I have a 1:1 situation in my classroom with a class set of iPads. While it has been an amazing experience, there are limitations when five students are sharing 1 device over the course of the day. For some of my students, this is the only access they will have to a computer for the entire day. I also do not get to leverage all of the power of the iPad because some apps require storage on the tablet. Despite those issues, the 1:1 experiment has been a huge success in my opinion.
The conversation about 1:1 spilled over into Twitter and one of my district's administrators, Aaron Johnson (@i2_sing_america) and @kevinozar joined the conversation about supplying students with the devices and what do we do about teachers that are resistant to adopting the new pedagogy that comes with the new tools. These are great questions and here are my thoughts on them.
I think the one that drives me the most batty, is the reluctant teacher argument. Yes, there are teachers that do not like change. That is a fact. Are there that many reluctant teachers that an entire district should not move forward with a 1:1 program? I doubt it. Even if there are, it seems to me that the situation is an administrative issue. If an employee refuses to use a new tool despite adequate training and support, that is when the boss steps in and uses appropriate measures to get them on board.
Now, notice I said adequate training and support. That really is key. I think most teachers are reluctant to change because they have had too many new programs and tools thrust upon them without adequate training and support. I would love it if every teacher could grab and iPad and start to lesson plan like a pro, but that is not happening. I have had the iPads in my class for almost a year and I'm still on a learning curve. Worse yet, I've been supplying my own training and support through Twitter. Now, if my district were to move toward a 1:1 model, I would be in an excellent position to support students and staff. That is a bonus. One person's pain can turn into another person's salvation when it comes to technology integration. Without proper training and continues support after the training, 1:1 programs, and all new pedagogical initiatives, will fail miserably.
Should school districts pay for students to have devices? This is the question I have changed my position on at different times over the past couple of years. I believe that BYOD cannot work because of the digital divide. I also think it can't work because it now asks a teacher to have an elementary understanding of how many different devices and OSs work. That sounds like a logistical nightmare for any teacher.
Computers, iPads in this case, are starting to become the norm in the classroom. In my district, it is an accepted expectation that work is completed on a computer and submitted to teachers electronically. It has been that way for almost 10 years. As the makeup of our district has changed, that expectation has slowly changed. There are students without access to computers at home and struggle to complete work before or after school. As a teacher, I make the accommodations I need to help those students succeed, but they will have trouble all year and some teachers are not as accepting as I am. As a school, we offer supplies to students they cannot afford on their own. If a student doesn't have pen and paper, don't we offer it to them to use? Are computers entering the same category? We give all of our students email addresses, how can they use them if they don't have access? We are moving students to Google Apps for Education, what's the point if they can;t use the tools outside of class. (Yes, GAFE isn't awesome on iPads, but maybe we go laptops. Don't let that be the sticking point in this post.)
I think it is becoming the responsibility to provide access to all of the students in an effort to give them the computing skills they will need outside of the classroom. If a student is only given pencils to do their work, they will not be prepared when they go to college or have to fill out online job applications. I know funding is a nightmare and their are logistical issues that have to be dealt with, including adequate bandwidth to handle the traffic, but should these be the roadblock to providing the best education possible for our students?
What are your thoughts?
I have been teaching in a 1:1 classroom for the past four years, and I never, never, never-ever-never want to go back to a "cart system" or traditional classroom. Each district and teacher is different, but when students have their own device, one they can personalize and always access, learning becomes more dynamic and efficient and limitless.
ReplyDeleteA laptop (or iPad) will never be as important as a professional, caring teacher, but 1:1 programs make it easier for such teachers to lead students to success.
Well said!
DeleteRobin, I appreciate your reply. Laptops and tablets pave the way to go paperless and to use a variety of tools to push education to the next level. Most of all, you note the role of the teacher in the success of the 1:1 classroom. Students also can be the driving force, and they can assume teaching roles as they explore and gain aptitude with the available and excellent resources. For the digital divide, yes, educators need to find ways to address that issue. Burlington HS in Mass, as well as other schools, find ways to give all teachers and students iPads. Maine statewide has had a 1:1 initiative. I often wonder how the 1:1 program is working in Maine. Some research is available. If others know more about teacher PD in these 1:1 schools, districts, and states, continue to share, in places like Twitter, with links to access additional information.
ReplyDeleteHi. Thanks for your 1:1 piece. I'm a Tech Director for a small high school that doesn't have the funds to do a 1:1 yet but I am considering trying to push for one. The problem I am having however is finding some proof that these devices, say iPads, are improving learning and student understanding of subject matter content. I've yet to find a comprehensive study supporting student achievement. I have actually seen evidence to the contrary and i'm worried that we're once again pushing devices as the solution to what ails education.
ReplyDeleteI've seen far too many schools go for the glitz of having a 1:1 program without the proper planning and without giving teachers time to make changes in their instruction - time built in for professional development. It's a waste of money if: a) the teachers haven't "bought into" the program; b) there is no administrative support for continued professional development for the teachers; c) the teachers aren't tech savvy themselves; d) the students aren't given a voice in deciding what device will work best for them; e) whatever the device, if teachers just teach the same old way with a different tool (e.g., put homework on a LMS instead of writing it on the board, expect word processed documents instead of written) there really won't be any changes in the classroom or learning. Research has been done since the mid 1980s about technology uses in education and every study has shown that without the proper PD, technology doesn't improve learning. Yes, I see some teachers who embrace the technology and change their manner of teaching, but those teachers are the same ones who made do with one computer in their classroom and provided opportunities for all their students to use it. Those teachers are also few and far between. It's hard work to change and without the proper time, training and planning, it's not going to happen no matter how much money you spend and how many devices are available for students.
ReplyDelete