Tool #8 New Tools and Management

Although I was familiar with much of the information I read, I did learn that I can use my school computer to sync the new devices using i-Tunes.  Unfortunately, I am not a classroom teacher, so I will not be a lucky recipient of the new technology.

The i-Pad, i-Touch, and Netbook all have incredible potential for learning in the classroom.  Like all other tools in student hands, the way in which students care for and use the tools are two issues that must be addressed prior to giving your students access to the hardware. Student expectations must be set, legal forms and permissions must be completed by the parents, and a plan must be set in place to ensure that access is equal among all students. Student and teacher accoutibility is crucial if learning is to take place. While students are instantly engaged with using different Apps, teachers must be viligent to be sure that students aren't just hopping around Apps just for the sake of playing with the new toy.

I believe the best kind of uses for i-Touches and i-Pads is for creating and communicating with others. Using screencasts to create tutorials give math or other content areas a real life application for learning math.  While math Apps can be fun and practical for drilling, this type of Apps hold student attention only briefly. When students use math Apps, they often skip around when some thing becomes difficult. Finding Apps that help students to create knowledge is more worthwhile investment. As challenging as it can become to use teach the students to use it as a learning resource, the new technology coming down the pipe can be a great asset to both the teacher and the student.