Utilizing Smartphones
More and more as a society we are finding ourselves becoming connected to our electronic media more conveniently, and I feel that smartphones will be the future for all of this. Already our smartphones have replaced our alarm clocks, watches (even though I still wear one), media players, and e-readers...I imagine, especially with them becoming bigger and larger in size, that they become integrated in carrying the textbooks for our students and even being able to serve as ways to upload and complete in classroom discussions via live chats.
Dale,
Including iPad in the cost of tuition is a great idea and many institutions find that students more time than not use it more for non-academic reasons and tech support is the instructions reliably. They rather have a learning management system that is compatible with any device and provide discounts with companies such as DELL, HP or Apple.
Antoine Lewis
I was toying with idea of recommending my institution purchase iPads for students and build the cost into the tuition. The reason for this is a lot of the calculation we do in my course there exists Apps that can really improve a students understanding and performance. I feel like we are letting our students down by NOT introducing them to all the tools available in their trade by not moving toward greating technology use.
Denise,
Smartphones indeed have pros and cons in the classroom and at this time I feel student are easily distracting when using them in class. I do feel more institutions will have apps so students can read eBooks, post to forum and get alerts. Some have already started doing this.
Antoine Lewis
Very good point here. As institutions and instructors we can't simply run from this area. This form of electronic communication is here and is going nowhere so instead of being fearful and seeing it as a negative show optimism and incorporate it into the classroom. Like everything it has its drawbacks but we must learn to understand and usefully integrate its use in our classrooms.
Luis,
At this time I belive smartphones can be used but you must limit how you use them because not all students have smartphones. It is my understanding that more students are using educational apps, online encyclopedias, and libraries on their smartphone.
Antoine Lewis
Yes. There has to be a good way we can capitalize on the use of these devices in the classroom. How can we use smart phones to propel class discussion, or to enhance classroom interactivity? Is it even possible? Or is it best to limit the use of these devices?
Everett,
It is encouraging to see that you are using technology in the classroom. In the future I see all institutions using apps, ipads, etc. so student can have access to information at their finger tips.
Antoine Lewis
i find that was long as the technology is heaping them, then it should not be shunned. For example i use prezi for some of the lecture presentations, and that way if they did not get what they should have in class they can see the lecture afterward. I would like to get them all iPads somehow and use the app that mirrors the one that i would have, that way there is no way they can see anything else.
keith,
It is important to incorporate technology in the classroom while making sure that the student understands the technology and is getting a quality education.
Antoine Lewis
They certainly have a use in the classroom. It is our job to incorporate the usage to our students benefit
Natalie,
Cell phone use has become a problem in onsite classrooms. Allowing them to use the phone for research purposes is good. The solution is cultural: Teachers, parents, and administrators need to agree that there is no substitute for sustained cognitive thinking, inductive and deductive reasoning, or detailed analysis and problem solving. But students need more than just discipline in the classroom. School policies outlawing cell phones are clearly not enough - an effective teacher must connect with students in order to hold their attention which is easier said than done.
Antoine Lewis
Our classroom rules also prohibit the use of cell phones too. However it is very hard to manage thier use while conducting a classroom of 30. I have found it useful however to say we are going to use our cell phones today to research various web sites and information rather than going to the computer lab. One draw back is that a student may not have a "smartphone". Then I use pair share and it works out. I use this in their final term. I show them useful patient care tools and web sites for the real world. I would like to hear any suggestions other have.
Michael,
We do indeed need to adapt so that instructional quality and technology together deliver a good education to students. I love that students have information at their finger tips but how the retain it and use it has is why we now have plagiarism concerns
Antoine Lewis
I do not have a problem with smart phone use in class. 100 years ago people passed notes under the desk; 50 years ago they hid comic books inside of text books. It is really the same thing. I love that students are able to check information, take their own quick research tangents to find additional information, and find visual presentations to back up the lecture material. Technology is changing and advancing whether we accept it or not; it is better to roll with the changes than to defy them and get hurt.
Angela,
Good job incorporating technology in the classroom. Also cell phones can become a distraction. I believe the classroom discussion/participation is the best teacher.
Antoine Lewis
We also "prohibit" cell phone use in classes. Although they can be used to cheat, if they are put away during testing I feel they can bring a lot to classroom discussions during lectures. I have had students pull up information related to the topics we are discussing and we always get new insights from a variety of sources. For management classes I assign them an internet based activity in which they must find 3 websites on "businesses" in our field and do evaluations of what they would change, keep or add. It always provides a lot of in class discussion that everyone can participate in.
brian,
iPads have become great for eliminating textbooks and give you a cutting edge way to teach. Many wonder about cost and potential distractions the iPads can bring. Overall I feel it is great for projects and staying organized if comfortable with the technology.
Antoine Lewis
We are just starting to use ipads in class. The student is able to purchase an ipad with the schools work books down loaded into it. I am curious to see how they work out. I found that while we are doing shop work,it is nice to just look up info on you smart phone (specs). Some of the students will look on there smart phone while some would go off to a computer. By the time the student would even walk to the computer. The students with the smart phone already had the answer. So utilizing your smart phone deffinatly saved time.
Gerry,
Unfortunalty technology is used for good but often used poorly especially in relation to education. It can be difficult for an educator to monitor web surfing and texting among students. Cellphones area is often a distraction to the learning process.
Antoine Lewis
