Hey guys. I was recently talking to my head tech guy at my school and we were discussing the use of WI-FI in the school. You see out school is being drastically overhauled in the up coming years (which is really needed) and I was wondering if there were plans to make the school wireless. After that I ran into this article on the web about places trying to ban wireless. The article claimed that some schools reported that student had loss of concentration, headaches, memory loss, fatigue, and even behavior problems (Burson 2006). This has caused the school to chose not to use the wireless connections in which the school is ready for and have Burson 2006).
What is your feeling on this subject? I have a wireless connection at home and it is always on and I don't have these symptoms. At least not that I can remember (Ha-Ha). have you ever heard anything like this?
Burson, S. (2006). "MP Urges Ban On Wi-Fi Technology In Schools"
March 16, 2006, from http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/printable _version
4 comments:
I have not heard anything about this. For a long time people near high voltage power lines have complained about strange symptoms but I don't think these have ever been scientifically proven. Same with cell phones causing health problems. The evidence is anecdotal at best and there aren't known mechanisms that could be responsible. I do know that free and open wireless access can be a problem in that students can try to hop on the internet in class. We do have wireless at our school, and I seldom see kids using it. Instructor computers are wired. I do see the potential of it being useful in the lab, but for the most part I think the students use it for entertainment.
Here's a link to check out:
http://cosn.org/resources/emerging_technologies/wireless.cfm
Hi Rick, this is Joe (TA)
Here is a working link to that article:
MP urges ban on wi-fi technolgy in schools.
Interesting question. This is one I'll leave to scientists that study these things. My hypothesis is that there is not a cause and effect relationship. I do know that we are constantly bombarded with an assortment of microwaves from space, so there isn't really anywhere to hide.
"...symptoms reported include loss of concentration, headaches, fatigue, memory and behavioural problems"
I think it is safe to say that there are many other variables that could be to blame for these symptoms.
Hi Rick,
Interesting situation. I have never heard of this problem before. Just because it is there, the Wi-Fi, doesn't mean the students will always use if. At my school, we are hard wired except of the "Internet Cafe". This area is Wi-Fi and I would think that any possible headaches or loss of memory is due to the different blends of coffee they sell there :-)
Ken
I had never heard of that before, but I looked online and came across an article entitled: “Health fears lead schools to dismantle wireless networks: radiation levels blamed for illnesses”. In this article, it is claimed that low levels of microwave radiation emitted by the transmitters could be harmful, causing loss of concentration, headaches, fatigue, memory and behavioral problems and possibly cancer in the long term. It is also stated that teachers became too sick to work. I am not sure if I believe this but I wanted to pass this article along to you.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
tol/life_and_style/education/
article642575.ece
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