Flexible Tech
The latest, hottest trend in education is personalized learning. This is the idea that each student receives an education that is timely (content when they're ready for it), exploratory, and challenging. This week's Google alerts produced two articles that relate back to the idea of personalized learning and technology. I do not think personalized learning would be possible without the use of technology... I can't imagine any teacher creating personalized lessons for over 100 students every single day. iPads, Chromebooks and other devices make personalized learning more accessible for educators and students by providing options and opportunities for exploration outside of the classroom.
In "iPads are not the future of education," Christopher Rim describes the dethroning of Apple products in the classroom and the push for cheaper, collaboration-heavy Chromebooks. Apple iPads have traditionally been the product of choice for schools that were upgrading their technology, but at the high price point of $299 (which is the lowest-cost tablet) many educational institutions are turning away from Apple and choosing to go with the cheaper ($149) Chromebooks. Google has been promoting their technology as an educational companion for years, hosting seminars for teachers and developing the Google Classroom LMS. Aside from the price tag, many wealthy people are turning away from iPads because they are concerned about how much time their children are spending in front of a screen. Apple has added some features to the newest iOS to deal with screen time limits for kids but educated, wealthy people are still reluctant to purchase the devices. Chromebooks have been instrumental in transforming my classroom into a more engaging, creative environment, but I do often wish that we had access to iPads for more creative assignments like videos, ebooks, educational apps, etc. Some of these things can be done/used on the Chromebook, but they're not as useful without a touchscreen or a more mobile form of technology. Chromebooks can be clunky for kids who are trying to record videos and the audio often isn't great quality. This limits the ways students and myself can use the technology to create more personalized learning opportunities where the students would be given a choice of how to complete an assignment.
I'm not sure which technology would be more beneficial for L2 students. I can see the benefit of using iPads because it gives these students the opportunity to take learning outside of the classroom with mobile data, video, audio recordings, etc. Chromebooks can do these things, but they are not always the best quality, and they can be clunky (plus they require a WiFi connection). Chromebooks could be beneficial for L2 students because of the capability for easier word processing and research, with the added bonus of collaborative apps in the Google Suite.
The next article by Emily Tate from EdSurge describes personalized and flexible learning techniques utilized by a school in Texas. Students are given the choice of several different types of technology such as an iPad, Kindle, Chromebook, Surface, etc. to choose what works best for their needs. The school also uses projects, flexible seating, and "student-led learning." The district received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that allowed them to launch this personalized learning initiative, which took four years of planning before it was implemented. The schools that took part in this initiative noted that the younger students were able to grasp the concept of autonomous learning much easier than the older students who weren't used to making decisions, and found this to be a challenging transition. The article also makes the point that personalized learning does not require technology to be possible. This type of student-engagement also extends beyond the classroom. Some students were even invited to take part in the teacher hiring process to ask questions and provide input after the interviews.
In the readings this past week it was stressed that L2 students should be given options for producing work so it is more authentic and engaging. These types of activities promote language acquisition because the students are motivated and interested in the content when they are given a say in what they will learn, how they will learn it, and when it will be presented to them. I think the more we can involve L2 students in choosing their learning path or having a say in the school community, the more successful they will become. These students will gain more of the "21st-century skills" that are becoming crucial for all students to master before they graduate because they will be excited about learning and have more opportunities to express ideas creatively and approach problems with non-traditional methods. This kind of teaching also provides students with more opportunities to collaborate with their peers and build stronger relationships with their teachers instead of becoming frustrated with content that they are not ready for. Hopefully, personalized learning training becomes more accessible for school districts with high populations of L2 students in the near future. It seems to be on the rise in most school districts, even those like my district (Waynesboro) that can barely afford basic school supplies, but somehow have been able to develop a successful 1:1 Chromebook program and a new mission statement of "First Choice" for the district.
References:
Rim, C. (2018, October 31). iPads are not the future of education. Retrieved November 2, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherrim/2018/10/31/ipads-are-not-the-future-of-education/#693a6ec01f54
Tate, E. (2018, November 1). After early results, personalized learning is "quickly becoming district-wide" in Dallas. Retrieved November 2, 2018, from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-11-01-after-early-results-personalized-learning-is-quickly-becoming-district-wide-in-dallas
In "iPads are not the future of education," Christopher Rim describes the dethroning of Apple products in the classroom and the push for cheaper, collaboration-heavy Chromebooks. Apple iPads have traditionally been the product of choice for schools that were upgrading their technology, but at the high price point of $299 (which is the lowest-cost tablet) many educational institutions are turning away from Apple and choosing to go with the cheaper ($149) Chromebooks. Google has been promoting their technology as an educational companion for years, hosting seminars for teachers and developing the Google Classroom LMS. Aside from the price tag, many wealthy people are turning away from iPads because they are concerned about how much time their children are spending in front of a screen. Apple has added some features to the newest iOS to deal with screen time limits for kids but educated, wealthy people are still reluctant to purchase the devices. Chromebooks have been instrumental in transforming my classroom into a more engaging, creative environment, but I do often wish that we had access to iPads for more creative assignments like videos, ebooks, educational apps, etc. Some of these things can be done/used on the Chromebook, but they're not as useful without a touchscreen or a more mobile form of technology. Chromebooks can be clunky for kids who are trying to record videos and the audio often isn't great quality. This limits the ways students and myself can use the technology to create more personalized learning opportunities where the students would be given a choice of how to complete an assignment.
I'm not sure which technology would be more beneficial for L2 students. I can see the benefit of using iPads because it gives these students the opportunity to take learning outside of the classroom with mobile data, video, audio recordings, etc. Chromebooks can do these things, but they are not always the best quality, and they can be clunky (plus they require a WiFi connection). Chromebooks could be beneficial for L2 students because of the capability for easier word processing and research, with the added bonus of collaborative apps in the Google Suite.
The next article by Emily Tate from EdSurge describes personalized and flexible learning techniques utilized by a school in Texas. Students are given the choice of several different types of technology such as an iPad, Kindle, Chromebook, Surface, etc. to choose what works best for their needs. The school also uses projects, flexible seating, and "student-led learning." The district received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that allowed them to launch this personalized learning initiative, which took four years of planning before it was implemented. The schools that took part in this initiative noted that the younger students were able to grasp the concept of autonomous learning much easier than the older students who weren't used to making decisions, and found this to be a challenging transition. The article also makes the point that personalized learning does not require technology to be possible. This type of student-engagement also extends beyond the classroom. Some students were even invited to take part in the teacher hiring process to ask questions and provide input after the interviews.
References:
Rim, C. (2018, October 31). iPads are not the future of education. Retrieved November 2, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherrim/2018/10/31/ipads-are-not-the-future-of-education/#693a6ec01f54
Tate, E. (2018, November 1). After early results, personalized learning is "quickly becoming district-wide" in Dallas. Retrieved November 2, 2018, from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-11-01-after-early-results-personalized-learning-is-quickly-becoming-district-wide-in-dallas
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