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.
Zafar,
Good observation regarding the smartphone as many learning management systems are doing what is needed to be compatible with mobile devices. Many institutions and learning platforms are providing applications so students can participate in their classroom(s) on the go.
Antoine Lewis
Zafar,
Good observation regarding the smartphone as many learning management systems are doing what is needed to be compatible with mobile devices. Many institutions and learning platforms are providing applications so students can participate in their classroom(s) on the go.
Antoine Lewis
I agree that converging technology is leading us in that direction. With wifi, I see more and more students using laptops, ipads, tablets and smartphones during instructional time.
Unfortunately, in the past, some of my students were surfing, keeping track of current events, on social media and texting, etc. Rather than fighting this, I started texting questions and sending discussion topics, assignments, and links to their phones.
This resulted in the students paying more attention to the lecture material and "competing" with each other for the best website with the best answers. This invariably led to healthy discussion and clearer understanding of the material. Now, there is far less surfing for sales going on during class and I have great discussions with study groups by texting and live chats. The times are a'changing!
B.,
Way to turn a negative into a positive with your students. Many in higher education worry about technology being more of a distraction than a learning experience. We must keep them engaged and be creative with the learning process.
Antoine Lewis
Thanks. I just told my class to watch for trivia questions and points to ponder over the holiday break. They're doing A&P now and there are many free apps available (Flashcards,animations)for any platform. I also gave them links to free podcasts that are applicable. Can't fight 'em...gotta join 'em!!
B.,
Good job getting creative with your students by keeping them engaged over the break without overwhelming.
Antoine Lewis
Informaton transfer will be faster than ever.I feel we will become dependent on them.We will forget how to live.
Bob ,
Smartphone have definitely influenced Higher Education with its technology. With the growing popularity and dependence of smartphones many institutions have made their online courses adaptable by providing applications for their students
Antoine Lewis
Our school prohibits the use of any type of cell phone in the classroom. Cell phones must be off unless the student is expecting an emergency phone call, and he must inform the instructor in advance. Cell phones are a major distraction in the classroom and also are often used for cheating.
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
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.
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 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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
They certainly have a use in the classroom. It is our job to incorporate the usage to our students benefit
