Is $25,000 on iPads for Kindergarteners a Good Public School Investment?
- Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:31am by
Billy Hallowell
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It’s happening again. In April, we covered the $200,000 a Portland, Maine, school is planning to spend on iPads for five and six-year-olds. Now, a Massachusetts school is headed down the same road. Once again parents are questioning the practicality of providing kindergarteners with one of the tech world’s most popular gadgets.
While some may wonder whether these devices are appropriate for young kids, others are more concerned over the $20,000-$25,000 cost the plan would pose.
Under the current proposal, the school would buy 150 iPads for the kids to use in the classroom. If parents want their kids to bring the devices home, they would need to lease them ($25 per month). At the end of a two-year period, the parents would then own the units. FOX 25 has more:
Some question if this is the best use of taxpayer money. Catherine Adair has children in school at Briggs Elementary. She tells FOX 25, “We have no Vice Principal. We have a very bare bones staff. I don’t think kindergartners having iPads is the best expenditure of taxpayer money.”
PTA member Meredith Fagan had questions about those children whose parents can’t afford the 25 dollars a month. “We are in a public school. We can’t have one person bring it home and one student not bring it home. It’s just not fair,” she told FOX 25.
Both of these concerns are certainly valid. But, simple math shows that this arrangement may actually be financially beneficial to the district. Consider the unlikely event that all 150 units are leased. At a cost of $25 per month over a two-year period, this $25,000 could easily return a total of $90,000 (far more than the district initially paid). Even if the district is only able to lease 33 percent of the iPads, the sum paid out would still yield a small profit.
Of course, this doesn’t answer the larger question of whether these devices are practical for kindergarteners. Watch the FOX 25 clip below for more:
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Comments (158)
jujulyly
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:17amBecause of digital clocks, you have kids who can’t tell time with an analog one. Because of calculators we have kids who can’t add or subtract in their heads. Because of the internet and twitter we have kids who can’t spell and compose simple sentences. Now they want to give iPads to kindergardeners. How about the old fashion way of learning where kids came out of school literate.
Report Post »Linda Vigliotti
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:12amWhat are we doing ? We are taking childhood away from our children. There is plenty of time to learn but not with an expensive ipad. What is wrong with the teachers doing what they were hired to do. The age of 3 is the time to explore, play there is nothing wrong with daydreaming. Is this going to be another form of babysitting as the TV, video games etc have been used.
Report Post »Lee_in_PA
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:08amKids that age don’t usually take much care of their things. As for spending tax payer money on such items.. NOPE.
Report Post »streetrodder
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:04amNo!
Report Post »laurenn11
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:57amI really think everyone on this post should see how quickly a child can learn using a tool like this. As I said in my older post, my daughter turns 3 this Friday and is starting to read. The iPad was the key to this. It forces them to interact instead of daydreaming and they learn with various channels such as pictures, sounds, and words. I am surprised but some of you sound a bit stuck in your ways. this is the way of the future
Report Post »Nobamazone
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:31amNOT for children this young, my daughter (now 25) was reading by the time she was 4 and she never had any piece of technology to help her, just a mom who spent time playing with her, reading and singing songs, talking about things around us, like signs and other printed objects. Just because SOME children are able to learn it does not mean all can, or should.
Report Post »celestialfire
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:58amJust another key to dumbing down the populace, takes the responsibility off the parent and the teacher. Children need to experience and enjoy childhood rather than dragging a piece of electronics around with them. It will come to the point learning to print and write cursive will be non existent, just use your touch screen. No need for the written word. A great way to re-write history since books will not be necessary. Along with that, why even converse, no use for the spoken word when your electronic devise is your best friend.
Report Post »BrerRabbit
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:50amIPad is less than a teachers salary. Just cut the teacher pay to that of a baby sitter and let the IPad do the teaching !
Report Post »jedi.kep
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:44amAnd we wonder why the public school system is failing??? It is being run by dolts and dummies! No kindergardener needs an ipad. They don’t need that to get an education! We gonna teach them physics by playing Angry Birds? Good grief!!
Report Post »laurenn11
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:41amAlso, I don’t know what the costs of books are tees day, but the iPad or other similar pads cut down on these costs
Report Post »MeCpl13
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:40amNot to nit-pick but it’s Auburn, ME not Portland that is giving ipads to kindy children. No matter where it is though, it’s a stupid idea. In Auburn, it’s even more stupid considering that Auburn schools are having to cut sports, bus runs, staff, etc. because of a lack of funds.
