Yesterday during training on our on-line gradebook/attendance program, I asked a question of the developers: why isn't the "mock bubble sheet" page (which is essentially just a table with the students names at left) a printable document?
The administrator who was running the show jumped up and grabbed the microphone from the developer (who was in the process of saying, "Sure, we can do that.") and went into a brief...well, really I feel I have to call it a tirade...about how we're not supposed to be working on paper at all, and people should be avoiding printing out ANYTHING if they can help it, and none of our records should be being kept on paper, etc. etc. etc.
I think I managed to keep my temper once I regained the microphone, and firmly pointed out that I need to be able to keep records as I'm walking around the classroom -- a check mark here for a student being on-task, a note that so-and-so had dozed off and needed to be woken -- which I will input into the computer during my prep. I simply can't teach from behind the computer screen, I don't want to forget what behaviors I'm seeing, I want to award participation bonuses appropriate -- and, no, not everybody has an iPad.
Even in the digital age, some things are just easier with pen and paper, and easier still if I can just get an already existing form to be printable.
*grumble*
Wow, that seems pretty shortsighted of the developer. I don't like or appreciate when non-teachers make decisions about what should be happening inside one's classroom. I am 100% on your side in this matter - paper "bubble sheets" were invaluable to me in my classroom practice. Everything would wind up documented in the digital gradebook when time permitted, but you're right that teaching from behind the computer isn't really teaching at all! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteOh, the _developer_ totally got it once it was pointed out, and was completely amenable to making it a printable document. It was the administrator who couldn't imagine why on Earth I'd need any paper in this day and age. Pfft. Buy me an iPad, lady, and maybe I won't!
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