Trends suggest that mobile phones have educational potential. Read the article "Class, Open Your Phones," at http://www.schoolcio.com/showArticle.php?articleID=193003986 to spot a future trend. Did the ideas mentioned in the article spark your interest? Would you consider incorporating this mobile technology into your classroom? How would you use cell phones with your students?
39 comments:
This doesn't surprise me that cell phones can be used as tools in school. However, do I want to use this in my classroom? If I have to teach in middle school or high school it would be an interesting motivational technique to get students attention through using their phones. I don't think I would do this with elementary school students because they wouldn't be able to analyze the right answer using their phone. My idea is to record students voicemails in my phone, as a way for them to answer homework questions. This will help them learn to express themselves properly, which will be good later in life for interviews.
This article reminds me of the new emergency notification system here at Molloy. I think using cellphones to deliver urgent messages could be very effective. However, I couldn't picture my students copying down home works on their cell phones, especially with those in younger grades. I'm pretty conservative over the issue on kids using cell phones. It might sound silly, but I am concern about the radiation released by cell phones.
-Jenny
I think that cell phones do have potential for being used for educational purposes. Like the article said many of them have calendars, that will help students keep track of homework assignments. I also can see the potential of using mass texting to post warning texts to students if they are in danger. I also like the idea that teachers can use texting parents about their students’ progress. I would not use cell phones at the moment but I would not be apposed to using them in the future. I would like to use them like the article said contact parents about their child’s progress. I also would not mind students using them for educational purposes in the classroom but I would think that the cell phone screen needs to be bigger. I think it would be a good idea for any cell phone company to create a phone that can only be used for educational purposes. I do not think that many parents would opposed to buying them since many of them e no problems buying students phones or ipods, what damage can one more gadget do?
angella s.
I agree with Kayarat that I would not mind using cell phones at the high school level but not with the elementary school students. I think that it would take too long for them to figure out how to use the cell phones. If I were to use cell phones in the classroom I would allow students to look up information, news stories, or music from Latin America since I teach Spanish.
Angella S.
I completely disagree with all the blogs so far with my classmates. I work in a middle school now and it is hard enough keeping the students from trying to uwe their cell phones in school. Since we have the use of several computers in the classrooms, i do not think it is necessary for students to use their cell phones as well. They use them far too much as it is today. Who is say that cheating would not take place in the classroom if we allow cell phones now as well.
Katie
I think that it's a good idea to send text messages to the parents until the school receives a response. However, I see absolutely no use for cellphones in the classroom. Computers are sufficient enough. Although apprehensive, I'm not against each student having a laptop at their desks, and even with that you have to monitor inappropriate use of email and other internet services. But I'm totally against cellphones. I think it's completely ridiculous.
~Shikema B.
I like the idea of allowing the students to use their cell phones for certain features that can apply to the classroom. It may be tough to incorporate into the classroom if not all the students have cell phones. Students may also take out their phones to text but tell the teacher that they are adding something to the calender or writing a memo. I think it is a good idea but I think that it still needs to be thought about more and maybe different programs can be created for the phone.
This article left me with more questions than answers:
Who will pay for every child to have a cell phone?
For students in high school, would cell phone activity be limited to in school hours only, or could they be contacted outside of 9-3, M-F, and if so, what are the potential reprecussions for students who work?
What about parents who do not have cell phones (I realize this is rare)? More realistic, perhaps, is to ask, what about parent's whose cell phone are not text enabled? I don't think it is something that could be mandated, as there is typically an additional charge on the sell service for text messaging.
How do teachers effictively manage appropriate use of cell phones in the classroom?
How do the suggested voice-automated question and answer sessions (from the article) handle wait time, or students who perform better when reading words on paper?
In short, I was underwhelmed by the article. I think technology has the potential to overtake basic teaching and learning. I, for one, do not think cell phones belong in a classroom.
As a parent, my cell number is to be used for emergencies only, not for me to receive text messages on my child's progress.
Shannon
I have to agree with Katie and Shikema-I see no need to have cell phones in the classroom and see such a move as heightening the differences between the haves and have nots. As a parent, my son is off to middle school next year, and even though he has asked for a cell phone multiple times, he is unlikely to get one, both for the cost and the potential for abuse. I do not think an 11 year old child needs a cell phone.