Report Post »laurenn11
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:38amNot sure I like the schools financial arrangement but the iPad is an excellent tool for learning. My child is turning 3 this week and she is starting to read already and is learning the concept of addition and subtraction. She loves it and thinks it’s fun all while learning.
Report Post »MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 3:58pmWhat are you going to do when she dumps juice on the iPad? Books can teach as well, or better. Parents get lazy with all of this technology. Children should be introduced to books first, since they will never be obsolete.
Report Post »Romanticpoet
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:37amThe way children learn is by paper and pencil. I believe the reason our children DO NOT
“compute” Math is because they are taught how to use calculators at an early age. If you truly want them to comprehend math, make them work their brains and not their fingers.
If the iPads are the excuse to make them read invest in Kindles or electronic readers instead.
Teach the teachers to put together Power Point lessons utilizing computers to project the lesson.
Some teachers in my area don’t even know how to turn on a computer and still instruct with overhead projectors and plastic transparencies.
Report Post »Nobamazone
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:16amPaper and pencil are not the most effective way to teach kindergarteners, forcing the paper and pencil on children this age are one the reasons we have so many of them on drugs to keep them quiet and able to sit still for so long, it is developmentally inappropriate at that age. Before they are able to read and write and figure out problems they must be allowed to experiment and develop the pre-reading, writing and math skills necessary to give them the base they need to learn those higher learning skills. They learn these skills through play and FUN, not through pencil and paper (unless you want to work on fine motor control and even then pencil and paper are not the best choice). If we want our children to excel we have to be sure they have that base of learning to start with. Instead, we continue to push them in directions they are not developmentally ready for and then put them on drugs when they can’t do it.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:35am“Things are in the saddle and they ride mankind.”
Report Post »CSojourner
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:35amWow, some of you people have no foresight. You know why grammy can’t use and ipad and the kiddies can? Because the kiddies were exposed to this technology young. As for learning grammar, technology puts it all at their fingertips. It’s called progress folks. Open your little minds.
Report Post »Nobamazone
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:07amor YOU could spend some time learning some basic early childhood development facts, teaching a child to use technology is great, thinking that giving them that technology to use as a learning tool is flat out inappropriate and does not follow any type of rational to someone who has a clue about how children learn.
Report Post »Oil_Robb
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:47amIf a calculator or computer does your thinking for you, how will you learn?
Report Post »BobParker2003
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:16am5 to 7 year olds have a right to the best technology don’t they? Education for your young people is out future, right? Why would you think this is more important than staying in a budget, keeping taxes low? They have a “…bare bones…” staff, right? It’s only fair that all the children can bring home an i-pad so they can spill their cool-aid on it. Paper books are so uncool. After all doesn’t every child have a right to an i-pad? Imagine where we would be if Lincoln had not been able to sit by the fire in his log cabin learning to read and write on his i-pad. This United States would not be the same. Don’t question our educators. They know best for us all and how to spend out money.
Report Post »Nobamazone
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:02amIn Kindergarten children still learn by PLAYING, it is like work to their growing and developing little bodies and minds, the NEED it, it is how God created them to LEARN. Does not matter what skill you want the child to learn, social or academic, they will learn it through PLAY. And I don’t mean play with a computer or other device either, totally age INappropriate, and as someone else said above, part of the dumbing down of our children.
Report Post »quicker
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:20amDevices like these need to be up to the parant as to wheather they want their childern leaning to use them.And then parants need to be parants and monotor the contentand the time allow to use them.
Report Post »Oil_Robb
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:26amAnd you wonder why the American school system doesnt crack the top 30 in the world in high school averages.
Report Post »Nobamazone
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:40amexactly oilrob
Report Post »Lack of developmentally appropriate learning in early childhood WILL eventually show up later in life.
dmforman
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:07amAs a teacher, having things like this in our early classrooms are one reason why our kids are behind. We need to teach them how to think and problem solve instead of use technology and gadgets, which will come when it’s appropriate. Elementary time is not an appropriate time for computers and gadgets like this.
Wake up America! Your children are being ruined.
Report Post »Aaron in Polk County
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:02am@RDSXFN
There is a monthly fee for internet access but the school can have as many devices connected to the internet as they want (speed is a factor) for one low price.
A smart school will buy rubber cases for each. And they are kindergarteners, if they drop it, it can’t be very far (2 feet?)
I think introducing iPads at a young age will increase the demand for iPads which will create jobs at Apple, inc. Then my stock value may go up. :-)
Report Post »quicker
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:15amYa create more jobs.Oh thats right in China.
