We've learned about the cost of technology and shared our opinions on students bringing their own devices. But what about the students that will never own a device? Is it fair that we allow an opportunity for students to bring their own and these students have to watch? Should the school fit the bill to provide a handful of technology devices in each room for these students? If the school is able to provide devices for students, what are the limitations we as teacher will set? Will our students be allowed to take these devices home? What are the "purposes" we are going to allow for the use of the devices: free time, assignments, rewards?
13 Comments
Carl Richburg
4/1/2014 12:45:44 pm
I think there should be at least an "attempt" to maybe fundraise, or ask for sponsorships to schools that are unable to have the same amount of technology use for each one of their students. Even if there is a system of keeping all the devices in a singlur room and everyone gets a day to share the device, or maybe split them up in grade levels; however you want to set it up. Even though life isn't fair, it's still important that kids get the same opportunity to use resources that other students are allowed to use IN SCHOOL. Out of school is out of the school's control.
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Travis Tompson
4/2/2014 12:07:54 am
I agree that it is certainly not fair that some students can show off their brand new pieces of technology to their peers when some students barely have enough money to have different outfits to wear at school. However, I do think the students who do have this technology should not be punished for having said equipment, because we want them to learn through the best possible means. The school needs to be able to provide students with enough equipment for each student to use throughout the year. I think at the beginning of the year, a poll in each classroom could be taken to see how many students have smartphones, tablets, etc. After finding the results, the school could rent each classroom certain pieces of equipment that would be issued to the students who do not have these technologies. Obviously at some schools, there will still be a large number of students who do not have the ability to purchase said technologies, but it would be much more cost efficient if the schools allowed students to bring their own pieces of equipment and not punish them for using it.
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Jacqui Cappuccilli
4/2/2014 03:29:04 am
I definitely agree it isn't fair, however you cant control what one student has or doesnt have so to try and tell students you cant bring your smart phone cause everyone else doenst have one i believe will only lead to problems. This could lead to bullying because a student with a smart phone will be upset that he cant use it cause a student without doesnt have one. However i think if the school was able to do fundraising and split techonology up into classes or grade levels like carl said would be a great idea. Just something that allows it so it is fair, wiithout calling those who arent as blessed out.
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Lyndsey Talbot
4/3/2014 06:22:32 am
I agree that it is not fair for kids that cannot afford devices. However, this can be looked at two different ways; that life isn't fair, so it should not play a factor into have and have-nots, or that kids should not have electronic devices at school unless it is provided by the school. I think in a perfect world, everyone would have their own device, so then it would just be left up to the discretion of each teacher. I know some schools that 'give' each freshman in high school an iPad for school use that they keep all four years, and they either choose to return it their senior year or buy it at a lower price. If the the funds are there, I think this is a wonderful idea.
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Kim Holifield
4/7/2014 03:25:33 am
I am hearing of the deal where schools are starting to offer iPads to high school students to keep throughout their four years. They have to have waivers signed that they will pay for any damages done to them. I think this is a great idea if the school has the funding and surely teaches some responsibility in these students by having to take care of this device for four years.
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Gary Jones
4/8/2014 10:51:04 am
I think every room should have a few devices and the devices should be used in groups. Having groups will reduce the amount of time being playing on them. Individual tablets for everyone may be counterproductive if student are going to play on them in class. Groups should have things to do for everyone and not just use the tablet. As far as homework you could send kid’s home with work sheets and the others can do theirs online. I know it will take a while before everyone has their own tablet but the way technology keeps growing I would say in a few more years there will be affordable tablets for low income families. You would just need to make sure that it is capable if doing what is necessary for the class like our graphing calculators we needed for high school. Some people have nicer ones than others but they all performed the same tasks.
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Tyler Reece
4/9/2014 02:01:42 pm
I think that anything the school is going to inforce it has to be prepared to deal with these situations. No matter if it is granting the kids access to school devices or renting them out to students. Regardless they cannot damage a students education by not covering these situations.
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Kennedy Seifert
4/11/2014 04:31:25 am
I think if a bigger school can fund getting ipads for all the students they why not. That avoids the issue of if they can have it if they own one or not. IF schools do not have the funds I do not think the students that do have them should be allowed to have them in the classroom because it causes bullying on the kids who do not have them.
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Gino Bullock
4/13/2014 05:40:27 am
Although it would seem unfair for students who cant afford technology to be able to bring it to school and use it among students it has to be this way. The reason that this is so is because this is not a fair world. There are many types of people. People that have a lot and people who don't have much. The people who have more are allowed to do what they want with their possessions. They are not penalized and I don't think we should penalize students either. Not only are we educating students but we are preparing them for life as well.
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James French
4/13/2014 11:07:27 am
I was really glad to see this posted. I believe if we are to allow gadget use in the classroom the school must allow equipment to be available. The cost associated with data usage can be really high. I guess with wifi it could be less but many parents are on some type of public assistance. It would be ridiculous for them to purchase high tech devices for their children. Truthfully, I believe assignments and classwork should be set up without the use of personal technology devices but the school should have very set times or labs for this type of work to go on.
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Chris Doak
4/13/2014 01:11:47 pm
I think that this is the biggest grey area in this class. There are pros and cons to each one. Everyone has their different opinion. My opinion is I think that if the teachers has assignments that use technology the school should have the equipment or had designated times in the labs.
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Dustin Ray
4/24/2014 12:15:09 am
I can agree that it is a potential problem for students that cannot afford their own device, but why punish the ones that do have a device by taking that technology away from them? Some want to fundraise and collect money for them but we do not do that for students that don't have as nice clothes as other students but we do nothing to help them in that situation. If the schools wanted to purchase a few devices to have on hand, like math teachers do with calculators, there is no problem with that.
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Shari Harrington
5/2/2014 10:59:46 am
Money will always be an issue when talking about education. I think if schools can afford to buy technology for each student to use while AT school only, then they should. They should deliver every opportunity possible to their students to use technology that they can.
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Student BlogThis blog is for class conversations for ED 514 at Central Methodist University. These post are by the students of ED 514. We invite input form other teachers about how they use technology in their classrooms. Archives
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