This week in Teaching With Technology, I inquired how can I create equitable use of technology and incorporate real-world applications into algebra and geometry lessons when not all of my students have a device or the same device (smartphone, laptop, tablet, Chromebook, etc…). This question was inspired by my observations of districts that provide laptops for their students however, my daughter’s district has a “Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. If I teach in a BYOD district, I want to find some tools that will work for all students.
The first web page I went to help me answer my question was my daughter’s district’s website. The district recommends a laptop, a Chromebook, or a tablet. However, the research paper, Pockets of Potential (Shuler, 2009), they use as the basis for their BYOD model refers to a cell phone, game console, and some tablets. The equitability stated for Pockets of Potential (Shuler, 2009) makes sense because of the pervasiveness of cellphones, and the district cites the same equitability for their larger devices. What I realized is this is probably a political issue and this blog is not my place to discuss my opinion on this policy.
If I have a classroom in this district or another district with a BYOD policy, I want to be prepared to teach with whatever device students bring to class. My classmate Middy Kinzer (2017) cited an article that proposed several tools for a biology classroom that could be used on an ActivBoard or projected from the teacher’s computer or be used by the students in classes with 1:1 laptop ratios. In her discussion post, she reminds me that integrating technology into the classroom does not mean it has to be at the student’s fingertips. I can project games and interactive educational material for all the class.
Searching for my answer, I read Learning, Teaching, and Scholarship in a Digital Age (Greenhow, Robelia, and Hughes, 2009) about how the Web has changed since I learned how to navigate it. My students will view it as a tool and resource as much as a source of entertainment and games. I can have my students use it for answers and create their own personal identities. Identities they can transfer from my class to home via their device of choice. They can play games in my class and take their identity with them to continue the game outside of class, starting from where they left off. To that end, I found the following websites contain math applications that can cross platforms and even integrate with each other. Using Kahoot! or Quizlet Live students can make their own avatar and answer review questions across platforms. I found the BrainPop website contains more real-world-like videos, games, quizzes and more, to use on the ActiveBoard or let the learner drive their speed through the content. Manga High website contains very addictive math games with a high production value so they are very engaging. With these applications, I hope to facilitate creativity and inspire student learning by engaging my students with immersive games and visually appealing content. I will find it more challenging to find applications that will run on any device my students bring to my class and to provide equitable opportunities for students who may not have a device.
Kinzer, M. (2017). Retrieved October 07 2017 from https://spu.instructure.com/groups/6245/discussion_topics/48016
Shuler, C., ED.M. (January 2009). Industry Brief: Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children’s Learning. Retrieved October 03, 2017 from http://joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/industry-brief-pockets-of-potential-using-mobile-technologies-to-promote-childrens-learning/.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your blog post this week because it looked at the difficult issue of equity. Your personal insight from your daughters school district, as well as your research into your triggering question taught me a lot about the equitable use of personal devices in schools. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Jennifer~
ReplyDeleteI love how you've found several resources that cross platforms, addressing the equitability standard even with such disparate devices. I also think you've tapped into something by aligning different devices with individual identities. I think your approach will create student ownership of both the devices they have (even if they're not as expensive as their classmates' devices) and of their own learning. There's real value in learning how to work with what you have, and you're finding a way to allow for both that and for equitability in the classroom, which is remarkable.
We started out as a BYOD district, but faced some of the same difficulties you talked about. Since Chromebooks have gotten so inexpensive next year we will be loaning Chromebooks to all students turning us into a one-to-one district at the secondary level. This will help with the problems you have discussed of equity and supporting the variety of technology used. I am glad you have found some resources that will help you.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that your personal experience with your daughter’s school district triggered you to explore the equity of devices (or lack thereof) brought into classrooms for student learning. Fortunately, as you learned through Muddy’s article, you are not restricted in how you present your material if some of your students do not have tech devices to bring to class. Perhaps, at home, a child’s family member can help him/her continue learning by using a cellphone to access the website you use in class.