Smart Phone Usage
Does anyone have any ideas on the use of smart phones in class. We normally restrict the students from even having their phones out during class time, and I'm trying to give them opportunities to actually use the phones.
Bernie,
You want to be sure to find apps available for Android and iPhone so everyone in class can participate. Here are some link to resources you may find helpful:
http://www.teachthought.com/technology/the-50-best-smartphone-apps-for-teachers-arranged-by-category/
http://www.teachthought.com/technology/32-augmented-reality-apps-for-the-classroom-from-edshelf/
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
We have always frowned upon using their phones in the classroom but we have never had complete success in it which tells me we should implement but monitor the usage. This can be done by breaking the students up in small groups and finding useful apps that can be utilized In the classroom. Thank you for the suggestions I will check it out
I teach in the culinary classroom, and I frequently think back to my days as a culinary student 15 years ago and how much mobile phones were reviled by my instructors. Funny/Tragic Story: One particularly dunderheaded classmate of mine continually forgot to turn off his phone in class, and finally my hotheaded instructor snatched it from his hand and immersed it in a deep fryer. And this was back when mobile phones were comparatively much more expensive! Needless to say, this would not be a tactic that my employer would approve of today.
Organizationally my employer no longer frowns upon our students using their smartphones in class, and for a variety of reasons, not the least of them being the fear that students may begin to disengage from the class if required to put their phones away, despite how completely counter intuitive that may seem to me. The challenge, as discussed in this module and in its forums, is to integrate the smartphone experience.
Colin,
What a story! Thank you for sharing this deep-fried tragedy. I can imagine it would be a safety issue in a professional kitchen, but I can definitely see the many benefits in a culinary situation.
Theresa Schmitt
I don't allow smart phone use in my classroom (culinary class) because I have found they are a distraction. Some students would not use them for learning - and those are the students who most need to pay attention in class. I do encourage the students to take them out at the end of class to take pictures of their work so that they can build their portfolio. Sometimes they also take pictures of the whiteboard with notes or assignments or other information. But we set aside a time during class for using the phones. They don't just use them whenever they want.
Yingwei,
The examples of smartphone use in the kitchen are very appropriate, thank you for sharing!
Theresa Schmitt
Thanks for sharing this information. Seems the younger generation is constantly staying connected and requiring entertainment on their phones. I permit usage of phones for True and false questions in my Dental Assisting class and also for taking pictures of power point presentations.
