The iPod is an item that 99.99% of humans would want (including me). So what good will it be outside of leisure and listening to music? The answer is work. An iPod is actually used by athletes, like Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies (from Sports Illustrated in one of the 2006 August or September issues), and websites even have study guides to help you with homework!!! Please visit www.sparknotes.com for more info.
I think I would personally work and learn better with an iPod. I HATE listening to a teaching droning on and on about a subject (especially if I already know something). Personally, if you were put into a situation where there is ONE FINAL SPOT in a seminar that YOU MUST BE IN, would YOU rather
(a) engage into fierce battle with your comrades over THAT ONE FINAL SPOT and leave the scene with a nasty mark on your hand through the use of 'physical contact' (in a good way of course) AND not get into the seminar, or
(b) sit somewhere quiet, DEFINATELY away from any friendly distraction, and listening to the seminar without droning off and wondering what in the world did I miss during the seminar
It would be an easy answer (b). Of course, this method isn't for everyone. I personally have great fascination of electronic devices like iPods and I would actually FOCUS more. I normally like doing several things at one time and am constantly moving (both which are now habits), and a portable device like the iPod would be really convenient to my daily, hectic life.
Since this technology is so advanced and self-directed, would do think iPod education would work in a self-directed environment in Mary Ward? Well, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! IT WON'T WORK. An iPod education in Mary Ward will never work. Consider the following:
a. EVERYONE would need an iPod. Apparently, not every single parent would be willing in shell out hundreds for a device and suspicion over the use of an iPod would be questioned. Also, the school WOULD DEFINATELY NOT offer iPods to students. According to Andy Zhu's blog (please visit http://www.eblogspace.blogspot.com/), the Toronto Catholic District School Board is facing a $34.6 million budget defecit. Would it be LOGICAL to fall into an even deeper hole when the Ontario government is not willing to shell out more money for education?
b. Apparently, not all students are created equal. Not everyone would work well with an iPod. Mary Ward is a self-directed learning school. There are people who can just use an iPod as an excuse for working when they are really listening to music or watching videos. An iPod classroom would be an accident waiting to happen
c. despite Mary Ward self-directed education, it is RECOMMENDED that you should meet up with your subject to at least know and see you. An iPod classroom would create a brick wall between student and teacher and will actually be harmful, as your marks may not be as good if you seen your teacher.
So if an iPod classroom would not work, what would? Thanks to some smart guy up at TCDSB, e-class was invented. It is, firstly, CHEAP (cheaper than iPod classrooms), and a good communication tool between student and teacher (despite a minor barrier). Here are some advantages:
a. Teachers can just upload information and unit work on e-class and the student can just find it on e-class, finish it, and send it back to the teacher through e-mail.
b. You can hand it work on holidays and weekends (not an advantage, as who wants to work on weekends and holidays? But at least you can do it from a personal computer in your own very relaxing (I hope) home instead of going up to a teacher and annoying them for a few seconds and asking for a signature, right?)
c. There is really no third reason. I just put it up to make advantages and disadvantages balanced...
So...after this post, there will (might) be a flash movie coming up about the iPod learning environment. (hopefully, depending on how much time I have...)
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5 comments:
Hey Richard,
You've written a very clear article, although I couldn't find the first one.
The money deficit is not from me, it's from that sheet we all got at TA.
Hi Richard,
This is a very well argued, well written article. Would you consider publishing this in the Planet? It just needs some minor adjustments and context.
Ms. Largo
Very good article, informative and comical. I agree with Ms. Largo, this article should be available to the public more easily. It was quite goo with the options a) b) and so on....It was funny and well though of that you though of each scenario XD. I think this article has covered all the aspects of an iPod classroom, and clearly paves the way for all the good reasons (and bad) to have them at Mary Ward.
P.S I hate sitting through boring seminars too, especially when I am not learning anything new.
Keep blogging
Signed,
Daniel
You're right, ipod education won't work since tcdsb has a debt and we're that only school that is self-direct education in the tcdsb. If we have enough money, we should have ipod education. Since, most student are tired of seminars.
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