Good use and poor use in class
The same device can be used well or poorly. Look at five jobs. For writing, a good use is to write a draft and then check it; a poor use is to let the device write the whole story. For a game, a good use is a maths game the teacher chose; a poor use is a game at the back of the room. A spell-checker is good when you read its advice and learn why; it is poor when you accept every change without looking. A calculator is good for checking a hard sum after you try it yourself; it is poor if you never think. A video is good when the whole class watches and discusses it; it is poor when someone watches alone and does not listen. So ask three questions before you use a device in class. Is this the right tool? Am I still thinking? Does it help me, my class, and my teacher’s goal? Then weigh the good against the bad, and give your own opinion with reasons.
| Job | Good use | Poor use |
|---|---|---|
| writing | write a draft, then check it | let the device write it all |
| a game | a maths game the teacher chose | a game at the back of the room |
| spell-checker | read its advice and learn | accept every change without looking |
| calculator | check a sum you tried first | never think |
| video | watch together and discuss | watch alone and not listen |
Class debate. Choose one use from the table. Half the class argues that it is good and the other half that it is poor. Then agree on one class rule. Write the rule on a poster with a title and a picture.