Ideas for Teaching and Learning with Cell Phones
July 06, 2009
Last week I had the opportunity to speak with colleagues interested in using cell phones to enhance teaching and learning in schools with a 21st century education focus. The question we explored was, "How can a school harness the power of tools that students already use and own (like cells)?" This question is asked in the face of challenges including:
Despite the challenges, we came up with some smart ideas for beginning to incorporate these tools into teaching and learning in meaningful ways. The first thing to acknowledge is that while students in some districts are banned from using mobile technologies at school, teachers are not. This means that teachers have multiple opportunities to model and demonstrate best practices to students. The next thing to acknowledge is that few teachers have ever used cell phones or other mobile technologies as instructional tools so they need to develop comfort and experience doing so before trying to do this with their students. Next is that a great way to get students started in using cells as an educational tool can be by incorporating them into their homework. This takes away two of the basic challenges: 1) Overcoming the ban obstacle. 2) Overcoming possible teacher discomfort with classroom management issues around cell phones.
Here are some ideas for schools or districts interested in allowing students to use cell phones to enhance learning.
Start small so as not to overwhelm teachers. For ideas visit:
Consider launching with a fun scavenger hunt activity using some of the above ideas. Allow teachers to experience using the devices as an educational tool in a fun setting.
Deliver a school launch for students, teachers, and parents. The launch could include:
Launch considerations
Parent Coordinator Collaboration
Online/On demand Support
Online Resources
______________________________
As the Technology Innovation Manager for the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE), Lisa Nielsen oversees the creation and implementation of innovative technology and instruction. She has spent more than a decade working in various capacities in educational innovation at the NYC DOE and Teachers College, Columbia University including as a manager of instructional technology professional development, a literacy and instructional technology coach, program developer, teacher, librarian, and staff developer. Ms. Nielsen is a Google Certified Teacher, International Edublogger, and creator of The Innovative Educator social network, blog, and wiki. She is also a permanently certified educational administrator and teacher. While serving in the capacity of teacher she was honored as Teacher of the Year and nominated by her district as Technology Educator of the year. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by me are strictly my own and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of the NYC DOE or any other entity.
"¢ Students are banned from bringing mobile devices to school
"¢ Cells have a bad reputation as a distraction rather than an educational tool
"¢ There are few well known and documented examples of cell phones being used to enhance teaching and learning
"¢ Many teachers are not comfortable with classroom management issues that exist when students have cell phones in class
Despite the challenges, we came up with some smart ideas for beginning to incorporate these tools into teaching and learning in meaningful ways. The first thing to acknowledge is that while students in some districts are banned from using mobile technologies at school, teachers are not. This means that teachers have multiple opportunities to model and demonstrate best practices to students. The next thing to acknowledge is that few teachers have ever used cell phones or other mobile technologies as instructional tools so they need to develop comfort and experience doing so before trying to do this with their students. Next is that a great way to get students started in using cells as an educational tool can be by incorporating them into their homework. This takes away two of the basic challenges: 1) Overcoming the ban obstacle. 2) Overcoming possible teacher discomfort with classroom management issues around cell phones.
Here are some ideas for schools or districts interested in allowing students to use cell phones to enhance learning.
"¢ Establish a liaison at your school responsible for helping to spearhead the effort. Schools may consider having staff apply for this role, outlining benefits and responsibilities
"¢ Provide the liaisons with a full-day train the trainer training on using cell phones in education lead by experts like Liz Kolb, Will Richardson, Tony Vincent, or Marc Prensky
"¢ Provide hands on, concrete instruction on using cell phones to enhance education
Start small so as not to overwhelm teachers. For ideas visit:
"¢ Using Google as an Educational Tool Right From Your Phone!
"¢ Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children's Learning
"¢ Ideas for Using Cells in Education
"¢ Resources for Enhancing Education with Cells
"¢ Texting 101:Craik students using cellphones in classroom
Consider launching with a fun scavenger hunt activity using some of the above ideas. Allow teachers to experience using the devices as an educational tool in a fun setting.
"¢ Integrate cell phones into units of study and lessons
"¢ This can be collected on a wiki and shared with the community
"¢ Unit tech integration tool
"¢ Establish an acceptable use policy with students and teachers
Deliver a school launch for students, teachers, and parents. The launch could include:
"¢ An exciting program overview including goals and expectations
"¢ An overview of acceptable use, educational value, and expectations
"¢ Educational cell phone activities that introduce students to ways they can begin using their phones to support learning
Launch considerations
"¢ Consider integrating the phone's use as an instructional tool outside the school day in year one. This enables schools to avoid any issues of school phone bans and enables teachers to become comfortable integrating this work, while internalizing the need and not worrying about classroom management issues. If your district has a ban in place this gives you time to address that.
"¢ After a year of using cell phones let teachers decide if they want to opt into to having them incorporated during the day. Those who do not, can continue to use phones as educational tools outside the school day.
Parent Coordinator Collaboration
"¢ Provide a train the trainer for parent coordinators who can provide training for parents of project students and agree to deliver this training across the year to parents.
Online/On demand Support
"¢ Work with students to video tape and post tutorials online
Online Resources
"¢ The article What Can You Learn from a Cell Phone? Almost Anything!
"¢ The book: Toys to Tools " Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education
"¢ The blogs: Cell Phones in Learning and Learning in Hand
"¢ The website: Learning in Hand (educator's resource for using handheld computing in schools)
"¢ The wiki: Cell Phones in Learning
"¢ The network: Cell Phones in Education Network providing a vehicle for ongoing conversation and support.
"¢ The post: Electronic Devices In Schools: PLEASE Allow For Teacher Autonomy
______________________________
As the Technology Innovation Manager for the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE), Lisa Nielsen oversees the creation and implementation of innovative technology and instruction. She has spent more than a decade working in various capacities in educational innovation at the NYC DOE and Teachers College, Columbia University including as a manager of instructional technology professional development, a literacy and instructional technology coach, program developer, teacher, librarian, and staff developer. Ms. Nielsen is a Google Certified Teacher, International Edublogger, and creator of The Innovative Educator social network, blog, and wiki. She is also a permanently certified educational administrator and teacher. While serving in the capacity of teacher she was honored as Teacher of the Year and nominated by her district as Technology Educator of the year. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by me are strictly my own and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of the NYC DOE or any other entity.
