 Cell Phones in EducationThe idea of using cell phones for educational purposes is a very debated topic. While many teachers see the benefits that cell phones could provide to the classroom many others, along with parents and administrators, see the large distraction they could cause. The solution I have come up with for this problem, is using cell phones for school outside of the classroom. Often times teachers feel their homework is not productive because some students do not do it, and others forget to bring it back to school. This problem could be solved by having students complete their homework using a cell phone, and could create an opportunity for more meaningful homework assignments. There are many application avaliable on most cell phone opporating systems that are free or very cheap and would be great resouces for teacher to use. These could include spelling practice, content review, and some of these are even formatting into a game providing more modivation and enjoyment for the students. |
 | Cell Phone Tools:Class Dojo - this is an app that helps teacher keep track of their student's behaviors, when students complete assignments the teacher is notified and can give instant feedback to them using their mobile device. It provides an engaging interface for students as well as an easy to use record system for teachers. Wattpad - an application that provides its users access to a selection of free books. The users can post comments of their thoughts about the book, and interact with other users. I would recommend this for older students, as there does not appear to filter out content inappropriate for younger children. Jott.com - this is a 'voice to text' application, user can say something and that app will convert the speech into written words. Duolingo - this is an app that aids in learning a foreign language. It supports Italian, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese. Duolingo allows users to learn the language over a period of time, requiring the user to participate in short exercises daily. Art HD - this app introduces the user to famous artists and pieces of art, then quizzes over the content. Frog Dissection - this is a virtual dissection of a frog. It includes information about frogs as well as an overview of the important parts of a frog, videos, and inside look at the internal organs of a frog with out the mess. Molecules - this app provides a three-dimensional picture of molecules that can be manipulated with your fingers, allowing students to gain a deeper grasp on this concept, through rotating, enlarging, and examining various molecules. Quizlet - this is an app where students can take quizzes over various topics. Teachers can even create accounts and make their own quiz for the students to take. This could be used for review purposes or be used for an actual quiz. |
Relative Advantage:
Assignments can be complete from any location, interactive format provides motivation for students, allows self-structured and self-paced environment, provides individual practice of concepts, provides instant feedback, helps students to develop independence.
