Ipads and Ipods and iphones...a Distraction?

You don't have to look very hard to find articles and reviews that praise the ways ipods and ipads are changing and influencing our lives. You will also find an equal amount of articles by so-called experts stating how damaging and distracting these touch screen devices are, how much they disrupt the attention span of those who use them. You will also find an equal amount of articles that list the ways they undermine classroom management. Many think they should even be banned!

Are ipads and ipods in the classroom a distraction? Perhaps that's simply up for debate. But, let me tell you what's a REAL distraction in the classroom...Pencils. Now these are the real instruments of chaos and are real distractions! Oh, they look innocent enough with their bright yellow paint, their sleek finish, and the cute soft pink eraser topping them off.
Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time in a classroom will tell you of the pencils secret powers and their abilities to dismantle even the best laid plans!  Kids always have to sharpen them, they throw them, they write inappropriate notes with them, they use them to cheat, they chew on them, they stick them up their nose, they write on the desks and in the textbooks, they poke each other with them while in their seat-on the way to the sharpener- then again on the way back, they get pencil lead stuck in their fingers, they jamb up the sharpener when they try to sharpen the eraser, they steal them, etc...  Now, here we have something we should ban!

Am I trying to convince everyone to run out and buy ipads and ipods for all students? No, I'm not.
I am suggesting, however, that it may be time to come to terms with the fact that the tendencies of the 21st century learner makes it necessary to take the time to explore alternative ways for students to learn and explore using the tools that are becoming the norm in our culture, and most students every day lives.

Some valid questions to ask are: What purpose do touch-screen devices in a classroom serve? Are they worthy of being in an educational atmosphere? Will students become more engaged using a device like this? These are just some of the questions that will be answered over time as we observe the trends, but most importantly the answers are dependent on the authenticity of touch screen devices implementation.

Have a pencil horror story of your own? Feel free to share!