Engaged or Not Engaged...? That is the question.

Is every single student on task at ALL times absolutely EVERY time we use devices in my classroom??? 

I wish I could say yes, but I don't think I'd be fooling anyone.  

     Reading the Freedom, Digital Distraction and Control article made me wish it was as easy as saying I really want to be in level 3.  My classroom on a typical technology day falls in level 2.  There are some activities (like tests and quizzes) that are administered through the iPads where I find students getting off task.  If Synchroneyes was downloaded on my iPads, I'd be in heaven as a teacher being able to see every single screen at once.  But we all know that we when walking around the room, your back gets turned to a student at some point and they have the open opportunity to switch applications and play on something else.  Now Guided Access helps this, but sometimes activities take multiple apps and this feature would not work.  So making sure every single student WANTS to be on the app you need them to be on becomes difficult.                There are always going to be students who are completely apathetic towards their education in general and refuse to do anything you give them even if it's a game (a.k.a. why no child left behind was great in theory but impossible in application).  So having in the back of my head that I want to be in level 3 is beneficial, but might not always happen.  Focusing on creating lessons where the majority of students are engaged is key.        

     Giving students the opportunity to explore a subject through technology is a wonderful tool, breaking up the activity with group conversations, video clips, etc... can help in continuously engaging students.  And this is what I strive to do with each digital lesson I create.

From Student to Stakeholder

What are the top three things to communicate when introducing the concept of technology integration to students?

This is a question that I asked myself two years ago when Shelbyville Middle School purchased 8 carts of 30 iPads for students to use in the classroom and went to B.Y.O.T (bring your own technology).  

1.  Students need to have a clear understanding of appropriate use of technology in the school (not just the classroom). 
This involves several aspects of using a device for education.  
Big ideas here would be: 

• using the device for the intended lesson
• using devices for academic purposes not personal
• when you can and cannot use a device.

2. Digital Citizenship is the next important topic that needs to be communicated to students.  Children have this idea that what they say behind a screen name is hidden or a picture they text to a friend won't go any further.  Misconceptions like this need to be addressed over and over again to remind students of the truth about social media and internet safety. 

3. Actually knowing how to use different devices is another key thing when integrating technology into education.  Most adults think that kids now are all techy and can navigate any device you hand them.  This is not quite the case.  Students spend too much time looking for the app they are supposed to be on or finding out to un-invert the background of the iPad when learning how to do those things in a sufficient manor needs to be addressed the first time students get devices in their hands in the classroom.  A minute here and a minute there might not seem like a big deal, but some students spend several minutes searching for a fix on the device before they ever ask for help.  So knowing the "how to" to the devices is a must.