Macs Make Students Smarter?

[RZetlin]

There's a news coverage on how one school has used laptops to raised student grades.

As the video clip shows all the students are using iBooks as their laptops.

Maybe Apple can use this news in one of their ads. "Use a Mac - Raise Your Grades"

 

[clevin]

I think we have enough misleading apple ads. more will get into trouble.

 

[lag1090]

I honestly don't believe that technology has made myself "smarter," although it does allow for some work to be done more easily and more quickly.

For example, I used to write some of my early papers on an old typewriter. I could do things fairly quickly on it, as long as I didn't type the wrong key or whatnot. With the advent of computers, I can do the same work, just faster since formatting and spelling can be corrected on the fly.

I think it's the same concept with learning: the tools are only as good as the person using them. Learning using technology only really educates people on how to use said technology, not necessarily the subject which is intended to be taught.

 

[SC68Cal]

Technology is just a delivery method. The content needs to be relevant to the students. You could sit there with a blackboard, and if you have excellent classroom management skills and a passion for a subject, you'll do much better than someone with all the best computer equipment who can't control a classroom, or doesn't know the material inside and out.

 

[mcarnes]

Maybe only smart people use macs. Think about it.

 

[clevin]

Maybe only smart people use macs. Think about it.

mmmmm.. don't think so,

 

[Santa Rosa]

I wish I could believe the title, would help me so much!!!

 

[dmw007]

I feel smarter because I use a Mac.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

it didn't do anything to the students but cause grade inflation which for class ranking sucks because screwing up any where hurts you a lot more because more grades are shoved closer to a 100. The closer you get to a 100 the easier it is to get screwed over.

In recent times everywhere has been suffering of horrible grade inflation. It used to mean a C was average. Now it seems like a mid to high B is average.

 

[BurtonCCC]

My work looks much, much better than students who do projects on PCs, but that doesn't mean I'm smarter.

 

[dukebound85]

it didn't do anything to the students but cause grade inflation which for class ranking sucks because screwing up any where hurts you a lot more because more grades are shoved closer to a 100. The closer you get to a 100 the easier it is to get screwed over.

In recent times everywhere has been suffering of horrible grade inflation. It used to mean a C was average. Now it seems like a mid to high B is average.

what? you mean kids graduating with 4.9gpa's in high school are not super smart??? haha i know what you mean. school needs to get hard again grade wise

4.9gpa's what a joke. when people tell me that they put that on college apps and stuff i want to laugh.

however as many of you can maybe agree with, computers give you even more work to do.......

 

[Rodimus Prime]

what? you mean kids graduating with 4.9gpa's in high school are not super smart??? haha i know what you mean. school needs to get hard again grade wise

4.9gpa's what a joke. when people tell me that they put that on college apps and stuff i want to laugh.

however as many of you can maybe agree with, computers give you even more work to do.......

well in college it pretty bad as well. If you where in college 10-15 years ago and apply to grad school today they have to adjust you GPA to reflect what it would be like in today standards. For example my uncles bother was talking to a college 10-15 years after he left and said that he could not really apply to grad school because of his GPA (which was like a 2.6). They told them that they would adjusted his GPA for the inflation that been out of control. His adjusted GPA for todays standard 3.4-3.5 which is rather insane.

It is getting out of control. They need to do something about making a C really mean average not making a 3.0 or better really being average.

To give you an idea how out of control it is getting I got out of high school in 2001. My GPA for high school was about an 86 (out of 100) and I was not in the top 1/2 of my class. I was just out side of top 1/2. I am sorry but that is insane. top 10% ended at 97. top 25% ended at 95ish range.

School are inflating there GPA to make them selves look better but not really teaching any better.

 

[SupadudeX]

Computers dont make people smart, but the internet has the potential to do so. The internet now allows an equal playing field for everyone. Now everyone has access to knowledge either completely free or at a small cost. As long as someone has the drive to be able to learn something new, they can do it on the internet.

I can honestly say that at least half of my knowledge has come from or been helped by the internet. Ands its not just trivial stuff, im talking about career oriented material. I learned far more on the internet than I ever did in college.

 

[dmw007]

My work looks much, much better than students who do projects on PCs, but that doesn't mean I'm smarter.

