Rachel Lenk: Mobile Devices in the Classroom

Mobile devices in the classroom. Are they a tool or are they a distraction? Well, if teachers can help shape the "toy" into a tool, they can be very beneficial in classrooms. When you watch the video below, it shares many example of how a cell phone can be used in a class room. They not only show examples where smart phones are helpful but also any phone with texting abilities (3:48). Most kids today grow up completely surrounded by technology. Why not use that technology to help make more connections between the lesson and how they can apply it to everyday life?

"A recent survey indicated that 68% of students in grades 6-12 bring cell phones with them to school on a regular basis." (Putnam County Highschool) Incase you are bad at math, that is over half the student population in that school district. The majority of the students, if you will, bring this potentially amazing tool to school already. Many schools are like that across the country. Yet, a bad stigma and a lack of educational exploration with mobile devices prevents students from using this tool in class.

For an example as to how this can be a great tool, I have a lot of technology (e.g. laptop, desktop computer, smart phone, school computers) at my fingertips that I use on a daily basis. I use them for entertainment, contact, and educational purposes (Until recently my cell phone was not used for educational purposes). One of these devices is near me at a 24/7 rate. That opens up more opportunities for me to do my school work (but let's face it, I'm a "last minute" kind of student). Using my cell phone in class encourages my use of it for educational purposes. I just downloaded a cloud storage app that I can upload my notes to, and then study them on the road, or access them in class. I also find it helpful to take pictures of drawings or examples the professor hand writes on the board (let's face it, even if I did copy the drawing down, it would look like you gave a baby a sharpie). That is just the beginning, and I don't know where the end is or how to get there.


The main reason for my lack of knowledge about how to use a cell phone as a tool is that there is a very little teacher source who is willing to show me the way. To be honest, what student would explore the educational purposes of a "toy" unless incited to or shown how.


Rubenstein, Grace. "Cell Sanity: Mobile Phones Ring Changes in the Classroom | Edutopia." Edutopia | K-12 Education & Learning Innovations with Proven Strategies that Work.Edutopia, 19 Oct 2006. Web. 6 Feb 2013. <http://www.edutopia.org/cell-sanity>.

"Can cell phones be used inappropriately? Sure, these theachers say, but it's the behavior, not  the device, that's the problem" - Grace Rubenstein

In the article above, it talks about how cell phones are used as a communication device, and a toy, but it has so much potential to become a learning tool. I think that Grace Rubenstein, the author of the article, and I share the same perspective on cell phone use in classroom. That is why this article was chosen with much bias on my part.