4 ms·

I don't seem a Wacom providing $100 of extra value compared with a working solution that is free.

by shard 6y ago

aaomidi 6y ago
A wacom provides a ton of value that you can't just get on pen and paper. The ability to have infinite space in teaching is extremely useful.
- Shared404 6y ago
  > A wacom provides a ton of value that you can't just get on pen and paper. I had teachers who I know for a fact had wacom tablets available, as they taught the photography/graphics course, who still chose to use pencil and paper. I have to assume therefore that there is some benefit to using pencil and paper over a wacom.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- shard 6y ago
  I am not denying the value of a Wacom tablet, I'm simply considering the teachers' salaries, and comparing the cost of a $100 Wacom tablet with a free CD and pencil plus a $1 notebook.
ClumsyPilot 6y ago
"working solution that is free" With this ingenious level of analysis we'd still be banging rocks together to make fire. Aside from ethics, a class of kids represents millions of future earnings and GDP, this warrants serious approach and best tools money can buy. Instead education is still stuck in 18th century and we have to put up with ridiculius aruments about petty expences.
- Shared404 6y ago
  > Aside from ethics, a class of kids represents millions of future earnings and GDP, this warrants serious approach and best tools money can buy. Indeed it does. Let's start with paying the teachers more instead of assuming they should pay out of pocket, then, we can have districts pay for the teaching supplies... Oh wait, that all costs tax dollars? Never mind, carry on. Edit: Also, I had teachers who I know for a fact had wacom tablets available, as they taught the photography/graphics course, who still chose to use pencil and paper. I have to assume therefore that there is some benefit to using pencil and paper over a wacom. This being the case, why on earth would they spend more money?
  - ohyeshedid 6y ago
    It's entirely possible they weren't comfortable using a tablet input, or even wanting to learn how to use one. I've seen this firsthand, numerous times in more numerous careers. Either way, it's important to teach children to use technology so they aren't lost when entering higher education or career environments that will use said technology.
    - Shared404 6y ago
      This teacher spent more than three years convincing the district to purchase the wacom tablets, and pushed everyone in the photography class to use them as much as possible. I completely agree, but for the purposes of a teacher using a tool to display something to the class, if paper works better, paper works better.
- 8note 6y ago
  Who's it worth millions to though? The teacher?
- pmontra 6y ago
  Sometimes paper is the best tool money can buy.
- macspoofing 6y ago
  In mid-2000s there was a trial in my region's elementary schools that had students equipped with PDAs and keyboard and they could use those to write their essays on. It was obviously stupid but someobody thought like you and made the assumption that technological improvement for the sake of technological improvement is better than just using something that is low-tech and way better. >Instead education is still stuck in 18th century Nitpick. Education is not stuck in the 18th century.
  - ClumsyPilot 6y ago
    If they just rolled out this initiative across the country without a second thought, then you could call it stupid. If they carefull trialed it and got scientific data as to PDA's effectiveness, then you have no right to declare 'obvious stupidity' of any sort, no matter what the results were.
Pfhreak 6y ago
It's free only if you discount the teacher's time.
- onion2k 6y ago
  You'd also need to account for the time it'd take to set up and learn to use a Wacom tablet though, which is likely longer than the time it'd take to tape a pencil and a CD to a laptop. This just shows the Wacom tablet is even more expensive.
- macspoofing 6y ago
  Point taken, but distributing a new piece of hardware to thousands of teachers does require logistical planning, and at the teacher level .. it will require training and support. Some teachers will still take time to adjust their teaching methodology and will struggle and therefore will take time. So no, Wacom tablets are not a magic time-saver that protects teachers time. In fact, it may the case you shipped Wacom tablets and this teacher STILL chooses to use this low-tech approach. Why? Because you didn't do your due diligence and just assumed Wacom tablets will solve this problem and you have ZERO evidence for that. Right now, we're in just scrambling to get the basics sorted out. I think you do want to give teachers some flexibility in figuring out the last mile of this process and potentially roll out things that work, into general policies later ... because there is no way a school board can think through all the challenges.

