Plato's iPod: Can Hand-Held Electronics Be Valuable Tools of Learning?

Other Titles:
Part of a special issue entitled Teaching in a 2.0 world
Personal Author:
Rosenberg, Day
Journal Name:
Independent School
Source:
Independent School v. 68 no. 2 (Winter 2009)

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There is big concern about the effects of new communication tools ever since Plato worried that the alphabet would cause us to lose our memorization skills and cut down on our quality time together, says Howard Rheingold, and the debate whether they should use the new technology. He agreed that they are going to use it even the adults because it fulfils their needs of communication, and he added "We've had writing. We've had the alphabet. We've had the printing press. These are technologies for extending the way we think and communicate. That's what humans do: We come up with new ways to communicate and new ways to build our own civilizations
Also the text addresses the Worries about micro-technology being a distraction or in schools. The question is what are we to make of these new devices--these palm-sized computers and cell phones that reek of cutting-edge technology Shouldn't we worry that they offer more distraction than benefit? Aren't they undermining our efforts at teaching, this advanced technology allows students photograph tests and send them to friends on their buddy lists?
Between Samsung and the Apple store, there are over 150 educational applications available for purchase and download, and there are hundreds more free on the Internet some of my favorite cell-phone educational applications:
Ten years ago, we were discussing whether or not we should embrace the Internet as an academic tool, but the real problem is that it's hard to be open to the idea of embracing such technology when most of what we hear is the negative. The amazing projects, documentaries, and music and language lessons don't get quite the same quiver out of a sensation-driven media. Yet, these positives are significant and becoming clearer to educators every day. We are now weaving the Internet into our curriculum with greater sophistication and greater results.