First of all, let me say something here. A tablet PC is insufficient for my needs as a Teacher and a CRT Network Coordinator. I basically bought it as an educational toy for my younger children and not a classroom teaching tool.
That being said, having a Tablet PC is not a worthless exercise for teachers in general. They CAN do a lot of what you would do with a Laptop and Interactive White Board in many ways, enabling you to tailor the activities for small groups or individuals rather than as a whole-class exercise.
They are also a bonus for those students requiring a more hands-on approach to learning. Most children also draw parallels to their gameboy, wii, Xbox or Playstation making it automatically engaging and helping children provide their own motivation to learn.
We bought an Asus TF-101 Transformer which is an Android-based tablet (we didn't get the optional keyboard but we're thinking about it!). It is the same sort of thing as an iPad, just a different brand. The difference is primarly the same as the ageless "Windows Vs MacOS" debate. A computer is a computer and they do the same sorts of things, just in different ways. It's the same deal here and many of the apps available for your iPad are also available for Android tablets, the companies are generally supporting both platforms.
Browsing the education section of the android market brought up everything from speaking alphabet flash cards, through simple educational games like Hangman through to some quite in-depth educational experiences for students. A friend with an iPad assures me that the experience in the App store for that tablet is equally interesting.
But I digress.
One of the main reasons I resisted tablets for so long? Even though I understood how valuable they were as a learning tool?
All too often in schools I see tablets being used as a reward for bad behaviour. Students that were being disruptive or outright destructive were given a tablet as a way to divert their attention, calm them and restore order to the classroom. While I am sure this works in the short term, I have certainly run into the learned behaviour that "if I act out, I'll get the iPad!" Mayhem ensues.
As far as I am concerned this is simply isn't a desirable outcome at all, with my thinking drifting towards calling the practice "unholy" during bouts where I have to try to break the habit.
It also drives me up the wall as a CRT to have such a valuable educational tool removed from my toolbox. How can I be sure that teachers aren't rewarding students in this way? I certainly don't want to reinforce the behaviour in my stay in the classroom, which I risk doing every time I think about an activity that uses them.
I would love to use interactive books during story time with the younger ones. I would love to be able to have small groups working with interactive literacy or maths programs. I would love to have the children embark on video projects when I'm in the classroom for longer than a day. What better way than video to let their regular teacher see that they have enthusiastically pursued their learning curve, right?
The problem is, will I be waving an iPad in a child's face like a red rag in front of a bull? Will I be inviting misbehaviour so they can get their hands on it? And if it's learned behaviour, taught by a teacher of all people, how can I punish them for it and keep a clear conscience?
I am of the firm belief that, until Australian schools institute a standard framework under which Tablets can or should be used, they are pretty much going to remain out of my reach as a teaching tool. I simply can't rely on teachers having done "the right thing" with them in the classroom, even though the vast majority do.
Regards,
Mel.
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