Mader, J and Ben Smith. (2011/2012). Celebrate
your mobile devices. Learning and
Leading. 30(12-1) Retrieved on http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20111201#pg38.
A
huge problem we have today is there are so many restrictions from budget cuts
that limit teachers from getting the tools they need to teach science and math.
Pretty much, Mader and Smith want public schools to allow students to use their
phones to download applications that will help them in their math and science
classes. They feel that the students will be able to master measurements and
promote deeper analysis of data that they would not be available in the
classroom. They give the website that helps teachers and students buy or
download these apps onto their phones. They list a lot of valuable apps that
measure: angles, depth, acceleration, time, frequency, decibel strength, and
luminosity.
I
think this would be great to use in the classroom. Many of these resources and
apps are applicable in other classes as well. Not just science and math
courses. Students can use the magnetic compass app to find direction and get a
better understanding of geography. Also students may need a calculator to
calculate the time difference between specific dates. Obviously this will be
very valuable in science and math classrooms but it is applicable for other
subject areas.
I
feel this article fulfills ISTE NETS Standard 3 in that they apply digital
tools to gather, evaluate information. Ipads are so applicable and easy to use,
students can use and take them anywhere and explore a lot of media. There are
countless numbers of apps that can pinpoint and enhance students’ knowledge in
any subject area. I think this will become a very valuable source in the
classroom of the future.
Matt – I see an importance in using mobile devices in classrooms to save money for the school. However, I definitely see some problems with this implication. What would happen to the students if they can’t afford a cell phone, especially a smartphone, which is much more expensive? I can see this being a problem in schools and for students if they have to have a smartphone themselves in order to download apps to learn about math and science. If the student can’t afford a smartphone, then they can’t learn from these science and math apps. Another problem with using phones in class is that students may be playing games, searching the Internet or texting friends. Teachers wouldn’t know if they are actually using the educational apps for math and science.
ReplyDeleteI see how this could be very helpful. Afterall, it seems as though everyone's got an iPhone sitting in their pocket, so we may as well make use of it. But as is every teacher's fear, I would be worried that the students would not be using the appropriate applications. They could be surfing the web, chatting, texting, blah blah. But if there was an agreement as I have encountered with some professors that the use of technology (in my case in this class, a computer) is solely for notetaking, honor code, but at the same time there's all your peers sitting next to you. So I think this would be advantageous with the prior warning that any violation of the rule results in taking that device away. Good article!
DeleteI agree, there are so many tools and resources available on smart phones that it would be irresponsible of educators not to utilize this cost efficient resource. I think it would be very easy for teachers in all subjects to create group projects where students have to communicate via text, email, forums, and other mediums using their phone to discuss their projects. They use them for social purposes anyways, and maybe having them use their phones for learning purposes would make them less inclined to use their phones for social purposes in class.
ReplyDelete