From Toy to Tool: Cell Phones in Learning

Great Movie on Digital Age and Change from ISTE's SIG

2012-01-24T21:18:00.001-05:00

Mobile is the future....

2012 4T Virtual Conference Call for Proposals is OPEN!

2012-01-13T01:10:00.003-05:00

The 4T Virtual Conference was a huge success last year and we are hoping to have an even bigger turnout this year! Last year we had over 600 teachers presenting and participating in our virtual conference. This year we have a new website up and running on the UofM School of Education server and the call for proposals is open! Please consider presenting. The audience are K-12 teachers and could benefit from your experiences with technology (no matter how small or large). The dates are May 19th through May 22nd! The format has changed a little based on the feedback from last year. We have some excellent Keynote speakers (Matt Levinson of From Fear to Facebook and Gooru Learning!). Please join us! Registration (FREE! Of course!) is open as well.

ClassPager for SMS and Polling Students!

2011-12-23T00:12:00.003-05:00

Wow! I am really enjoying using a new resource called ClassPager. It is 100% free! It allows teachers to create class alerts with no limit on the number of students (or parents). Additionally, it is private. It also allows you to set up sms polls (they can be free text polls). There are a lot of teacher controls over student accounts and yet it does allow for anonymity. In addition it DOES NOT use shortcodes (it uses real phone numbers) so it will work with just about any cell phone (YAY for Metro PCS!). This also allows people who don't have cell phones but do have iPod iTouches to participate with Free Texting Apps (because they give you a free phone number or you could use Google Voice).

Call to Record: Easy cell phone or landline recording

2011-12-13T21:43:00.004-05:00

I have been playing with a website called Call to Record. It is similar to Google Voice or the old Drop.io. Call to Record allows 30 minute of free recording time from any cell phone or landline. It is completely private and you can download or share your audio recording at your discretion. Unlike Google Voice where you only get about 5 minutes of recording time, you can have up to 30 minutes. It is very simple to use, just dial a number. I only wish that once you deleted a recording, you could have those minutes back in your account (unfortunately it does not work that way, you have to create a new account). I do like the privacy and ease of use (as well as the landline option!).

Planet Text!

2011-10-14T00:06:00.001-04:00

Created by: MBA Online

iVoted new Free SMS polling

2011-08-30T21:19:00.003-04:00

I have recently been using a resource called iVoted. It is for live polling, similiar to Polleverywhere, LetsGoVote and SMSpoll. iVoted has a free package (up to 25 votes per poll with unlimited polls). The polls must be multiple choice, but they are very easy to generate. In addition one can respond to the polls via email, sms text, twitter, or the web. There are some options with voting and results.

New Book! "Cell Phones in the Classroom"

2011-06-23T14:56:00.002-04:00

Finally! My new book is coming out this September called Cell Phones in the Classroom: A Practical Guide for Educators! It is once again being published by ISTE. I am very proud of this book. First it has over 16 different cases of K-12 teachers integrating student's own cell phones into classroom learning. Their stories are inspiring! Second, it includes many practical lessons plans to integrate student cell phones (any kind!) into classroom learning. There are over 50 FREE web resources featured that couple with cell phones (any kind, not just Smartphones). In addition, there is a step by step guide on integration including examples of permission forms, AUP changes, and mobile safety. You can pre-order at ISTE or Amazon! I look forward to hearing your feedback on the book!

4T Virtual Education Technology Conference! FREE for K-12 edcuators and administrators

2011-05-16T16:21:00.003-04:00

The 4TVirtualCon is an opportunity for educators from across the globe to connect, network, and learn from each other about issues in technology education. The current Elementary and Secondary Master of Arts with Certification (MAC) interns at the University of Michigan School of Education are assisting with the development of the conference. The conference is FREE and OPEN to all educators. However, most sessions will be targeted to K-12 practicing and preservice teachers. The conference will be held virtually—no plane tickets, no hotel fees! The opening keynote will begin on Sunday, May 22nd at 7:00 p.m. and the conference will continue through 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25th. All sessions will be live and archived. Educators and others are invited to present by submitting a conference session. The conference is run by instructors from the MAC programs at the University of Michigan School of Education. While the conference is free and open, registration is required. In addition, interested educators can get SB CEU's by attending the virtual conference.

