news.com.com— Weeks into the new school year, Google has started courting K-12 teachers with a resource guide on how to use its applications in the classroom.
Oct 12, 2006View in Crawl 4
I wasn't defending google. I was just pointing out a possible reason why there is less outcry. ie. because people using google services are less aware that they are being advertised to. I didn't mean to imply that less intrusive advertising was anymore OK.
Google is no worse than more "traditional" media. Every read a paper - advertising - watch the evening news - advertising. Someone has got to pay for the production and distribution costs. Contrary to the ideal, most information is NOT free. Some costs are direct, others are indirect (like exposure to advertising). Instead of just complaining about the evils of advertising (and there are plenty) why not focus on acknowledging and counteracting it.
Maybe Google should hire students to show their teachers how to use the applications.trfcrugby: I don't think teachers, especially in K-12, should be mandated to have a "high-level" of computer literacy. A low-level of skill should be plenty (i.e. how to use a mouse and how to surf the web). They've got enough to think about in the classroom already.As for "computer literacy", I think we developers often blame users for their confusion when the real problem is that we don't do enough testing and re-designing to make our applications easier to use. Although I'm not too hip on the idea of over-reliance on technology in schools (thanks Clifford Stoll: <a class="user" href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Tech-Heretic-Reflections-Computer-Contrarian/dp/0385489765">http://www.amazon.com/High-Tech-Heretic-Reflections-Computer-Contrarian/dp/0385489765</a> ), I think that Google does a pretty good job of keeping things simple. Better Google Office than Microsoft Office.
"trfcrugby: I don't think teachers, especially in K-12, should be mandated to have a "high-level" of computer literacy. A low-level of skill should be plenty (i.e. how to use a mouse and how to surf the web). They've got enough to think about in the classroom already." You have never worked in a class room have you. Tru st me they don't even have a low level of computer literacy. Besides haven't you ever heard of teacher connect? Well there lack of knowledge is why. The kids at my high school run circles around the poor people in charge of the computer lab.
shampoovta - "well there lack of knowledge is why."That would be "their" instead of "there."And as a certified geek and a licensed teacher, I resent the derision in these posts and the gross, inaccurate assumption that teacher = technologically inept / idiot. Granted, a great many of the baby-boomer and older teachers are techno phobic. However, every teacher I know and work with who is 40 years old or younger are at least computer competent if not outright "geek-tabulous." I welcome Google's offer. Some of what they offer will be useful and all of what they offer is free - as opposed to teacher specific software like Inspiration, Kidspiration, SmartDraw, and TimeLiner which, in and of themselves, are not individually unreasonably priced but when you get paid what I get paid and the district doesn't have the funds for chalk let alone software, you can go broke pretty darn quick buying it all yourself. Add in the price of MS Office and Photoshop and you start hoping you can get WiFi in your cardboard box because that is where you are going to end up living.So, to sum up (as I do at the end of every class with my kids): 1)
wwwdot1jesdotusOct 13, 2006
hmmm. could it be time for digg to add a "Google only" section?
jdzitroOct 13, 2006
yes.... theyre beginning the training for their worldwide takeover.... *evil laugh*
enchiritoOct 13, 2006
I wasn't defending google. I was just pointing out a possible reason why there is less outcry. ie. because people using google services are less aware that they are being advertised to. I didn't mean to imply that less intrusive advertising was anymore OK.
curiosOct 13, 2006
I find that Googles ads are often helpfull and usually very relavent to the website content.
jeffreypaulesOct 13, 2006
Google is no worse than more "traditional" media. Every read a paper - advertising - watch the evening news - advertising. Someone has got to pay for the production and distribution costs. Contrary to the ideal, most information is NOT free. Some costs are direct, others are indirect (like exposure to advertising). Instead of just complaining about the evils of advertising (and there are plenty) why not focus on acknowledging and counteracting it.
jasonthepersonOct 13, 2006
Maybe Google should hire students to show their teachers how to use the applications.trfcrugby: I don't think teachers, especially in K-12, should be mandated to have a "high-level" of computer literacy. A low-level of skill should be plenty (i.e. how to use a mouse and how to surf the web). They've got enough to think about in the classroom already.As for "computer literacy", I think we developers often blame users for their confusion when the real problem is that we don't do enough testing and re-designing to make our applications easier to use. Although I'm not too hip on the idea of over-reliance on technology in schools (thanks Clifford Stoll: <a class="user" href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Tech-Heretic-Reflections-Computer-Contrarian/dp/0385489765">http://www.amazon.com/High-Tech-Heretic-Reflections-Computer-Contrarian/dp/0385489765</a> ), I think that Google does a pretty good job of keeping things simple. Better Google Office than Microsoft Office.
shampoovtaOct 13, 2006
"trfcrugby: I don't think teachers, especially in K-12, should be mandated to have a "high-level" of computer literacy. A low-level of skill should be plenty (i.e. how to use a mouse and how to surf the web). They've got enough to think about in the classroom already." You have never worked in a class room have you. Tru st me they don't even have a low level of computer literacy. Besides haven't you ever heard of teacher connect? Well there lack of knowledge is why. The kids at my high school run circles around the poor people in charge of the computer lab.
riquiscottOct 14, 2006
shampoovta - "well there lack of knowledge is why."That would be "their" instead of "there."And as a certified geek and a licensed teacher, I resent the derision in these posts and the gross, inaccurate assumption that teacher = technologically inept / idiot. Granted, a great many of the baby-boomer and older teachers are techno phobic. However, every teacher I know and work with who is 40 years old or younger are at least computer competent if not outright "geek-tabulous." I welcome Google's offer. Some of what they offer will be useful and all of what they offer is free - as opposed to teacher specific software like Inspiration, Kidspiration, SmartDraw, and TimeLiner which, in and of themselves, are not individually unreasonably priced but when you get paid what I get paid and the district doesn't have the funds for chalk let alone software, you can go broke pretty darn quick buying it all yourself. Add in the price of MS Office and Photoshop and you start hoping you can get WiFi in your cardboard box because that is where you are going to end up living.So, to sum up (as I do at the end of every class with my kids): 1)