to teach students how to use them and to also make students aware of all the features. Most students are computer savy and know everything about a computer. On the the other hand some students don't know. Once again I am 100% for this new tech program even though I will be graduated by the time they get to Klein Collins HS.

[pineda]

and yet another blog has picked up this discussion...

[dbigtex56]

That is a pretty narrow view. Their are entire degree programs in college that require computer skills that you don't learn on your own time. My child 4 years old already has aquired many basic skills ont eh commputer that will aid her in her education. It is up to the parents to parnet their childredn on how they use technology, not the schools, it is however a positive step that the school is providing the means for some that normally wouldn't have access.

You act like books are going away, whcih is not the case, and is another narrow view. I think the only reason you don't embrace this is becasue your scare of change. We can't stay stuck in the past forever, the world is going to move on either with us, or without us.

Oh, H-Town Man! Where's your red pen?

This could prove to be instructional for those who are overly enamored of technology.

[fresnel151]

"Along the way, I've discovered that using computers. . .was a great way to make it look like I was doing wonderful academics when in fact I'm just screwing around," - Dr. Clifford Stoll noted astronomer, author and high tech heretic.

[H-Town Man]

You act like books are going away, whcih is not the case, and is another narrow view.

Actually, they are:

http://chronicle.com/free/2004/07/2004070901n.htm

I think the only reason you don't embrace this is becasue your scare of change. We can't stay stuck in the past forever, the world is going to move on either with us, or without us.

Tell me what skill, other than computer literacy, will computers teach students better than books can?

For the rare case that computers are able to teach students something they can't learn any other way (I can't think of one, but I'm sure there are a few), we have computer labs. The rest of the time, computers are nothing but a distraction, and distributing personal laptops ensures that the distraction will be constant. I for one cannot get any reading done when the temptation to play games or surf the net is right next to me, and I love books - I've devoted my life to teaching literature. I can't imagine a 17-year-old reading 400 inky pages of A Tale of Two Cities when a laptop is sitting right next to him. And please don't tell me that what he reads on the internet will do as much for his mind as Dickens will.