MP3s and Learning (USA Today article)

I enjoyed reading the article from USA Today on MP3s and education. I try to use a mixture of technology and paper-based materials in my classroom. I was intrigued by the amount of digital information available from Apple. I researched the iPods and MP3s to see which would work best for my elementary students. Here is a link to what I would like to sign up for. It branches off the ideas behind the article:

http://www.apple.com/iwork/pages/

I'm a big fan of Apple, but also know that it's important to be careful with technology. I still like to read books in paper form, but do almost everything else online-from Scrapbooking to Twitter. In my opinion, it's about quality, not quantity. There is so much information related to this article. When I looked up implications for usage, I was a bit overwhelmed until I knew what to look for.  As a new teacher, I am finding a comfortable pace. This way I can hopefully be near where my students are (technology-wise).

I found textbook downloading to be interesting. However, I think it's important to remember different learning styles. Someone may prefer to write out a math problem, rather than follow along using auditory and visual technology. This is when SmartBoards are helpful.

In regard to multi-tasking...I see myself (and my students) doing this more and more. It's hard not to, in this continuously changing technology-enthused world. While I love technology, I do still find value in recognizing individual preferences and honoring how one learns best.
Laurel