Employment Connection!
As part of our Virtual 4T Conference we are having an Educators Employment Connection on Wed 25th at 10:00pm. Current teachers & administrators can post and describe positions that are available in your school district! Connect with current teachers and preservice teachers who are interested in those positions. Please let us know about any job openings in your district (use link to get to form). http://tiny.cc/qd15c

Keyword Texting! New Free Web Resources for Teachers

2011-04-20T14:11:00.008-04:00

Over the last few years my two favorite mass keyword texting apps have either shutdown (TXTblaster) or are no longer free (Textmarks). As a result I have been looking for new FREE resources that would allow people to "opt in" and subscribe to my mass text alerts (without me having to type in everyone's phone number). I have finally found two that I really LOVE. The first is called Cel.ly. The second is called Pulse.to. I will describe both below.

Cel.ly

Cel.ly is a new mass text messaging

service that says they are interested in schools using their free service! You can get started by texting "start" to 23559. Cel.ly will then ask you for a login and password. You can then go to the website Cel.ly, login and set up text message channels. Each channel is set up with a keyword so that students, teachers, community members, and parents can join your mass text message with a keyword from their cell phone! There does not seem to be a limit on the number of people that can join your mass alert. Cel.ly also gives you three choices in how you want to set up the mass text alerts. You can have all members send messages back and forth to the whole group. You can have only the teacher (owner of the channel) send messages to the group. You can have the group members send messages back to the teacher only! In addition your texting channel can be public or private! All messages are archived in Cel.ly! You can send messages via the Cel.ly website or via phone. It works quickly and easily!

Pulse.to is similar to Cel.ly. You can login to the website, create a free account and then you start to set up pulses. You can have a public or private mass texting channel (called "pulses"). In addition, you can select if only the pulse owner can send messages or if everyone in the group can send messages. Pulse.to works in many different countries besides the US and Canada! In addition there is not a short code to join, rather students/teachers/parents can text in to a real phone number (so phones that don't work with short codes or keywords will still work with this service!). For example to join my Pulse you text JOIN KOLBY to 704-323-7775.

Mobile Devices in Education Survey

2011-04-14T14:47:00.002-04:00

Teachers! If you have a few minutes please take the Mobile Devices in Education Survey (it is from Totem Brand Strategy). They are drawing 10 winners randomly and each will win $100 USD. They plan to close it in 10 days (April 18). See Contest Rules at beginning of survey.
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22C7N6RK2G8/

Create Text Reminders for Courses with Remind101

2011-04-06T21:50:00.003-04:00

I ran across a new site the other day called Remind101. This free site is created for teachers and students to seamlessly create text and/or email reminders for assignments, projects, quizzes, tests, labs, class activities and homework. Teachers create accounts, upload syllabi, insert all class projects, activities, homework and assignments. Then students can log in to Remind101, search for their class, subscribe to the class, and automatically start receiving all reminders for the class activities. Students can add new reminders, or personalize the text alerts to be for only certain types of activities. One of the best aspects of this site is that it is quick and easy to use. Instructors can also use the same class site over and over again, just changing the due dates. The site works with any cell phone that has SMS text messaging!

Mobile Reviews with Study Boost

2011-02-14T20:13:00.004-05:00

There is a new free resource called Study Boost that connects with mobile phones. You create an account on Study Boost, then you can create your own "batches" of study questions. You can subscribe to the study questions via cell phone (you can also view them on the mobile web). In addition you can share your study questions with friends, teachers, and others so they can also review on the go.

Study Boost would be a great project for extending learning and allowing students to study at their own pace (and on the go!).

Let's Go Vote!

2011-01-05T15:05:00.003-05:00

A new resource similar to Polleverywhere has just emerged and it is very simple to use. It is called Let's Go Vote and uses texting messaging from any cell phone to vote. It works in the USA, Canada and Swaziland. You can create a free account that will allow up to 20 votes per poll. It also allows you to create a poll with a "right or wrong" answer that can show up after the voting results are in. In addition, you can move from one poll to the next without having to go back to the main screen, so it is easy to have multiple question voting. There are no advertisements on it. It is simple to use and another option for sms polling for the classroom!

