Honoring the Digital Natives, our Students

A year ago at our school we chose iPod touches as our pilot mobile computing device. We made that decision for a number of reasons but the most powerful decision makers were our students. This was their computer of choice. So many times over the last year I've been asked why we didn't choose another device for our pilot. To our students at our school the choice was so clear, "crystal" as one eighth grader often states.

Digital natives expect their access to information to be mobile; in their pocket mobile, go anywhere with them all the time mobile, prepared to answer a question that instant mobile, collaborate with their partners now mobile, connect with the other end of the world mobile. Handheld mobile devices allow students this access. In D.C. last week for NECC the question came again.

I would ask all those administrators and staff members in schools making technology purchasing decisions to, at the very least, for just a moment consider the question, what would your digital natives ask you to buy for their use in their classrooms?