So your school came into a large donation or grant and handed a 12 year old a $400 toy with the hope that this academic year will be one of great achievement, enhanced learning and collaboration with their peers. Uh oh. What did we do? Middle school students lose things all the time, they are not the most careful of age groups and they LOVE access to the Internet! It wasn’t that easy before. How am I supposed to manage them in the classroom now?
One of the scariest things about new technology is putting it in the hands of students. My fellow educators and I have shared some tips and tricks over the last year to help each other integrate iPads into the classroom and basic strategies help manage student behavior when using online tools. Here are some that may help you in your journey using iPads in your classroom:
1- Set expectations - Classroom management challenges can easily be overcome by setting clear and simple guidelines and expectations for iPad use. Remind your students of the school’s iPad and Internet use policies that both the students and their parents agreed to at the beginning of the year. Remind them that they are using a school-issued iPad for academic purposes only and it should not be used to play games or shop online. Remember that the best lever available to you is simply taking the iPad away from them. Tell your students how you would like them to behave during iPad time and that there will be “iPad time” and “no iPad time” during class. Perhaps you want them to have your full attention for 15 minutes at the beginning of every class before they even take out their iPads. Communicate your expectations about iPad use at the beginning of every task.
2- Set a routine - If you ask your students to get their iPads at the beginning of class and leave them face down on their desks, it will direct the students’ attention away from the iPads and on you during instructional time. In addition, when it is time to use the iPads, they should be placed in a slightly elevated position or flat so that you can see what the students are doing on the iPad at all times. Do not let students use the iPad in their lap where the desk/table can block your view. You can also set up a reward system based on how long the students take to set up their iPads.
3- Differentiate - Our students differ in their style of learning and their ability to perform a task. They range from visual learners to audio or verbal while others are readers and writers. When you ask your students to perform research on a topic and create a presentation, you may want to give them options so that you can avoid distraction and disengagement from the task at hand. For example, you can offer an essay option using the Pages app but a presentation option using ShowMe or Educreations as well as a more visual scrapbook type assignment using ScrapPad. The end result will be the same and by using the iPad you will have differentiated the learning and engaged the maximum number of students.
4- Get up and move! - Currently, teachers are very limited in being able to “see” their students’ iPad screens from their desktop computer or from their own iPad. The technology is still not available. So the only way to be able to see your students’ screen is to really just take a look. Circulating around the classroom is your best bet in order to give your students the signal that you are fully aware of what they are doing on the iPads. Arrange your classroom so that you're able to see all iPad screens easily. If your students are facing the front of the class, stand behind them. If they are in a circle, just do a walk through. You want to send them a message but also make sure that they are on task and keeping up. Some apps like Nearpod can create an environment where your students login to the app, only work in that environment and you are alerted when the student “left the room”
5- Test your apps and sites ahead of time - Make sure your school isn't filtering a resource you need (and try to do it enough in advance that your tech team can unblock something you need). Make sure the student iPads have required apps installed and updated so that the features you need work properly. Technology does let us down sometimes. The most important thing is: don’t panic in front of students and relax, show them that you control the technology, not the other way around.
6- Steps for technical issues - Define procedures for when technical issues arise in the classroom. Should students ask peers or you for help? Should they be sent to tech support? You could assign a couple of iPad student “experts” in your class to be your go to team so that you can continue with your instruction.
I came across the iTunes U course Classroom Management with iPads by the Palm Springs Unified School District that also gave me some more ideas and suggestions on class setup and behavior management apps like ClassDojo and PickMe.
In order to maintain order in your classroom when every one of your students has access to the outside world at their fingertips, you should always remember that you are the adult in control. In the beginning, constant reminders and communication needs to be given to your students about the consequences to poor classroom behavior as it relates to the iPad. Whether it’s the iPad taken away, loss of privileges, communication to parents or detention, the results must be enforced and made clear to your students. Over time, very few students will want to have their iPad taken away from them. Some may even prefer detention over that! You and your band of educators will have to stick together and enforce the rules so that it maintains consistency throughout the students day.
Although technology is often one of the best tools we have for instruction, it isn't the only one and does not necessarily need to be used for every lesson. Once classroom expectations and consequences are set and followed, managing iPads in your classroom will become second nature.
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