It is funny to read this article after the one we read a
few weeks back about how students should be taught how to better read online
and should more often read print to meet standards. I suppose if that was done,
this extreme usage of iPads and tablets that these author suggests, can
possibly be okay. Most of the time, I side with the negative aspects of
articles, just like how I agreed that students need to be reading print and
used to it before they arrive to college. I never fully explore the benefits of
so much technology, except that I realized how much we are required to read
online PDFs and articles anyway in college these days. I like that the teacher
in the article focused on still teaching print-based literacy goals, but to
also enhance students' learning opportunities with the iPads and provide them
with an opportunity to also learn some of the new literacy skills associated
with 21st-century technologies But that was not a benefit. That was just a
fact. It was nice to read a few simple benefits of students using iPads in the
classroom. One of the largest benefits being that iPads do support and enhance
transliteracy instruction and learning.
It seems that educators are still unsure about how to
exactly use iPads and tablets in the classroom because they are still so new.
The authors themselves said, "Because iPads and similar tablets have been
relatively unexplored as tools for literacy learning, we hope that this work
can provide a foundation for teachers and leaders making decisions about whether
mobile devices such as these can be useful tools in literacy classrooms."
I loved exploring the website about reading and writing
apps. I myself have an iPad that I use all the time, and one reason I bought it
was because I knew I would be using it forever and I could see myself using it
in my classroom or one on one with students. Because of this, I am constantly
looking for awesome apps that I could download for future use. I have a little
folder on my iPad titled "teaching" for all the apps I have gotten
that I hope to use one day.
I agree with you that teachers should be wary of just giving their students ipads to help them learn. It is important to make sure that the instruction and curricula we are using with students is research based. Teachers should make sure that the apps they are having students use are actually helping the students learn and are not just fun for them to use. iPads could be used as a motivator instead of a primary form of instruction. Where they can earn time with the iPad instead of doing different classwork for a little while. I liked your review of the articles it really helped me rethink what I thought about them.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we need to be cautious about just handing out iPads. Like any computer there are dangers to just handing a student an ipad without clear instruction, especially if they have internet access. I think it is definitely important to make a good judgement call and only use iPads if you really think that it will enhance the students learning needs.
ReplyDeleteI agree that educators need to be cautious of how they use iPads in the classroom. Just like any other piece of technology kids easily get fascinated by it and will not want to let it go. It is up to the teacher to ration the amount of time a student uses the iPad and make sure that they know why they are using it. I like how you quoted some of the authors it helped tie it all back to the article.
ReplyDelete-Eric