Since the start of the school year, I have been a part of a conversation about the role of technology in schools. While we all agree it is important to expose students to technology in schools, we then have to ask ourselves when students should begin using technology and what kind of technology students should use.
If, like me, you believe the most popular device used in schools are laptops (or maybe even iPads) I have recently discovered most schools are now using smartphone devices in classrooms. Smartphones are small, portable, cost less and are easier to repair/refurbish/replace. Likewise, given the number of apps for smartphones, students can access the latest apps faster. While the ability to incorporate smartphones into classrooms is worth exploring, one colleague raised the question of smartphone dependency especially for school age children. Here is an example of the quick 4 question survey for students and adults that he created to better understand smartphone dependency. You can take the survey below by clicking here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PPG6DZG. tlb