Mobile Saftey Resources from Jane Lynch of Glee and LG

2010-12-27T15:02:00.003-05:00

LG has teamed up with Jane Lynch of Glee to bring some mobile safety education to tweens and teens. They have some lessons and a series of videos that are perfect for introducing mobile safety, discussions about sexting, mobile harassment, mobile teasing, driving and texting, and more with teenagers.

Mobile Safety and Teen Perspectives

2010-11-12T11:22:00.003-05:00

PEW has some interesting research on what teenagers think about mobile phone safety. Below is a PowerPoint presentation from senior research specialist at PEW Amanda Lenhart that show some recent statistics.

Highlights:

58% of teens from schools that forbid cell phones use them during class anyway
31% of teens that take their cell phones to school send text messages during class everyday
4% of teens age 12-17 have sent a "sext message"
15% of teens age 12-17 have received a "sext message"
8% of older teens sent "sext messages", 30% of older teens received them
No gender difference in sending or receiving "sext messages"
52% of teens talk while driving a car
34% of teens text while driving a car
26% of teens have been bullied via text message
Girls text message more than boys

Teens and Mobile Phones: Exploring safety issues as mobile phones become the hub for American teens - FOSI 2010

View more presentations from Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

Texting Changing Communication Conversation

2010-10-17T21:34:00.005-04:00

The average 13 to 17 year sends and receives over 100 text messages a day. A recent PEW study has found that in general people who text (often the youngsters) prefer to text over making a phone call. It does save people time for example, rather than having to make a phone call where you could diverge into small talk when all you want to say is that you will be at the meeting. Yet, the study also says that because texting is so simple and convenient people tend to do it often in their spare time, when they could otherwise be basking in quiet reflection. Understanding the pervasiveness of texting in our young culture, it makes me wonder how texting is or could be changing the global business world, education, and citizenship.

Sad News...Drop.io Removed Voice Recording Feature, but There Are Some Good Alternatives!

2010-10-10T21:22:00.010-04:00

I was incredibly sad to read that as of Oct 1st, Drop.io has removed all voice recording on their site. Drop.io was by far my favorite site for easy podcasting, video and image storing and that has now come to an end. However, I would like to pose some nice FREE alternatives to Drop.io below:

Google Voice
I am a big fan of Google Voice for their recording feature. First when you create an account, you can get a local area code number (so that students could call from a land line). In addition you can set up the number so it goes right to a unique greeting in voicemail. All the messages are stored in a private space on Google Voice as MP3 files.

iPadio
This is a free podcasting site and can be used internationally. The phone number is not toll-free but you can use cell phones. The bad news is that you have to register your cell phone number so you can only use a couple different numbers at a time to connect with the site.

Yodio
This a free audio recording/podcasting site. Your phone does not have to be registered with the site to use the site (which is nice) and you can create one teacher account for all the student's to record into.

Tumblr
The Tumblr blog allows anyone to post images, video, text and audio directly from their basic cell phone to a Tumblr blog. The only thing I don't like is that I can only have one phone number associated with the blog at a time.

Geograffiti
Leave an audio voicemark from you cell phone in a specific location on a Google map.

Google Map Mashup
Post audio from a cell phone on a specific location on a Google map.

UhaveAudio
You can record up to 60 seconds at a time with the phone to web recorder and it is a toll free number.

Cinchcast
You do not have to be registered with the site to make a podcast. You simply call in to the Cinchcast number and record your podcast that is then posted to a space in Cinchcast.

Phonecasting
Once you create an account, you can use a phone (any phone) to call in and make a podcast. The podcasts are housed on the Phonecasting site but do have ways to post on other sites or download the files.

Knox County Schools Relaxing Policy on Cell Phones...

2010-10-09T14:37:00.001-04:00

Geograffiti's focus on K-8 Education

2010-09-20T22:28:00.004-04:00

A while back I posted about a web2.0 tool that couples with cell phones called Geograffiti. One of the concerns with the tool is that you had to be at least 13 years of age to use the tool. However, Geograffiti has now lifted that ban and is encouraging educators in K-12 classroom to consider using their free and innovative tool. Geograffiti couples with ANY phone that can make a phone call (Yay! No Smartphone required, but it is not a toll free number so one should use a cell phone). It allows someone to make a phone call, speak, and have their voice instantly appear on a map (at Geograffiti on the Internet) from the location where they called in. This is an excellent and easy to use tool. Teachers should note that the voicemarks left on the map are PUBLIC, so the teacher should talk with students about digital footprints, appropriateness and the permanent record of the Internet before using this resource.

