GOING DIGITAL?

My sister-in-law Karen called a few days ago to wish us a Happy New Year. She’s nearing the end of her three week Christmas break, the norm for elementary teachers in Southern California.

I’ve realized for a long time that many initiatives in Canada such as requiring nutritional information on restaurant menus and the use of fire retardants on furniture originated in California.

That also applies to education with many changes in our Ontario math curriculum and methodology starting in the Golden State.

Recently, the Los Angeles Unified School Board advocated that a tablet computer or similar device be put in the hands of every student and teacher in the city. That’s 700,000 pieces of digital equipment at a cost of about $450 million, not counting a cost of at least $200 million to update campuses for wireless Internet services.

Talk about an expensive proposal for a state on the outer edge of a fiscal cliff.

Possibly in response to this costly tablet in every backpack initiative comes a cost effective if not bizarre idea from the Fontana School Board in the San Bernardino County. Karen’s board wants all teachers to use a simple and trouble-free way to ensure that students are keeping up with their lessons. At the end of each instruction, teachers are to seek immediate feedback from their students about whether or not they have understood what’s been taught. This is accomplished by the use of a special digital device attached to the end of each student’s hand.

No, we’re not talking about a cell phone or other type of electronic wizardry. In fact, every student actually already carries two of these devices to school every day, one for primary usage and the other as back up. And they’re absolutely free!

Are you ready?

What the Fontana School Board is actually referring to is the thumb. That’s right, the thumb.

Thumbs up when a student has followed the lesson, thumbs down when he or she hasn’t.

An all thumbs up by the class gives the teacher the green light to move on to a new topic. All thumbs down means that the lesson should be retaught. So far, no board directives have been issued for a split decision. Maybe they’re waiting on Judge Judy for guidance here.

If nothing else, California is creating a new wave of judges for American idol as well as engineering the return of a craze that was big back when I was a teen…. …. hitch hiking.

Let’s hope Ontario educators give this initiative a big thumbs down.