Differentiated iTouch Learning - Updated March Thinking

After this past quarter of utilizing the iTouch, I have greatly benefited from and seen its potential as an effective, yet basic tool.  Not that it isn't fully capable of being used for incredibly complex teaching and learning, it just took me a while to realize it's more basic yet useful potentials.  For example, it has been immensely helpful as a recording device during lessons, guided reading, and informal reading conferences, freeing my attention to other more important events to be able to return to the recording for analysis later.  Although this use of the iTouch does not directly apply to the students I was working with, I can clearly see how a student could use it in the same way.  Especially a student whose attention is more hindered than others in the act of writing notes, for example.  They could potentially benefit like me in having the ability to focus attention on other immediate matters and have the iTouch audio recording to return to at a later time. 

During the quarter I have developed a deeper understanding for the power of a small, hand-held skill builder, such as an iTouch with educational game apps.  From my peers I have heard examples of how an iTouch meant the difference between a struggling student having the opportunity to positively work on basic skills to catch-up to their peers, and a struggling student silently slipping more permenantly behind during in-class inaction. 

Through the mathematical methods course this quarter I have seen exciting learning experience potentials that can be realized through the use of iTouches, and how empowering it will be for every student to have this potential in their own hands.  I am really excited to see how it is going to integrate classroom learning with students' outside, real, lives, especially because they will be able to take this learning tool with them into the outside world, and of course, bring the outside world through hand-held learning tools.  The potential to make all learning authentic, relevant and meaningful to all students is fantastic.  I am very curious what parents and community members will have to say about the use of iTouches as learning tools as well as any learning ideas they have for students.

At the beginning of this quarter I think I was in search of much more earth-shattering ideas in using an iTouch and I underestimated the power of an iTouch as a basic, yet effective tool when used thoughtfully to enhance and encourage critical, equitable, pedagogy.  The future with them as learning tools is sure exciting.

Differentiated iTouch Learning - February Updated Thoughts

 

My thinking now is that iTouches are a fantastic opportunity for students to take responsibility for their own learning and construct it in their own ways to make it most meaningful to them.  I made a few more realizations and thought connections over the last few weeks.  One is that some students in my main placement (especially the ones I described in my last Tech post that could possibly benefit from iTouch differentiation) are disturbingly low on classroom learning motivation right now.  Another observation has been that when they get the opportunity to unleash their imaginations for a moment they are as engaged in the classroom learning environment as the others. 

If an iTouch was in every students’ hands for even a little time every day in connection with some classroom learning subject matter, they could be guided and encouraged to use a little freedom and creativity to make a digital story or interactive poster or timeline, anything, as partners, small groups, or the class.  There wouldn’t be a power struggle between the students and the teacher because the teacher would be putting concrete power in their hands. 

I got pretty excited over this BBC news article: Genes ‘play key role in classroom performance.  It explains that learning environment really only counts for about half of student achievement, the rest is due to our individual genes.  This strengthens the potential value of personalizing education with tools like interactive information technology.

New questions I have are what are the potential pitfalls that I am still unaware of?  I understand there are safety issues and the technology must be supported by effective teaching, that it must be used to support a cohesive community not separate everyone, but what else? 

What if not every student can hold an iTouch in his or her hands?

 Would it be a detriment to the students if they have one year with a teacher that incorporates tons of personalized learning with interactive technology, followed by years without any (could the experience discourage them in later more traditional-technology-lacking-unpersonalized education)?

Differentiating with iPods

The prompt for this blog is to write about three different students in my 1st/2nd grade main placement classroom, and how an iPod Touch could support differentiated instruction for them.  I am immediately made aware of how difficult it is to select only three students, especially after reading and seeing how many different ways iPods are already being used in schools for all students.  The first student that comes to mind, though, is very quiet, shy girl whose first language is Spanish.  She specializes in staying under the radar and only seems to do the amount and quality of school work that allows her to stay there.  An idea I have is to encourage her to use the iPod application StoryKit, in which she can write her own versions of digital stories on the iPod.  I would encourage her to do something I had heard suggested, re-create the text for one page and then have a family member do another in any language.  If a language besides English is used it will be valued and can be translated by the student or another app so that any family members and I could read what is being written.  I see this as potentially getting her more excited about literacy, giving her space to unleash her creativity in ways that are hopefully comfortable and allow multiple entry points for family to support her advances in literacy as well.

Another student I can see potentially benefiting from an iPod in the classroom likes to "check-out" from most things academic and even social in the classroom.  To help support him in both areas I would hope offering him opportunities to use a math game app.  My idea here is that he loves games, especially computer games, and he does like playing with other students at recess, so maybe he would like playing a math game to increase his own skills and comfort in math, and then, he could teach other students how to play.  For example, one game I found includes lots of basic arithmetic to practice, and another game involves counting money coins, just like we often do in class.  Usually in class other students are trying to help him complete the math he is uninterested in and I think that it would be empowering and joyful for him to reciprocate and help others with a fun game that encouraged learning at the same time.

Finally, I think of a student who is academically much more advanced than many of her classroom peers, has difficulty maintaining positive social connections, and is desperate for more attention, always.  Maybe, when she finishes her reading and writing work early, she could use an iPod app like Dictionary.com to go to students who need to know a definition or spelling and look it up to share with them.  She could become more of a helper to other students instead of someone who often disrupts community learning.

After thinking of these ideas plus so many more for all of the students, the biggest limitation I saw was when I brought the iPod to school and discovered that the school did not have WiFi.  I could not use any of the iPod applications I had been spending so much time researching, downloading, and experimenting with for this class of students.  In today's world, however, I cannot imagine the school will stay WiFi-less forever.  Then the potential limitations shift, and it seems that most limitations would then come from instruction that wasn't effective in using the technology.  If iPods were used to supplement instruction they must be used equitably and I would want to ensure that they were never a substitute for what the entire class community was doing, that they in no way would ever allow one student to be more separate than the others, but that the technology would aid in community learning inclusion.