Before You Hand Out Devices, Prepare Your Young Learners
One of the most overlooked yet crucial steps in successful classroom implementation of 1: 1 digital technologies is how teachers introduce the devices
to students. Some teachers get so excited about integrating
laptops or iPads that they assume students already know
how to use the devices. That’s not always true. By introducing the technology before students handle them, you can
prevent confusion and reduce wear and tear. In addition,
introducing the devices gives teachers the opportunity to
cover digital etiquette. Here are some tips for introducing
devices to students in K–12:
Make paper copies. At the early elementary level, most
children have not been exposed to many devices, although
they may have used their parents’ iPad to play a game or
snap a photo. So instead of handing out actual devices
to students, start by giving them paper printouts of keyboards, iPads, or iPod screens.
Regardless of whether you are introducing laptops, net-books, tablets, or iPod touches, have students place stickers
on specific keys or screen buttons on their paper models.
This is particularly useful in kindergarten, where students
may not be able to read the keyboard. By doing this, students will get a sense of the spatial workings on the device
and discover where important keys or buttons are located.
Each time you introduce a new app or website, you can
take screenshots, print them out, and have the students
place stickers where the significant tools are located. Likewise, place stickers on tools that you do not want students
using. For example, you might use a red sticker dot for the
Delete key on a computer keyboard or the Home button
on the iPad or iPod, or a green dot for the Return key on a
keyboard and the apps on an iPad. Be sure to use the same
sticker color to denote similar things on different devices,
such as purple for volume keys.
Go over etiquette and handling. Once students become
familiar with their paper devices, teach them to maneuver
them the same way they would the actual device. Demonstrate how to hold the device, move it from one table to
another, pass it to a friend, and remove it from the cart.
Next, ask students to come up with two or three rules for
handling the devices that you can post in the classroom.
For example, they might mandate using two hands to hold
or pass the device, or they might forbid running while
holding the device.
Help students make rules for using the device. First, to
reinforce what was already covered, ask a student to demonstrate how to handle the device. Then show them exactly
what they are going to do. If you have iPods or iPads, Doodle Buddy is a fun and easy app to begin with. If you are
using a computer, Kidpix is a good program. Avoid starting
with an internet-based tool so they can’t easily stray.
As you demonstrate how to use the device, ask questions
along the way. You might ask if it’s safe to click on an app
other than the one you should be opening. By this point,
Each time you introduce a new app or website,
you can take screenshots, print them out, and
have the students place stickers where the
significant tools are located.
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