Report Post »jumbles
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:37amYes! we need to feed China more money so that we can empower them to lend us more.Don’t you just love this global communism? Incidentally Karl Marx’s ethos was based upon the fear of globalization and the enslavement of the worlds work force.That was over 150 years ago,you have to admit he at least had some pretty sharp foresight!
Report Post »NC Ken
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:02amHas anyone asked to what demonstrably end providing iPads to kindergartners? I would not give them access til high school.
Report Post »Entropy
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:20amThey do not even need access to them in high school. They need to sit down, shut their mouths, get their hands out of their pants and learn to read , write, and do math. They need to get some critical thinking skills, and when they are productive citizens, cognizant of the nations history, THEN they can play around. The teachers in this country are wacko traitors.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 9:38amEntrophy
Do you realize that who you described are Conservatives. The Liberals, Socialists, Progressives, Anarchists, Communists, DEMOCRATS ALL , can’t survive as a Party if the populace is educated as you described. Just look at the Dopes that post here claiming Barry is doing a great job.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 5:57amIs this going to help them to learn the basics? You know the answer. At this age it’s a waste of taxpayers dollars. But the teachers union, and school board are tyrants in the majority of cases.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:50amNO! the three “Rs” have been lost. This is why the school children in the USA are getting further and further behind kids in the rest of the world.
You can bet the kids will find out how to watch the Cartoon Network and Disney Channel thereby avoiding doing their homework. Many of the parents won‘t know how to supervise their children while using these devices and it won’t be long before they will be finding sites inappropriate for their age. This entire idea is an abysmal waste of money. Spend the money for pencils and paper.
I WONDER IF THIS IS A PLAN BY THE TEACHERS UNION TO PROVIDE A PATH FOR THE UNION MEMBERS TO DO LESS WORK – - – HEY KID, IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER, LOOK IT UP ON YOUR I-PAD – - – DON’T ASK ME TO TEACH IT TO YOU.
Report Post »MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 5:55amMaine has it’s priorities a&& backwards. Thats why we are one of, if not the most, financialy bad off states in the nation. For years our state politicians have spent our tax dollars frivolously, on welfare for non- citizens, on stupid projects just to make tourists feel welcome, and on garbage like laptops for elementary school kids, and now this. All to say look at how wonderful we are here! We are the first to do this! I for one got a pretty crappy education in a Maine school, and have had to become self educated. An i pad is not going to educate or benefit a kindegardener,They should use that money to do something worth while, like maybe fix a school roof that is caving in. That sort of thing happens because so much money is being spent on crap, and not on things that are important like maintenance.
Report Post »rdsxfn
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 5:30amAnd isn’t there a monthly fee for each IPad to stay connected to the internet? And what if a kid drops it and breaks it? You know that’s going to happen more than once or twice. Where has common sense gone? Wake up USA!
Report Post »You Can Say He Was Born Again
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 5:03amHmmm… let’s just consider that a major Electro Magnetic Pulse is emitted from the Sun or from an unfriendly bomb blast, well, I guess you could say at that point, “School’s Over Kids.”
Report Post »Confederate
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:52amThese kids need to be “socialized” not “techoized”. Getting along with others, respect for authority and learning to take responsibility are the basics that children should learn at this age. There is plenty of time for i-pads. I inspect schools, if you knew what went on you’d flip out. Storage areas stacked to the ceiling with supplies, computers etc. yet they scream they don’t have money for supplies. You walk into a classroom the kids are on the computers playing games or doing “arts and crafts”, the teacher is not teaching, just watching the students. It’s pathetic and these are the future leaders of this country? Guess they are being “socialized” under the current obama model of dumbing down and creating drones through technology. The school district needs to send the parents a bill for these gadgets. http://www.rebelpowflag.com
Report Post »smokie
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 5:19am“To each according to their needs”, except the ‘needs’ will always become more and more extravagant.
Report Post »It’s not the kids, it‘s the parents and teachers rationalizing that they ’need’ it, because they want it.
jumbles
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:11amCome on now! these kids are not the future leaders,this is not the Ivy league.This is also not the fault of the government,technology will prevail.Would you like to trade in your car for a horse or disconnect your electricity and make candles? That being said I agree thet these things have no place in a kindergarten.Give them more books.SMOKIE has a valid point.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:38amAfter 2 years they get to own it? That’s great. However, the kids won’t want it after 2 years because they will have released the iPad 6 by then. :)
Report Post »sbleve
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:42amThen a rebate will be generated for the new model. And then another rebate in two more years—–
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:57amThat and you know those things will be beat to hell in one year.
