No the title is not a misprint. As an administrator one of the things that we are asked to deal with is the inappropriate (as defined by the teacher) use of technology by students during a teachers class. In my opinion, one of the proposed solutions to this problem is to incorporate the technology they use into our lessons. So how can we make technology into teachnology? Can anyone out there please provide me with ideas on how a teacher can effectively use student popular devices like ipods or cell phones into their daily lessons? I believe that it is better to embrace the technology rather than fight it but we, as educators, have to find a way to keep pace with the students. This will be a rather significant challenge in education in the years ahead. Trying to answer these questions is one of the reasons why I was drawn to this class. Any comments will be appreciated.
That's all for now.
Mathman33
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Hey Walter. Liz Davis (via Twitter) offers this - http://k12online.wm.edu/K12_Kolb_Cell.mp3 - it's an audio presentation by Liz Kolb on the use of cellphones in learning. I hope it helps.
Hello,
Caught your blog via Alec Couros' Twitter post. Re iPod and cell phone use in the classroom - check out the K12 Online Help Desk listing of all of this year's conference sessions at http://tinyurl.com/397y87
You can also check out my Podcasting Across The Curriculum PPT at http://joevans.pbwiki.com/f/Podcasting+Across+the+Curriculum.ppt for ideas on catching some podcasts for classroom use.
Good luck in your first year of admin!
Cheers
John Evans
Literacy with ICT Wiki - http://joevans.pbwiki.com
I'm seeing a great deal of potential for mobile phones as organizational aids, especially for students with LD and the ADHD that is so frequently comorbid. I looked into three online apps that utilize mobile phones - Jott, Wakerupper, and TextMemos - in this blog entry from November. Since then, I have come across a few more similar services - Ohdontforget.com, Bitbomb.com, and MemJog.net.
I also recently tried a service called PollEverywhere, which allows students to respond to multiple choice polls via SMS. Results are updated on a web page in real time - we have overhead projectors in our classrooms, so I broadcast the website as they voted, and the kids seemed really engaged as they texted their responses and watched the bars on the graph rise and fall.
I should add, however, that this PollEverywhere acted as a starting point for a class discussion, and was not central to the lesson. It was just neat for the kids to have some visual data to play with (e.g., what percentage of the class feels this way or that about an issue).
In this case, the technology supported the lesson, it was not the central element of it; that's a balancing act that teachers need to address so they don't end up teaching a bunch of cool tech toys with no regard for content. Use the tech, don't let the tech use you.
(oh yeah, I should probably mention that I also came here via Alec on Twitter - the power of the network!)
Simple recipe really.
1. Get yourself a portable mp3 player.
2. Get a podcatcher (Juice is good, free, crossplatform)
3. Set yourself the task of learning something using the mp3 player and the library of information available. Pick something you like. Cooking, knitting, plant care, cinema. Something you always want to know about.
4. Plan to supplement your listening with some other stuff. Some googling. A little library work, probably.
5. In May, figure out if you learned anything and if so, what you did. If you didn't learn anything, you missed something. Try to find the answer to the question "Why didn't I learn anything?" The answer will be important because you have to be TRYING to not learn if you use the tools and still have nothing at the end of 4 months.
6. In June and July, arrange ONE class to use this new insight starting in the fall.
7. By this time next year, you can rest assured that the technology will have changed and you'll need to start over.
:)
Tweeps, Unite!
You ask relevant questions that have been befuddling educators around the globe. There are many educational uses of the technologies that you mention, the trick is finding or creating learning experiences that truly enhance the learning. I am working on a post on mp3 digital voice recorders in the classroom, and this post and these comments definitely add to the thoughts I have been having.
I have often wondered about this too Walter. I made the comment a few months ago that one day we would be using cell phones as part of our instruction in schools. I have a feeling it may happen sooner than I planned. I also feel that some of the policies we have in schools are and need to change. Like iPods, etc. in class. I try to have policies in place that try to eliminate constant "policing." Ususally makes school more enjoyable for all.
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