Ben Johnson, a long time teacher wrote a blog on edutopia about how he manages cell phones in the classroom. When he asked students why they insisted on having their cellphones with them at all times, and they cant just disconnect for class, the invariable answer he got was something along the line of "it's my life". Some of the major issuse he addresses is the disengagement in class material because of the full engagement in whatever is on their phones, the texting language creeping into school work, and the inability for students to have downtime without going straight to their phones. You can read more about Ben Johnson's experience here http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-manage-cell-phones-classroom-ben-johnson
I personally feel like this is the age of technology and fighting against it in classroom has and will prove futile. The "you take it out, I take it" approach hasn't really gotten us anywhere because student will be right back on their phones when they get them back, and this really hasn't motivated them to engage in material, it's instead causing them anxiety about who could be texting them or a number of other things. The curriculum in place as of 2007 addresses media within language arts, and this is a step in the right direction towards a technologically engage classroom. If we could include a lesson on how to use technology appropriately in a classroom setting, apply strict ground rules, and supervision the possibilities of taking our curriculum far beyond pen and paper are endless.
However, like with any new system, there will be some foreseeable issues.
What subjects can we allow technology in?
What if a student does not have or cannot afford the technology their peers have?How will the teacher monitor up to 35 devices to make sure the students are being appropriate and productive.
There is not easy answer for any of these questions, but they are something we can work on to work towards a technological inclusive classroom, and yes, that means BYOSM (Bring Your Own Smart Phone)
Drake S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21st century learner.
Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Hodas, Steven. 1993. “Technology Refusal and the
Organizational Culture of Schools.” Educational
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This topic of technology has been a big one recently with increasing technology everywhere. Technology can definitely benefit classroom activities and be detrimental at the same time. For one student who appears to be motivated and working away on their assignment via their computer may actually be messaging a friend or surfing the web for gossip. I personally believe individuals have become too dependent on technology in our generation but I question what we are doing to young children who are going up on the Ipad that is relatively new to us yet so important to our daily lives. How will these children thrive in a work environment where they aren’t being monitored to do their work or are expected to give their full attention to a task when they are craving that technology interaction they had all through school. I believe school is one place we should refrain from bringing phones and certain future technologies into because what is that doing for their future? Making them potentially dependent? I think even laptops in university although a necessity in some classes that do not provide notes are hindering individuals learning to a certain degree because not everyone can stay focused and on task during lessons when they have that access, which I know for a fact being in any lecture group. And I wonder how do we ensure not only as you mentioned students have equal access, but what about teachers how do we update teachers on all new technology? Would it be worth have a professional development day to teach them phones for example?
ReplyDeleteHi Celeste, cell phones are becoming an increased issue in today’s classrooms. Although I agree that we live in the age of technology, I disagree that cell phones are the exact tool that classrooms need in order to be progressive. Cell phones are readily accessible and can be useful in finding quick information. However, students are more concerned with having a social life and busying themselves with apps to convert their phones into effective tools for learning when in the classroom. If students were given access to cell phones, how would teachers monitor whether or not students are on-task and whether they are using the technology appropriately? Monitoring personal information can be an invasion of privacy for students which make it impossible for teachers to gain this sort of access. During my second year placement, the school that I was at had a few computers on wheels. Classes would schedule a time when they wanted to use these computers for their class. Allowing students to get their work done in and outside of class can improve time management. The time spent in class on the laptop is for specific purposes, which allow students to stay on-task while using the technology. I’m not saying that schools should abandon all forms of personal devices, but that students should have boundaries when they are learning in the classroom.
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ReplyDeleteHi Celeste,
Awesome blog! I think you are right on when you said that fighting against the inevitable use of technology in the classroom in this technological age will prove to be futile. With every student owning a smartphone it is almost impossible to get them to put it down and read a boring history book. That’s why we need creative, progressive teachers to come up with ideas that will motivate students! The questions you posed are great ones that cannot be answered quickly or easily. I think this is an ongoing conversation that needs to happen among teachers and students. What if we saw a classroom that allowed smartphones but the students were also engaged in the lesson with the help of their devices?! I think instead of fighting against this, we as teachers need to take advantage of it. We have been given an amazing resource in technology and students have shown to be engaged with it, so let’s find out a way to work both technology and lesson plans together. Have you had any experience with a teacher successfully using technology such as smartphones in the classroom? I haven’t but I would love to find out how it’s done! Thank you for a great blog!