Article Response 2: The Fast-Paced iPad Revolution: Can educators stay up to date and relevant about these ubiquitous devices?

“Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest Lion or it will be killed. Every morning a Lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Lion or a Gazelle ... when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” (African Proverb) 

In her succinct article,  The Fast-Paced iPad Revolution: Can educators stay up to date and relevant about these ubiquitous devices?, Deanna Peluso presents a reasoned and reasonable discussion about a question that is on the minds of students and teachers alike. I would guess that many students would answer, "No" to her question, but this is not a new phenomenon in the digital age. Even before children were asked to program their parents' VCRs, they were - and continue to be - relied upon to help adults move into whatever "age" it may be... from the Stone Age to the Digital Age:

Peluso acknowledges that the education system is lagging in its incorporation of digital devices. This has been evident in discussions in this course, as we see the discrepancies in the availability of technology, and the training of teachers to use them effectively. 

While some learning communities have had discussions about how technology can be used to enhance education, it is not a conversation all schools have had. The result is a piecemeal approach, spear-headed by those for whom it is a passion.

Peluso also raises a caution that I share. In the interests of incorporating technology, it is important that its integration be based on research, as with the introduction of any new program. Most will agree that technology is more engaging than traditional teaching methods, but just because it is engaging doesn't mean it is effective or meaningful. Some apps may just be the digital equivalent of a traditional worksheet.  Peluso writes,

... it is not clear where the line of demarcation lies between what is educationally beneficial and what is simply a demonstration of allowing technology in the classroom, nor is it clear what constitutes a useful part of the learning process... Not every teacher has the opportunity or background to know how to incorporate technology into their classroom, yet many attempt to do so without having a clear understanding of the implications for learning (p. 126).

Another challenge is how rapidly-changing the world of technology is. If we are looking for "Authorized Resources", by the time they are piloted and reviewed and measured against the Bias Evaluation Instrument, apps, programs and websites may be obsolete.

I am not sure how we solve the dilemna between keeping up with changes in technology, and ensuring the resources we are using are effective. "...simply allowing them to use their iPads, or providing them with classroom sets of iPads, does not implicitly mean they will be learning educationally beneficial material (p. 127)."  I think the solution begins with teachers' professional judgement, a desire for responsive curriculum, and an openness to the idea that our students have much to teach us.