I think they should inforce schools to have Laptops for school children. And they could have all school books on disks, homework sent to school from home. Schoolwork sent to teachers. And parent control the internet, or only allow so many website suggested by teachers and by students. With no need for paper we can save these trees everyoen is moaning about saving. Think back to when you was at school, or if you still are. The amount of paper you use each day. And what do you do with your school work. You etheir save it at home, or throw it away. Some people burn there work, like a ritual. But back to the point. The government should start this with all schools. I know they have got it with some schools and are testing it out. But they should really be going a much faster pace.

There is still a money issue. One can't just go around making this mandatory, unless they're willing to help those who can't afford a laptop. And they would also have to instruct the students in how to work with a laptop properly. You can really mess up your hands if you don't type properly.

From a early age they can have lessons on how to type probably. Laptops would be given free by the school, instead of pens, pencils and paper the schools currently use, they can get laptops. Not the best laptops, but average laptops.

Why don't we just get rid of the Harry Potter books? Anyways, even with average laptops, the government will still be spending a lot of money. We are already in a big debt and we don't need it to go down anymore. If you type for a long time, you can get carpal tunnel. It's a good idea, but I think the government isn't willing to spend billions to save the environment.

they are already speanding millions on paper, pencil, pens, books prices. Each year. At least with laptops all can be updated on the internet, by the goverment. Yes, it weill be a big price at the start, but in the long run they would be saving money.

I can't see laptops making their way into schools. For starters the cost of a laptop... personally I spend less than 30 dollars a year on school supplies. There is no way I ( or my parents) are about to go out and buy a laptop, even if it is only 800$.

How long have you had to use a laptop? the screens give you a headache in less than a hour, let along a full day. plus unlike a desktop it is hard to get a laptop in a comfortable position to use the keyboard and mouse, and don't get me started on the little mouse pad.
Another thing is that the cost of a text book comes largely from people who worked on the book, not the paper it is printed on.

I don't know what age range you have in mind but I guess just about everyone like a good computer game.

At least teachers can see it when you are using a desktop, but laptops are easier to hide what you are doing.
I am sure that there has been research showing that it is harder to read off a computer screen as compared to paper. I take a law class online with a 70 page electronic text book. That text book is absolute hell. You can never find you spot in it, flipping from one section to another is extremely hard both on concentration and the eyes. In theory a electronic text book is a good idea, but you can hardly read it and I can guarantee you that I will be printing it all out at least 2 weeks before the final. I can hardly read the thing long enough to finish an assignment, let along study for the final.

Also you have hackers, not out in the world hackers, but students, with a bit of computer knowledge. Schools don't tend to to terribly good at keeping the security of the system, and if they are you can always play with the hardware. If they know teachers are completely dependent on computers then they will find a way to get a free class. We have pulled this with our Bio 30 teacher, just to get an extra 5 min of free class time we will unplug something on the computer with the projector. He spends a few minuets trying to find the computer assistant and we get class time to chat rather than write notes.


My biggest problem with computers is the way that you input information. Look at speed.. with a book you can quickly flip through pages, write anywhere on the page, and write quickly. On a computer you have to find the right file, scroll to the correct spot, put you curser somewhere and start typing. In a book you can change the style to writing instantly to make something stand out, with a computer you have to write it, select it, then spend a while looking through menus to find the format you want.
I would rather just set my hand on the page somewhere rather than grab the mouse click somewhere then move back to the keyboard.
the is the main reason that when ever I a programing, If I don't know how I am going to structure the program, I sit down with some paper, and start writing. Not the top to bottom style you get with a keyboard, but a mess of writing with arrows, scribbles, and underlines. Something that I would have to spend a lot longer to plan in my head before I started to write on the computer.


*edit* even rereading this post it is hard to read, you get lost following lines. why do you think that Ebooks never caught on?*/edit*

This post has been edited by laforgej: Dec 21 2006, 04:46 AM

I think this attitude is already being implemented in many schools or at least it is on its way. For my school, which is an institute of higher learning, we are slowly moving to the age of the time whereby every student is to have a laptop with him/her. For our final year project, the school loaned us 2 laptops for every 5 persons. So it is on its way but of course there is going to be some problems such as the cost of it. Imagine the school paying for 100 000+ laptops at least for my school? It is going to cost them a bomb to be buying laptops at SGD 2000 each, so they will be paying SGD 200 000 000 in total to support the students. Astonishing amount really, I can only think this is impossible to imagine that the school is going to purchase all these laptops at 1 shot, they could do it in variation every summer.

Lets not forget about the software licenses as well, there is bound to be software which the students have to use like VB.net, MSSQL, Office, Photoshop .... etc, and these licenses don't come cheap. So on the big picture, this will not be implemented straight away. What do you think?

Oookay. Allow me the audacity to give a hypothetical situation:

Today's pre-school teacher has more than her handful, what with flying scissors, books and other toys on wheels that lay dangerously on the floor. Tomorrow's teacher will be driven insane, screaming, "Don't bang/hurl/throw/pee on/break/damage/kick/punch those )@mn laptops!"

Today's high school teacher is more than harried with missing test tubes, lost mouse balls, "misplaced" hammers, vanishing keyboards and even pilfered sheets of paper. Perhaps tomorrow's teacher will be dreading the loss of yet another laptop?

Allow me yet a simpler story:
Dear Diary,
My name is Angela. I am known to be a bully. Today, I punched Agnes in the gut but the second hit slipped and hit her lunch spilling orange juice on her homework. Her mom was furious 'coz I hit on her precious daughter but everyone else was indifferent 'coz Agnes is a total 3!+(# anyway.
I hate Agnes

Dear Diary,
My name is Angela. I am known to be a bully. Today, I punched Agnes in the gut but the second hit slipped and hit her lunch spilling orange juice on her homework. Her mom was furious 'coz I hit on her precious daughter. The teacher was furious because that meant Agnes can't work until the laptop's replaced/repaired. The principal is furious because that laptop was the school's property. My mom was furious because this is gonna be the third time I damaged a laptop so it means she's gonna have to pay up.
I hate Agnes