There has been talk of improving digital literacy for schools for many years, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for it seems to be more urgent than ever. If digital natives are not learning through the use of digital devices in the classroom, does that make their learning unauthentic? What is your stance on the topic of should children be using tablets in the classroom for learning?
This is an interesting article which lists some benefits of using tablets in the classroom. https://mytechclassroom.com/benefits-of-tablets-in-the-classroom/
Here is an article about some parents wanting to reduce the use of digital devices at school: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/more-students-are-learning-on-laptops-and-tablets-in-class-some-parents-want-to-hit-the-off-switch/2020/02/01/d53134d0-db1e-11e9-a688-303693fb4b0b_story.html
Hi Emily,
This is really closely related to my A1 project so I definitely understand the positive sides to using tablets in classrooms.
When I was reading through The Washington Post, I thought this sentence was very interesting: “The school system does not have a director who oversees the program across the district. Teachers and other staff were not given training for using the devices in class when they were issued more than five years ago, and, Reeves said, the school system has had to play catch-up ever since.” This is something I’ve mentioned in my A1 as well, as the proper training needs to be in place for tablets to be used efficiently.
The article also helped me reflect on screen time. Honestly, I am seriously attached to my iPad/laptop and I always wondered what health implications screen time has on people of different ages. Does it affect brain activity? What about attention levels or behavioural aspects? If we implement these mobile technologies in classrooms with students who are still in the process of brain development, I feel like this is something that should be seriously considered as well.
I think that developing digital literacy is very important because of the prevalence and necessity to be able to effectively use technology in our society, though I also do not think tablets and computers should be the main work platform for young students (outside of online learning). My students are 5-7 years old and get more than enough “iPad time” at home so I try to limit the amount of screen time in the classroom. We use chromebooks for about 45 minutes on Friday afternoons and they are only used for Razkids (reading website). Focusing on only one website allows the kids to repeat the process of logging onto the device, find the internet browser, search the website, log into the website and find books to read several times and become very efficient at it instead of each time being a challenge. We have four class iPads that are used very sparingly and only for two applications, one is Razkids again where a few kids can go on it as a reading centre and the other is a website designed to improve phonemic awareness and phonics skills that I use with my intervention kids.
That being said, my stance is that when used intentionally, tablets have an integral place in the classroom and provide opportunities to develop digital literacy and access apps and websites that support learning, though they should not replace learning fundamental skills. Depending on the grade, the amount of time on these devices and number of tasks would vary but even the little ones can begin developing digital literacy that will help them moving forward.