Hand held devices in today's classrooms by Devonee Trivett

Image Credit: Lozano, V. 2014 Alcatel One Touch PXL @http://techie-pinoy.com/2014/03/30/alcatel-one-touch-pixi-7/ One device that is quickly emerging in classrooms today are hand held devices. This new tool creates new ways of defining and teaching literacy. “Hand held technologies have initiated new ways to think about books, course packs, and problem based learning” (Ochola, Stachowaik, & Bills, April, 2013). This new way of thinking about what exactly learning and literacy is also creates a disruption in the way things are done in the public school classroom. The students are, by and large, comfortable with the change. Often the teachers need more training and support to help them transition into their distinctly new roles. The traditional classroom, not the teacher, is what is going to be made obsolete by the access these devices provide to greater levels of learning. This said, it is important for us all not to take a “teacher vs.technology” stance when ushering in this new era of learning. These devices are found to create higher levels of student engagement, critical thinking, and knowledge construction in the classroom. Experts in education also see these portable computers as a window for creating a more highly informed, culturally sensitive and collaborative classroom. And if that's not enough to convince those resisting change, learners with disabilities are positively impacted by access to these technologies. (Ochola, et al, 2013). Unfortunately, the most significant barrier to adoption of these devices in all classrooms today is cost. “Because of the expense of hand held devices, many classrooms across the nation do not have access to them.” (Ochola, et al, 2013). In considering the cost of technology, however, the benefits far outweigh the price tag. Reference Ochola,E., Stachowaik, J., & Bills, D. (April, 2013). Learning environments and rapidly evolving handheld technologies. First Mind: Peer Reviewed Journal on the Internet.18, 4-1 Retrieved @ http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3932/3643 Image Credit: Lozano, V. (2014) Alcatel One Touch @ http://techie-pinoy.com/2014/03/30/alcatel-one-touch-pixi-7/