Dear Editor:
Re: Tablets Required for W. Van Secondary Students, April 23.
I am disappointed that West Vancouver secondary is asking all students to use an iPad, tablet or laptop in the classroom. Studies have shown that when notes are written by hand we activate regions in the brain that involve thinking, language and working memory. Typing notes rather than writing them decreases the amount of information retained, translating into poorer recall. The more information is presented in a passive way (i.e. using the Internet to read information instead of referencing a book), the less likely the student is to remember it.
I realize there is an attraction to keep up with technology and that students have regular access to technology already. However, I caution the rampant adoption of technology in the classroom. This move is not only expensive to implement for parents and schools,but may be hindering students' learning instead of supporting it. I encourage parents and teachers to look at the specific benefits expected of this technology in the classroom before jumping to adopt it. As we have seen, children do not need tablets in the classroom in order to learn how to use them; they're learning outside the classroom already. It shouldn't be about making it easier for teachers to plan lessons - rather, it should be about ensuring students are learning and retaining the information they learn in the most effective way possible.
Caroline Chambers
North Vancouver
