Laptops in our primary schools?

When a co-worker once insisted his children should always have the latest digital technology, we thought that was indulgent. Today, we wouldn’t be so hasty. Technology is changing faster than we can say Apple and those born into it act like digital natives.

So a letter in the Gleaner about an elementary school asking a student to keep his laptop at home surprised us.  In the Gleaner’s Ask The Doc, the boy’s mother insists the technology helps him with schoolwork and is more efficient for assignments.  Now we didn’t expect anyone had to tell a teacher that.

The Doc’s diplomatic response suggests the school might simply have been security conscious and advises the child to use his computer at home to avoid losing it.

Clearly, we will see more of such issues in Jamaica as technology becomes more pervasive. Laptops are common tools and can definitely enhance classroom learning.  They can give students ready access to valuable information and experience researching reliable sources. Laptops are also easier for note taking and children can learn real-life skills for the modern work environment.

The downside is not always being able to monitor what children access on the net. Teachers need to make sure students are working and not playing games on their laptops or, worse, accessing inappropriate sites. And if parents were required to provide laptops many couldn’t afford it. Laptops in the classroom are also likely to create unhealthy competition for those with and anxieties for those without.

The only sure thing we can say is that such technology issues will occupy us more frequently in the future.