Sorry, adolescentscience is Shannon. I had to set a blog up for another class, and now can't seem to post a comment under my name anymore!
Shannon
I guess it was just a matter of time that the cell phone technology leaked into the classrooms. I am worried about allowing this to be a part of our kids school day, cell phones can be a big distraction even if it is being used with good intentions. I think that some kids may still find ways to use the phones in a way that is not meant for school and that can cause problems. The idea is good in theory, but I don't know if I am totally sold on this new idea.
Despite the fact that cell phones are useful and could potentially be a great tool in the classroom, I do no think it is a good idea. Cell phones are used too frequently as it is and to bring them into the classroom would be taking it too far. It would be difficult to monitor cheating and the teacher would have no idea if the students are using the phone as an educational tool or to text message their friends. I think computers are sufficient enough, even if there are only one or two in the classroom.
Erin C.
Teaching elementary students, it is rare that there are problems with cell phones in the classroom. Although students do keep cell phones on their book bags, it is rarely a distraction to them. However, I am aware that cell phones are a big part of any adolescent lives. I think this article brings very creative information for education. For example, the article discusses that all cell phones now have note-taking and calendar features, so there's no excuse for students forgetting their homework assignments. I also thought it was interesting that some places use a system that can send out warning text, fax, and e-mail messages to every school about, say, a suspicious person or car in the area. In addition, schools are also implementing a system that sends a text to parents of absent students. I think this article discusses some good ideas that are different and may be worth trying in schools, I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both sides in incorporating cell phones more often in education.
Shannon raises some great questions about this article. One of her questions that really made me think is how will teachers manage cell phones in the classroom? After thinking about the quetions other blogs have discussed I am realizing more that cell phones in the classroom would not be as beneficial as I thought before. When students would take out their cell phones, would they be using it for school issues or to text their friends? I think this type of technology is not ready for classrooms.
I think cell phones are so under used in American education. The potential for the options they offer are now just starting to gain notice. Instead of being banned they should be embraced. With acces to internet and text messaging its a mater of time there will be a widespread acceptance by schools to use cell phones in the classroom will be more common. Almost all kids know how to use a cell phone why not use what they know in the classroom to help them learn in a way they will enjoy school instead of being bored.
Rob C
I think the use of cell phones can be a good thing in the classroom. It is difficult though to use cell phones in an actual lesson because students may be tempted to text their friends instead of doing their assignment. It is a great tool though because cell phones are such an important part of society. They are what children are surrounded by. I think that cell phones should be used maybe to text assignments at first. If that goes well then phones may possibly be able to be incorporated in lessons. Specifically because most phones allow you to go on the internet. That could be a major benefit in class lessons. I do not think cell ohones will enter the classroom that soon, although I do feel it is the wave of the future.
I agree with Kanyarat in that it is a great tool for middle school and high school students. I would not be so fast to use it in elementary school. I also like the idea of having them leave voicemails, because it is true that it will help them in the future.
I understand where Katie is coming from regarding not allowing students to use cell phones and also not seeing a use for them in the classroom. This is true however if they are going to try to use them anyway why not let them. They can text questions or assignments. This is great because if they are allowed to use it for school maybe they will be less likely to take them out when they should not be.
I also agree with Kanyarat. I think allowing cell phone use in the classroom as an educational tool would be fine for uppergrades but elementary school children, who arent as advanced in technology, would need extra help working the phones. In addition to being distracted by the features of the phone, I think they would hold up the lesson.
I do like the idea of having the phone as a feature though. I think in college it is a great tool. For example, ACU was the first university to give their 2008 freshman an iphone or itouch. The school said it would be used for important messages, the students could use them as daily planners, reminders about homework assignments, and the ability to communicate with other students and teachers as a safety matter. Because of the tragic school shootings in recent years, if students had iphones, they would have been able to communicate with each other so they could call the police or just run to safety.
- alexandria
Hmm. This is a hard question to answer. On one hand you can temporarily control the use of cellphones in the classroom. But on the other hand your are giving the students more of a chance to goof off by sending text messages to each other instead of focusing on the notes. As much as I would love to try this out in my own classroom, I think this will have to first be used succesfully in college classrooms, where there is much more of an emphasis on structure and attention. But at this moment I do not think that this technology will be successful in a high school or middle school classrooms.
