Mobilism Proposal Kristin Anderson Terri Ziegler

Teaching with Technology What is your justification for using handheld devices in your class? There are many reasons using handheld devices such as Ipads in the classroom are beneficial. Ipads offer more diverse methods for learning and engaging students in the 21st century. Ipads also offer tools for students to create unique projects and can also improve their technology skills. Using Ipads allows for student centered learning which promotes individual responsibility, self assessment, development and interactive engagement. According to Neal W. Topp a doctorate student for the College of Education at the University of Nebraska, there are many reasons why handheld electronic devices should be used in school classrooms. Topp states that handhelds are becoming a real world tool and that many large companies are using them as everyday part of their work world. Educators need to be preparing students for the real world and by incorporating Ipads or other handheld devices in the classroom the students will be benefiting greatly. Ipads and other handheld devices are also very efficient. Ipads are able to be kept with students at all times and are very portable as opposed to desktop computers. Having Ipads in the classroom is something that is very convenient for the students and teachers and can be accessed at any time. Ipads are also extremely versatile and can be used for many educational lessons and activities. Another great benefit of the Ipad is that many of the educational applications may be downloaded for a very low cost and some of them are even free. Topp states that handheld devices are a great collaboration tool for students in which they can share documents, sync their device to a computer and also print their work. According to the Center for Technology Learning SRI International, there has been classroom based research that has

provided evidence that shows the capabilities of handheld devices in the classroom. In a year long evaluation with over 100 teachers, many of the teachers reported advantages of handhelds in that they were portable, easy to access, good for information sharing and ease in curriculum integration(Center for Technology in Learning SRI International 2007). Teachers also reported greater student learning, greater homework completion, more effective collaboration, and student autonomy.

How will you use handheld devices in your classroom? Example 1- Ipads will be used to enhance mathematics in the classroom and will be used for various math lessons. There are many wonderful math applications on the Ipads that can be utilized for the students math time. After researching math applications that can be used on the Ipad, we have found that there are many highly rated math apps for elementary students that are at a low cost or even available to download for free. There are also many math applications that are aligned to the common core standards which is why using Ipads as a part of math centers would be a wonderful resource. There are also various math apps that are suitable for all ages of students making is easy for multiple grade levels. Providing Ipads during math time or math centers creates an alternative for students and provides them with something new. It is important to keep students refreshed with all subjects to ensure they are fully engaged in the lessons. Allowing students to use Ipads for math lessons will keep them actively engaged and excited for math.

Example 2 - As a country we need to become more responsible for our resources. If you look at the amount of paper that flows through one classroom you can see where implementing online education can be beneficial. By using handheld technology we are able to reduce our carbon footprint by using less paper and trying to become as paper free as possible. By using tools that allow collaborative work both during and after class, students will be able to efficiently

work on projects and reports completely online. Although the startup cost for tablets can be high, the result can be a significant savings in paper and textbook costs over several years.

Example 3 - As we embrace more and more technology, it becomes our responsibility as teachers and professionals to help our students learn digital citizenship. Teaching students how to use technology safely and responsibly will help our students develop an understanding and respect for what they can achieve and where it can take them. Learning to keep themselves safe in an online environment as well as to be respectful and learning net etiquette is something that they will take with them forward in their school work as well as their professional lives. Having a hand-held device will create unlimited opportunities to instruct students in this.

How will you address classroom management once the handheld devices are in your classroom? We will address classroom management in a number of ways once the devices are in the classroom. There will be clear expectations set for when the class has Ipad use. Students will be aware of the Ipad use guidelines for the classroom and will recognize what appropriate Ipad use will consist of. Before using the Ipad for a lesson or activity, students will be fully aware of the expectations set by us for that specific lesson or activity. Students will also be aware of the consequences if they do not follow the Ipad guidelines or expectations. Students will be expected to be sitting down appropriately at their desk during Ipad time and will not be walking around the room with their Ipads to prevent any damage. There will also be a signal that will prompt students to set their Ipads down and give us their attention. An example of this would be ringing a bell or turning the lights off. A specific cue will be used for Ipad time and students will be aware of this cue. We will also be walking around the room during Ipad time to ensure all students are on task. By circulating around the room we believe that students are more likely to remain on task while using the Ipads. We will also remind students to be responsible while using their Ipads. Allowing students to be responsible and in control of what

they are doing on their Ipad can instil a sense of trust between the student and teacher, which we feel is very important for successful classroom management.

How will you (or your district) address security and privacy issues? Security is a very important issue when dealing with students and technology. Allowing too much access to the internet can be harmful however too little access and the whole point of having access to a mobile device would be rendered pointless. Each tablet will have its own unique administrative passcodes as well as student passcodes that will be given to each student and have gps tracking enabled on it a well. Each device will be pre-configured to protect the device from student hacking of administrative passcodes. Addition of any software or applications will be at the discretion of the teacher who will have complete control of any new additions of this type. One important aspect of security is parental agreement. All parents will be required to attend a safety and security briefing in order for a tablet to be released to a child for after school use. It is important that if a student comes from a split family that at least one guardian from each household attend a meeting. Parents will be instructed in safety and security concerns and must sign off on the tablet taking responsibility for it as well as taking responsibility for keeping track of their childs use. Parents will be given the student passcodes for the device so that they are able to check on what the child is working on while at home. Trust is an important issue in dealing with students. By teaching and showing how important digital citizenry is, students will begin to understand what is expected of them. Since these students are still young, there will need to be a modicum of restriction as the students learn what they should or should not do with these devices. Digital citizenry will be an ongoing discussion throughout the year.. Having certain searches or pages blocked will be required as there are areas of the internet that no 5th grade student has any reason for going. Of course

there will be virus protection on the tablet at all times but what the device is able to do will be slightly different when it is on school property as opposed to off campus.

During the school day. During the school day the device should remain relatively unlocked. Students should be able to access the internet to help them with their classwork. Several sites will be commonly used for classwork and class interaction.

Outside the school day. Outside of school the tablets ability to visit any but a few sites will be restricted. To be able to make the tablet theirs and something that they want to use on a regular basis access to music and photo capabilities will be allowed. Parental guidance is also important for the use of this technology when it is off school grounds.

Is there any other pertinent information that would help your proposal? Keeping students engaged in todays society entails using technology to keep them interested and also to help them remain competitive in the world market. By not having and utilizing technology for students we are doing them a disservice and putting the development and future of our country at a severe disadvantage. Finally studies have shown that students that use ipads or other

mobile devices have shown an increase in math scores (De Vore, 2013). If this truly helps students and increases learning it is important for us to do all that we can to help our younger generations succeed.

Work Cited Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International.(2007) Why is having access to portable handheld devices in a teachers own maths classroom better than going to an ICT suite? Retrieved from: http://education.ti.com/sites/UK/downloads/pdf/Research%20Notes%20%20Portable%20Handheld%20Devices.pdf De Vore, A. (2013, September 3). IPad Studies Show Improvement in Test Scores. Retrieved November 24, 2013, from http://www.nationalteachersalliance.org/dialogue/article/ipad-studiesshow-improvement-in-test-scores

Topp, W. Neal. Handheld Use in School, Why, When and How. Retrieved from: http://coe.unomaha.edu/moec/handhelds/chapter1.htm