Journal #3 - Cell Phones

Cell Phone use is increasing, though it is still repressed more than accepted as an educational tool in US high schools. Think about how the dynamic interaction between you and your students would change if you can say, "Please put away your cell phones, we are not ready to use them yet" instead of, "Put away your cell phones, you know they are not allowed during class time!"? Discuss your viewpoint of cell phones in the classroom.

Cell phones are an awesome tool that if utilized properly could be used in a classroom setting effectively. Most students especially teenagers have cell phones. To come up with innovative ways to utilize the cell phone within a classroom I polled my own children (N-Gen) for ideas. I have a nineth grader and a sixth grader.

Some of their cell phone ideas were:

• use as an agenda to note class assignments (or text info to classmate that was absent from school)
• calculator for math problems
• calendar to keep track of assignment due dates
• reminder (alarm) so you won't forget when an assignment is due
• photo taking for classroom projects

Classroom teacher would assign a time in which cell phones could be utilized. Phones used either at the start of class or at the end of class to log in class assignments and deadline dates. Cell phones used for calculator only doing math time. Photo taken on cell phones used doing class while individual or group is working on such project. As a parent that pays monthly cell phone charges, I would not mind my children utilizing some of the other tools on their cell phone instead of just texting or making phone calls. Those students who do not have cell phones could write in their agenda books for assignments or calendar dates; use school supplied calculator for math work; use digital camera whether their own or school supplied. Utilizing the cell phone would help the world to 'go a little greener'.

I would prefer the classroom cell phone usage be limited to middle school and high school students. Elementary students still need to understand the basics of the 3 R's as well as to continue their writing skills. Even with the older students, the teacher would need to control cell phone usage. Students would be asked to put their cell phones away when not needed for classroom use. I'm believe students would love to hear "Please put away your cell phones, we are not ready to use them YET".