During my college career, I have always been able to use my
laptop or have my phone out on my desk. So why is it in high school we are not
allowed such privileges? While I must admit, in some boring classes I do tend
to wander onto the internet, or secretly text. But more often the not I am
taking notes or writing on my laptop, and using my phone (when my computer is
not available) to look up words I do not know, or how to spell large words (as
sad as that sounds). As an English major, I think I would advocate the use of
laptops in my class because I personally take better notes on the computer. If I
am writing notes, my hands, from pressing too hard on the paper, become very
tired, and I don’t write as many notes. Since I am use to writing on the
computer (from the amount of essays an English major has to go though) I would
feel more comfortable on a laptop then on a computer.
Then again, to play devil advocate, I’ll be the first to admit
English IS boring subject as a student. It wasn’t until I had a couple of
classes in college that I learned to love the English major for all its stories
and deep meanings. But as a High School Student, I think we could all say, English
wasn’t our favorite subject (it was mine, but it wasn’t as fun as college
courses). Is it because if we have laptops or cellphones on us, we would be
able to focus on the books we are forced to read for standardized tests? Or is
it because they are afraid we will be reading something far better on the
internet that won’t help the test scores? When we don’t have standardized testing
do you think high school students would be allowed laptops and cellphones? Are
they THAT much of a distraction that we can’t simply have either? Is there a
happy median?
As a future teacher I would have to go back on my own argument.
While I wouldn’t like students to have their cellphones AND computers out, I wouldn’t
mind either. I know, for myself, that one or the other is a good tool to help
me get my thoughts out and help me look up definitions and word spelling. But
both seem a bit excessive, that would be, I feel, a technology over load in a
simple thirty to forty-five minute class time. So, for me as a future teacher, I
would say either or. But is that such a good idea? To have technology in High
School classrooms? As you could see, I don’t quite know myself. But since High
School IS preparing us for college, wouldn’t it be a good learning experience
for students to use their technology in a safe expanded marking period and not
a condensed semester like college? Wouldn’t it be good to know what works for them
before they get to college?
I remember when I went to high school, you were not allowed to use your cellphones or laptops under any circumstances. When I went to high school, Smart Boards epitomized educational technology to me. As I went to college, my view on what technology can be used in the educational realm considerably changed. I think that high school is a place that encourages a one-glove-fits-all approach to education, and it does not work for every single student. Many students benefit from using their laptops. I agree with you that taking notes on a laptop is preferable to physically handwriting them. I type way faster on a laptop and I can get more of what a teacher says during his or her lecture. When I go to read the notes, I have a much more detailed notes that manage to help me study for exams quickly. If students' education can be improved by the use of technologies that they find help them the most, then I do not really see why administrators and teachers continue to attach stigmas to it. It may have to do with generation because older people typically do not see the applications of technology in the same way that we do. I think that college allowing me to use technology may have helped me to do better as a college student than I did as a high school student. I tutor somebody with a reading comprehension disability, and I told him to start using a Dictionary application on his Droid. Instead of skipping over words and decreasing his chance at comprehension, he now looks up the word on the application in order to understand it. At the same time, we are faced with technology becoming a distraction. I was thinking that maybe we need to model appropriate behaviors with technology use, but at the same time, do we want to risk being seen as authoritarian figures that ruin the wonder of technology for students? I think that there is a need to move into the 21st century, but it seems like we need to approach some rather difficult debates. However, it would probably involve us having to help redefine what technology actually is since if we ask many people to define it, they would most likely simply say it deals with cellphones and computers. However, most people do not see technology as a way of learning. It's all paradigms, but I think maybe the tides are definitely changing since many of the education students in Montclair seem to like technology. It's great that technology works for you too because it certainly works for me.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog because you brought up some really good points about allowing students to have cell phones and/or laptops in high school classrooms. I am the same kind of student that you are in the sense that I have my phone out during class and sometimes bring my laptop so I can take notes quicker and more efficient. When I was a freshman I used to always admire my classmates who brought their laptops because they were able to focus more on what the professor was saying than having to worry about writing everything down neatly. They were able to type their notes and listen to the professor's main points and grasp everything they were saying. Having observed this I began bringing my laptop to class and, in turn, I was able to spend more of my time focusing on the professor's lecture than what I was writing.
ReplyDeleteI do not see why this concept is not brought into the high school classes, at least during senior year. We hear it all the time that high school is a preparation for college, so what better way to prepare student then to have them take notes on a laptop, iPad, or any other electronic device and learn how to multi-task their brain to focus on what the professor is saying and typing notes at the same time. I think that if senior classes in high school incorporated this concept students would be better prepared for college and it wouldn't be a huge shock to them come freshman year.
Amanda, I do agree that cellphone and laptops can be GREAT ways to help students find information to supplement the learning and even clarify something confusing, however unfortunately many times students use it for the wrong reasons. I know from my own personal experiences in French classes, that for unknown words I would use my phone to look up and unknown word, or clarify something that I didnt understand, and honestly I did more often that not, use the technology for good, but I have seen, time and time again, students using their phones just for texting and/or updating their facebook, etc. The problem too, is when the teacher asks what they are doing, it is so easy for the student to just lie and say they were using an online dictionary, etc. Cellphones and laptops can absolutely be so helpful to the learning process, so it is really sad that because the distractions they ALSO bring to the table, it is difficult to decide whether or not it is okay for students to use their phones and laptops.
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