Tablet PCs for students plan 'needs modifying'

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Tablet PCs for students plan 'needs modifying'

Prathom 4 kids benefit more than first-graders

Published: 12 May 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The government's tablet computer distribution plan benefits students and has no obvious negative impacts, but should be targeting Prathom 4 (Grade 4) students rather than Prathom 1, says an official study.

"Preliminarily, the study finds no obvious negative impacts on students," said Chalermchai Boonyaleepun, president of Srinakharinwirot University which conducted the study.

The analysis found that students benefited in the areas of technological skills and creative thinking.

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banmebkk
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Discussion 16 : 14 May 2012 at 16.3816
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@Disc 9 bkkfig - The best International Schools can afford to use technology because, firstly the teachers are well qualified hence technology is a added supplement to enhance the students learning. Whereas in Thai local schools, teachers are hardly qualified enough to teach let alone supplement it with technology. There are so many better things to spend the 1 billion that can benefit thai students. Hence this tablet pc pet project of the PTP is already a failure before it starts!
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banmebkk
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Discussion 15 : 14 May 2012 at 16.3115
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@Disc 7 hillfarang - For someone who is involved with creative education, you should know better that 1 billion baht spent on a tablet for one age group that needs it the least is a big waste of tax payers money. Why not a computer room? or a "multimedia cart" that can be passed on from one class to the other? more age groups will benefit.

I'm not against creativity and technology. This policy is poorly executed, admit it!
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golf
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Discussion 14 : 12 May 2012 at 22.4614
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It's all about control: First you enter your name and then your 11-digit red shirt member numer. Welcome to TS Network. Now you are able to use your tablet and to receive instuctions ...
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hawaiiman
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Discussion 13 : 12 May 2012 at 12.5313
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One of the sources of bad English comprehension is students using school computers ti access "Google translate". Anyone who has used one of these cyber translators knows the answers can be quite bizarre.
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hillfarang
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Discussion 12 : 12 May 2012 at 11.2412
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bikeme D:10 wrote: "Ultimately it is the teachers that inspire the kids to study and learn, not the tools."

Bingo! I believe that you "hit the nail on the head!" A computer, laptop or tablet is, after all, just a tool. It is what is done with that tool that counts. Teacher training world-wide leaves much to be desired. Teaching must inspire and that cannot happen in outmoded, rote and narrow-minded administrations. Education IS a journey (discovery & conceptualization) NOT just a destination (Final Exams & Grades).

It is not just Thailand that is struggling with this issue.
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dao
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Discussion 11 : 12 May 2012 at 11.0211
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This horrible idea isnt even out yet and the government is defending it .What is the outdated teacher supposed to do while the kids with a 10 second attention play with their tablets all day ? This idea is a superficial attempt to skip over the hard work it takes to update the education system and instead expect a cheap piece od Chinese junk to do it for you .Tablets dont make kids think teachers do .
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bikeme
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Discussion 10 : 12 May 2012 at 10.3410
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Good to see that the tablets have no negative effects on illness or junk food consumption.

But one has to ask, for how long of a time period was this study conducted? Education is a many year process, how can one draw conclusions based on a couple of month study? Right now the tablets are a novelty to students, something fun to work with. But within a couple of years they will become a task that students HAVE to do, which will then become something they don't really want to do (simple childhood rebellion).

Computers is every school were supposed to be a perfect idea, but how many schools worldwide adopted it. Then it was laptops, now tablets. Ultimately it is the teachers that inspire the kids to study and learn, not the tools.
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bkkfig
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Discussion 9 : 12 May 2012 at 10.319
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While there are going to be some issues with this project it should be noted that this is the way forward for education. The Thai government is attempting to put its students on a level that is above that of other nations. Will it work? I don't know, will there be problems? I am sure there will. However just look at the best International Schools in Bangkok and Singapore they are promoting and working towards this kind of technology and way of learning. It is the way forward.
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athenabkk
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Discussion 8 : 12 May 2012 at 10.228
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I believe the tablets come bundled with a GPS Navigation system. I wonder what the study thought about that?
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hillfarang
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Discussion 7 : 12 May 2012 at 10.027
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Discussion 5 : banmebkk

"...Plus it is harder to make sure students are on the same page without having them going into other programs... They should just stick with books, most cost efficient and most effective..."

Oh my! "Same page..." Everyone do the same thing, repeat & memorize & regurgitate for the exams. banmebkk, I respectfully submit, as one who has been involved with creative education for 42 years now, that the last thing Thailand needs is "more of the same!" Have you ever seen what they do with outdated and outmoded Thai textbooks?

The whole idea of this innovation is to stimulate exploration, discovery & creativity!

Let's give something new & original a try (for a change)...
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Tablet PCs for students plan 'needs modifying' | Bangkok Post: news