Managing a Classroom of iPads

When discussing mLearning and the widespread use of tablets in classrooms all throughout the world, every teacher thinks about  how integrating such tools into the class will effect classroom management. This article discusses the managing of a classroom full of iPads in a way that protects, respects, and engages the students and the iPad.

For most teachers, the prep time involved in whatever lesson or use of technology is important to consider because most teachers do not want to take away from instructional time to deal with lack of procedures in how to use the technology. Therefore, the author of this article suggests that each student in the class be assigned a particular iPad which they can pick up from the charging station and take their seats. This provides both the educator and the student with a clear procedure of what to do when entering the classroom.

In regards to how the iPads should be protected and respected by the students, this article suggest that the student assigned to the iPad understand they take "ownership" of the mLearning device. The teacher should ask each student to polish their screen before placing the iPad in the charging station at the end of the day and to always observe a "clean hands" policy. In this particular classroom, each iPad will have a case but in some classrooms simply a screen protector is provided.

All of these management procedures lead to the integration of the iPad and mLearning into the classroom. The author's hope is to become a paperless classroom because of proper management and use of the iPads. Teachers can allow for students to use the iPads for note taking, worksheets, tests, and reports. Not to mention the move toward digital textbooks.

In order to accomplish this goal, the teacher must begin the year with a few days of practice of the procedures required to properly use the iPad. This will help avoid any questions of what a text box or how to highlight something in the notes app during instruction time.

Overall, the key to any functional classroom is good classroom management. Teacher that desire to incorporate iPads or other mLearning devices must consider what procedures and classroom rules they will need in order to incite best practice for using the devices in the classroom. Having these clear procedures will help the students learn how to work hard in your classroom while integrating the mLearning. Classroom management is vital and determining procedures that work for my classroom will be something I will have to consider if I ever have the opportunity to incorporate this kind of technology.