{Hageman} - RE: Phillips - Trials of Ipads
After reading Effective Adoption of Tables in Post-Secondary Education, one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind was a point that Mr. Phillips initially discussed. I understand that teachers need to be knowledgeable about the content they are teaching. In addition, with the explosion of technology in the classroom, while teachers need to have a base and knowledge of the platforms, it seems nearly impossible to be an “expert” on the various devices and systems. I realize that this article was speaking more toward the single tablet in this study, but in my mind, part of the beauty in the BYOD classroom, is that students become the experts and take ownership in various parts of their learning. When I have students use their devices, they become the manager and guide in their learning experience. Sometimes, part of that learning experience requires trial and error for the best ways to utilize the power of their own device. Just last week, students in my class took five minutes at the beginning of a bell to identify apps that could help them prepare for high stakes test such as the ACT and SAT. What the students produced in that short five minute segment was much more valuable than me directing them to a particular location. In addition, the students found apps that they personally liked and collaborated with other students that had similar devices. As a result, the students learned a simple way to use their devices for “good,” and found apps that can become a daily part of their lives.
The other point that Mr. Phillips made was that It is not just enough to say that I have technology in my classroom, if I am not integrating the device on a daily basis. As Mr. Phillips point out, it does no good to have a companion site that nobody visits or uses. As an English teacher, the thought of having a table for every student makes me giddy. I am currently reading my first book (for this class) with a Kindle reader on an Ipad. To be totally honest, I thought I would hate it. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the experience and immediately started thinking about how wonderful it could be to utilize tables rather than paper books in the classroom. The ability to highlight and take notes directly into the device made me a very engaged reader. I immediately started to think about the engaging possibilities if all students were to have access to a tablet.
The other point that I keep coming back to when reading the various articles on BYOD, is that I really think much of the implementation is less about the device and more about the traditional management and planning that I learned in education classes. Students can daydream and pass paper notes while reading a hard copy book, just like they can toggle between apps and be distracted on a device. A good, well-planned lesson that utilizes the device for clear academic purposes, as well as strong, traditional classroom management strategies will keep the students engaged and focused, regardless of the educational tool used.
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