I'll confess to finding some uses for an Ipod touch in the classroom over the past few weeks. I particularly like its usefulness for recording student interviews and assessments. I've also run across some apps I really like which might have value in the classroom. One app, Logic Box, could augment mathematics instruction by fostering spatial and geometric thinking. Another app, NASA looks like an excellent supplement to an astronomy unit. I like the Whiteboard Lite app, too, for its potential to eliminate noxious dry erase fumes from the classroom - although the iPod screen is a bit small for any detail.
As far as differentiating instruction with an iPod goes, though, my opinion hasn't changed much. In fact, a few things that have happened in my classroom recently have further convinced me that our efforts are better spent - at least in my school - ensuring that all of our kids have equal access to a quality education before springing for dozens of iPods. If we were reasonably close to that goal, I'd be open to exploring iPod touches for instructional use. One certainty is that kids would love being able to use an iPod touch in school!
Hmm. Not quite seeing the either/or. how is access to personalized technology different from having equal access to quality? I sense that there are some stories not to be told on a blog, but it's good to be cautious about asking the same questions about all teaching materials. Should we stop using paper and pencil or very expensive copies of worksheets until we have equal access to some standard of quality? Stop buying textbooks that so quickly become outdated until bigger goals are met?
ReplyDeleteIf not, why draw the line at tech?
I'm not clear yet if you've actually handed your Touch to a child. If you did, what happened?