With the competition becoming more and more competitive, I left todays session determined to read and do the post tonight.
And 
… here it is.
In my PBWiki post I discussed the iPhone. I think the iPhone (or any other smart phone) has the potential to be an educational tool. While this week was about multimodaility and multimodal texts, I think that smart phones are the new way of accessing and using these texts in the classroom. Many people will jump on this idea, spouting negatives surrounding students and technology. I am not happy to just teach the ‘old’ way because my students are not living in a world that runs the ‘old’ way. We’ve all seen the youtube clip that talks about teaching students skills for jobs that don’t exist. So what do we do? Do we sit back and hand over the paper and pencil, or do we embrace it?
Homework is fun on an iPod touch
In Victoria students were given free iPod touches to use in class. They used them in multiple ways, to remind them of assignments, to create/write assignments and to submit them. This school was from a middle to low socio economic area, the students were excitied to use the iPods for many reasons:
1. Because it was a novelty making it exciting and different to use
2. It made doing homework easier, sitting on a bus, in front of the tv (even in the bath)
3. It encourage students to do home-work (using the exciting and novelty as a tool of engagement)
4. Students were all on an even playing field
Using the iPod touches also increased attendance!
Using this technology might not be for everyone but it is something that I would love to embrace and have in my classroom. I think that it is really important to go with the our students and work with new technologies as they come. If this means fiddling, making mistakes and learning I am okay with that!
As the above newspaper article acknowledges our students are not all tech savvy but then many couldn’t write till they were taught. I think it is important to have an open mind and embrace these technologies. I don’t agree that they should be used to match ‘old school’ teaching but to enhance ‘new’ styles of teaching.
Students getting creative with iPod touch at North Rowan High
P.S. Sorry for the awful writing – once again had to be written fast to beat Rachael! Now time for dinner and then I’ll edit!
2 responses so far ↓
Rachael // November 4, 2009 at 7:25 pm |
Prue,
I am too old to keep up with you!
I really like your post although I don’t like the fact that you have beaten me…. yet again. I shall have to start next week’s reading tonight, and don’t think I will copy the book for you either…
Anyway, back to topic. I think that using new technologies in the classroom is engaging firstly for a novelty value, but then, as you show as a convenient way to access and store information.
I’d love to see them used in more collaborative and creative projects as well. It is inevitable, this technology has changed the way we communicate. Communication is a major part of the way we learn, so therefore new technologies need to become part of the new learning experience.
Good post, and nice photo of yourself at the end!
Rachael
rimingto // November 11, 2009 at 12:11 pm |
Wow, this is really intriguing… I’m actually last person standing in my department without an iphone or itouch. Really no reason other than the expense… But, your post above sheds some light into what could be intriguing educational uses. But, what about the obvious concerns of the ways in which the itouch or iphone could be a source of distraction? I guess I’m curious if the two cases studies you mentioned will be able to sustain the application of the devices appropriately over the long-term… Nice work. -Ryan