Now even though my focus is on older students, I would also consider using smart phones as technological pieces with my own 5th grade class. This is because I know that many of my 5th graders do have their own phones. Lets face it, it's a digital world, and younger children are learning to get their hands on all sorts of technologies. Most of my students either have an iphone, an android phone, or a windows phone. Since the invention of the cellular phone, use of these phones have been frowned upon in schools for a few reasons. Skeptics say that students will text, play, cheat, and lose focus if they are using a smartphone in class. Well, i'd have to disagree. There are ways in which to secure the privacy of students, and monitor what students are doing while they are using their devices. Its up to teachers to continually monitor what students are doing, and execute consequences when a rule on appropriate use is broken.
iPhone photo by William Hook on Flickr
Attribution, Share Alike License http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-2830319467
Many schools lack the funds needed to give students enough computers to use in regular class time. They school where I work only has 2 computer labs, one is available for a class to use during "lab time" once a week for about 45 minutes. The other computer lab is reserved solely for taking computerized standardized assessments. We then have 1 laptop cart, which is usually reserved weeks in advance. I think it would be wise to change our negative outlooks on smartphone usage in school to create a more optimistic view on what our students can accomplish if we allow them to use this familiar form of technology. If monitored correctly by the teachers, smart phones definitely could be used appropriately in the classroom.
Want to see an example of a classroom using smart phones effectively? Check out this article from Raising Arizona Kids; read about teachers who seize opportunities to use the technology students bring to school with them each day. Think about whether you agree that educators should change the negative stance on cellphones, and begin to work on letting students use their smart phones for educational purposes in school. The digital world is still evolving around us, lets evolve with it!
Also here is an article published by NBCNews on 5 good ways to use smart phones in high school. Check it out!
-Lisa Costello
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteYou pose great points on the positives of using cellphones in the classroom. Your supporting articles were also insightful. I believe that cell phone usage is a good idea if you are able to ensure the students will be responsible. I love the "Say cheese whiteboard" idea provided in the NBC article because I have used it plenty of times. When my personal scanner broke, my instant alternative was to take pictures of documents. Other great ways provided in the NBC article that I feel is beneficial were "The slicker clicker" and "Apps and QR Codes”. I think the slicker clicker is an awesome app to get students engaged in informal assessments. This is also good in preventing students from shouting out the answers. I use Apps and QR codes on my phone to read more information on websites or locate products. This would be useful for scavenger hunt activities, research, etc. For example, giving groups of students’ different QR codes to scan and report their findings.
You said: "I think it would be wise to change our negative outlooks on smartphone usage in school to create a more optimistic view on what our students can accomplish if we allow them to use this familiar form of technology".
Personally, this is easier said than done. I've observed 5th grade classrooms with students who behave like kindergartners and did not take their education seriously. If the school is able to control the possible behavior issues associated with using the cell phone in class, then I would consider it. Unfortunately, in our society, everyone looks at pros and cons. Every situation has positives and negatives; and this is unfortunately one of those situations. My blog post tackles this topic as well where I've expressed my view and included an article that gives reasons why it's not a good idea.
Hi Meika,
DeleteThanks for posting a comment! I agree with you when you say that there ate always pros and cons associated with this issue. I did off mostly pros because I am for trying to adapt this technology into our classrooms.
when you said, "Personally, this is easier said than done. I've observed 5th grade classrooms with students who behave like kindergartners and did not take their education seriously. If the school is able to control the possible behavior issues associated with using the cell phone in class, then I would consider it" you bring up a very important point. Many students aren't responsible enough to handle this privilege. I would say that for those classes, they should be challenged by given this responsibly and that teachers should let them know that it is a privilege. If students couldn't handle that responsibility then they wouldn't be able to participate using smart phones in class until they proved they were ready for it.
-Lisa
Lisa said: "There are ways in which to secure the privacy of students, and monitor what students are doing while they are using their devices. Its up to teachers to continually monitor what students are doing, and execute consequences when a rule on appropriate use is broken."
