A wide range of apps on the iphone that could enhance children's learning experience. For example, the downloadable dictionary app.
I can remember many instances where I have had to furiously scribble words down from lecture slides and leave the lecture theatre with a damaged right hand. However, on one occasion, while I looked up to take a breath, I noticed a fellow student with his phone up in the air. My eyes squinted to see what he was doing. He was taking photographs with his mobile phone of the lecturer slides.
After this incident I started to think about whether mobile phones have a place in an educational setting. The debate around this issue largely circled around Secondary and Primary education rather than Tertiary education. There is large contestation around whether children should be able to have mobile phones at school.
Many believe that mobile phones can enhance children’s learning experience. Firstly, with the use of a mobile phone it is now easy to use mobile phones to access the internet in order to receive endless information. The internet at school can be used for research purposes or reading current affairs and also provides access to online dictionaries.
For schools with limited technology available to students, a mobile phone can be used in place of computers that the class might lack. Mobile phones can also be used as an assistive technology for all. Mobipocket reader is an application that makes reading digital studio books on a cell phone practical. Students can use their mobile phone for reminders and notices about due dates and homework. For example,the use of Google Calendar's free SMS service.
Good or bad?
However, mobile phones seem to pose more problems than benefits. Mobile phones have been used to cheat in exams or tests, play games or SMSing friends during class time. More than 4,000 pupils in UK were caught cheating in exams last summer. This can be distracting for both teachers and students. Some students have fallen victim to cyber-bullying. Mobile phone use at school can also lead to isolating those students who do not have their own mobile phones. There is use of inappropriate SMSing and broadcasting on their mobile phones.
If children do have access to their mobile phones at school, it would be important to teach students appropriate and acceptable use and to abide by the rules that have been set in place. Schools will have to implement a mobile phone plan to warrant against cyberbullying, improper texts and broadcasting. But, where would teachers draw the line though?
The negatives out number the positives but it is also the 21st century and mobile phones usage is on the rise. The problem is that many mobile phones in
Thanks to William Hook for the photograph. Follow William's photostream to view more images.
Most universities and schools have been taking preventative measures to ensure that mobiles (including portable computing devices) are not used for cheating during examinations or causing a nuisance during lectures. As you note however, as a mobile computing device, the counterargument is the technology can be used for augmenting the learning process in class, instead of providing a ready distraction by learners - many of whom are already attention challenged.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to decide whether mobile phones will benefit the learning process in schools or if they will just be the recipe for disaster. If they are implemented at schools the use of mobile phones will have to be monitored but is this possible to do? You can see why there is such a debate circled around this issue.
ReplyDeleteAs a recent graduate I often used my phone for educational purposes but it is difficult to say whether it will benefit children at school. School children are very involved in their online social networking and this could be very distracting for them during class and school hours. On the other hand, it can be beneficial with access to online dictionaries and etc. There is certainly a place for mobile phones in an educational setting but how could it be implemented so that it will not affect children negatively? The problem is that it is difficult to say.
ReplyDeletePrimary school is no place for a cellphone. I do see many useful applications for high school but only if each student has the same (or similar) phone and its use is carefully monitored.
ReplyDeleteAn ex-teacher
I agree.Primary schools might not be a place for mobile phones but it could benefit those in High Schools.
ReplyDelete