How dumb is Michigan's state government?

What kind of education is the iPod supposed to provide? How about demanding teachers teach the good old fashioned way? Throwing money at the schools has done wonders so far (that's sarcasm folks).

Most kids you see these days who are old enough to use an iPod already have one and a cell phone too. I don't see an upward trend in knowledge with those kids. Heck, I just sat by a group of young teens who were talking about how many phones and electronic devices they have burned through by dropping them in the toilet or destroying them some other way.

Sounds like as good a strategy as the way our potholes are dealt with, i.e., shovel stuff into the whole, wait for cars to run over it and knock it out, repeat. Tax money out the window, or down a hole, or in the toilet.

I'd ask the same question that JillUser asked above.  What exactly is educational about an iPod?  What will the iPod be used for that makes it an educational device and why couldn't the same thing be done a different way -- like for example writing things down and making people *read* that writing?!

I believe they're rebuilding that 2 miles of 6 mile by the old office (to 275) for the 3rd time in 9 years. That road fails more quickly than plastic toys.

Same with that stretch of M-14 from Sheldon to 275 they spent all last year on that has more bumps than a motel bed you feed quarters to.

And the road by my place that'll be able to swallow a car next winter, since the state and local governments appear to be fighting about who has responsibility for it. Bonus: neither of them plow it in the winter.

Who's going to be developing the content and metrics for those ipods to make a difference in literacy and basic skills?

That's one of the stupidest thing I've ever read.

This is the same story from April. It isn't actually going anywhere, is it?

What kind of education is the iPod supposed to provide?

Well, keep in mind I am not trying to approve of this but I thought I could give an idea of what could be useful about the iPod. How's about having audio bites about classes and books the kids can listen to, to learn more? Of course I still think it's a stupid idea.

like for example writing things down and making people *read* that writing?!

If they are determined to spend money on some kind of an educational device for kids, might as well give them laptops. Sure, it’s more expensive and defeats what Brad points out in the article about the deficit and higher taxes, but at least they will be getting something that can be much more educational than an iPod. They can have an Encyclopedia such as Encarta or Britannica installed, educational games, access to the internet via a school wireless network, receive emails from the school staff on current school events, even video emails for parents. Grades could be downloaded directly to the laptops as well. The possibilities are endless, a bit expensive, but if education is what they claim to be important than spend the money on something worth it. I know laptops can have several downsides, but with education on how to use them properly, surf the web safely and proper care of the equipment, we can make better people are of some if not most of them. Just my opinion.

There is absolutely no educational value for an iPod, and would probably end up distracting more students in class. The worst part of this is how (as usual) democrats are willing to raise taxes for something as trivial as this. My guess is this is probably a PR tool for elections.

If they are determined to spend money on some kind of an educational device for kids, might as well give them laptops.

Our teachers don't even have laptops.  I think Granholm is trying to find some magic cure for the fact that our school system sucks.  For some reason the fact that they are trying to push kids harder faster is ending up with seniors who don't have a grasp on basic skills...go figure.

That's another subject though.  Back on topic, Granholm seems to find plenty of things to throw money at without taking consideration of where that money is going to come from.  There are no jobs because she taxes businesses into oblivion, the housing market sucks, but instead of trying to fix what is breaking the economy here, let's come up with new reasons to raise taxes!  Brilliant!

I have heard of this, and the reasons for it.  Given a surplus of cash, it is not a bad idea (although a more sane one would be laptops).  However, the problem that is happening in this state (we have a few counties that have done it or are thinking of doing it) is that the students are using them to cheat.

Given the deficit, it is a stupid idea.  The money could be much better spent on other items (or not spent).  Also, Apple is charging a premium for the iPod (which is just an MP3 player after all), so if they want to give the students  a tool, iPods are pricey even for districts that have money to burn.

Why not run for office? Not only could you improve Michigan, you will also have a better understanding of the election process for political machine 2008.

Purchasing them for keeps is silly. But I see how they can help, at least for older students - in one of my online literature classes, we're given an iPod to use for the semester, with the stipulation that if you break it, you buy it. We're then given podcasts to download from the professor, containing his notes for the week, his lecture, etc. In other words, we can re-create the classroom setting much more realistically than in any other online class.

But, like I said, at the end of the semester - you give it back, and if you break it, you get to purchase a new one.

So I can see where the concept has some validity, but it doesn't sound like Michigan is going about it right.

I'm new to the state, so some of this really and truely baffles me.  I just don't get what any of these people are thinking.

Problem: Business is fleeing the state, the economy is crumbling as a result.  Too many years dependent on the auto industry without any foreward thinking of how to be competitive, or to diversify.  Living high on the hog, the SBT, while a deterrent to companies out of state, didn't impact the auto makers, so it was a win-win for the state.  Car companies start to tank, everything goes to hell.

Their solution: Education is the answer!  If we have a more educated workforce, companies will come here to take advantage of that!  Never mind that every other state that has tried this approach (my home of Pennsylvania did this a few years back) has seen the reverse effect.  A well-educated populace with no jobs in-state to go to after school results in a mass exodus of 22/23 year olds after they get their degrees.  People will go where the work is.  So what you're doing is spending a lot of money that other states will benefit from.

