I recently read the article, The iPod Revolution: Coming to a Classroom Near You by Robert Brookshire. After our class today, I thought it would be interesting to find out exactly how iPods are being used with education right now. I have never seen or heard the usage of iPods in classrooms in any of the classrooms I've been in. In the article, Brookshire discusses how iPods have moved from recreational use for listening to music to being included in education; specifically higher education.
In the fall of 2004, the iPod made its first big splash as a learning tool in higher education (Brookshire, 2007). He explains that during that year, Duke University distributed 1,600 iPods to their incoming freshman class. They were the first school to use iPods as learning tools; distributing course content, recording device, study support tools, and file storage. The students were required to use them during class time as well as in field research. The ease and success of this endeavor was soon noticed by other schools and other universities began providing similar means of support to their own students.
Apple, the maker of Ipods and Itunes, soon noticed the 'revolution' taking place and created a program specifically for students, called iTunes U. THis program allowed students to work with and transfer data more easily. The schools that jump on board with this all take their own path in using iPods to fit their own specific needs. The University of South Caroline, for example, use iPods to teach voice and diction in their theatre classes. They integrate video usage into their courses so that students see proper modeling. The ability to combine video and audio in the newest iPods has increased this usage in the classroom as well as how easy it is for teachers/faculty and students to use them. Brookshire's main point was that the use of iPods in education has already been very successful and will continue to be as long as educators give them a chance.
I thought this article was very interesting and I was surprised at the level of use iPods has already had within the educational realm. I am looking forward to teaching students quite a bit younger than the college level. Having said this, I am still just a little skeptical at the level of integration iPods can really have in the classroom. I think it is a great idea though and really want to find ways to make them work. Some ideas we discussed in class today was using them as a reading center where students can read/record/listen to themselves. I thought another idea would be using them as a way to share reader's theatre presentations with other classes. Oftentimes these are shown just within one class. How neat would it be if a class could share their presentations with older/younger grades? In conclusion, although iPod use with the elementary level might be a little more difficult than in higher education, there are still plenty of ways to integrate them in a meaninful way while making lessons fun, interactive, and friendly to students. I can't wait to see how the 'revolution' will continue to change education!
Brookshire, Robert G. (2007).The iPod Revolution: Coming to a Classroom Near You. University of South Carolina. Retrieved June 22, 2009 at http://www.osra.org/2007/papers/brookshire.pdf
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I was also very surprised at the idea of using iPods in the classroom. I actually looked up your article and thought it was interesting to see how iPods are being/have been used in colleges and universities across the country. It is neat that the same little piece of technology can be used both at the kindergarten and higher education levels!
ReplyDeleteBefore our class today, I was unsure where iPods could fit into an elementary classroom, but we now have so many great ideas for their use! I plan on using iPods in my kindergarten class to practice fluency. Not only can students listen to themselves read, but teachers can also record audio of themselves modeling proper and improper fluency. This would allow students to be involved in distinguishing the difference between fluent and non-fluent reading.
I actually think we can be more creative at the elementary level. At Duke, most of the uses were for recording lectures etc., so they weren't very creative in how they actually had the college students use them. This is still an area that we need to work on and let our creativity take over --- understand how this tool can make our students better readers, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think that iPods will be huge in the role of education as we slowly "catch up." Especially once our generation who knows and understands these technologies get into the classrooms. New teachers often think about taking resources from other teachers, but we have a lot of knowledge to give as well!
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