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
Hi Keri,
I think that Ciampa’s aims are specifically aimed at how motivation can be empowered through learning and engagement in a mobile environment. A secondary takeaway is how educator growth can be impacted by that level of support through administration and access. I can find no area that claims that a 1:1 device ratio or such support is assumed in other settings. This provides an excellent model of what professional growth can look like in mobile environments, and should also provide a cue for the supports leadership should be providing to teachers.
I absolutely agree with you that a mobile device is not always the best tool for the job, but its presence in the classroom needs to be explored by teachers in both contexts (when it is the best tool and when it isn’t) so that teachers can begin to draw that conclusion for themselves. In fact, one of my favourite lessons utilizes paper and post-it notes because of my own experiential learning with mobile technology! Additionally, students have begun to recognize this concept – what is the best tool for the job? – when reinforced continually by their teachers. We always talk about how resources can be online, in books, or through people. The ‘people’ part always confuses them initially, but they soon see that a human resource can be the best one!
So, while not always the best tool for the job, mobile technology integration can change the motivations for learning within students and its very presence and support can promote professional growth within teachers. Now the task is to address institutional priority on this issue: if we are to teach updated curriculum with a high focus on digital literacy, we should be given the resources and supports to do so (the age-old BC fight).
Hi Victoria,
I use iPads with students all the time, but just not cell phones (My favourite activity is with Kindergarteners and QR codes). I asked at both of my schools to see if any of the other teachers had personally, or knew of anyone that had introduced cell phones with educational intent/success. None of them had. I agree with you that as we are riding the tide of technology, more “purposeful” and less “knee-jerk” “institutional priority” needs to happen.
Thanks for always thoughtfully engaging in the dialogue!
Keri 🙂
Absolutely – not saying that you don’t use mobile; iPads are mobile devices, too! Cell phones are a bit more sticky of a device to use because of several reasons that you outlined in your original post. Student cell phones have been utilized in our school at the intermediate level to a minor extent, but due to access concerns (not every student having their own device), it’s not usually the central device of a lesson. We bring in the iPads in for that. But when we do use phones to supplement work, research, etc., students are actually pretty respectful with the rules of no social media (including text) or snapping photos in class, which is great to see!
Hi Keri, if a parent has a problem with their child’s image on a cell phone, wouldn’t they have the same problem with the school’s iPads? Do you know if there’s some legislation that states a parent has a right to keep their child’s image off of private devices, but not public ones?
I’ve long said that elementary and secondary school teachers are ‘different animals’, and so I must profess that I don’t know how I would best address this challenge of yours, Keri! I agree with Victoria that teaching students how to asses what is the most appropriate ‘tool for the job’ is a great idea and a valuable lesson, but I imagine that taking their impulse control and concepts of ethics when working online into consideration must be quite the feat. I wonder how that hurdle will be overcome in the future, if it’s even possible?
While I definitely see the perspectives of the points listed here, I believe that if we approach these types of issue with fear, kids will continue on with them without our guiding hand in the matter.
For example, students as young as Grade 2 (7 years old!!!) were using Instagram in our school last year… and the issues were coming to school with them. Instead of demoting its use (because they’ll just move onto something else), some of the teachers started using it in classroom instruction – to connect with other students around the world, to find accounts to learn from, etc. Through doing this, we got to teach about digital citizenship issues, break down real student scenarios (that they brought up as examples), and talk about online safety. We also released a blog post with some tips for parents with young kids using social media, reminding them of the legal age to do so, but also acknowledging that this probably won’t stop them. Instead, we offered tips and tricks for safe & continued use of these media and ongoing parent-child conversations that cover everything from what to post, who to follow, and transparency.
In short, everything we fear about these scenarios is a possibility for learning, both for students and for adults. Teaching kids how to use mobile devices in social settings – both personal and ‘professional’ settings (school is their professional setting) – is extremely important in my view. Am I saying cell phones should be out all the time? No. I stand by the fact that they should be able to distinguish what the right device for the job is. But am I saying that there are ways that we should go about integrating them? Yes, absolutely. Even in elementary settings.
I gotta say, that’s a well-argued point and I can’t help but agree with it, Victoria! I think meeting the problem head on is the best way – we all know how well abstinence-only education works in a whole variety of contexts (hint: terribly) .