ReplyDeleteThis is easier said than done. In a class of 20 or more students, it is difficult for one teacher to continuously monitor the screens on the students' phones while teaching their lesson at the same time especially if the lesson requires the teacher to be at the front of the class. Kids are also really quick when using their phones. They can text a photo to their friend faster than we can write "science" on the board. These students are surprisingly fast with their phones. Now this is not to say I'm against using cell phones in the classroom. I'm all for it. I've mentioned in another post that it really depends on the trust level between the teacher and students. If a teacher feels like he/she has full control of his/her class, then go for it. If not and you have students that consistently act up in class, it would not be wise to "reward" them by letting them use their phones. Using a technology in a classroom is a skill all on its own, and with time, a teacher can truly use it effectively in class.
Hi Andrew,
DeleteThanks for your comment! You bring up a great point, a point that many teachers will agree with. We spread ourselves thin to supervise a class, so it would be a challenge for teachers to make sure students aren't messing around when they should be on task. I think that students could work in a group and use only 1 smart phone per 3 students to make it easier on teachers to monitor less screens. Do you think this would help out?
-Lisa
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI'm on the fence with this subject. I agree with you that it definitely makes sense for students to be able to use their devices. Like the example you gave, you shouldn't have to squeeze your online lesson in 45 minutes because that's the only time the computer lab is available. I do know that some schools don't even provide a laptop cart, so you're fortunate.
I guess I'm on the fence because of the fact that I know students are sneaky (granted, not all). They will be on the next thing as soon as the teacher walks away. I'm not sure if there really is a solution to this topic. I agree with you in the fact that many schools do lack funds which makes this a very understandable alternative. However, it's difficult for me to be completely on board.
Great post!
Kia A.
Hi Kia,
DeleteThanks for your post! I know that we are fortunate to have lap top carts. I really enjoy using them, and I know my kids do too. Is there anything that a teacher could do to make using smart phones more of a good idea so that you'd be less on the fence? Maybe if there was a way to block certain websites while students were using the schools wifi?
-Lisa
Part 1 of 2, please read both parts:
ReplyDeleteLisa said, “Lets face it, it's a digital world, and younger children are learning to get their hands on all sorts of technologies.”
How true! It seems as if kids are practically born with a cell phone in their hands these days. I cannot count the number of times I have seen babies playing with their parent’s cell phone (even if this is just banging it on a table or putting it in their mouth) as a means of stimulation, even before they understand its true purpose (as a phone, to communicate with people). In today’s modern technological environment it seems as if the applications of technology are expanding at a rapid pace and this expansion is growing to include kids at younger and younger ages. If you look at the app store for whatever device you happen to use, I can guarantee you that several (probably hundreds) of the apps available will be for children under the age of 5 (and in many cases under the age of 3). I have a friend who started showing her baby educational movies (Baby Einstein) on a portable DVD player in the nursery from the day the child got home from the hospital. She believes it will help with her daughter’s development; the jury is still out on whether it has helped or not yet (her daughter is only 3 months old right now). Technology is omnipresent in our world today, it is used in all aspects of our daily lives, and we need to always keep in mind that we live in a digital world. Therefore it is not surprising younger and younger children are getting their hands on all sorts of technology.
Lisa said, “Skeptics say that students will text, play, cheat, and lose focus if they are using a smartphone in class.”
I had heard this argument as well in the past. It seems logical that if you give students something that is viewed as “forbidden” they will be more likely to “try to get away” with something. However, as you said (and I have assumed for some time now) the teacher is ultimately the one who focuses the students and does not allow this to occur. Through proper instruction and engagement this will not really be an issue. With proper guidance students are responsible enough to properly use smartphones in class. I have been part of the Edmodo group with Diana B. this week and she seems to feel the same way about her students. One way they use their phones in her school is to record video some of the time independently from the classroom. At first I was leery of letting students use technology outside of my supervision but after hearing some of the things she has had to say this week I am definitely feeling more comfortable with this concept.
