One of our on-going challenges is figuring out how to effectively use personal computing devices in our classrooms. I know that some of our teachers struggle with how to make use of the smart phones that rest in many of our students’ pockets. There is little question that the phones can be a distraction to the lesson at hand. There is also ample evidence to show that the phones are an asset to the learning process.
The more pressing question for me however, is not should we allow them in school (I think we should), but how to help steer students away from the limitations of becoming self-obsessed with social networking. It appears that many of our students are consumed by the immediate reward of what lies on, for example, Facebook, and as a result, are not inclined to spend a sustained period of time being on-line without checking this social medium. I don’t want to dismiss social media- they are powerful learning tools-but do want us to think in terms of moving our students away from being preoccupied with sites that can be little more than a place for mindless self-aggrandizing. All of us need to help our students recognize that some of what lies in on-line social media does little to help prepare them for life after school.
Getting Smarter with Smart Phones
One of our on-going challenges is figuring out how to effectively use personal computing devices in our classrooms. I know that some of our teachers struggle with how to make use of the smart phones that rest in many of our students’ pockets. There is little question that the phones can be a distraction to the lesson at hand. There is also ample evidence to show that the phones are an asset to the learning process.
The more pressing question for me however, is not should we allow them in school (I think we should), but how to help steer students away from the limitations of becoming self-obsessed with social networking. It appears that many of our students are consumed by the immediate reward of what lies on, for example, Facebook, and as a result, are not inclined to spend a sustained period of time being on-line without checking this social medium. I don’t want to dismiss social media- they are powerful learning tools-but do want us to think in terms of moving our students away from being preoccupied with sites that can be little more than a place for mindless self-aggrandizing. All of us need to help our students recognize that some of what lies in on-line social media does little to help prepare them for life after school.