Instead of trying to ban iPods and cell phones, one school district is telling kids to bring their own tech to school.
In the Green Bay area of Wisconsin, officials tired of trying to regulate the use of iDevices. Now at the Pulaski School District, for example, kids are encouraged to bring their cell phones, iPods and computers to class.
“Teachers can post questions, and kids can respond using their phones or their own computers,” said Amy Uelmen, instructional technology coordinator for the Pulaski district. “In the old days, we would take students to a computer lab; now you can bring it all into the classroom.”
The district had a ban on cell phones and iPods but recently lifted it – because they were unable to keep the gadgets out of classrooms. This has happened in at least one other school recently, where students protested to lift an iPod ban, as the struggle to regulate electronics in the hallowed halls of learning rages on.
“If you give kids an opportunity to use phones they take responsibility and they’re not trying to use them when they aren’t supposed to,” said Pulaski High School co-principal Daniel Slowey. “This way they can communicate with their parents for rides or whatever they need to do.”
The iPods can also do double duty, used to help teach communication skills, said Uelmen, noting that devices to help students with disabilities can cost $8,000, compared with $200 for an iPod.
Another reason parents – those who can afford to keep up with the iJoneses, at least – might be on board gadgets going to school: Uelmen expects that teachers will also impart proper phone or iPod etiquette to students.
Source: Greenbay Press Gazzette
