Beuchley et al.

Alicia, your last comment struck a cord with me "In order for the whole school district to be on board, there would need to be a wide acceptance of the ease of use and benefit of the technology." I feel that this statement is key to any integration of computer technology these days. If I substitute iPad for Lilypad your statement still rings true. The iPad is all about 'ease of use' with easily accessible apps. access to the Internet (LAN or wifi being available), video and photo capabilities, physically designed for young and older students to easily hold and manipulate and finally portability. This device also supports collaborative/constructivist learning. Given this list, one would think that all school would incorporate such a device. So, why are not all schools incorporating, what seems to be the possibly the ultimate 'ease of use' device? I am comfortable with technology, I have an iPad at home, however, I am hesitant/apprehensive to integrate or suggest to my admin that this is the way to go. Does anyone else feel this way? Perhaps it is the pace of development and the urgency to implement the use of these devices that is resulting in the hesitation. Thoughts?

Dominic and Alicia,

In addition to ease-of-use and accessibility, time and equity are other factors that need to be considered. While I can learn certain technology-based programs relatively quickly, I still need free time during my day to do so. Furthermore, I've noticed that most of the technology resources get sourced out to the math, science, social studies, and English teachers, resulting in inequity of technology distribution and access. The teachers that teach in subject areas that are tested by the state have more technology.

Dominic, in response to your question about iPads being used in the classroom, I can relate to your hesistancy. Personally, I do not consider myself an early adopter of various tech tools because I want to ensure that all students have access to the tools and also that these tools will have a positive impact on student achievement. My class time with the students is limited, so I only integrate tools or programs in instruction that maximize the learning benefits to all students and aren't simply a trend or a colorful, attention-getting device. Thoughts?

Brian,

You mention the inequity regarding sourcing out technologies. In my experience it is primarily the science and math groups that receive technology first. Although, recently as the technology coordinator, I have managed to find better balance with distribution of educational technologies to faculty in both our Jr and Sr buildings.

There are so many factors to consider when implementing new devices. I have mentioned a few in the Monahan thread and Brian you have touched on time and equity. I believe that iPads can be an extremely powerful learning tool, but not the sole tool to be used. In my opinion this is true particularly at the Sr level from 10 - 12. In order to complete their work to a high enough level, students would have to use a desktop or laptop in combination with an iPad. It is difficult to manipulate large amounts of data from a science experiment in a spreadsheet or write a complete essay with bibliography on an iPad.

So, if a school is to adopt iPads and be equitable, is the expectation on the students or the school to provide the devices. If the school is expected to purchase the iPads for the students, do they have funds available or a lab for students to complete the work? Also, as mentioned in Monahan thread, the iPad works well with cloud based resources. How can we ensure student privacy and meet policy (FOIPPA in BC) by using a device which stores information in the Cloud? This is an issue, which I would need clarified before I was comfortable using this kind of device in the classroom.

Brian,

I agree with your thoughts that class time with students is limited and this prevents me from implementing and trying many different ways of learning. The other issue is when you introduce a new tool or program into a course sometimes it doesn't have the affect you were looking for. Generally I will introduce one or two new programs or tools into a course for each term and observe the results. If I feel it was beneficial then I will continue to use it and add on to it. This however is a slow process considering the rapid changes that are happening with technology.

In regards to Ipads I don't believe schools will ever have the funds to fully pay for all students to have one. Instead I would say that most students would bring their own and those that can't afford one would have to apply to receive one. As you mention there would be many problems if they tried to implement such a system. Our internet is slow at our school most of the time but if you had 1500+ students trying to use it at the same time it would become unusable.

The other reason that I am slow on adopting new technology is like you mention all the policies (like FOIPPA) that limit what you can and can't do.

Colin I agree that schools do not have the funds to buy technology for every student in the school. I believe in the future, the money spent on textbooks will be spent on technology, and the students will access something similar to wiki spaces in the humanities at least, thus removing books and/or e-books from the equation. Martin

Hi Colin and Martin,

I wonder if using iPads or other tech ed materials like computers, etc. would make a different in reducing paper copies when most of the course is on the computer (also less textbook costs). Our school constantly has paper jams or problems with the photocopier and it results in calling in a specialist to fix it. What a waste of educational resource money! Teachers still seem to print mass amounts of paper like it's no big deal. Over the long run, with less photocopier maintenance and paper costs, perhaps more could be in the budget for the technology that replaces a lot of that paper...Just a thought.

Hi Alicia, I have been trying to reduce the amounts of copies that I make in my math and science classroom this year. I teach grade 9's, and both of our textbooks are available online. I did not check out textbooks to my students unless they were fully aware that they were to return the textbook or pay the $90 replacement fee. I received a huge amount of resistance to parents because their student MUST have a textbook. Breaking this pattern is going to take some time. I also posted all of my notes online this year, in the hopes of reducing the paper copies that I would have to make. After having a group website for all of our core classes for grade 9's for one year, I still have students asking me where they can find the notes (mostly because final exams are starting). It's frustrating to do this extra work to find that it isn't being used by parents or students. I haven't reduced my photocopying at all, but I have reduced the numbers of "lost" textbooks. Rose