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:36amMisuse of Public Funds is against the law I believe. (No, I’m not being naive)LOL
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:53amMisuse of Public Funds? Then can we go after the Senators and the President as well for breaking the laws of our nation in spreading this kind of indoctrination garbage?
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:53amYou go after everything..all the small dollar add up…something teachers no long teach, MATH.
If I were to have ignored all of the small dollars it would amount to Millions overlooked.
Stop with the nonsense that has been pounded into your heads. DOD teaches, you go after the bloody small stuff along with the large stuff…small stuff pays off cause it can be caught a disposed of quickly…only FOOLs would say it’s just a small percentage leave it along…childishness needs to end soon or the small dollars will eat your lunch…why, cause you take too long to chase the big bucks and we have plenty of people that work the small shiznit stuff.
It’s a waste not to go after the small stuff. XYZ company was not analyzing buys under 25K because it was small stuff…sample revealed that annually it was OVER 100 MILLION DOLLARS NOT BE ANALYZED…GET IT.
Dunderheads do vex me. Including Beck when he says the same stupid thing. You give them relief when you make such ignorant statements.
Report Post »justice
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:35amTell me why 6 yr. old kids need this crap. Middle school maybe, Indoctranation come to mind. Wake up Parents.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:44amBut just think of the many hours the kids get to spend playing Angry Birds. Surely you don’t want to deny the children THAT, do you? Tee hee!!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:47amYou aree such a hater…If the 5 year olds dont have it how are they going to buy their stocks and check their portfolios?
I cna see this in a PRIVATE school. Not with taxpayer funds. And you are kidding yourself if you think they will make money on the 25.00 a month payment. The deadbeats will not pay and the liberals will just give them away…This is plain stupid!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 4:51am@Justice:
I have to agree with you here, the kids do not need the IPad’s, they need to start learning the usage of grammer and skills of math and such for good development of the future; this indoctrination and the dumbing down of our kids needs to be ended. Those funds could be used elsewhere to better and more practicle usages…and yes, I know the unions and activist groups would still howl about how unfair we are to the kids and such.
Report Post »IAMNOTKNOWING
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 5:22amUnder the current economic situation… file it under, “Extravagant.”
I remember back in Elementary School when the first Mattel Football I came out (the white one.) Cool!
My parents couldn‘t afford to get me one until ’after’ the Mattel Football II came out (the cool green one that you could “pass” on.)
The couple of boys I went to school with that had them… shared. I got to play.
My Uncle Dennis got the Mattel Racing one one Christmas and he let me play it.
In High School.. I knew a couple of guys/friends who were Sophomores who had computers. I was a Junior and could care less about them.
Moral of my story:
Kids have access to whatever they want to get their hands on.
We are a nation of more-than-plenty.
I-Pads provided by schools through school taxes is something that most parents probably don’t rate that high on their lists of wanting to be obligated to have to cover.
Why don’t we try being happy with what we have and be sensible for say…. “1” generation? How’z that?
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 5:59ammaking them spies , it’s like putting one of those baby monitors in every home
with the TSA,ATF.IRS and NSA listening at the other end.
http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/ipad-spy-and-ipad-spy-software-how-would-you-like-to-be-able-to-spy-on-an-ipad-4358981.html
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/iPad-Spy-Software-Browser-Email,news-6710.html
we need to teach our children to reject Big Brother !
Report Post »thebarbarian
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:20amtoo young. ckildren now have little to no interpersonal skills and the leftist wonder why? this is not only indoctrination it is also censorship. unlike a book these devices can be remotely edited and tracked. George Orwell comes to mind in 2 ways.
Report Post »Censorship- it was 1984 that was remotely removed from the kindles a couple of years ago.
Tracking- can you say big bro hoodlums?(i mean children)
BelieveFreedom
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:30amWe gave each of our 3 girls one this Christmas. It only took 6 weeks for our 11 year old to drop hers and shatter the glass. Replacement for the glass is $270. Fortunately, we can teach our daughter the value of “earning” the replacement glass. She has been helping me keep our toilets sparkling at $1/bowl. This proved to be a learning lesson for all the girls because the older kids are especially careful with theirs and don’t take them out of their cases.
Report Post »dizzyinthedark
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:52amI have a better idea, why don’t schools pass out Kindles to all the students with the books downloaded on them? Less weight to lug around, some Kindles you can access the internet too. Probably cheaper in the end.
