SMART Table now available in North America and UK
By Darren Murph 
posted February 11th 2009 8:24AM
posted February 11th 2009 8:24AM
posted February 11th 2009 8:24AM
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Was it wrong I called those kids lucky bastards?
Elementary school kids would cover that in Cheetos dust, snot, and a layer of mystery crust in a heart beat. You would have to sanitize that thing daily nay hourly and teachers are way to lazy to clean anything.
Hi. My name is Janitor, I clean anything.
Yes of course schools buy hugely expensive computers then let kids eat their lunch off them.
Teachers do tend to prevent lord of the flies style incidents at school I'm sure they can stop pupils vomiting all over a computer.
What is the point of this really kids get better tactile use from actually making stuff not "virtually" making stuff.
Major4Play "What is the point of this really kids get better tactile use from actually making stuff not "virtually" making stuff."
This is what my grandma said when she heard that schools were going to add computer labs in the 90's.
@Saad Rabia "Hi. My name is Janitor, I clean anything." Oh that is rich you are a funny guy. Have you ever actually paid attention to the cleanliness level of most elementary schools. They are clean enough just as long as you make it a point to wash your hands a lot. I haven't met a custodian yet who will put a dust rag anywhere near a piece of tech.
@Major4Play No they won't eat lunch on them, but that doesn't mean they are good hand washers. I work at elementary schools and you have to remind kids even 11 and 12 year-olds to go back in the bathroom, flush the toilet, and wash their hands, because you can generally hear when they flush toilets and 9 out of 10 kids probably forget.
Tarnation, a school able to buy this Table are also able to hire better janitors, just saying. And easy on the too-serious tone. :)
"It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt". In your case, Tarnation, all doubt has been removed. I know many teachers and they spend a large amount of time cleaning up after children. It is unfortunate you have such a low opinion of both children and teachers. You obviously have not benefited from either.
I do wonder about the durability of the smart table, also the price has to be considered since most public schools are not exactly rich especially the ones located in low income areas (reminds me of my old high school, the principle thought it was a "better" (cheaper) investment to get the boys/girls tennis team a ball machine instead of a coach. outcome? no one knew how to use the machine so it sat in a closet.)
I totally understand where you are coming from. However your principal did not think strategically. At the end of the day SMART can make the best technology ever, once the consumer does not have an aim or an understanding of what they need the technology for then it is as good as rubbish. Just by observing many of their ads i believe smart has taken durability into consideration. But we just have to really wait and see.
Jeff, how about low income areas not buy this thing? I mean it's obvious by now that not any piece of technology should be adopted by schools around the world, no?
Our local public schools are already ridiculously expensive to run. Instead of this monstrosity, the money could be better spend buying a slew of desktop computers. Or even better, give teachers a raise and hold them to higher standards.
Also, feel free to spank my kid if he misbehaves.
And while I'm at it, Al Gore, can you please stop brainwashing our kids with the "you know something your parents don't know" crap when you think no one is listening. It's hard enough teaching kids that they DON'T know everything as it is. Having a bunch of wide-eyed middle-schoolers in awe of a former VPOTUS feeding them BS in secret is disrespectful to me as a parent.
Yeh but Apple pawns their asses cause like they have like patents n shit on this multi touching crap like SMART are just rippin of Steve cause hes sick and shit.......totally
This is so dumb. If little kids were able to know when they were being insulted, this would fit that scenario. They are basically saying "look you need this multi-touch table or you will never be able to learn." Seems like all of us writing on here, plus the other 6 billion individuals on this Earth managed to learn and grow up without a multi-touch table. The money ANY school would pump into this device would be able to go improvements around the school, or teachers salaries. Not to mention that giving little kids access to technological equipment in a *classroom* setting smells like trouble.
But look on the brightside...now when they have to put the red circle block in the circle hole and the blue square block in the square hole, it is as easy as dragging and dropping! :)
Edward, I don't really think SMART is saying "look you need this multi-touch table or you will never be able to learn." However it is just another device used to assist the purpose of teaching. You made the point that not all of us grew up with multi-touch tables, however you must remember not everyone grew up with the internet, not everyone grew up with the cellphone and certainly not a smartphone. But these were made to assist the fundamental purpose of what we do everyday COMMUNICATE.
Furthermore, what is wrong with kids accessing technologies in the classroom. These are the ones who were born into the world and the first thing they saw was a computer, whether they owned it or not. I think you are making these kids look as if they are dumb, trust me they aint.
Although, what i have said here may be different to your views, I do agree on one thing: Schools need to be improved and also teachers salaries. Before a child needs to learn there must be a conducive learning environment.
You could build your own for less than 7 or 8 grand. Check out http://mtg.upf.es/reactable/ or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QflrIK-m4Ts or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cDtWNtQzCE .
This is basically the same thing with some different software.
School clearly has changed and I'm honestly not convinced that all the technology that is entering the classroom is actually necessary. Frankly, I'm rather concerned that it's eating up funds that would be better spent elsewhere in the schools. Yes, I'm sure these things are all very interesting for children, but then children are interested by many things and a microchip doesn't have to be involved (why I'm saying this on a gadget blog is quite beyond me...). Sure, you could draw on one of these things but then you can do the same for a fraction of the price with some paper, paint and it'd be more fun as well.
I'm not saying that technology in the classroom is bad but I'd want to see some independent evidence to support its benefit before we spend money on something that is "new and cool".
Let's face it, our kids are going to be smarter than us, and there is nothing we can do about it ;-)
You mean SMARTer than us.
Duh, speak for yourself. :o) I don't plan on having kids for exactly that reason. I already know how dumb I can be at times (especially when it comes to technology), so I wouldn't want constant reminders of that, particularly from my own children! ;o)
Seneca, I liked your comment! How very clever and SMART of you to post it! :o) OK, I guess I'm just being cheesy and going too far with the whole "SMART" thing now! ;o)
i betting private schools are the ones going to be buying this not public schools
Wow well if schools feel this is the best way to spend some of their budget on such "learning devices" then I need to seriously reconsider paying my property taxes.
On a side note is it wrong I thought those kids were lucky for having such an attractive teacher? :/
Can i reborn?
i wonder what that teascher looks like naked......
tomo
Tomo, you don't get out much, do you? ;o) If you don't keep your comments G-rated, then those internet cops that you commented on for another article may try to come and find you... :o)