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Panel: Cell phones have much potential in classrooms
New paper reports that students' cell phone use is growing, and educators should harness the power of mobile devices
Teachers should embrace the technology that students use outside of school while creating compelling lessons, panelists said.
Teachers are finding interesting and creative ways to include mobile phones in classroom instruction in an effort to bridge the divide between the technologies children use at home and what they use in school, education technology experts say.
Common Sense Media hosted a series of panel discussions April 21 that examined how mobile technology can both help and hinder children’s development and education.
Kipp Rogers, principal of Passage Middle School in Newport News, Va., said students at his school have used cell phones in class for the past three years. The practice began when he was teaching a math class and did not have enough calculators for every student during a test, until he realized he had a calculator on his PDA.
He said he asked the students to get their cell phones from their lockers; Passage’s policy had been that students can have phones on campus, but they must be turned off and kept in lockers. Rogers said that after letting students use their cell phones on the test, he started letting them use their phones every Friday.
“And the students began to come to me with ideas for new ways they could use their phones, like, ‘We can take pictures of the homework and send it to the students [who] were absent,’” he said.
Karen Cator, director of education technology for the U.S. Department of Education (ED), said the partnership between the students and teachers at Passage is important.
“It’s great that students suggested ways [to use the technology] to the teachers. So the teachers can roll up their sleeves and become collaborative learners,” she said. “Teachers just need to focus on how to create compelling lessons.”
Since then, a number of Passage teachers have embraced the opportunity for students to use their cell phones on assignments, both in school and at home.
However, many educators are still resistant to bringing the technology into the classroom for different reasons, said Liz Keren-Kolb, author of Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education, even though many new teachers use the same technology in their personal lives.
“They say they just can’t see themselves using [mobile technology] when teaching, because they weren’t taught that way,” she said.
8 Responses to Panel: Cell phones have much potential in classrooms
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clmyers
April 23, 2010 at 1:54 pm
We are doing students a disservice if we do not try to prepare them for the technology we have now and for what they will be inventing and using. The teachers that say they don’t want to use technology because they weren’t taught that way are ludicrous. What if your doctor said they don’t want to use that procedure because it wasn’t used forhem. Education and technology are eveolving rapidly. It is up to us to give students the best opportunities for learning we can.
clmyers
April 23, 2010 at 1:54 pm
We are doing students a disservice if we do not try to prepare them for the technology we have now and for what they will be inventing and using. The teachers that say they don’t want to use technology because they weren’t taught that way are ludicrous. What if your doctor said they don’t want to use that procedure because it wasn’t used forhem. Education and technology are eveolving rapidly. It is up to us to give students the best opportunities for learning we can.
thekingster
April 23, 2010 at 2:11 pm
“However, many educators are still resistant to bringing the technology into the classroom for different reasons, said Liz Keren-Kolb, author of Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education, even though many new teachers use the same technology in their personal lives.”
Many new teachers also post risque photos of themselves on FB…maybe we should incorporate such technology into the classroom to promote interconnectedness…
I can’t believe there are teachers who intimate that we should have cell phone utilization in the classroom. Unless, of course, you want to further fragment what little learning time you have by now allowing students to openly and digitally catch up with everyone else about everything related to what’s not happening in the classroom.
Do any of you proponents actually read the data surrounding brain compatibility. Specifically, that the brain cannot “multi task” but does something akin to “task switching?” More to the point: the brain picks “what” to devote its energy to at any given time. Now…throw a cell phone into the milieu of the most egocentric, hormone driven students anywhere. Just see how much they pay attention…my bet is “not”.
thekingster
April 23, 2010 at 2:11 pm
“However, many educators are still resistant to bringing the technology into the classroom for different reasons, said Liz Keren-Kolb, author of Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education, even though many new teachers use the same technology in their personal lives.”
Many new teachers also post risque photos of themselves on FB…maybe we should incorporate such technology into the classroom to promote interconnectedness…
I can’t believe there are teachers who intimate that we should have cell phone utilization in the classroom. Unless, of course, you want to further fragment what little learning time you have by now allowing students to openly and digitally catch up with everyone else about everything related to what’s not happening in the classroom.
Do any of you proponents actually read the data surrounding brain compatibility. Specifically, that the brain cannot “multi task” but does something akin to “task switching?” More to the point: the brain picks “what” to devote its energy to at any given time. Now…throw a cell phone into the milieu of the most egocentric, hormone driven students anywhere. Just see how much they pay attention…my bet is “not”.
lohky
April 23, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Indeed, use of technology is part of the digital natives’ “livelihood”!