Well, it certainly means that you are smarter for using a Mac!

 

[Mord]

I've used a laptop since I was 12 at school (my own), it was a useful tool and I'm certain my grades are higher because of it.

 

[CalBoy]

This whole thing is a bit ridiculous. Learning doesn't rely on computers, white boards, chalk boards, PowerPoint, etc. What learning relies on is good teachers and equally good students. I can honestly say that even though I have the ability to type pretty well (faster than I can write by hand), I still prefer to take notes in class by hand using a good old fashion pen and paper. Why? It helps me focus on what the professor is trying to say, and to avoid distractions. One doesn't need a Mac or a PC in order to be a good learner. Computers are simply tools in time management and organization. They can't help a student learn anymore about a subject (assuming it isn't about computers) than a new car can teach you how to drive. The skills still have to be learned the hard way, and unfortunately, no one seems to want that these days. Now it's all about, "how can we make the student who can't read a sentence in 11th grade feel good about himself?" Talk about grade inflation, some of my younger cousins who are pulling 4.0s shock me when they can't even speak a complete sentence, or pronounce "asked" correctly. Truly sad for a 1st world nation in the 21st Century.

 

[SupadudeX]

This whole thing is a bit ridiculous. Learning doesn't rely on computers, white boards, chalk boards, PowerPoint, etc. What learning relies on is good teachers and equally good students.

Im going to have to disagree on the teachers part. I just finished my bachelors degree and am starting my graduate degree and I have so say that there are very few teachers that really teach you anything anymore. If it had not been for my own personal drive for knowledge and learning outside of the classroom I would be like 90% of my class that just graduated. Looking for a job and not really knowing how to do anything. But instead I took the initiative to learn the material myself, many times before I took the class. In the end the class just served to reaffirm what I had already learned, and maybe tie up a few loose ends. I also found that I got more out of the classes because I already learned the material and I could ask and focus on more advanced questions.

In my opinnion the traditional method of education does not work. Listening to the teacher lecture and taking notes allows you to learn just enough to pass the tests. The way that worked for me is to learn the material myself, get practical experience and then take the classes. And most of my material came from the internet and use of computers. Of course I graduated with an Engineering degree. This might not be applicable to other subjects.

 

[CalBoy]

Im going to have to disagree on the teachers part. I just finished my bachelors degree and am starting my graduate degree and I have so say that there are very few teachers that really teach you anything anymore. If it had not been for my own personal drive for knowledge and learning outside of the classroom I would be like 90% of my class that just graduated. Looking for a job and not really knowing how to do anything. But instead I took the initiative to learn the material myself, many times before I took the class. In the end the class just served to reaffirm what I had already learned, and maybe tie up a few loose ends. I also found that I got more out of the classes because I already learned the material and I could ask and focus on more advanced questions.

In my opinnion the traditional method of education does not work. Listening to the teacher lecture and taking notes allows you to learn just enough to pass the tests. The way that worked for me is to learn the material myself, get practical experience and then take the classes. And most of my material came from the internet and use of computers. Of course I graduated with an Engineering degree. This might not be applicable to other subjects.

Well, I can agree with you about a lack of good teachers, but college/university is different. Since the volume of information is much greater at the college level, the lecture format is the most efficient. However, like you said, most students only study for the test, not for life. This is why it's prudent to get an internship during the summers and work part-time. The skills learned there are invaluable.

 

[SupadudeX]

Well, I can agree with you about a lack of good teachers, but college/university is different. Since the volume of information is much greater at the college level, the lecture format is the most efficient. However, like you said, most students only study for the test, not for life. This is why it's prudent to get an internship during the summers and work part-time. The skills learned there are invaluable.

Most efficient maybe. Not the most valuable though. I would say I had better teachers in high school. I went to a pretty decent high school however.

 

[CalBoy]

Most efficient maybe. Not the most valuable though. I would say I had better teachers in high school. I went to a pretty decent high school however.

Well, the idea is that good high school teachers prepare you for the bad college professors. In the end, the professor rarely gives a hoot about you; he/she is usually more interested in their own research, and your grade is really given to you by your GSI.