http://www.teach42.com/2008/05/06/mobile-phones-in-the-classroom-again/
This is an article explaining how we all know cell phones are a distraction in the classroom. This goes about using the distraction as a tool in the class. The article gives ways to use a cell phone for educational purposes such as:
1) Check the spelling/definition of a word
2) Research a topic
3) Look up reference images
4) Pull up maps (even with satellite imagery)
5) Document a science lab with built in digital camera/video
6) Fact check on the fly
7) Mail questions to the teacher that they might be embarrassed to ask
8) Classroom response system
9) Take quizzes
10) Record and/or listen to podcasts
Being an elementary teacher, I wouldn't want to use phones in my classroom because I have a problem with kids having smartphones at that age. The other problem is that students can't all afford them or their parents don't agree with them having them. However, in a high school setting I think it could work. I also think the students would have to sign an agreement. I think that if a student is caught using their phone for anything but educational, they would lose the rights to use their phone in that classroom.
ReplyDeleteI would rather use iPads, iPods, or laptops in the classroom as opposed to a cell phone. I see that there are effective ways to use cell phones in the classroom but I can't say that I'm exactly an advocate for it. Perhaps that's just me being a little too old school and still being shocked that students that young have cell phones and I didn't have one until my senior year of high school. I don't think too many teachers necessarily try to "bust" their students as much as they find it disrespectful when a student is on their phone during class. I would address the issue at the beginning of the school year and make it explicitly clear that I will not tolerate cell phone use in my classroom and hopefully it would work.
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm not a teacher I don't think that cell phones should be used as a tool in the classrooms. Like Tim said their are other technologies that are more suitable than cellphones.Even in older grades I feel that cell phone use from a educational perspective, in a classroom will be a bad and disasterous combination.
ReplyDeleteAlso you have to take into fact that everyone's phone plan is different and if certain features are available to some and not to others then teaching would also be difficult.
I agree the cell phones should be used within the classroom. Students should understand the importance of using technology for educational purposes instead of just as a social tool. If they don't learn in high school how to seperate work from play when will they learn?
ReplyDeleteI agree in theory with all the cool ways to use cell phones in the classroom, especially as a response system, but I worry that the temptation to text in between reponses would be too great. While I agree with Allison that students should learn to use technology for education, the cell phones are extremely tricky. Ideally, with a small class (10 or less) you could be monitoring everyone often enough to deter illegal use.
ReplyDelete