Indeed, my school has gone into the one-to-one programme where each student uses a laptop. Mobile phones are allowed – with an agreed protocol – to be kept in the silent mode.
It’s a handy device when we have learning activities that require them to capture data outside the classrooms. In a recent Maths lesson on data handling, students brought their handphones out and capture photos & video clips of traffic along the road from the overhead bridge. They then upload the images and clips to the computer for analysis, etc. The mobile phone is definitely more handy than bringing any laptop out for such data collection purpose
I guess, it creates opportunities to reinforce the fact that devices they have not just for their person convenience, but also for learning. On the other hand, it also connects their learning to their own personal experiences/ habits better
lohky
April 23, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Indeed, use of technology is part of the digital natives’ “livelihood”!
Indeed, my school has gone into the one-to-one programme where each student uses a laptop. Mobile phones are allowed – with an agreed protocol – to be kept in the silent mode.
It’s a handy device when we have learning activities that require them to capture data outside the classrooms. In a recent Maths lesson on data handling, students brought their handphones out and capture photos & video clips of traffic along the road from the overhead bridge. They then upload the images and clips to the computer for analysis, etc. The mobile phone is definitely more handy than bringing any laptop out for such data collection purpose
I guess, it creates opportunities to reinforce the fact that devices they have not just for their person convenience, but also for learning. On the other hand, it also connects their learning to their own personal experiences/ habits better
vjones
April 24, 2010 at 9:56 am
As educators, we must find ways to incorporate the use of technology in the classroom. We are teaching digital natives. Daily our children use devices that are technology based, whether it is for social interaction, gaming or learning. Children use technology! Even on the elementary school level, students bring cell phones to school. We need to develop technology user policies beginning at the elementary level in order to assist students in being responsible tech users of the devices that they use. I say use technology as a stepping-stone to tap into the way children want to learn and find a way to merge our traditional teaching strategies with the new. In doing so I believe we will began experience a more collaborative learning environment, one that motivates students to learn and achieve.
vjones
April 24, 2010 at 9:56 am
As educators, we must find ways to incorporate the use of technology in the classroom. We are teaching digital natives. Daily our children use devices that are technology based, whether it is for social interaction, gaming or learning. Children use technology! Even on the elementary school level, students bring cell phones to school. We need to develop technology user policies beginning at the elementary level in order to assist students in being responsible tech users of the devices that they use. I say use technology as a stepping-stone to tap into the way children want to learn and find a way to merge our traditional teaching strategies with the new. In doing so I believe we will began experience a more collaborative learning environment, one that motivates students to learn and achieve.
margaret.goodlin
April 26, 2010 at 9:08 am
Who are you? Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw?
If we as educators fail to change with the new 21st century skills out in the world we will lose. I am studying to become a 21st century teacher by taking online courses and learning how to teach online and using new online technologies such as Second Life, social networking web sites, videoconferencing, Google Maps, Google Earth and other online tools to get students interested in learning, and cell phones maybe one of those technologies.
I feel if we over look these new teaching tools we will lose the students as they are using them outside the classroom and to get them engaged within the classroom we have to use what gets them motivated. And 21st century technology is one way students get motivated I know it works for me, as adult as I LOVE learning this stuff and I wish that I had learn with the tools out there today so 30 years ago, so just think what it is doing to the younger students. It gets they minds working and thinking.
I will be moving forward while others just wait for things to happen. Good Luck to Hem & Haw. Since, I believe in being at the head of the pack and not the slacker at the back of the pack, as I will Sniff out the technology to gain more students interest in my classroom.
Good Luck to the Slackers!!
Peace Out!!
margaret.goodlin
April 26, 2010 at 9:08 am
Who are you? Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw?
If we as educators fail to change with the new 21st century skills out in the world we will lose. I am studying to become a 21st century teacher by taking online courses and learning how to teach online and using new online technologies such as Second Life, social networking web sites, videoconferencing, Google Maps, Google Earth and other online tools to get students interested in learning, and cell phones maybe one of those technologies.
I feel if we over look these new teaching tools we will lose the students as they are using them outside the classroom and to get them engaged within the classroom we have to use what gets them motivated. And 21st century technology is one way students get motivated I know it works for me, as adult as I LOVE learning this stuff and I wish that I had learn with the tools out there today so 30 years ago, so just think what it is doing to the younger students. It gets they minds working and thinking.
