Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
Having a laptop helps me write by spell checking
my writing. It also helps me with my quality of my writing,because
I am not a very nice hand - writer. I can also type faster than write
on paper because can just not write a whole letter, but press a button.

Noah

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
The little laptops are great! They help me write better.They have spellcheck which helps me spell better .We can also do slide shows.The 4th graders should look forward blogs on the little laptops.They should also look forward to playing math games and the exhibition wiki.


Vincent

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
A laptop is a small computer were you type. Laptops make it easier
to type faster anywhere and even more fast anywhere you are. The faster
you type, the better you type. The laptops are really fun and I am so glad that we have them.

Bryan

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
Next year's 5th graders can look forward to using the laptops. Next year's 5th graders can look forward to writing on Wikis. They can also look forward to writing blogs, too. I think next year's 5th will have fun writing on the laptops.
America

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
Thank you for the laptops I really am enjoying them. I bet next year's fith graders are going to have fun with them. These laptops are fun beecause they have lots of fun and educational games and research. I love to research so now I have a little laptop to research on in school, instead of going down to the library. Thank you for these small, black, and fun laptops.

Angela

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear,Mr. Maas
next year fifth graders are looking forward to blog on the laptops about things such as, like what a future class room would look like. Also fifth grade next year will be learning math games on the laptops to help them in math. What I like about about the laptops is we get to lean how to type right on a computer. So thats what the fifth graders next year are looking forward to next year.
Theresa

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
using a laptop helps me write for many reasons.The first, reason is when we don't spell something correctly it shows us. Another reason is we have fun typing, and we get to do many interesting and fun
things. One last reason is that many students and teachers have fun working on them.
Next, year 5th graders will probably, look forward to doing a lot of research on the tripple E's.
they will also, look forward to blogging. Also, they will look forward to be responsible for the laptop your using and there flash drive. Even though, they are fun sometimes you have to be serious with them.
Kenna

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

It is really easy to get caught up in all this. In fact I sometimes equate "blogging" to "riding a wave in the ocean"... You throw an idea out there and "ride" the comments like a wave back into the shoreline. So now Dan's post from last week is up to 84 comments or "wavelets" so that's a really BIG wave!

Now the thought that popped into head is one that no one has asked yet... (please don't make this comment out to be a buzz kill or anything): Apart from the hype, the apparent enthusiasm, the overwhelmingly positive responses...
Question: How are these students doing academically now? Are they demonstrating success in measurable ways? Better grades, better on MAPS tests? Is there something we can attribute directly to them having a laptop? Is there something we'd do differently to improve outcomes (further)?

I wanted to throw this question out there much like a slightly different "wave to ride". One with a "rip tide" perhaps? I hope the results are tangible and positive.

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
Using laptops in class saves time helping us to learn more. With a laptop, you have access to typing notes quickly and looking up information on the internet. Having a laptop helps you to be a faster and more efficient student. You can gain knowledge quickly by looking it up, and it also helps you move along in class faster because you are able to type notes instead of having to hand-write them. A laptop also helps to decrease the amount of ‘busy work’ that is given because any knowledge you need to complete an assignment can be looked up, by getting rid of ‘busy work’ there is more actual learning happening. Another option that is given with a laptop is a flash drive, so the work is saved and can be worked on from another computer, and is only lost if the flash drive is. Also, using laptops in class helps develop computer skills quickly, and because of how easy it is to access and share ideas through technology more people are becoming accustomed to the computer and so learning how to use is very helpful. The internet also helps with quick research, and it has things such as online texts, educational games, and other resources letting people share information and combine it. Laptops can hold all the work a student has done, it can keep them organized as opposed to having multiple papers that you have to keep track of, laptops help eliminate the amount of missing homework and class work. Writing skills can also be developed with a laptop, because instead of having to handwrite a paper and having to correct it over and over a laptop lets you delete words easily and helps you to reword and it also helps you correct misspelled words. It saves time on each individual thing, helping students to have more time for their overall writing product.
-Erica K.

