iPods in Grade School: Learning Tool or Goof-off Aid?
9:46 am, October 12th, 2009, Nicole Martinelli
@Brendan Fitterer/St. Petersberg Times
We’ve written a lot about the iPod Touch becoming a near-requirement at US universities, but iPod use may be on the uptick in North American grade schools, too.
One Florida elementary school has 80 iPods that some kids use to listen to audio books (instead of reading them, it seems) others do comprehension exercises and the wee ones watch videos teaching them about the five senses and then answer questions.
“It’s cool,” 11-year-old Devyn Cabral said, taking a break from Science Fair by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. “When you’re sitting at your desk and reading a book, it’s harder. It’s easier for me to comprehend by listening to it.”
Julianne Audino, 8, said she liked the iPods “better than reading, because we actually get to listen.”
Seven-year-old Dejah Staton wasn’t so thrilled.
“I’d rather read the book,” she said. “You can imagine it on your own. This is telling you.”
In Gothenberg, Nebraska, fifth graders in the gifted class create a podcast documenting their school’s renovation for the school website. In Canada, Calgary school district libraries are planning to load up iPod Touches with the complete works of Shakespeare, plus the periodic table and graphing calculators.
“iPods and other mobile devices have real potential to transform learning and make learning very personal because they are travelling around in the pockets of students,” education specialist Karen Pegler said.
While not totally against the iPod in school — the portable language lab for ESL learners seems like a good idea – the photo illustrating the Florida story and the kid’s comments makes me wonder whether if iPods are like the AV resources of yesteryear (movies, audio cassettes) that were good excuses to de-rail attention and goof off.
Posted by Nicole Martinelli in News, iPod, iPod Touch | Comment on this article
For the most part it seems like you answered your own question.
No matter the tool/device/gadget there will be students who use it unwisely or see it as an opportunity to “goof off”. This of course is true in life for adults as well. I can’t even count all of the postings in the past that point to countless distractions in the work place.
What is necessary for iPods (or insert other device name here) in the classroom is support for the educators through different professional development opportunities. Your examples of their uses, selected from the news story, are helpful examples. Teachers/Educators/Parents need examples and an opportunity to see these devices used for meaningful purposes.
The question you raise regarding “goofing off” is important and necessary for all individuals in education to consider and work toward lessening.
Thank you for finding this and sharing it!
Michael, on October 12th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I think the comments by the Florida elementary students seems troubling since they point to technology *hindering* rather than helping education. After all, do we want kids who don’t learn to read or don’t want to because of technology?
From my observations with my own children in elementary school, I have seen teachers try to use technology like iPods without having much of an idea what to do with them (e.g. podcasts). Is this really helping children to write better sentences? I agree with Nicole’s point about how today’s technology is like movies and cassettes back in the day for being an excuse to goof off.
All that being said, however, I do see iPods as having potential for good use in schools. When schools can use iPods (or perhaps a tablet someday) to load several textbooks or tools on them that would be a tremendous help for students. My high-school aged daughter is forced to carry a mammoth backpack around school that is loaded with textbooks. Due to the size of the school she is not allowed to visit a locker between classes. Replacing all those books with an iPod or tablet would be a tremendous help. She would still have to read them, but at least she wouldn’t have to break her back carrying them all day.
Tony, on October 12th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
well Tony, what about the child who is always behind in classes, and mocked because he is a slow reader, or the student who is blind.
when used carefully and with guidance, technology can be a useful tool.
when students are allowed to bring ipods from home and can play games with each other instead of paying attention, that’s a different matter.
as for your daughter, it sounds like someone needs to have a very serious talk with the faculty, school board etc. because that kind of hauling stuff around can actually cause health problems.
Charli, on October 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pm