I will be moving forward while others just wait for things to happen. Good Luck to Hem & Haw. Since, I believe in being at the head of the pack and not the slacker at the back of the pack, as I will Sniff out the technology to gain more students interest in my classroom.
Good Luck to the Slackers!!
Peace Out!!
colin schumacher
April 26, 2010 at 6:45 pm
I am having great success with teachers and students at 3 schools in Sydney. Teaching them a ‘Create and Animate’ Literacy program for stages 2-3 primary. Kids stay in during lunch and tea breaks and after-school as they are so engaged. Contact me: cschumacher@csu.edu.au if you want to know more.
colin schumacher
April 26, 2010 at 6:45 pm
I am having great success with teachers and students at 3 schools in Sydney. Teaching them a ‘Create and Animate’ Literacy program for stages 2-3 primary. Kids stay in during lunch and tea breaks and after-school as they are so engaged. Contact me: cschumacher@csu.edu.au if you want to know more.
jrobison
April 26, 2010 at 10:13 pm
I am committed to the benefits of technology in education, but I don’t believe all technology is helpful in the classroom. (Not the same as not useful for education.) We’ve all been at conferences or in Professional Development where attendees sat texting, or browsing the web, on smart phones or computers. If adults are distracted by these tools, what should we expect of our students? Is there anything that could be done only with a cell phone in the classroom? Are we creating classroom tasks just so that we could use them (Unlike making use of the phone’s calculator when there isn’t another available – I don’t think most math teachers would want to give up a graphing calculator for a wide variety of cell phones, with a wide variety of capabilities.) I can’t see, at this point, giving up a focus on the blog, wiki, podcast, quiz, lesson and forum capabilities available on a platform like Moodle for what is currently available on cell phones, which not all students have. I just don’t think we’re there yet, nor have we thought out the classroom management that will be needed by some less than motivated students in our less than perfect environments.
jrobison
April 26, 2010 at 10:13 pm
I am committed to the benefits of technology in education, but I don’t believe all technology is helpful in the classroom. (Not the same as not useful for education.) We’ve all been at conferences or in Professional Development where attendees sat texting, or browsing the web, on smart phones or computers. If adults are distracted by these tools, what should we expect of our students? Is there anything that could be done only with a cell phone in the classroom? Are we creating classroom tasks just so that we could use them (Unlike making use of the phone’s calculator when there isn’t another available – I don’t think most math teachers would want to give up a graphing calculator for a wide variety of cell phones, with a wide variety of capabilities.) I can’t see, at this point, giving up a focus on the blog, wiki, podcast, quiz, lesson and forum capabilities available on a platform like Moodle for what is currently available on cell phones, which not all students have. I just don’t think we’re there yet, nor have we thought out the classroom management that will be needed by some less than motivated students in our less than perfect environments.
qpease
May 4, 2010 at 10:36 am
Where I live and where I teach, bringing cell phones into a classroom would be horrible in the eyes of many. I don’t totally agree with their thoughts, but their are inequalities in cell phones that could make this sort of project a social disaster: First, some kids may have really cool smart phones, and some my have old-school flip phones that may not even have a camera. Secondly, you may get this: “Mom, I need a cell phone because we are using them in school now”. That could be a total shock to the budget of some parents. Lastly, you would need policy in place to avoid the perceived allowance of using cell phones at all times.
Cell phones are a wonderful technology that can help us connect in many ways, but we need to keep in mind that they are also a disruptive technology that will not let kids and the rest of us go places without being interrupted by buzzing in our purses and pockets.
qpease
May 4, 2010 at 10:36 am
Where I live and where I teach, bringing cell phones into a classroom would be horrible in the eyes of many. I don’t totally agree with their thoughts, but their are inequalities in cell phones that could make this sort of project a social disaster: First, some kids may have really cool smart phones, and some my have old-school flip phones that may not even have a camera. Secondly, you may get this: “Mom, I need a cell phone because we are using them in school now”. That could be a total shock to the budget of some parents. Lastly, you would need policy in place to avoid the perceived allowance of using cell phones at all times.
Cell phones are a wonderful technology that can help us connect in many ways, but we need to keep in mind that they are also a disruptive technology that will not let kids and the rest of us go places without being interrupted by buzzing in our purses and pockets.