About a year ago, we started using Ipads with
our Preschoolers in our school as a pilot project. In the beginning, we had
three Ipads to be shared amongst each group, which meant it had to be used mostly
in learning centers, as we have more than ten students in each class.
Before we started running the program, the preschool
teacher sat together to set ground rules to teach students how to care for and
use the new gadgets. Students have to make sure their hands are clean before
using the tablets, they should leave it resting on the table and there would always
be an adult guiding the use of it.
As children have more than enough game time at
home, the apps would be carefully selected, so they are appropriate to the age
level, to the topic or skill being taught.
I have already heard of researches saying that young
children should not be exposed to screens such as television or computer before
the age of 3, so Ipads would surely be included in this list.
The
professional body for paediatricians, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, says that children
are exposed to screens for longer amounts of time
than ever before. This widespread access to smartphones, tablets, games consoles,
TVs and laptops is causing concern amongst doctors in the UK and internationally.
(http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a25006035/is-screen-time-good-or-bad-for-babies-and-children#ixzz30g3bw03r)
However, I think Ipads are a real tool today,
and why should we say “this is for adults, not for you” when we can use it in
balance with other tools?
The Chicago
Tribune News published an article about using technology in the classroom, and
according to Superintendent Linda Vieth of Sunset Ridge School District 29, “This is
teaching to their world. Students still need finger paints and blocks. They
need real books and paper in their hands. But this is another tool."
Engage with literature
Ipads are nowadays mostly being used in my
classroom as an additional learning center. Students enjoy turn the pages of
books as they it is read to them.
While
looking for statistics about schools that also use technology to support
literacy, I came across this very interesting program from NapaLearns that
support digital early learning and use specific learning applications to
support learning tools, not to replace them.
Ilene Rosenthal says on the video that
after a few days on the program, their comprehension rise up to 20% when
they`re reading the books. Supervisor Julie O'Toole said iPads have the capacity
to engage children: “I think that as we know,
children are exposed to technology at an early age, but some children and
families have more contact than others. This project provides equal opportunities
for all children”. (http://www.standard.net.au/story/1402104/benefits-of-ipad-childs-play/?cs=12)
To use it or not to use it?
What I
notice, after a year using Ipads (and now we have 5 in each classroom) is that
students enjoy this tool, they benefit from it but it would never substitute
teaching time or the contact they have with toys, for example counting bears to
practice math skills.
Kym Lam San, who has a son in kindergarten, says he knows
the advantages in using technology as a learning recourse and would like to have
it implemented in his child`s school, as long as there was a balance between
the new technology and the traditional teaching methods.
“I like the idea of learning from iPads. My kids use
educational apps at home. However, I wouldn't want one over the other. Like
anything, I think there needs to be a balance."
I enjoyed your blog on "Using Technology with Young Learners" and appreciated the comment that the iPad can be used as a tool to promote literacy and learning. Technology does have the capacity to engage children of all ages. It is interesting to see children that are much younger flip through pages and app contents as easily as some of the older children who seem proficient using tablet devices. However, I also agree with the thought that children still need to use and have books and pencils in their hands. Technology is a tool that successful can promote learning, but it is not the only tool. I think that some educators do get caught in the trap of either not enough or too much technology when delivering instruction and planning units.
ReplyDeleteIn the kindergarten class, the teacher clearly uses an actual book and demonstrates reading in order to develop a connection for completing the same task with the iPad. The structure of the lesson allows students to see the purpose of the tool and to use it in the same manner for learning. I have discovered that structure, when using and incorporating technology tools, is necessary in order to keep students on task and working towards a desired outcome. Technology use must be modeled and be purposefully placed in the lesson in order to maximize effective use of time and reaching daily and unit objectives. This was really clearly identified in your article and in the video presentation.
When the four of five students are working on the iPad, what are the rest of the learners in the class doing? Are they reading with books or completing other lesson work? And, in this type of class, are there many teacher aides or parent volunteers helping the children when iPads are being used? Even in the middle school classroom in a one-to-one laptop school, it is difficult to monitor and assist all students in a lesson where technology tools are being introduced so I am curious to know how iPad time is determined and how lessons are differentiated to accommodate all students.
Hi Candance,
ReplyDeleteThanks for you comments. Let me tell you how it works in my classroom: I have currently 16 students in my group, which means I usually have 4 or 5 learning centers happening at a time. In some centers students work more independently, such as the building / block center, house center or even playdough center, whereas we usually have two more teacher centered, as I have an assistant. It is usually an activity that requires monitoring: math, language arts or even painting (to avoid making a big mess) and the Ipad center. We`re usually there only to make sure students remain on the app we suggest or we can differenciat instruction..
Some games have highler / lower levels, which we adjust to our each child. We can even suggest a different app. For instance, for Math we use sometimes Math 3-4, but we have a high achiever student who already uses Math 4-5.
We can clearly see development and enjoyment in our students when they`re using the tablets.
We also rotate them after around 10 minutes, which is an avarage time they can focus before losing attention, which allows everybody to visit every center.
What a great topic to chose! I feel like I started having discussions about things like this before it was even about the internet, back when it was just about whether or not to expose students to screen time and mouse and keyboard practice. It's interesting how it would appear from your research the current trend in this discussion is the "should we" aspect of exposing young learners to technology. What I mean by that is that there are those who have concerns about whether it is a health hazard. (http://movingtolearn.ca/2014/ten-reasons-why-hand-held-devices-should-be-banned-for-children-under-the-age-of-12)
ReplyDelete10 years ago, my experience with the debate was a question of "must we". Meaning "are we harming students if we don't give them a chance to practice these skills at school, when not everyone has equal access at home". My personal response was: "No, I do not believe we 'must'". I didn't have the internet or email until college. I have a friend who is 15 years older than me and is about to revolutionize machine learning. He graduated college 2 years after the Macintosh was released. I don't subscribe to any extremes, but when I go to a Waldorf school that has no computers through grade 8, and see that after a very short time their graduates have no problems in high school, I feel vindicated in my opinion that it is not a "must" in most situations.
Going back to the question of "should", I go like to ask "what are we trying to accomplish as educators, and does this tool help us to accomplish that in a way that makes it worth using?
I think you have proven in your post and your response to Candace that you have incorporated iPads into your curriculum with great thoughtfulness and care, and I commend you for it. Please do not take what I am about to say as a negative. Your word choice just inspired a mental pathway.
You said:
'However, I think Ipads are a real tool today, and why should we say “this is for adults, not for you” when we can use it in balance with other tools?'
I think we need to be careful with statements like that. We hand small children safety scissors (if that), not exacto-knives, even if the latter would be the better tool because we know that they aren't ready for it. Or we chose not to use a tool at all because it is unnecessary for completing our end goal in education. Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.
You and I both touched on concerns about using these tools, and yet we both see the success of using them. Have you come to a personal decision about how to come to terms with the concerns? Or have you found any good resources refuting them?