Pen, Paper, Bookbag ... iPhone?

Can smartphones be the future of education? Some schools seem to think so, and colleges across the country are handing out iPhone 3Gs to students as an educational tool. For years, cell phones were frowned upon in classrooms as a potential distraction and, possibly, tool for cheating. Now some experts see them as an invaluable tool that may replace computers one day. Smartphones have access to e-mail and the Internet, and educators are using them to relay information to the palms of their students' hands—sending class schedules, podcasts, and other information. Students may soon be taking quizzes, reading assigned texts, and registering for classes on their phones instead of lugging around backpacks filled with books, papers, and laptops.

Do you think cell phones are a valid educational tool? What might be the benefits and problems of using cell phones in classrooms?

Comments

[Patrick]

We've been exploring this question on our own within our district. The comparison we keep applying is that of a group of pedestrians at a cross-walk. Two or three will not force traffic to stop, but if that number grows, and continues to grow, eventually the number of people waiting to cross will reach critical mass enough to force the flow of car traffic to stop to let them cross. Ubiquitous cellular phone technology, because of its continual price drop will have the same affect. More and more students at younger ages are going to be carrying some form of mobile phone.

We are in the midst of a cell phone survey at our middle school, the preliminary results of which are available here: http://chalkdust101.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/cell-phone-survey-results/.

There is a need to leverage this with our students. There exist so many applications and uses for cellular phones in and out of the classroom.

[Liz]

I agree with Patrick. We can't necessarily stop the wave of cell phones. They are an extremely helpful tool for work and information. They are obviously useful since an entire working adult population is not seen without one. But kids? At this point, our school is out of cell phone range, but we are starting the conversation of what to do when that changes. I work with middle school age students. They do not yet understand the dangers of the internet and cell phones. But with careful and controlled education about use of the tool, it would benefit greatly. I used to be a big proponent of teaching them to use the library, take notes on notecards, use a card catalog. But do they need to know how to do those things anymore? School libraries are limited and the internet can find almost anything you need. Yes, it also could be inappropriate information, but that is where education steps in to teach children how to effectively use this access. Depending on the age group, clear guidelines need to be set for the use of cell phones during the academic day. They have the potential to provide an amazing learning opportunity if used responsibly. From an environmental standpoint the idea of doing paperwork, textbooks, photocopies all electronically makes complete sense.

[Nicole Eastly]

In my experience, educators who embrace technology will find effective and appropriate ways to integrate it into their classrooms. Those who resist it will only miss opportunities to reach students in new ways. As it is a focus of every district I'm aware of, developing a variety of ways to utilize technology within the school environment meets the mandates for its integration as well as hooking students.

[Tom Shreve]

We have a school policy that says we are to confiscate a cell phone that is being used during a class. I learned my lesson when I announced an assignment and a girl pulled out her phone. I asked her what she was doing and she said she was putting the assignment into her phone's calendar. I now use her as an example when I talk with students about keeping themselves organized. With many smart phones now sporting browsers, why not incorporate this technology into class?

[Kim Balstad]

Technology is a part of our lives and embracing it and what it can offer our students is the way to go. Our district has announced this year an initiative called "Beyond Textbooks" and one of our high schools uses only laptops. We realize that our students are growing up in a tech savvy world and we, as educators, need to be there to help provide them with the skills necessary to be successful in this world of technological advances. Times have changed and kids love technology! There have to be rules and procedures addressing how technology can be used in the classroom and teachers need to establish when to use it appropriately, but if there ever was a time for change, that time is now!

[Matt]

Yes this is coming soon. It's a shame to have all this power in you pocket and not use it for productive means. This is going to revolutionize schools as we know them today. This revolution is going to be as big as when the school room upgraded it's technology from a slate and chalk to paper and pencil. We must also teach the children appropriate use of these technologies, included in that is appropriate use in social settings. Valuing "face time" with others as more important than having our heads in the technology.

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[Karen Laverdiere]

Too many cons in my book.
1. Peer-Peer interactions. Middle school students need the benefits of peer-peer social skills. As a teacher in a middle school, I witness too many fights and confrontations. Just saw one major one today. Cell phones in the classroom would take away the real essence of oral communication.
2. Distractions. When a child is in school, his or her purpose there is to learn. Teachers already succumb to enough distractions as it is and I can just see another one on the horizon not verizon. It is bad enough going to a conference or being at a meeting as an adult and hearing the cell phone go off with those different songs. Can you imagine all the different types of tunes going off in the classroom and students making comments to them. I can even imagine fights stemming from some student finding out that another student has a special tune for so and so. Middle school student are just not mature or responsible to handle this technology tool appropriately.
3. Cheating. thinking back to the old concept of cheating by passing notes now just excuse yourself to go to the bathroom and text away and if you really have an advance tech no student - they probably can click the camera and send the test.
4.Illicit pictures and recordings. Inappropriate photos taken in locker rooms and restrooms have also become a problem in some schools, which carries the potential for lawsuits; You have the issue of another possible legal matter- a student who doesn't like a particular teacher can easily record or take pictures to have that teacher fired. I know of a teacher confiscating a cell phone and the administrator found that several students were planning to set up a teacher they did not like through the readings of the text messages. Students could even arrange fights after school in the bathroom and then you have potential threats from one student to another.