Michael F
katie brings up a completely valid point and pretty much killed the idea for using cell phones in class. The use of cell phones to cheat during a test is almost a guarantee and seems ridiculous. The article said that students one day may be admonished for not bringing a phone to class? That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think? This is an environment where kids aren't allowed to wear baseball hats, or have mp3 players after class in the building, and I'm supposed to believe that cell phones may one day be required for a class? I don't think so. I think it would be a cool idea to incorporate a cell phone in a lesson, like to act out a telephone conversation between two historical figures, but I'm not buying this article.
Cell phones, while a fantastic use of technology in general, don't strike me as mechanisms that can be used to improve the educational system. Calling up a service to receive questions, then answering them into a machine to be graded later is not something that I would consider to be bettering our current methods of teaching. It just seems like a stretch.
T Malcolm
Funny...I always assumed that cell phones would be a resource in educating. These are useful attempts for cell phone use and I would not be surprised if this trend escalates. Students have in the palm of their hand a useful connection to information so why not use it. I don't think it should be allowed during test time...we will no longer be assessing our students but how fast can they google answers on the exams.
Great article! Finally an article that celebrates the advantages of a cell phone. The only piece of technology that I really use. I haven't seen teachers use the cell phone to teach. It's just a matter of time. I like the use of recording questions and sending due dates to students. The cell phone can teach students to be responsible for their work and they can use it for a good source and not just to chit chat. My question is who and how would the use of cell phones be monitored in the classroom
It's refreshing to see an article about the positives in using the cell phone in the classroom. They have had such a bad rap in the schools. My question is who and how can the use of the cell phone be monitored. So many people already rely on it. Why not use it for something productive?
I too can see the good and bad points of cell phone use in the classroom.Excellent as a motivator for High School and Middle School,but too confusing for elementary students. The potential for cheating would have to be addressed-but it could certainly be a wonderful inexpensive tool-maybe in the future.....
How awesome is cellphedia? It's a great way to encourage students to be inquiry-driven researchers. It's truly amazing how far we've come with our technology. I personally find my cellphones so accessible, versatile, and useful. Honestly, I can't imagine my daily routines without it. However, I am skeptical about its proper use in the classroom. While cellphones are resourceful and helpful for students, they can also be debilitating and distracting for them. I feel that with all the new features being added to cellphones nowadays, allowing students to utilize their phones will definitely mean that teachers must keep up with the advancements and be on top of the their uses. Cellphones will become wonderful tools as long as both teachers and students are aware of some of the drawbacks of the use. For now, although I may sound all fashioned, I have to say that I am against cellphone use in the classroom.
I don't see that we are quite ready to deal with all the problems cell phone use in the classroom might bring, but with the speed in which technology is progressing we may not be far off. The biggest pitfalls I see are plagiarizing and cheating. If the way we assess students is changed dramatically, that is, if we assess authentic knowledge instead of just recall and retelling, that pitfall may be a moot point. I’m all for cutting down on paper usage in the later elementary, middle, and high schools. Cell phones are more assessable and cheaper than computers, so they may be the way to use electronic text exclusively, and save some trees.
Kathleen M.
Too many times I have herd that cell phones should be allowed into schools from my parents and my students. It is delightful to finally see that cell phones are being viewed as an educational tool. However, I do think that with technological advances, there should be some restrictions and discretion. This being said, I do think that with the appropriate use, cell phones can bring the learning experience, for teachers and students, up to another level. Cell phones will surly cut down on the amount of “paper” for students and teachers. It will also speed up communications between administrators, teachers, students, and parents.
Too many times I have herd that cell phones should be allowed into schools from my parents and my students. It is delightful to finally see that cell phones are being viewed as an educational tool. However, I do think that with technological advances, there should be some restrictions and discretion. This being said, I do think that with the appropriate use, cell phones can bring the learning experience, for teachers and students, up to another level. Cell phones will surly cut down on the amount of “paper” for students and teachers. It will also speed up communications between administrators, teachers, students, and parents.
k.boodram
I completely disagree about the idea of using cell phones in the classroom. It's already difficult to control students in junior high, letting them use cellphones would make it worse.How can you stop them from cheating or texting during class? What about those who cannot afford cell phones? Besides as a parent, I would like my cell number to be used for emergencies , not to receive text messages about my child's progress. So no, no to cell phones in the class room.