Please also read part 2,
Dawn
Part 2 of 2:
ReplyDeleteLisa said, “There are ways in which to secure the privacy of students, and monitor what students are doing while they are using their devices. Its up to teachers to continually monitor what students are doing, and execute consequences when a rule on appropriate use is broken.”
Great point! Teachers must establish rules and regulations for use at the beginning of the school year and stick by them throughout the term. By having rules in place and monitoring students, the use of smartphones will run a lot smoother. I had been worried about student privacy as well. However, if students are going to visit a website or other area of the Internet where their privacy will be compromised it is going to occur whether they are in the classroom or not. At least in the classroom the teacher can help divert them away from this happening and mitigate the consequences if it does occur. 99% of the time it will not happen anyway because of the structures in place for technology usage in class. As you said, if a rule is broken and somehow privacy is compromised or a device is misused, it is the teacher’s job to implement consequences to ensure it does not happen again. Most students will not misuse the devices, and those that do, if dealt with swiftly, will soon begin to use the devices properly as well and instruction will flow smoothly. We should treat our students with the level of confidence and respect they deserve (and have earned over the school year); the vast majorities of them are responsible and mature. All of them are aware of expectations for behavior and can be trusted to do the right thing. If somehow one or more students take advantage of this trust they should be dealt with on an individual basis, but we should not punish all students for the deficiencies of a few.
Lisa said, “Many schools lack the funds needed to give students enough computers to use in regular class time. They school where I work only has 2 computer labs, one is available for a class to use during "lab time" once a week for about 45 minutes. The other computer lab is reserved solely for taking computerized standardized assessments.”
I agree and as a matter of fact I said something very similar in my blog posting this week as well. I wrote “Another benefit I see is having additional technology in the classroom without straining the district budget. In today’s economic climate districts need to economize wherever possible. If allowing students to use their smartphones as they would a tablet computer in class (instead of the district needing to pay for/buy more computers or tablets) would allow the district to save a few more hundred or thousand dollars, I think this would be a win-win all around. Why should we not use what we already have? Why do we need to spend money we do not have?” I enjoyed how you used your own school as an example. Most schools only have one (or if they are lucky, 2) computer labs with one dedicated technology specialist (at least this has been my experience). When I was in school we only used the computer lab for “special” class once a week (instead of music, art, or PE). At least today most teachers (at least in the younger grades) have one or more computers in their classroom which students are able to use. Often this usage is during group time or as a reward, but still the student is at least getting some exposure to using a computer more often than when I was in school. I think that having students use their own devices would be a wonderful use of resources and a great learning tool in the classroom.
It was a pleasure reading your blog posting,
Thanks for the insights,
Dawn
Dawn,
DeleteYou've outdone yourself with your post! Thanks so much for your thoughtful insights to many of my points. I'm glad to see another teacher who feels that students can be brought up to be responsible, to learn how they should effectively use the technology in the classroom. Maybe the gifted students could start first since they usually are more intrinsically motivate to learn. They could pilot this idea of bringing smart phones into the classroom.
-Lisa
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteYou brought up some great points. Smartphones I think are a great substitute for schools which lack computers. All the stuff students would do on a computer they can do on a smartphone. They can do research on it for a project or plan educational games, which are usually free. The uses of smartphones in the classroom is endless. It is up to the teacher to decide how he/she is going to allow students to use smartphones.
However, there is always the risk of students not using their smartphones for the right reasons. Some students may use their phones to text or check Facebook. If you show your students respect and that you trust them to do the right thing, they will hopefully show you the respect and not do what they are not suppose to be doing.
Sean
hi Sean,
DeleteThanks for your post! I'm glad you like the idea of smart phones in the classroom. maybe one day it will happen.
-Lisa