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It is the mission of this website to assist in the development of learning environments that promote Career and Technical Education as well as academic excellence. To provide examples of effective 21st century teaching and learning strategies in order to assist in the development of more engaged and motivated classrooms. To provide multimedia Podcasts and articles to facilitate an understanding of how to implement technology and multimedia in classrooms regardless of content area. To encourage independent and personalized learning by teaching students to enjoy the process of learning. To assist teachers in becoming facilitators of learning.
Use of Cell Phones in School
A recent article by Liz Dwyer has identified the possibility of a mobile education revolution.
The article states that “75% of students have a cell phone.” That fact is not going to change anytime soon. So instead of banning the use of cell phones in school buildings, why can’t students be permitted to use their mobile devices to enhance the learning process? Instead of assuming that all teenagers will at some point use their phones inappropriately to play games or bully their peers, shouldn’t we create environments of reciprocal trust in our classrooms so that our students know that type of behavior will not be tolerated?
There is a popular saying, “If you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile.” Most administrators are probably under the assumption that if they allow the use of cell phones in school, the students will take advantage of that liberty and continuously use their phones to access inappropriate websites, etc. However, in my experiences, the opposite is true. Allowing students to use their “previously forbidden” cell phones in the classroom to answer a poll question or research a topic doesn’t mean they will continually abuse that privilege. If anything, it actually engages the students in the learning process, because they are so comfortable using that form of technology.But with any form of technology, school administrators and teachers need to establish the proper parameters so that the students are fully aware of what is expected of them, as well as the ramifications associated with the misuse of the technology. Parents must also be in agreement and accept responsibility for their child’s behavior, which is typically obtained through the signature of both the parent and student on a technology agreement form created by the school district.
Not every school will adopt this policy, of course, but by educating teachers on how to incorporate the use of cell phones into their lessons and convincing administrators to let them do so, we will be one step closer to enhancing the learning environment for our students.
Read the full article: Are Schools on the Verge of a Mobile-Phone Revolution?
