Kelvin Chabinga
kelm2005@gmail.com
4/10/ 2016
Integrating technology in the pedagogical classroom practices can be an awesome experience to enhance learners engagement, collaboration, and differentiated learning. It can enhance learner-centered learning practices that allow learners to take ownership of knowledge and identity construction as they make sense of their world. Thus, introducing learners to learning through and with technology such as the iPad and other related smart technologies is the right thing to do in the 21st century.
For young children growing up in the modern day community, electronic digital technological innovation is always at their fingertips and in most cases parents are shocked that their everyday practices around the new gadgets in their hands is mediated by their children. Moreover, the reading and writing (literacy) routines or practices of small children and their families are currently characterized by the day-to-day use of a variety of electronic digital technological innovation, which more than the past ten years have turn out to be progressively transportable, reasonably priced as well as efficient.
Thus, it is more than a good idea to supplement and complement everyday literacy practices of these young children with school literacy practices via smart technologies such as an iPad. It is only fair if we want the young learners to acquire necessary skills befitting the current labour market, to teaching them through what is inevitably close to their heart (technology, i.e. iPad). As the saying goes, 'if they cannot learn the way we teach, then teach them the way they learn' (Ignacio Estrada). All young children have an inquisitive mind, thus encouraging them to be extremely investigative in their practices to learning, to have no worry of taking a risk or making a blunder can greatly enhance their critical thinking skills hugely. Besides, the iPad’s touch display technology implies that young children can also exercise writing and reading skills. Apparently, from the study I conducted on the use of ICTs (iPad technology) in English Home Language in One affluent Western Cape primary schools, learners attention spans persisted for extended periods, increased collaboration, as well as differentiated learning, were notable (Chabinga, 2015). This probably due to the interactive features of the iPad technology.
All in all, technology and particularly the iPad that supports a range of technological applications, i.e. Internet connectivity, educational apps, twitter, whatsApp, Facebook and many more is just an ideal technology that should be encouraged for pedagogical practices by all stakeholders to allow our young generation have access to quality, equitable education.
No comments:
Post a Comment