Iffat
I agree with what Katie said. There is far too much potential for cheating when cellphones are brought into play. Granted, cellphone usage has its benefits. Students can use the internet on them, use calendar features to set reminders and note homework and class schedules, and use notepad features for those moments when your pen runs out of ink and you're stuck without any other way to take notes. However, cellphones, for the same reasons, can be distractions. I think there is too much potential for trouble if we allow cell phone usage in class. Katherine Dalton
The article “Class, Open Your Phones” was a real eye-opener. Due to the fact that I’ve grown up through an era where technology was promoted and pushed, I never realized how much cell phones have become the center of today’s youths lives. I too am a victim of what I like to call “cell phone anxiety”. I find that I can not leave home without my cell, should I forget it I’m sadly in a state of panic! My whole day seems to be off course without this little piece of 4x4 plastic. However, I don’t believe an educational institution is any place for a cell phone. The article mentions that cell phones provide children with the internet and alert systems but I can’t accept that as a valid point. While I do find Molloy’s alert system extremely convenient and useful, I feel a better approach for schools should be to use this system to inform solely parents, who in turn can inform their children. Using a cell phone for internet access is an absolute joke! We have computers and Smartboards which have proven to be more then adequate throughout the years. There are many pieces of technology that I deem to be important in a school, but a cell phone is not one of them. They should be used for their original purpose…in case of an emergency.
-CHRISTINA TRESCA
While cell phones certainly could be used to communicate with students, they are currently a major distractor. I have actually given up asking students to put their cell phones away in class. This past Friday a stdent had his cell phone out on his desk texting his whole way through an exam. He was shocked to find that I was disturbed by his behavior. I think if they were used in an academic setting it would be very difficult to monitor if they were being used academically or if they were texting friends in class. I don't know about this one. I'm not convinced its a good idea!
- Nicole Rhodes
I thought this was an interesting article. On one hand, I think using cell phones for safety reasons, or to text parents of absent students might be very beneficial. However, I think there are far better resources than cell phones that can be used in the classroom. I think it would be very difficult to monitor the students. --Colleen Corrigan
This is a very interesting article. Do I agree with it? No, not really. I do not think that a classroom is a place for a cell phone at all. Who is to say what the students are really going to be doing while using it. There is no reason why students should use their cell phones for the internet in school. Isn’t that why we are pushing so hard for every classroom to have computers in it? I do however think that the idea about alerting parents through text messages about emergencies is a good idea. Not all parents are able to check emails during the day. All in all, I do not think that with every technology that comes out that we should feel obligated to somehow find a way to use it in the classroom. There are many and will be many more technologies that are not appropriate for a school setting and a cell phone in my opinion is a great example of one.
-Caitlin Fox
martha D.
Cellphones are a wonderful convinience and fun gadgets to have. However, there is still debates whether or not they belong in schools. If students act in a mature manner and present a fair cellphone use agreement to their parents, teachers, administrators, may be this cell phone controversy can be settled for the benefit of all.
I think that using cellphones may be a realistic way schools can offer the one on one computing experience in the classroom.
I found this article almost laughable. Although cell phones are a evolving piece of technology, I do not feel that they have any place in the classroom. Even though cell phones have the capability of doing many technological and useful everyday functions (such as the calculator, calendar, and texting options- among others), these functions are not necessary or worthwhile to use in the classroom. Can you imagine how many kids are told to use their calculator function (on their phones) and are actually texting their friends? Or going on the Internet to check their email? Before the age of cell phones, people WERE able to function. There were calculators, day planners/organizers, and good old fashioned letter writing. Although cell phones can simplify daily tasks, they have absolutely no place in a classroom. The result would be total and complete chaos.
Kim C.
I think that cell phone useage is the wave of the future in schools. They are becoming more advanced and gaining more abilities every few months. Pretty soon the teachers will be able to text their lessons to the students the day before so the students have an idea of what is coming in class. I think that the positive outweigh the negitives when it comes to this topic. Sure, the kids will probably text their friends, but when they know it is time to work, they will.
Post a Comment