NoGo to ClassDojo
From the reading, one gathers that a lot more harm is done to a student’s long term learning and wellbeing by using the app ClassDojo. The benefits are short lived, and students become distracted by a teacher’s positive or negative evaluation of their every move in the classroom. I personally agree with the article that there is too much at stake bringing an app such as ClassDojo in the classroom.
The selling points of the app are that it provides teachers the ability to send parents progress reports in real time and that children view the app as an exciting game. I personally do not find those points appealing; first, there is no reason that parents need to be aware of every little action their child does (e-mail or phone call can suffice the need to report), and second, like all other once exciting video games their lifecycle is short lived.
On the other hand, the concerns presented in the reading have more significance and weight to them. The biggest concern is the privacy issues – a child’s every move is tracked (negative and positive), and if this app seeps into middle school, high school, and post-secondary, who can surely say that the information gathered in this system won’t be sold to employers (perfect candidate), government agencies, and financial institutions (particularly for loans and insurance). The stress that is created by the app as it ranks students based on behavior such as “working hard” and “staying on task”, does not seem to be enhancing learning experience, and can be easily substituted with verbal commentary from the teacher. Which leads to the question of what is the app even measuring, since “good behaviour” is not used in assessment marking. The teachers that have been interviewed and have blogged about using the app seem to indicate that its use has been primarily for “classroom management” through the means of intimidation and embarrassment.
Overall, I would not use apps for classroom management, as I feel it creates barriers between the student and teacher. The classroom is a space where soft skills relating to emotional intelligence, the ability to recognise and manage you own and others emotions are developed. We must be conscious about easy free short-term solutions, and as the saying goes, there is no free lunch.