I don't seem a Wacom providing $100 of extra value compared with a working solution that is free.

by shard 6y ago

I don't seem a Wacom providing $100 of extra value compared with a working solution that is free.

A wacom provides a ton of value that you can't just get on pen and paper. The ability to have infinite space in teaching is extremely useful.

Shared404 6y ago
> A wacom provides a ton of value that you can't just get on pen and paper. I had teachers who I know for a fact had wacom tablets available, as they taught the photography/graphics course, who still chose to use pencil and paper. I have to assume therefore that there is some benefit to using pencil and paper over a wacom.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
shard 6y ago
I am not denying the value of a Wacom tablet, I'm simply considering the teachers' salaries, and comparing the cost of a $100 Wacom tablet with a free CD and pencil plus a $1 notebook.

ClumsyPilot 6y ago

"working solution that is free" With this ingenious level of analysis we'd still be banging rocks together to make fire. Aside from ethics, a class of kids represents millions of future earnings and GDP, this warrants serious approach and best tools money can buy. Instead education is still stuck in 18th century and we have to put up with ridiculius aruments about petty expences.

Shared404 6y ago
> Aside from ethics, a class of kids represents millions of future earnings and GDP, this warrants serious approach and best tools money can buy. Indeed it does. Let's start with paying the teachers more instead of assuming they should pay out of pocket, then, we can have districts pay for the teaching supplies... Oh wait, that all costs tax dollars? Never mind, carry on. Edit: Also, I had teachers who I know for a fact had wacom tablets available, as they taught the photography/graphics course, who still chose to use pencil and paper. I have to assume therefore that there is some benefit to using pencil and paper over a wacom. This being the case, why on earth would they spend more money?
- ohyeshedid 6y ago
  It's entirely possible they weren't comfortable using a tablet input, or even wanting to learn how to use one. I've seen this firsthand, numerous times in more numerous careers. Either way, it's important to teach children to use technology so they aren't lost when entering higher education or career environments that will use said technology.
  - Shared404 6y ago
    This teacher spent more than three years convincing the district to purchase the wacom tablets, and pushed everyone in the photography class to use them as much as possible. I completely agree, but for the purposes of a teacher using a tool to display something to the class, if paper works better, paper works better.
8note 6y ago
Who's it worth millions to though? The teacher?
pmontra 6y ago
Sometimes paper is the best tool money can buy.
macspoofing 6y ago
In mid-2000s there was a trial in my region's elementary schools that had students equipped with PDAs and keyboard and they could use those to write their essays on. It was obviously stupid but someobody thought like you and made the assumption that technological improvement for the sake of technological improvement is better than just using something that is low-tech and way better. >Instead education is still stuck in 18th century Nitpick. Education is not stuck in the 18th century.
- ClumsyPilot 6y ago
  If they just rolled out this initiative across the country without a second thought, then you could call it stupid. If they carefull trialed it and got scientific data as to PDA's effectiveness, then you have no right to declare 'obvious stupidity' of any sort, no matter what the results were.

Pfhreak 6y ago

It's free only if you discount the teacher's time.

onion2k 6y ago
You'd also need to account for the time it'd take to set up and learn to use a Wacom tablet though, which is likely longer than the time it'd take to tape a pencil and a CD to a laptop. This just shows the Wacom tablet is even more expensive.
macspoofing 6y ago
Point taken, but distributing a new piece of hardware to thousands of teachers does require logistical planning, and at the teacher level .. it will require training and support. Some teachers will still take time to adjust their teaching methodology and will struggle and therefore will take time. So no, Wacom tablets are not a magic time-saver that protects teachers time. In fact, it may the case you shipped Wacom tablets and this teacher STILL chooses to use this low-tech approach. Why? Because you didn't do your due diligence and just assumed Wacom tablets will solve this problem and you have ZERO evidence for that. Right now, we're in just scrambling to get the basics sorted out. I think you do want to give teachers some flexibility in figuring out the last mile of this process and potentially roll out things that work, into general policies later ... because there is no way a school board can think through all the challenges.