Writing Feedback / "Mobile Technology and Today's Student" - why wouldn't we take advantage of that? [2]

Mobile Technology and Today's Student

If students have access to technology, why would we want to deny them of that? That is exactly what happens in classrooms across the nation every day. Instead of embracing the technology students have at their fingertips, they are instead asked to power down their devices when entering the classroom or risk having them taken away. Why does the education system seem to be at a standstill when it comes to advancing technology and using those tools in the classroom? A challenge facing the education system is to leverage technology to create relevant learning experiences that mirror students' daily lives and the reality of their futures. Mobile devices are found in the hands of most youth today and it is the job of educators to figure out how to use these devices in an advantageous way in the classroom. Bring your own technology (BYOT) initiatives are catching on in school districts around the nation as the realization becomes clear that it will not only benefit students and teachers, but also have a positive impact on district budgets as they will not have to provide all students with technology.

Allowing students to bring their own technology to the classroom, whether it is a netbook, iPad, iPod, smartphone, digital reader or laptop, can be of great benefit for many reasons. Bringing technology to the classroom creates enthusiasm, curiosity, and discovery in children all of which are related to learning. It allows for students to use "real-world" tools in positive ways to enhance their learning and foster skills including collaboration, communication, research, critical thinking, creativity and organization. Students will have the ability to have resources instantly from around the world at their fingertips. They would also have the ability to effortlessly communicate and collaborate with their peers and teachers. Marcia Clemmitt in her article, "Digital Education," where she interviews Curt Bonk Professor of Instructional Systems Technology Department Indiana University, Bonk says "Web technology situates students in authentic contexts analyzing real world data and interacting with their global peers about the results of their investigations" (1017). I had the pleasure of observing a classroom of fourth grade students that were using iPad's in the classroom. The students across the room were highly engaged in what they were learning. As a result, the teacher finds benefits to mobile technology as well. Ms. Pasquel commented that, although there is a learning curve to teaching with mobile devices in the classroom, the benefits are enormous. Student engagement is at an all-time high which translates into less discipline issues and better quality instruction time.

Additionally, the benefits to teachers can be just as great. Integrating technology into the classroom is more than just teaching basic computer skills. Technology integration is most effective to students when used routinely and is successful when technology supports curricular goals. Likewise, in order for technological integration to be successful in classrooms, it must happen across the curriculum in every class. Marcia Clemmitt in her article, "Students under Stress," says "Education trends, such as a heavy focus on children's learning differences and "discovery" learning in which children follow their own interests, are making many classrooms less challenging" (581). Students having their own computer in front of them will allow for easier differentiated instruction. They will stay on task if they are challenged and interested in what they are learning, which will make it easier for the teacher to instruct. Having their own computer in front of them allows for 1:1 computing, which can be invaluable to instruction. It also allows the opportunity to teach children how to be mindful and responsible when using the internet and their digital device. Students today are digital natives. These are very important skills that they will use every day inside and outside of the classroom. I

Students today need to have learning experiences both in and out of the classroom that prepares them to be active, creative, knowledgeable and ethical participants in our globally networked society. Technology dominates the workplaces of most professionals in today's world. Professional educators are a critical component to ensure that we are preparing our students for that professional world. Creating a model of connected teaching, which is a model of teachers being fully connected to resources, data, content and systems, will help in the process of preparing our students for real world experiences.

Preparing teachers how to teach with mobile technology devices is an important piece of the equation to ensure a successful learning experience for students and teachers alike. Many educators do not have the same understanding of and ease with using technology that is part of the daily lives of professionals in other sectors. I had the opportunity to interview Amy Downs who is an Instructional Technology Specialist in the Scottsdale Unified School District. Amy gave me great insight into the training that is involved with preparing teachers to teach in a "mobile" classroom. There are after-school trainings, one-on-one trainings, webinars and workshops all geared to teach teachers how to best use the technology they have in the classroom that will in turn be most advantageous to the student. Ensuring teachers are receiving the proper professional development necessary to build the confidence they need to teach with technology. Incorporating that technology into the curriculum is key and educating teachers how to do that will build the confidence they need to utilize the tools that they have. Teachers need to be more than information experts; they must be collaborators in learning, seeking new knowledge and constantly acquiring new skills along with their students. Having teachers connected to technology builds an atmosphere of collaboration instead of be isolated in a classroom by themselves. Teachers will be able to better communicate with each other, their students and their communities. The best way to prepare and teach teachers for connected teaching is to have the experience it.

Besides being beneficial to student and teachers, district organizations can benefit as well from students bringing their own technology to school. Districts will not have to purchase as many of these devices if they are supplied by the student. Students who bring their own device can take advantage of the technology already supported by the school, just on their own computer. That leaves the school computers available for those who may need them. As Annie Lewis in her article, "Devices in the Classroom - Embracing the BYOT World," says "In a world where the gear and gadgets you have matter so much that you can't go without - we've got to make sure we are moving towards classroom policies and lessons that embrace and leverage the bring your own device (BYOT) culture." The realization is there that we need to teach with the tools that are in are children's daily life and also in their hands. There are some concerns about BYOT being fair for all students but as long as the school has digital opportunities available, all students will be able to participate. Technology itself is a great driver of change. We need to ensure that we are educating our young people who know how to use technology to learn both formally and informally. Allowing students to bring the devices they use at hoe into the classroom is a step towards this way of thinking.

Before school districts can embark on a BYOT program, they need to endure they have the safeguards in place. Infrastructure is an important element that needs to be looked at before they get started. Infrastructure includes people, processes, learning resources, policies and sustainable models for continuous improvement and advancements in technology. In addition, broadband connectivity, servers, software, management systems, and administration tools need to be in place to ensure a successful launch to a BYOT program. Building this infrastructure needs to take place before any other processes can be put forth. Infrastructure enables seamless integration of in and out of school learning for teachers and students. This is crucial as online learning and blended classrooms utilize this technology.

Technology usage in the classroom is feared by many because it poses many questions, such as; are students becoming too dependent on technology, how will their ability to communicate with people be affected, how will using technology affect their ability to think for themselves? These are all very valid concerns that need to be addressed. According to Alan Greenblatt in his article, "Impact of the Internet on Thinking," American's are using more electronic media than ever which is altering the way we think (773). And some say not for the better. As well as digital skills, kids need to be taught interpersonal life skills. The role of the educator and parent is to teach these differences to the children at a young age so that these skills can be developed over time. I had the pleasure of observing Mary Ellertson while she was instructing with mobile technology devices. The students were brought onboard a technology bus, which is a bus that has been transformed into a mobile classroom with all the latest touch technology tools. The students were given an iPad to use for the assignment which was to write a rhyming poem about a desert dweller animal. They were to then record the poem into Songify which is an app on the iPad. The students were highly engaged and enthusiastic to be on board the bus and using iPads to complete their assignments. It was enlightening to watch the students be so engaged in the assignment they were given and to see the pride in their faces when they finished.

In closing, there is no doubt about it that we live in a digital world. As a society, not only has our language developed and changed over time, so has the way we communicate that language. Educators nowadays are feeling more pressure to ensure that their students are taught enough digital knowledge to succeed in the 21st century workforce. One way to do that is to let students bring their technology to school with them and not have them power down their devices in the classroom. Using their technology helps to prepare them for high school, college and eventually a career. Children should be taught to embrace the digital tools they have and use them in a responsible and productive manner. Maximizing the technology we have available to us today will provide a palatable learning experience for students of any age. The question is, why wouldn't we take advantage of that?