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:02amLet’s see – kids can’t write, can’t read, can’t add, subtract, muliple or divide, don’t know anything about history, know no civics, science or ethics. We keep spending more and more on “education” and get less capable students/ Just like NASA spending millions to develope a writing instrument that will work in outerspace while the Russians used a pencil
Report Post »beekeeper
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:06am@dizzyinthedark – Remember, this is kindergarten, the kids most likely can’t actually read, nor can they type/spell words. The iPad is good because they can look at pretty pictures and play YouTube videos, as well as any educational apps that come along…
Every eBook (of which there aren’t many for pre-readers) they want would have to be bought 150 times, once for each iPad, as well as any apps they buy.
Educators like to defend programs like this by arguing they need to prepare children to use the tools found in industry, but current kindergarteners won’t get a job for at least ten years – think the world might change by the year 2021, when these kids will be 15 years-old?
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:41amTaxpayers should not have to flip the bill on this. If they feel they must have access, then set up a “lab” that they go to to use them – in the lab. Taxpayer money is being wasted on crap like this, jumbotrons for their games, etc. etc. Very little money goes to actually teaching the kids, and what little does is socialist propaganda.
HOME SCHOOL!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 8:45amIn my neighborhood, some family’s with little kids have Electric Quads for them to ride. Not bicycles where exercise is gotten and coordination is learned. Then they go inside and punch the keyboard. Alot like I am doing now. If the local taxpayers are shelling out their own money, they deserve what they get (High Taxes)
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 9:33amNo spending on public schools are a good investment, the very last thing a free society needs to remain a free society is the government training it’s kids.
Report Post »BJColter Country Music Iconoclast
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 9:47amObama joins with Facebook the week of the “spontaneous” Arab Spring uprisings. Facebook was instrumental in this bolshevik/islamic takeover of the mideast. Give the children the ability to be ruled by the Matrix, and they will put on their red handkerchiefs and end up turning their own parents in.
STOP THE MADNESS!. Here’s a tune I wrote about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXvRDmM5Zx4
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 9:53amno it is not a good idea. quit wasting my tax dollars.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 10:01amer…
Rent-A-Center???
NOT a role for government!
I DO think we are nearing a time when schools will have touch-screen computers mounted in the top of every desk. The real problem is, the software has not been created. There are several good pieces of software out there, but, there has to be a COMPLETE and THOROUGH set of educational material with common interfaces and quality content before we invest that kind of money.
As an I.T. professional, let me tell you this is a HUGE can of worms!!!
Security – remember the cameras being turned on remotely?
Maintenance – there WILL be viruses – daddy will look at porn
Abuse – Parents will use it for themselves, not for their little Jimmy.
Repairs – Oops – a KINDERGARTENER spilled OJ in it? He threw it out the car window?
Theft – There will be thefts and accidental losses.
What’s that spell? SMART!
NOT!
NObama 2012!
Report Post »Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Barack Obama has GOT TO GO!!
jackrorabbit
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 10:40amI agree, it isn’t fair for one to get one to use and another not, so either we buy one for every child in the whole USA, or WE USE COMMON SENSE! The school’s job is NOT to provide children with “technology”, it is to educate. Our kids are dumber now than they were before the computer age, so what do you think the solution is? Maybe go back to the old ways of teaching? Na, can’t teach critical thinking, because then they would realize that their parents are smarter than their teachers. HOME SCHOOL!!!!
Report Post »stonebridge
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 11:02amDon’t worry, pretty soon NONE of them will be able to read, but then they can just look at the pretty pictures.
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 11:17amit is getting to the point that if there is a shortage of batteries nobody will be able to do anything.
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 11:46amThis is why our children fail in international tests in math and science tests. Teachers can‘t teach the basics because they don’t have funds to do it. It would be better if they spent this money on better teaching tools than on iPads. If they want technology then maybe Kindles would be better since they cost 3 times less and are dedicated to reading books. Not like the iPad playing games and roaming the Internet for what?
Kindles = $139
iPad = $499
How many more reading and math books can you get for those prices… Plus the Kindles are readable outdoors and are lighter to carry…
Report Post »Av8tor056
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 7:38pmReading, writing, arithmetic, history, and the constitution. What else do five and six year old kids need in the classroom?
Report Post »NeoFan
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 10:08pmAn Ipad would do more to educate the students than the school or the teachers. I say we close all of the government indoctrination centers and just give every kid an Ipad.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on May 27, 2011 at 12:37amGive them a pencil and paper. They need to learn how to use it.
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