Let me preface this by saying it took me a very long time to get on board with all of the technology we now have on our phones, but I have now embraced it. This is my first post from my tablet I got for Christmas this year; a generic Android tab that has some limitations but is nonetheless a cool toy. The novelty is worth the effort required of not typing this on a physical keyboard. But the bigger point is that the mobility offered by these tablets and smart phones makes being involved in the Web 2.0 world much easier. I can "stay in the loop" without being tethered, and I've realized the value in this after a very short time involved. I can't imagine how long it would feel I had to be wired to that desk in the other room.
This also makes me wonder why we are fighting the mobile device battle in schools. I get the concern, but we fail to look at the benefits. Being able to do my work from these devices gets me excited and engaged, and I am 30! Imagine how engaging it would be for a teenager! Just like any other tool, it comes down to the teacher. I would not be nearly as concerned with a mobile phone in my classroom as I would be with a computer in some other teachers' rooms. Let's stop making blanket policies based on bad teachers and let the good ones explore the possibilities of where technology could take our students.
I happen to love my Ipad and use it a great deal in class. One of the apps I use alot allows me to set up an entire semester of classes and create lesson plans for each day.
ReplyDeleteWhat worries me is the inability to monitor access by students with the mobility of ipads, netbooks, phones etc.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points made here! In schools we tend to make blanket rules for the student exceptions [rather than just dealing with the exceptions when they occur] or based upon peoples' lack of understanding of the educational benefits to using various technologies. Most administrators/teachers see mobile devices as a personal distraction rather than exploring how they could enhance learning in and out of the classroom.
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