Star Trek Classroom: The Next Generation Of School Desk [Multi-Touch, Multi-User]

[6Foot2]

Link: Star Trek Classroom: the next generation of school desks - Durham University

 

...During the project, the team found that 45% of students who used NumberNet increased in the number of unique mathematical expressions they created after using NumberNet, compared to 16% of students in the traditional paper-based activity...

 

...We found our tables encouraged students to collaborate more effectively. We were delighted to observe groups of students enhancing others’ understanding of mathematical concepts. Such collaboration just did not happen when students used paper-based approaches...

[SYNACK]

Ooh look, its the original MS surface from like 6 years ago but it wasn't cool when MS was doing it

[tmcd35]

Using multi-touch desks in the new classroom, the children were able to work together in new ways to solve and answer questions and problems using inventive solutions. Seeing what your friends are doing, and being able to fully participate in group activities, offers new ways of working in class, the researchers say

 

So... Get a group of kids to sit around a table, talk and work together instead of sit in rows, face the front and be quiet; and they learn more/progress faster. I'm a strong supporter of using tech like iPads in schools as a way of shifting the focus from the old victorian model of teaching, but sometime you just have to call a spade a spade. Get rid of the tech, change desks from rows to blocks, allow the kids to talk and work together. It's a shame how many teachers can't grasp these simple ideas.

[LeMarchand]

Maybe I'm getting old and cynical, but I see these (admittedly cool) things and think "5 minute wonder". In this case I can imagine that with the right kids it could be great, but there would be groups just chatting and a lot of clique-forming.

 

+ what @SYNACK said.