Some Schools Ending Laptop Programs

The New York Times reports that schools are abandoning their laptops-for-students programs. It turns out that the expense of providing laptops, expense of repairing laptops, difficulties of school network management, and discipline problems stemming from pornography, cheating, and cracking more than outweighed the educational benefits. Indeed, a number of schools have concluded that far from improving student achievement, laptops either had no effect or actively hindered academic performance. Apparently, politicians embracing technology as a quick fix for social problems doesn't always work out.

High school kids not responsible?

[navalynt]

When you're old enough to have a beer you're old enough to have a computer running Windows. Believe me, you'll need the beer. I'm impressed that the network security is such a 10 year old can breech it!

Re:Rote memorization does not equal education

[BorgCopyeditor]

I was going to make what would have been an admittedly minor joke about this. The premise was going to be that the lazy kid would just say, "I can just look that up online," and then I was going to crack wise about how the site would be called multiplication.com, and if anyone were smart, they would rush out and register that domain name, etc. This would have netted a laughter quotient of around 3 x 10 ^ -8 chuckles per reader.

I was going to do all that, and then I found this [multiplication.com].

Reality has far outrun even the feeblest attempts to parody it. I think I'm just going to go to sleep now.

Re:Rote memorization does not equal education

[FLEB]

Well, at least it wasn't:

Welcome to Multiplication.com, your source for Multiplication! To start multiplying, enter the two numbers you wish to multiply, and click the "GO!" button:

A: [ ]
B: [ ]
[Go!]

Register now (It's Free!) to multiply up to 4 numbers together* at one time, or purchase a Multiplication.com Gold Member account ($12.95/year) to multiply up to 24 numbers together at one time, as well as negatives!*.

* Resulting product for Standard Account Members may not exceed 65,535. Gold Members whose products exceed 2,147,483,647 will be charged an Overflow Fee of 10 cents for every further 1,000,000 of the product.

Re:A wise man once said

[Anonymous Coward]

Mr Crowley has never encountered a shock collar before

Re:No surprise...

[Anonymous Coward]

ooooh, a non-hackable computer... I keep that in my closet next to my perpetual motion machine and my warp drive.

Re:They did it to make money.

[Hognoxious]

language studdies

No comment needed.