Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Ipod Article Reaction (History to go: Why I Teach With Ipods)


In my class on Principles of Curriculum I had to do a presentation on multiple intelligences and how different styles of learning relate to curriculum. Reading this article on the Ipod and teachers and professors incorporating it into their course load could not have been a better example of the message I was trying to convey during my presentation.



While the Ipod probably incorporates the visual/spatial and auditory mulitiple intelligences, I think there may be new research coming out that implements technology usage as another multiple intelligence. In today's world, where kids can multi-task with the best of them, and certainly more so than when I was in school, technology allows another window of learning capacity.



When Howard Gardner first published his multiple intelligence theory in 1983, Sony Walkmans were just coming into being and they weren't nearly as interactive as today's Ipods and other handheld devices. I think as far as people who learn best visually speaking, they are able to think in picture displays including diagrams, illustrated textbooks, overhead transparencies, videos, handouts, and Power Points. Ipods just add to that capacity to llearn while also adding in auditory components. Interactive schemes like online quizzes can be used on an Ipod, you basically have a small hard drive at your fingertips, and it's something that you always see the younger generation with. Other handheld devices like Blackberry and now Iphone and Gphone will come into play, and it's at the teacher's discretion to see what avenue best assimilates their teaching principles into a young sudent's mind.

The Ipod is the perfect solution. And now they can have detailed notes to take with them while they are listening to music on their Ipod. All that has to be done is to open that condensed Word doc. and take it all in at their leisure. I think that may be the biggest advantage. It provides a much more casual atmosphere to learning rather than the traditional regimented studying in the libary attitude (that wasn't wrong, but I think we as teachers have to adapt in a new age).

1 comment:

Dr. Luongo said...

I am so glad you have found use in this article and idea.

Thanks for sharing!