Since my Wicked Problem Project involves iPods and reading fluency, I’ve been looking into a lot of resources to use with them. I’m currently writing a grant and meeting with my PTO to (hopefully) receive funding to buy additional iPods. When I used to teach upper elementary, all the students brought a flash drive to school to use during Writing Workshop. I look at the USB lab in hopes of gaining additional uses or ideas. I encountered the same problem mentioned in the article. Many students lost their flash drives early in the year because of their small size. I have been interested, personally, in getting a Kindle so I was curious about how this could be used in the classroom. I read the article for the Kindle Lab. I was impressed with the number of things that Kindle is capable of, but I would be a bit nervous to use this technology with first graders. I think the largest challenge is gaining money and resources. I just received a Promethean board in my classroom and will soon be getting student clickers. I’m not quite sure if this counts a mobile learning, but I think it goes along with the topic. Students are able to individually and independently answer questions. I think another challenge is finding the time to introduce students to a new technology and provide background knowledge. Many students already know how to use some technologies, but not all lower elementary students have the same skills.
I am also interested in knowing a bit more about using Kindles in schools. But, I am very skeptical of it. I wonder if using Kindles would really provide students with anything they cannot get from regular books. I also wonder if technology like Kindles would make students shy away from regular books. I could see them being useful with older students, or to have some available, such as for check-out in a library, but I'm not sure about the worth of providing them to all students.
ReplyDelete