The Use of Cell Phones in the Classroom

1. The Use of Cell Phones in the Classroom Terri Harkey teresa_harkey@lovejoyisd.net Puster Elementary LMS (469) 742-8277 w (972) 658-2698 c Learning @ Lovejoy August 2, 2010

2. How are students communicating today?

3. Teacher's Fears of Integration 76% Students will be distracted62% Not all students have the mobile devices33% Concerned that students will cheat using the devices24% Do not know how to effectively use the devices within instruction23% Need curriculum to support the use of mobile devicesYet ONLY 13% of teachers dismiss mobile devices as not having a positive impact on learning.

4. Student's HAVE Cell phone ACCESS: 98% of high school students have a cell phone (31% with mobile Internet)83% of middle school students have a cell phone (25% with mobile Internet)43% of 3rd through 5th graders have a cell phone (15% with mobile Internet)28% of K-2nd graders have a cell phone (12% with mobile Internet)

5. Potential Benefits of Using Cell Phones in Learning According to PARENTS! 43% Increases student engagement41% Prepares students for world of work38% Extends school day learning37% Provides access to online textbooks35% Improves teacher-parent-student communications32% Students can review class materials31% Personalizes instruction27% Provides way to help struggling students 63% of parents say they would buy their child a cell phone if they knew it would be used for educational purposes

6. Student's Suggest Ways to Use Cell Phone for Learning: • Look up information on Internet • Record or take notes • Work on projects with classmates • Access digital textbooks • Take videos of class presentations or experiments • Play educational games • Communicate with classmates • Receive reminders and alerts • Organize schoolwork • Communicate with teacher • Learn about school activities • Access social networks • Create and share documents/media • Upload assignments and work to portals • Coordinate calendars • Share/edit bookmarks

7. Polling students via cell phone http://www.polleverywhere.com/ provides a free polling service for 30 and under audience size – results are updated live in your web browser or PowerPoint – could be used for quick assessments like CPS units, voting on class elections or collecting data

8. Twitter Facebook

9. Texting Abbreviations http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp

10. Google 466453 - Text message your search question and Google will answer • Weather: enter w plus zip code • Enter a fact based question and receive your answer (example Abe Lincoln’s birthday) • Definitions: enter d plus the word • Driving directions: your address “to” destination address • Product prices: enter price followed by product name • Translations: t followed by word followed by language • Time: enter “time” followed by city (compare times around the world) • Calculator: text math questions or conversions (example 80F in C, half cup in a pint

11. Photo Ideas • Scavenger Hunt • Oral History Project • Kindergarten Scavenger Hunt (alphabet book) • Geometry Digital Story Book • Local Landmarks Story Book • Vacation Postcards • Field Trips • Photo Story

12. YODIO http://www.yodio.com/ Free service to create an audio postcard or narrated photo album Grab some photos – call to record the story and share with friends by email or on the Web Create a Yodiocard, Yodiocast or Yodiotour Yodio = your audio

13. Text a Novel Students can individually or collaboratively write a novel using text. http://www.textnovel.com/Textnovel.com allows you to write your own book. The text message gets sent to the web site where your story is logged. The composition can be set to either public or private. It provides an anytime, anywhere writing forum for the students.

14. Mapping Directions Take one class outside with a phone and leave one class inside with a phone. Outside class calls or texts inside with their location. Inside class has to use North/South/East/West directions to guide the outside class back to their room. Once inside switch places and try again.

15. Geocaching Many cell phones now have GPS units available. http://www.geocaching.com/ Geocaching.com provides searches for a high-tech treasure hunting game. Just put in your zip code, push “go” and explore geocaching near you.

16. CHACHA Text 242242 or call 1-800-2ChaCha Leave a voice mail or text a question and you will receive a text answer

17. Nutrition on the Go Text 34381 Send a text with the name of the restaurant and the item and you receive a message that includes nutritional information such as calories, carbohydrates, and fat content. Diet.com offers this service – currently unavailable

18. K7.net – Unified Messaging • http://www.k7.net/ The world's leading web-based unified messaging system that channels your free voicemail and fax messages directly to your e-mail. K7 Unified Messaging provides you with a free phone number. This number enables you to have your voicemail messages and faxes delivered directly to your computer. You also have the option to view and listen to your messages right here on the K7 Web site.

19. Classroom Games • Divide into teams – Post question – first to text correct answer wins • Phone a friend – students can text or phone a friend to get help with an answer • Daily Vocabulary Text • Text your exit from class

20. Cool Apps • 3D Brain • Evernote • Napkin Genius Lite • BrainPOP Featured Movie • ICDL (International Children’s Digital Library) • Portable Math • Math Snacks Video • Pearl Diver • Dragon Dictation • Geocaching • NASA • Nike+iPod • AppBox Lite • Twitter • Skype • iformula

21. Cell Phones in the Classroom • 21st Century Learners Cell phones are everywhere and kids know how to use them. Let’s leverage the technology and find ways to make our teaching and learning more effective, efficient and exciting!

22. http://www.cellphonesinlearning.com/