Another look at iPads

I'm not trying to stick to a theme this week, but Ben Johnson's article "How the iPad Can Transform Classroom Learning" from Edutopia reiterates some common themes in the articles I 've been reading lately. Johnson points out that one of the keys to making student use of technology in the classroom work is that it must be planned and directed by the teacher. He points out that if the students are actively engaged in an authentic and genuinely interesting problem-solving using technology, then the temptation to use their devices inappropriately during class will be greatly diminished or eliminated.

So it seems to me that having the students making full use of the technology at their fingertips in the classroom takes careful planning, monitoring and direction from the teacher so that the kids aren't off task. It can't become a free-for-all with students randomly using their technology for whatever they feel like during class. This means that we as the educational leaders in the classroom must make certain that we plan activities, projects, and learning environments that are technology friendly for our digital natives, but that always have an educational goal and/or learning outcome at their core.

I know for me that this will take some time and careful consideration. One example for a math class that Johnson gives in his article has the teacher saying, "OK class take out your iPads and find the best geometric form for a deep sea submarine." Maybe a good foundation for the start of the lesson, but the teacher also better outline goals and objectives of the activity, give the students clear criteria as to what their answers must include, and closely monitor their activity and progress. Otherwise, you end up with a room full of students aimlessly surfing the net - and without a clearly defined goal, it will be easy for them to get off track.