There has been a shift in mindset toward the use of technology in K-12 classrooms in Ontario. In fact, the provincial ministry of education has led different research projects studying the link between the use of different types of technologies for learning and student engagement and achievement (Jenson, 2011; Shields, 2012; Shields, 2013). The conclusions drawn in these published study reports state that in classes where technology was used to enhance student learning, teachers noticed a renewed student engagement and better overall achievement (Shields, 2013). This has led to new initiatives by the government to support the purchase and use of mobile technologies in all Ontario English and French school boards.
My school board was not ready for this. Large sums of money were received for the purchase of mobile devices and improvement of our infrastructure (i.e. Wi-fi access in schools, improvement in bandwidth, etc.). Most of our schools now have a Wi-fi network reserved for the board’s mobile devices and another (very limited) Wi-fi network for students and teachers personal devices. The school board’s official has not yet revised its policies (it is a work in progress), therefore, it is still forbidden for students to use their cellphones in our schools. Some schools don’t enforce the policy, some schools do. It becomes very challenging for teachers that want to use technology for learning projects in their classrooms but don’t have enough devices for all their students. Since there is not yet a defined policy, our schools are very heterogenous when it comes to technology. Some school principals have put aside important parts of their school budget to purchase mobile devices for students. Some schools prefer to wait for an official policy from the board.
We have a lot of challenges, but the two greatest ones are to create a flexible policy for the use of mobile devices that will allow teachers to have a clear view of the board’s vision. Since we are further north of the province, access to proper Internet speeds (bandwidth) is also a big issue and a big investment (if we compare with boards in the south who can choose from a variety of internet providers).
References
Jenson, J., Taylor, N., & Fisher, S. (2011). Critical review and analysis of the issue of “skills, technology and learning”. Retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/research/Jenson_ReportEng.pdf
Shields, C. (2012). A shifting landscape: pedagogy, technology, and the new terrain of innovation in a digital world. Retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/research/Shifting_LandscapeE.pdf
Shields, C. (2013). Extending the Landscape and Enlarging the Vision: Pedagogy, Technology, and Innovative Practices in a Digital World. Retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/research/Extend_LandscapeE.pdf