Smart solution: Make the state an attractive target for businesses, specifically IT and biotech.  Texas managed this with a fantastic tax structure.  Dallas is now a technology hub and continues to grow.  If you have jobs in the state, but a lack of qualified local workers, the labor pool will very quickly adjust to meet those job needs.  Heck, make the state that attractive to business, and workers will move in from out of state to fill in the gaps.  Workers go where the jobs are, not the other way around.  You'd think they'd understand that for all the talk of it being a "Global Economy"

Problem 2: Our education system sucks!  I hear just about every day on the radio how our education system is falling apart, how we don't have money for what we need, schools are closing, people are protesting school consolidation etc.  Everyone's blaming the state govt etc.

Their solution: Free iPods!  Ok, this one I think was abandoned the second the public caught wind of it and exposed it for possibly one of the dumbest ideas ever concieved.  How is it that education has become so insanely expensive?  They want to fix the problems by adding more stuff instead of looking at what is wrong at the core and fixing it.  I heard a radio program where parents were complaining about the declining number of electives.

The smart solution: How about we go through the curriculum and go back to the basics?  You don't need dozens of specialized programs for every potential set of educational needs.  Go back 30 years and everyone had to learn the same material the same way as everyone else.  Having trouble learning?  Study more.  Get a classmate to tutor you.  It's absolutely amazing how bad we are now at the fundamentals, yet costs keep going up and up.  I'm sorry, but we don't need a fully equipped auto mechanic shop and education program in a high school.  High School is not a vocational school.  Math, English, History, Science.  Teach these well, give students the mental tools they need to function on their own.  Trade skills?  Specialized training?  That's for post-secondary schooling.

How on earth do they expect to fix any of these problems while they refuse to actually examine what is failing?  You don't fix things by throwing more money at it, you don't fix things by just adding classes, programs etc.  That's just putting a fresh coat of paint on a car with rusted-out innards.  Looks nice from the outside, but still doesn't work.

Here in VA. they just outsourced the State (Commonwealth) IT to Northrup Grumman. But in the process, they got a lot of goodies from NG. One of them is setting up a DR site in SW Va (Appalachia). NOw, finding a bunch of IT people out there is damn near impossible considering the education. But then the state kicked in and started an IT program out there at one of the small colleges!

So it actually is a win-win for NG and the state (prices are dirt cheap out there so that is good for NG, and they get an educated workforce, and the state addresses chronic unemployment).

But that is the model to use! Get the business by promising to provide the education so that the workers dont leave once they get it. If it works out (and that is a big IF at this point - but not due to this part of the project), it may help other states figure out how to go about doing it the right way.

Have you seen the commercial with the blond guy from Dumb and Dumber...can't remember his name, think its Jeff something.  He says Michigan is a GREAT place for businesses and that people should consider coming there to start one.

What a spin.

Maybe there is some kickback money coming in from Apple.  Can you imagine how many ipods will be bought?  Too many if you ask me.  They aren't worth half of what they cost imo.

Have you seen the commercial with the blond guy from Dumb and Dumber...can't remember his name, think its Jeff something.

Daniels.

I want to move to a different state.  this one is going down the tubes faster and faster each year.

iPods are luxury items.  What the frick does every kid need one for?  How about we make our teachers actually do their job?  Michigan pays teachers quite well as is.  Or, should they get less so that we can offset the iPods?  Oh...make the insanity stop!

I think I'll move to North Carolina.  I can work remote from there, right? 

North Carolina?  Can we open up a branch office?

I heard them talking about the iPods on the radio, and yes, the rationalization is that the students can listen to class lectures on it.

But wait, they didn't listen to the class lecture in the first place! They were too busy text messaging their buddies on their cell phones! And an iPod is going to make them listen to the class lecture in their spare time?

I don't think that scrapping electives is the solution though. I think that electives like foreign languages, band or choir, and programming (to name a few) are excellent classes, and if I hadn't had any electives to go with my accelerated classes in high school, I'd have gone nuts. Of course, poorer students used electives to shore up their GPA and I hated having to put up with the druggies in my art classes.

I went to Catholic school for grades 1-7, so I don't know how it was in the public schools here in MI, but we went over the same material year after year and yet somehow managed to escape really learning grammar until 11th grade, and I believe that my classmates who had gone to public schools were in the same boat. It's my opinion that the smart kids are bored, the kids who need more help aren't getting it, and the kids in the middle aren't getting that much notice and are just getting by because they can. My sister the teacher says that separating kids by their abilities doesn't help because if you take the smartest kids out of the classroom, the rest of them don't have as much to aspire to, but I don't think that the current system is working either.

North Carolina? Can we open up a branch office?

Yea, NC!  Where they teach the 3 Rs - readin, ritin, and the Road to Richmond.

I heard them talking about the iPods on the radio, and yes, the rationalization is that the students can listen to class lectures on it.

I said it first. lol. As a Vulcan would say "it's the only logical conclusion".

But wait, they didn't listen to the class lecture in the first place! They were too busy text messaging their buddies on their cell phones! And an iPod is going to make them listen to the class lecture in their spare time?

, talk about a pointless idea that wasn't well thoughtout.

You should move Stardock to South Dakota. South Dakota is more business friendly taxwise. Plus, South Dakota and Stardock have the same initials: SD

Gee, based on the commercials I have been seeing lately, Michigan is the best place to start and grow a business.....