[Jesse Norwood]

Hello:

I agree with Karen. I am a middle school teacher, and this past week was the state exams. If we allowed this technology in the classroom, students will not need to be tested. Why test, give quizzes, or write a paper?

[Terry Szpieg]

I also have to agree with Karen on this one. I teach in a high school and we've run into some of the same issues you descibed in your post. We now have a district-wide electronic device acceptable use policy. Basically what that states is that our students are not to have their phones out/visible during the school day within the building. Students can have them 'on person' however they cannot use them in the school. Same thing applies to i-pods and other such electronic devices. Over the past few years, these things have been just too much of a distraction during instruction time. I do believe they all can be useful educational tools, however many of our students cannot define that line, and resist the temptation to 'text' friends in other classes during the school day.
I feel that our policy has improved our school.

[Sara]

I agree with Karen completely! Just take a look at the "youtube" site every now and then. Sometimes I check that site just to make sure I'm not on the website due to a students' phone. I teach at the high school level and as I was scanning the "youtube" sight I found videos of fights occuring at school, other teachers and their classrooms, break dancing in the halls, etc. I agree that technology should be used as a tool in the classroom-but maybe just at the college level.

Our school's no electronics devices helps more than we probably know during the school day. We're not talking over i-pods and having phones go off every couple of minutes. This policy is an improvement to our school by far.

[Chris]

Since cell phones have now evolved to become mini-computers, there are benefits to using them at school. However, I do not think the positive benefits are high enough. They pose too much of a distraction. Even if a teacher says that they do not, most students know how to keep a teacher from finding out. An example would be laptop computer use. I observed a school where every student had their own laptops (this is a totally different issue). EVERY teacher and administrator said that they monitor students so that they stay on task. Well, as an outside observer, I would say at least half of the students were watching movies, or watching youtube while they were supposed to be completing the assignment. Kids are more technologically savvy than most teachers. They know how to minimize the windows when a teacher walks by.

[Donna]

I think that technology should be used in the classroom, but under supervision. Students should be allowed to use the internet with some extreme filtering software, and should be encouraged to use the latest technology. My classroom is a middle school computer lab. Our school district does not allow students to use cell phones and i-pods, but I've seen them bulging student's pockets. They will use their phones to call their parents from the bathroom after being reprimanded. The unknowing teacher then receives a phone call from an upset parent. For cell phones, and even smart phones, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, at least in middle school.

[Dr. Marybeth Peebles]

Teachers have mixed feelings about the use of iPhones, iPods, and other electronic devices in the classroom, and the above comments seem to be written mostly be teachers. I am going to ask my freshmen college students to comment on what they perceive to be the pros and cons of iPhones etc. in class.

[Rachel and Chevonne]

We think using iPhones or other hand-held electronic devices in the classroom is unreasonable. Not only would lower income districts not be able to afford such technology, but the phones would be more of a distraction than a supplement to the lesson. In response to comments above, filtering would be a major issue as schools could not monitor the content on the internet (schools cannot impose their filters on individual phones). In conclusion, while iPhones can be beneficial they would only hurt the education process if used in the classroom.

[Lauren and Leesha]

We discussed the idea of implementing iPhones as technology in the classroom and have decided that although technology is a good tool, in today's society we sometimes become too reliant on it. We believe that technology is important; however, we think that this concept would be taking it "a step too far." Students need to know how to think and work for themselves and not depend on the computer, etc. to not work for them. This method would also be quite expensive and could prove as a means for more discrimination within the classroom--on basis of socioeconomic status. Maybe we're just traditional teachers...

[Kaitlyn Schwartz]

I think that iPhones should not be allowed in schools because learning is all about going back to the basics and if you take away paper, books, and pens then you are showing kids that is it ok to use technology in their classes. I believe that teachers should be open to new technology however, not to the extent of the relying on it completely.

[Caitlin & Allison]

Although the use of iPhones in the classroom could be educational, passing them out as the next educational tool is unrealistic. We believe that they could be useful, but too expensive to afford in most school districts. While schools could apply for grants to be able to access tools such as this, grants are most likely to be distributed towards more traditional educational tools.

[Melody and Josiah]

The iPhone has the potential to be a useful tool, but it would need some kind of filtering system. If a system to block other functions like facebook isn't in play the iPhone would be more of a hazard than a help. Use of technology in the classroom makes learning more exciting for younger generations. This change is going to happen so we need to adapt now.

[Tara Eddleblute]

I think that iphones have many valuable educational tools within them from encyclopedias to podcasts. Students would have unlimited answers and inquiry right at their fingertips and could communicate with their professors easily. On the other hand, would these students really use these for only educational purposes in the classroom? The problems of texting, blogging, facebook, myspace, chatting with friends, and many other things could be going on when the student is supposed to be using the phone as a "learning tool".