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Dear Mr. Maas,
Using laptops in class saves time helping us to learn more. With a laptop, you have access to typing notes quickly and looking up information on the internet. Having a laptop helps you to be a faster and more efficient student. You can gain knowledge quickly by looking it up, and it also helps you move along in class faster because you are able to type notes instead of having to hand-write them. A laptop also helps to decrease the amount of ‘busy work’ that is given because any knowledge you need to complete an assignment can be looked up, by getting rid of ‘busy work’ there is more actual learning happening. Another option that is given with a laptop is a flash drive, so the work is saved and can be worked on from another computer, and is only lost if the flash drive is. Also, using laptops in class helps develop computer skills quickly, and because of how easy it is to access and share ideas through technology more people are becoming accustomed to the computer and so learning how to use is very helpful. The internet also helps with quick research, and it has things such as online texts, educational games, and other resources letting people share information and combine it. Laptops can hold all the work a student has done, it can keep them organized as opposed to having multiple papers that you have to keep track of, laptops help eliminate the amount of missing homework and class work. Writing skills can also be developed with a laptop, because instead of having to handwrite a paper and having to correct it over and over a laptop lets you delete words easily and helps you to reword and it also helps you correct misspelled words. It saves time on each individual thing, helping students to have more time for their overall writing product.
-Erica K.

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Mr. Mass-
I really enjoy being able to use a laptop in class because it shows that the teacher really has trust in the students (that they will not goof around on the laptops, will do their work, etc.) and it helps in developing more knowledge about the technology.
Students gain more responsibility; not only do we learn about not ruining what we have, but we gain the trust of our teachers. As students, we have the responsibility to do our work and not fool around on the laptop. There will be times when a student slacks off, but overall students do very well in gaining more responsibility.
Skills in writing are able to be expanded upon because, by using a laptop, we have access to anything and everything in class. If we want to find the definition of fathom, or look up a poem to connect to a discussion, we can. With laptop learning, the possibilities are endless.
When I came into high school this year, I already knew a lot about computers, cameras, and other technology. Being able to use laptops in class has helped to develop these skills even further. In English, we have used the technology around us far to our advantage. We have interacted with Daniel Pink (author of A Whole New Mind), we’ve blogged with people from around the globe, and we have posted everything online. Having a laptop in class, and the technology around us, really expands on student learning. Gotta love the access we have to technology these days. ;)
~ ChelseaC

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Mr. Maas-
Using a laptop in class has really helped me and is a great experience. Allowing students to use laptops in class shows the teachers trust in their students (trusting them to not goof off, and do their work, etc…), and it gives the students more experience with technology.
I believe that students are more likely to come to class and participate if they feel like their teachers treat them like they are adults and have trust in them. By giving students laptops, the teachers are showing a lot of trust in their students and expanding their learning.
When I walked into my English class on the first day of high school I was really surprised to find out that we would be using laptops. I thought that it would be harder to use laptops in class but I soon found out that I was wrong. It has been easier using laptops because with homework online you can do your homework anywhere, anytime (as long as you have a computer and internet). I was also surprised when we started using laptops in my biology class. I have found that by using computers in class that the classes have been getting easier and I understand the lessons better.
By the time I have a job computers will most likely be an everyday part of life. It is important to use computers now because it will help students today get jobs in the future. Using computers in class expand the students learning beyond the classroom. With computers you can blog with people in Asia or have access to any information you need/want. School should prepare us for the future and computers are the future.
~ AlisonR

Re: Writing with Laptops -Visitor Comments

Laptops in class is inevitble. If not for the bad timing of the economy, I think the Laptop For Every Child initiative would be in full swing. These netbooks or (mini notebooks) have taken off:...and they really are a great alternative for class notebook computing for under $200.

Especially sites like these that have found the best deals for you from eBay: productreviewratings.com/netbook-mini-notebook-sale/