A Few Thoughts....

Last week, I had some interesting interactions with technology. I was substitute teaching in a different school, and I just happened to be in the workroom while some different conversations were going on. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but it was kind-of hard not to listen, and it ended up being useful information. First of all, the issue of ipods in the school came up. I was just sitting there thinking they were going to talk about music that wasn’t appropriate for school and stuff like that. However, the teachers started talking about how students use ipods to cheat. I was stunned. I had never thought about ipods in this way. They were talking about how they download books to listen to, or I guess are able to somehow record themselves, and put answers to the test on them. One boy, even strategically sat near the wall, so he could have one headphone in, without anyone seeing. I felt so naive. I had never thought of ipods in this way before. Has anyone had experience with this? I know about the use of cell-phones, but I just didn’t think a student was so bold to just put their headphone on. I guess, though, if they know that the teacher isn’t really paying attention, then they know it’s not a big deal.
My other issue arose with notes online. In two of the classes, they had set-up a place where students could print off packets online. However, the teachers were very confused, because one girl was really upset about it. Also, they had planned for the students that didn’t have computers, to pick up theirs in the library. This caused another level of concern for the teachers, because other students took those packets, leaving the librarians to make a bunch more during school. I just wonder, if for something like notes, and homework assignments, if this is really fair to the students. I know, for me, in highschool, my computer always froze, or would mess up, and I was the type of student that would get really upset if I didn’t turn something in on time. This type of system would have really aggravated me. Does anyone have a more successful story about these types of classes, where all materials are online, and you are held responsible for them? My other problem was that the students were ninth graders, and they were thrown into this system that was causing a lot of frustration. It’s not like they were a.p students. They were just getting used to highschool, and they were almost being treated like college students. It was just interesting, and something I hadn’t really seen before.