Therefore, I say no to using them in the classroom. I feel it is not appropriate because most students will not find it an educational tool, but merely a cool thing to have and a way to stay in touch with their friends and other things all day long.

If these could be used in the classroom it should be in a small dose. Not all children should own one, but merely introduced to the idea of the phone and the things it can do to help them in the future.

[Jeremiah and Kim]

I personally don't think that the i-phones would be any better than the cell phones in a classroom. Young students have a hard enough time focusing in the class, let alone placing an internet/e-mail access point in their hands that will be much more difficult to monitor than a computer screen. It would end up being more of a detriment than a help.

I think that having i-phones in a classroom would just be a distraction. If they have computers in the classroom they would be easier to monitor rather than trying to monitor i-phones. I wouldn't feel a need to have i-phones in the younger grades. If it is necessary to have them they should only give them to students in the high school level.

[Chris Kenny]

I think that the preconceived notion of cell phones in the first by most teachers today is that there are a hindrance to education. Admittedly, there is technology on phones today that could completely revolutionize education, but I think it's too late to transition this into education because cheating would be more likely to happen, especially with the technology of texting. Students will find a more efficient way to cheat off of each other. I think it is dangerous to the integrity of education to incorporate phones into education. Advantages would be to have an easier way to communicate assignments to students, but they will be able to communicate the answers to those assignments to each other too easily. Paper would be saved using this method, but, if this method of education is used, grades would be at stake.

[Laura]

I feel that teachers should be open to new technology. I think the iphone would be a good way to have students work online. If they are in a school where there are little funds for technology they would be able to bring in there phones to have that ability to have the computer. the iphone is pretty much like a small computer. So I do feel that this is a good idea.

[Chelsea Binegar]

I think that technology should be used in a classroom, but it needs to be watched closely. I think iPhone might become a distraction to the students, because they might not be using their phone for educational purposes. Texting is a big thing now, and that is what some students might be doing instead doing their work. If schools are going to be using these iPhones then they need to have a filter on them, so that way the students can only looks up things that should be looked up. Then, there is the positives about the iPhone, they could be used to help students with organization or help them remember important dates. So, the iPhone can be good and it can be bad.

[Susan Klintworth and Kendra Canter]

In some cases the iPhone would be very helpful, but mostly for the teacher rather than the students. Younger students (such as K-3) might have difficulty figuring out how to use the tool, whereas high schoolers may know how to use it all too well. If there was a way to possibly simplify it and find a way to block certain things, and just keep it limited to educational use, then this would be a very beneficial tool. College students can usually be trusted with such a tool, but would still need to be supervised to an extent or at least limited.

[Doug Stephens]

In my opinion cell phones could be a useful tool for some levels of education. The only problem I have with using cell phones for classwork in schools is who is to say that the
students are not going to be distracted with texting or one of the many other distractions that the students could pull up on the cell phone such as the internet, games, and many others. I feel that this factor outweighs the fact that the cell phones could be put to good use in the classroom because you can still do all of these things on a computer and you have the ability to block things on

[Jim Smith]

Hello I'm Jim Smith. I think if the school found a way to block Facebook and instant messaging in the iPhones then they would make perfectly fine tools to further the children's education. The world is moving into a more global and instant type of world. Having all the information in the world in the palm of your hand is an excellent idead his is probably the wave of the future.

[Amy Sandvold]

I think we should embrace technology. We are repeating history, in a way...I am sure these conversations took place about pencils and pens when replacing chalkboards. In all seriousness, the bigger idea here is that students are using technology everyplace, everywhere because it engages them. Whether we like it or not as teachers and administrators, we are not engaging our students anymore by putting them in rows and delivering information (often the image in our middle and high schools). This is our reality. This is an exciting time as we figure out what to do. One example that illustrates how tech. accelerates and engages...before, when doing research, we'd take a month of instructional time outlining, writing on notecards, determining a focus, etc. etc. etc. and now, with our tech. tools, what used to take a month can now take literally one to two weeks. Think about the possibilities and how this opens up even more instructional time. ~There's my soapbox!

[Patrick]

Bravo Amy! To think that we can easily just revoke access or impose filters to learning within our classrooms and expect outstanding outcomes is ludicrous. Instead of constructing roadblocks to our students use of resources, why don't we evaluate how we can leverage the tools available to create engaging, dynamic, and current learning models for our students?

[Amy Sandvold]

Your specific statement, "...and expect outstanding outcomes is ludicrous" is profound. Students are not engaged, and will become more and more distanced. I have no idea what I am doing sometimes with technology, but I'm a principal, and I have tech people who know what they are doing and I am saying, "go for it!" Get the clickers with the SmartBoards and figure out how to use those and then we can move into iphone and beyond. We just have to embrace it and do it. It's just like implementing anything else difficult...it is messy, it takes time, it takes training and coaching, but it can be done.