I was intrigued when I read that Flock was designed specifically with social networking applications in mind. I have found that I can also post blog entries from my iPhone. What would you think about issuing an iPod touch or iPad to every student in your class? They could use it to blog, text answers to a poll, view video clips, utilize a graphing calculator function, etc.
Personally, I would love to see every student have a netbook or ipod touch. I don't know about the iPhone. The iPhone might bring security issues into play when you are talking about a traditional brick and mortar school. In Milwaukee a few years ago, cell phones were banned in schools by the superintendents staff due to fights. These were not ordinary fights where two kids might engage in a knock down drag out fights. This was made worse due to the use of cell phones from students and led to people outside of the school converging at the highschool that contained the students with the problems. Unfortunately, this also led to various weapons being brought and some police were injured breaking up the mob melee. If internet capable cell phones are issued or made available for use in class, how would the security issues be dealt with?
There are definitely pros and cons of utilizing an ipod touch or cell phones within the classroom. It certainly allows students to contribute to classroom related blogs, record video, and have access to other internet resources; however, it can also cause a lot of distractions. Student can text with each other, access inappropriate material, and use it for cyber bullying like Mike eluded to. I am not sure how this can be regulated or monitored. Any ideas?
I think we need to educate and not ban. Pencils, for instance, can be dangerous, bad things may be written, or even worse it could be a weapon - yet we do not ban them. How can we ensure students are responsible users of technology.
I think that is really neat. But how would this be able to help in a classroom setting?
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued when I read that Flock was designed specifically with social networking applications in mind. I have found that I can also post blog entries from my iPhone. What would you think about issuing an iPod touch or iPad to every student in your class? They could use it to blog, text answers to a poll, view video clips, utilize a graphing calculator function, etc.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would love to see every student have a netbook or ipod touch. I don't know about the iPhone. The iPhone might bring security issues into play when you are talking about a traditional brick and mortar school. In Milwaukee a few years ago, cell phones were banned in schools by the superintendents staff due to fights. These were not ordinary fights where two kids might engage in a knock down drag out fights. This was made worse due to the use of cell phones from students and led to people outside of the school converging at the highschool that contained the students with the problems. Unfortunately, this also led to various weapons being brought and some police were injured breaking up the mob melee. If internet capable cell phones are issued or made available for use in class, how would the security issues be dealt with?
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely pros and cons of utilizing an ipod touch or cell phones within the classroom. It certainly allows students to contribute to classroom related blogs, record video, and have access to other internet resources; however, it can also cause a lot of distractions. Student can text with each other, access inappropriate material, and use it for cyber bullying like Mike eluded to. I am not sure how this can be regulated or monitored. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteI think we need to educate and not ban. Pencils, for instance, can be dangerous, bad things may be written, or even worse it could be a weapon - yet we do not ban them. How can we ensure students are responsible users of technology.
ReplyDelete