iPods in Education

iPods are everywhere, so it seems obvious that they could be a great resource to help students in their learning. One article I found, explained how Louisa-Muscatine Elementary School began using iPods as a way to help special education students in the regular classroom with standardized testing. Test questions are recorded and students are then able to simultaneously read and listen as a way to help them better understand. They started the program in 2005 and continue to grow and expand it. It helps those special education students who are submersed in full inclusion settings and often need that little extra help.

In 2004, Duke University gave each incoming Freshman a free 20GB iPod to help foster technology in the classroom. Many of their lectures are available for download or are available to be recorded. What a great idea. Obviously, there is a great deal of costs associated with a give-a-way of this magnitude, and benefit only comes if there are practival educational resources easily available, but what a step into the technical world.

If technical inventions such as iPods, iPhones, or pre-recorded MP3 players can help better educate students, why not take advantage of the priviledges the 21st century has to offer? For students with special needs, they can play back test questions that may help to improve their test scores or allow lectures to be downloaded to reiterate a concept. The possibilities are endless, it's up to us how far we can imagine going.