As the world moves steadily into the digital age, IHS has been no slacker in the transition. From Chromebooks to Epson projectors, IHS is brimming with the latest technological innovations. But are all of these really working? From a student’s point of view: it depends.
Chromebooks
Easily the most important component of the transition. Giving all students access to the internet and some sort of computer has become all but essential. It’s worth noting that a substantial number of students don’t actually use their Chromebooks, forgoing them in favor of a personal device. Perhaps their unused Chromebooks could be put to better use as loaners or classroom laptops.
However, Chromebooks have been coupled with a reduction in paper assignments, which I, at least, see as a negative change. I may be in the minority on this one, but as a paper-and-pencil enthusiast, typing out assignments just doesn’t feel the same. The transition to entirely online assignments has also given rise to 12 am deadlines (or even later), which incentivize students to stay up late to complete work, rather than just turning in assignments in class the next day. Internet connectivity also remains an issue for many students who don’t have reliable access at home.
Projectors
Staring at a bright projector (often in a dark classroom) all day long cannot be good for anyone’s optical health. Having been exposed to perhaps the only IHS classroom that had a chalkboard and a teacher who used it, I can say that it was a far more fulfilling experience. Not only is it nice to see everything written out in nice big letters, but chalkboards also limit teachers to the speed at which they can write—avoiding the common pitfall of moving through slideshows faster than students can process. In a way, I believe that it also creates a more collaborative environment with students if teachers are working through the lesson at the same pace.
It is true that projectors have made teachers’ lives easier, though—and depending on the class, writing everything out on a chalkboard may not be the best option. Perhaps a combination of the two, using slideshows when necessary for pictures and videos, and chalkboards for written lessons, would be a good way to achieve the best of both worlds.
TVs
If there were a hall of fame for the most useless high school technologies, IHS’s TVs would be the first to be inducted. They seem to display only a static slideshow, which could easily be replaced by posters or signs. It’s possible that the light of a TV (and the exciting transition animations) attracts students’ attention, but with an already strained system of electric lines, one has to question if this is truly a priority.
Whatever may be the case, the fact is that the televisions are here, and probably here to stay. It would be easy to put them to far better use by updating them far more frequently, or by allowing students to submit announcements or short videos to be played on the TVs, making them a more interesting attraction.
Clocks
I still have yet to see what the purpose of the new electric clocks is. That’s not to say I don’t understand the importance of having accurate, functioning clocks, it’s just still unclear what was wrong with normal, analog clocks. Sure, the new ones are nice and shiny and even have speakers underneath them, but since I still can’t hear the announcements in my third period class, I’m still questioning their value.
The Big Picture
It’s true that the world is changing, and IHS has no other option but to change with it. There are elements of the past that should be discarded, but also some that I believe are worthy of maintaining into the digital age, and actually bring a number of benefits to students. It is more important that we consider thoroughly the advantages and disadvantages of each piece of technology rather than advance at a breakneck speed.