Vancouver schools test special iPods as classroom tools | Education News - The News Tribune

Vancouver schools test special iPods as classroom tools | Education News - The News Tribune

Wow! I can remember in junior high and high school (which wasn't too long ago, was it?) that the only times computers were used were for introduction to typing and research for English papers. In typing class, of course we were typing, but there were also games to help us improve our skills. For research, we had access to news and journal databases. The internet as a resource was fairly new -- only 14 years ago!

I can certainly appreciate the advances the world wide web has made. For my graduate courses, I have access to a myriad of peer-reviewed journal websites where I can access the information I need. Even without the subscriptions my school has, I can use google scholar. But now, schools are experimenting with ipods in the classroom?

I admit I still don't own an ipod. I held out on owning a CD player originally too, but my main reason for not owning an ipod is the cost, not the fear of technology. Imagining students and their ipods in the classrooms reminds me of the Jetsons cartoons, watching Elroy do his homework with the help of a device that offered a virtual teacher. The ipod isn't that much different, is it?

I suppose, if schools are able to restrict the information that students can access on the ipods during class, the technology could prove useful. Of course the article cites the success at California schools, but it still leaves me in shock.

I know that there is a high percentage of families that own computers, and I suppose as prices decrease on the Ipod, the number of families that own them will increase. It's just a sign of the times. But, I wonder how soon technology will take a rapid incline at replacing education jobs and subsequently, the face to face contact that students desperately need to succeed in school.