Are laptops a waste of money?

By Meg Miller
Posted Monday, November 5, 2007

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Pittsboro, NC - Any parents out there actually ask their high school kids what they use the MILLIONS of dollars worth of computers purschased a few years back for. Is it for anything they couldn't use a book or hand out for? Is it worth the time it takes to get the computers out, log on...wait, because they are slow-so- slow? What is that altogether? Fifteen minutes of wasted instructional time. So in order to make it worthwhile you have to use them for at least 30 minutes, or what's the point?

Get a book out. I think most students find them slow and small and not worth the bother.

Some teachers will teach and use powerpoint. We don't have Smart Boards and we are keeping our teachers and staff up to date on the latest changes and upgrades.

Just curious to know if anyone else feels this purchase and continued financial drain of a deal with APPLE was a waste of money when our schools need so much more? Certainly would rather hire qualified instructors than more IT people.

Just don't want to see the Land Transfer Tax money go for more of the same. (if that happens...someone needs to keep a closer eye on who spends what and where)

Deb McManus pushed this purchase but voted against more room for Northwood. I don't get it.

I think it's time the BOE put out a questionnaire to the teachers and students about use of laptops and their future place in education. They are "bells and whistles" when we need meat and potatoes.