Conquering Distraction

     Distraction in the classroom has been an issue teachers have encountered since the beginning.  Now in this digital age there is even more opportunities for students to become distracted.  In the article, Freedom, Digital Distraction and Control, the author sites three approaches for conquering distraction.  These approaches include:  control by authority, control through technology, and self control.   My first year of the iPad 1-1 initiative was definitely controlled by authority.  My students were required to have their screens turned down during instruction or until given permission by me to turn them over.  I spent a lot of my time policing the room trying to keep students on the appropriate site or app.  What I found was that students became very crafty in their ability to hide what they were doing and I felt compelled to control the environment even more.  What I have learned from this first year of the 1-1 initiative and from my technology courses is that my students were born into this digital age and that they are digital natives.  Technology is a way of life for them and I don't want to continue approaching my classroom management for technology punitively.  Instead, my goal would be to make the activities engaging enough that students won't become distracted but would instead be completely involved in the lesson. Thus reaching the final goal of students exhibiting self control.  Students who feel they have some control over their learning environment are more likely to take ownership of the activity or project thus eliminating the desire to become distracted with something else.   Allowing students choices when completing an assignment, assigning students activities that require them to produce a final product rather than just skill and drill, and teaching students to become curators of their learning resources are just a few ways to get students actively involved in their learning environment.  

     Throughout the past year I have collected ideas, evaluated current activities and made notes of how to make them more productive, and collaborated with colleagues so that this next school year the technology use in my classroom will be more effective and less distractions will occur.  This will be an ongoing process that I will have to continue each year in order to keep up with technology and to move up on the SAMR model.