[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Hubby is a prof. and just had a seminar this week about this very subject. I could care LESS about what the unions think.

MY concern is....text books are going digital. Call me a ‘fuddy duddy’....but I like PAPER in my hand. Digital can be erased. Over a period of time....all books and materials are ‘digitized’....which is where we are headed. Where is the ‘backup’?

Second.....if there is a hacking or power outage.....the server goes down. Then what? Is the student re-reimbursed?

Also.....SOCIALIZATION. Students interacting with PEOPLE....IN PERSON.

Just a couple of concerns I have with this. JMHO.

[Jonty30]

I personally like physical textbooks, because of the reusability factor and that they make great reference material, so I agree with you here.

But much of the socialization does not really happen in the classroom, where students are supposed to be paying attention to what the teacher is saying. It happens after class, which can still happen through student collaboration.

[Beach_Babe]

The virtual high school we used was free. Teachers held live on-line classes — some daily, some once or twice a week. All the classes were recorded and could be viewed at a later time in case they were missed because of a power failure, a doctor's appointment, a field trip, etc. Although we didn't attend any, there were many school-sponsored field trips throughout the semester. And teachers were just a phone call away if a problem/question arose.

[wastedyears]

Also.....SOCIALIZATION. Students interacting with PEOPLE....IN PERSON.

I knew some pretty crappy people when I was 8 to 10 years old. It would've been worth it to avoid them.

[maine-iac7]

Also.....SOCIALIZATION. Students interacting with PEOPLE....IN PERSON

MANTRA!

BALONEY!

Are you still in school? If not, do you not have a 'social' life?

Public schools segregate students in same age groups, an unnatural setting that they won't encounter again - in time wasting classes...programming them to be good little worker bees.

Individuality is tampered down, conformity is the drum beat.

Yes, there are people who need the structure, who need someone else to plan the hours of their days, who have little ability to be self-activated.

There are others who are hampered by such settings.

One size, like 800 calorie lunches, does not fit all.