Action Research update- Unplug

This week I did not have my students use technology at all. I think that it is valid to have down time from technology. This was basically a work week in my classes and they were all working on hands on projects. I do not feel that every assignment needs to have a technology piece in it. One of the things that I noticed is that they students have been conversing more without it, helping each other and not rushing through their work to use the iPad. I also noticed that on Fridays when they normally get to listen to their own music with headphones I have been getting requests to listen to music over the speakers instead. Instead of wanting to be in their own person music and zone they are choosing to share in the experience of working and listening to music as a community. As much as I love a quiet day every once and awhile I was very happy to see this switch. This was a goal and a change I wanted to see in my classroom, but it means even more to see it come from the kids. This tells me that they are enjoying their classmates while working and cultivating those social meaningful conversations that they should be having in the classroom. Students get a lot of time on their own to use their devices it is important to take them away and have them unplug. It is especially important in art when your teaching them that projects take time and the iPad can negate that at times when information and entertainment is just a click away. The iPad has so much more instant gratification than my generation ever had.