I work at two elementary schools. At both schools on the very first day of school, usually a half day, students are sent home with a technology release form to secure (or not) use of technology for individual students. The forms are quite detailed and are in some ways ‘legal’ documents. For some students, who are under protection, photos cannot even accidentally be in any of the pictures taken at school. So because cell phones take photos, it becomes easier to say no to all use of cell phones at elementary during school hours (except in case of emergency [here meaning ‘natural’ disaster]). The official directive off the website of one of my schools reads as follows: “Cell phone use during school hours is not permitted. Devices may not be used during recess or lunch breaks.” (SD36, 2012)
Technically the official policy is the same at my other school, however it has a significant number of Asian students who usually come to Canada a few months before the end of grade 7 to our school specifically, so that they will have guaranteed access to the IB program of the local high school. I have seen those students use their cell phones quite steadily to translate, and in some cases (this will sound odd) but as “comfort devices.” They will watch their favourite “cat” video, or look at sites that remind them of “their normal” and it brings them comfort.
I am not sure how an elementary teacher would even structure a lesson with the idea that a cell phone is the best tool to use. Certainly not within the privacy regulations we are to abide by.
The use of iPads on the other hand, is quite intensive in the Surrey school district. We have the largest deployment of iPads of all schools in North America. Since we started introducing them to schools, our IT department has had to grow and policy change as the use of these devices grew in scope. We have also started wide spread use of the digital portfolio creation tool, Fresh Grade.
With regard to the article we read for this module, I am disappointed that it was chosen. Few educators I know have a team of support such as what was described, not to mention a 1-1 device ration. I understand that Clampa is trying to, and believes has successfully determined, that the taxonomy has validity in a current classroom. The article’s guiding question of: ‘What do elementary teachers and students perceive as the motivational affordances of using mobile devices for learning?’ focuses on two things: “motivational affordance” and “learning” [undefined]. Motivation according to Malone and Lepper can be enhanced through challenge, curiosity, control, recognition, competition, and cooperation (1987). My own experience of using devices, such as iPads, with students, is that, although great, they are not the only tool, nor the best one given the circumstance.
References
Ciampa, K. (2013). Learning in a mobile age: An investigation of student motivation. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 30(1), 82–96. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcal.12036/epdf
Malone, T.W., & Lepper, M. R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning. In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.), Aptitude, learning, and instruction: III. Conative and affective process analyses (pp. 223– 253). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Retrieved from http://ocw.metu.edu.tr/mod/resource/view.php?id=1311
Surrey School District. (2012). Cell phone use, BYOD. Retrieved from https://www.surreyschools.ca/schools/bayridge/About/PoliciesProcedures/CodeofConduct/Documents/Supervision.Attendance.BYOD.Personal%20Items.pdf