When reading through the lesson plan for the group of Sarah Adcock, Jesse Antuma Wilbur Tong and Sara Abraham, one thing which struck me was its practicality. It brings student devices into the classroom (something which always seems to prove popular) while emphasizing their use as a tool, and allowing for much more direct interaction with nature than the traditional classroom bound activities. From a pedagogical standpoint, the lesson is interesting as it has the opportunity to promote student construction of knowledge, in opposition to the more traditional teacher-provided model.
On element in particular which I find very admirable, is the promotion of technology as a tool for academic work, as opposed to a toy which has no place in the life of a "serious" student, I feel all too often that we as teachers and adults come across as "anti-technology," or "begrudgingly accepting" of technology in the classrooms, giving the impression to our students that we don't see the potential for such devices to work as anything other than toys. Students intrinsically know that their iPhone or
Android device is not merely some toy, and I think they resent the implication that as adults we sometimes tend to give. This lesson plan provides the opportunity for students to not only use their technology, but use it in an active, outdoor setting, and have a concrete example of its use as a tool in the real world, doing real academic work.
