Cell Phones in Education

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Comment by Chris Daugherty on October 28, 2012 at 6:57pm

I’ve always wanted to use Smartphones to perform a Geochache activity for my students. Has anyone ever had experiences doing this? I feel like it would be a wonderful opportunity for students to build teamwork, work on critical thinking skills, and practice with the content of a course.

Comment by Karla Diaz on October 28, 2012 at 6:43pm

I consider cell phones as a great tool for education. It really provides many opportunities for the teacher to reach students in a meaningful way.  I read that even iPhones could be used as clickers... Awesome! Using cell phones in the cIassroom could change the way students see the class, the content, and even the teacher. You might not be in a classroom where everyone has a cell phone, but you can use that opportunity to develop a group activity. I would love to use cell phones in my classroom, but my first graders do not have their own.

Comment by Tracy Marshall on October 28, 2012 at 11:26am

If we don't teach our students that their cell phones are more than just a social networking tool, then how would they know?  I think it is our responsibility to teach them that their cell phones are really powerful computers that have the capability to make a phone call or text another person.  The device is more of a computer than a phone.  If they come to understand this, I think they will be more inclined to use them as learning devices.  They are people, after all, and like adult people, they like to be plugged in.  They are also curious about the world.  If we start showing them how to explore their curious natures, then I don't think that we will be complaining as much about the amount that the text or call their friends, because they will be using their phones is better ways.  The texting and calling are ways that they are reaching out to the world, and if they knew there were other ways to reach out to the world, they might engage in those more positive activities instead.  

I think students get mixed messages when these devices are not allowed in the classroom or in schools.  These mixed messages are coming from adults.  We as adults are very connected to our devices.  We text, call, use them for other social networking, connect to the internet, play games and the like.  I, for one, will return home to get my phone if I forget it.  Why?  Because I feel disconnected.  I know that I am not the only one who would do this.  Students see adults engaging in the use of devices.  I think they don't buy it when we say they need to disconnect, but we aren't willing to do so.  

The habits we don't like in young students, are that they don't seem productive on their devices.  If they spend as many hours learning on their devices as they do texting, I'm not sure any of these conversations and controversies regarding cell phones in the classroom would be taking place at all.  The problem is that many students don't look at their "phones" as learning devices...they only think of them as a social networking device.  If more of us get on board, we can show them that their devices are powerful computers that can connect them to a living repository of the very knowledge they are curious about.

Comment by Samuel Lopez on October 26, 2012 at 10:52am

Nowadays mobile devices are almost necessary in helping to provide students with a more positive learning experience. We know that they cannot live without their cell phones or iPods; so if we cannot keep it away from them, then let's have them use it for their education. This sounds very ideal, but  it is the complete opposite in my present job. My school district has zero tolerance for cell phones and some teachers support this idea. They are so obsessed with having students keep their mobile devices away from their classrooms. I feel we must win this battle first before we can move on. I strongly support using mobile devices in the classroom. Recently, I created a poll using polleverywhere.com and had my students respond using their cell phones. I do not want to go against district rules, but we need to integrate tools that students can benefit from.

Comment by Kristin Baljet on October 23, 2012 at 12:52pm

I know I am about two months late in contributing to the conversation concerning students who do not have cell phones or the technology that other students have in the classroom.  Last year I worked in a school in Rochester Hills where every student had a cell phone and most of those phones were Smart Phones.  I could depend on activities using texting polls and smart phone research because it the student did not have a smart phone, they had an iPod to use.  Sounds pretty great right?  Well, this year I am working in a lower income school and many of my students do not have cell phones and iPods, so I have had to pull some fun, technological activities from my lessons.  Do you think it is fair to create groups based around one of the students having a smart phone or iPad?  Has anyone tried making a pair or group responsible for working on one device?  If so, did you see success?  As much as I wish I could give every student a phone or iPod to use during class, my district just does not have the funding.  Do you think it is fair to make students rely on one another in this way?  The reason I ask is because my classroom has wireless internet and I know in school is the only place my students have access to wifi.  I want to use as many mobile devices as possible while my students have the chance :)

Comment by John Frezza on August 11, 2012 at 6:40pm

I would love to use cell phones in the classroom.  As an elementary school teacher in NYC we would be kidding ourselves he we said children do not have cell phones.  More students have, than have not!  I want to look into the NYCDOE's guidelines for social media but I think it is a great idea.  Especially for homework or test reminders.  Not sure if I would use polling or anything more complex but it does have a place. 

Comment by Allison Scovone on August 9, 2012 at 11:56am

Dale, that's so great to see Saline doing something towards allowing cell phones for educational purposes. If only, Ann Arbor could learn from their neighboring district. I'm switching to fourth grade and asked my principal how many of the students tend to have cell phones because I wanted to perhaps using them for polls or Twiddla. She said most of them did have them, but I probably wouldn't be allowed to do it since it goes against the school/district's policy on cell phones about using phones during the school day.  It's so frustrating to have that sort of red tape that impedes on educational opportunities. Which makes me wonder: does your school district have rules against using cell phones in t...

Comment by Ruth Myles on August 9, 2012 at 7:51am

Wouter, those are great questions to consider.  My school also had a no cell phone policy, but I am sure the older students brought phones anyways.  Thankfully, I saw no phones in Pre-K! Like many other commenters, I see pros and cons.  As Jennifer pointed out, there are some great organizational features on phones, and the student is much more likely to keep their phone with them than a planner.  It will be interesting to see how this develops down the road.

Comment by Evelyn Budd on August 2, 2012 at 9:08am

Students at all grade levels have cell phones. Cell phones in education for me as a 1st grade teacher would not apply. But, high school is a different story. Students seem to have phones with permission or not. So utilize the tool. I too wonder how you will work around those students who don't have access. Will the school give them some other handheld device like an ipod? Working in a low income, high poverty area I worry about allowing students to take tools home. I am sure most students would return them but what happens if they don't. There has to be additional funds for all students to be included, are the funds going to be there down the road?

Comment by Wouter Laleman on August 1, 2012 at 12:48pm

What to do about unevenly distributed technology?  How can you use such technology if only a third of the students owns such a device?  How to convince and administration that won't let students bring them in?

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