Using Mobile phones in the classroom
When I was at school we didn’t have mobile phones. If any one did, it was a hideous contraption that looked like the ones you see in those old time black and white war movies. And although it was ‘cool’ on the rear occasion to see someone carrying one. You wouldn’t see any pupil from Holland Park School carrying one around. I don’t even think any of the teachers could afford such luxuries.
These days, it’s common to hear teachers telling or yelling at their students to switch their mobile phones off and hearing an array of different songs coming from their mobile phones is also quite normal.
From Neanderthal to Modern humans
But now teachers have evolved. There are a new bred of teachers out there which allow and encourage students to use their mobile phones in the classroom. (Shock, horror!!!) What’s going on? Are the lunatics running the asylum? Is it a case of, if you can’t beat ‘em, join em? Well no, what’s happened is that teachers have discovered that technology could be adapted for teaching. This holds true for most technology which was designed without teaching in mind. These days’ mobile phones have a vast range of features. They are not just phones, but also: calendars, Internet browsers, cameras, video recorders, MP3 recorders, timers, stopwatches, calculators, note pads, etc. etc. Students can be encouraged to use their mobile phones to collect images, sounds and videos and then Bluetooth this to the teacher as evidence for their portfolio. This means that this information can be captured at anytime. We no longer have to worry about issuing equipment to students as they have most of it in their pocket. Information can be captured at anytime and be on the web in seconds.
Some examples of using mobile phones in lessons
In supported learning students were asked to send and receive text messages as part of their communications unit. This acts as evidence towards their portfolio.
In my lesson students on a digital photography class were asked to take photos in and around the college. Because of a shortage of cameras some students resorted to using their mobile phones. The resolution on some of their phones were equally as good as the digital cameras issued to their peers.
Some ideas for using Mobile phones in lessons
This is not an exhaustive list of how you could use mobile phones in your lesson, just an outline of ideas. You may find some other uses, but here are a few to get you started.
On work experience or field trips taking photos to add to a blog.
Recording Interviews by video or MP3 sound bite.
Photographic evidence for portfolios
Staff creating video content to be played back on mobile phones
Teachers getting students to add exam and assignment hand in dates to their calendar
Teachers creating audio revision content for students to revise via their headphones.
Using Bluetooth to send information to or from your tablet PC
To be or not to be
Is this a good thing? Whenever you push the boundaries and venture into unknown territories, there are always risks involved. As a teacher you have to set strict guidelines and plan for inappropriate behaviour. This will work once there is a good level of trust between you and the students and the students with their peers.
More thoughts of the use of Mobile technology in the classroom
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