Here are a fe ideas of how to use Geograffiti in the K-12 classroom:
1) Center Time (K-3)
Students can work on fluency, oral presentation skills, reading, creating an argument, reasoning, inquiry, questioning, by calling in to Geograffiti.
2) Homework, Field Trips, Spring Break
Students can work with their parents over spring break or summer break and leave voicemarks about their experiences, vacations, and what they learned over the break. Students on a field trip could record their observations (such as a trip to the zoo or a science museum).
3) Language Study
Students learning a new language can call in voicemarks and practice their new language skills
4) Social Studies
Students can ask others (friends and family) to call in from different parts of the country to give their perspective on local, national, and international social and cultural issues.
5) Oral Histories
Students could document oral or local histories by conducting interviews that would be placed on the map.
6) Real time Math
Students could call in to Geograffiti when they recognize that they are doing algebra, geometry or physics in their real life, they could describe the situation and put it into mathematical terms.

Teenagers and young adults no longer talk they text!

2010-08-08T22:24:00.003-04:00

An interesting phenomena has occurred over the last decade. According to a new article from the Washington Post, with the rise of text messaging among teenagers and young adults has come a demise of talking on the phone. The preference of texting over talking is not limited to teenagers, may adults in their 20's and 30's also prefer to text message. According to Nielsen, the national average monthly voice minutes have gone from 1,200 to 900 from 2008 to 2010. And amongst teenagers and young adults (18 to 24) the monthly average went from 600 messages a month in 2008 two years ago to more than 1,400 in 2010. The cost of text messaging has also declined over the past few years, according to Nielsen, the average customer in the US now pays about 1 penny per text message, thus making it a very accessible form of communication.

I think this information is relevant to K-12 education and teachers. Knowing that the preferred form of communication is quickly changing from a phone call to text message informs educators that schools should be taking full advantage of that form of communication. While some schools are stating to use Text Message Alert systems (I like the free system of http://txtblaster.com), and a few educators are now doing some integrating of text messaging into their core curricula (such as this English teacher who has his students texting poetry ), many are still shying away from this new literacy (even dismissing it as a negative form of communication). Knowing that text messaging is fast becoming the #1 form of communication reminds me that it will also be an important literacy for the 21st century job force.

Teenager Ethan Davids describes how essential his phone is to him

2010-07-24T21:55:00.002-04:00

I recently read an article written by a 17 year old high school student. The article focused on why the teenager believes cell phones are essential tools for learning. Below are a few excerpts from the article

"As a student who has experienced some very rowdy and distracting classes, I know that mobile phones can cause huge distractions for not only students, but teachers as well. I am also aware that mobile phones can be a danger to the school environment; however I believe they can still have their benefits in the classroom."

"An argument I have never understood is that youngsters have become too reliant on their mobiles. Nowadays mobile phones can be as useful to people as a pencil and paper, and I have never come across an argument that adults have become too reliant on those!"

The author, Ethan, makes an excellent point at the end of the article, and a point that many teachers who have allowed cell phone use in learning seem to echo, which is that once cell phones are allowed to be out in the open in schools, rather than banned, then teachers can control who, what, where and how the cell phones are used. Here is his quote,

"Eventually I hope mobile phones will be looked upon in a much more reasonable way and take a more important role in education. After all, there’s only so much fun you can have with editing teachers’ faces!"

Speak Up 2009: The biggest Obstacle to Using Technology in Ed...Not Being Able to Use Student's Own Mobile Devices!

2010-07-01T14:51:00.000-04:00

Very interesting research has just been published by the Tomorrow Group (Speak Up 2009) about mobile phones and education. Here are a few highlights:

PARENTS SAY YES!

63% of parents say they would buy their child a cell phone if they knew it would be used for educational purposes

ONLY 18% of parents dismiss mobile devices as not having a positive impact on learning.

Potential Benefits of Using Cell Phones in Learning According to PARENTS!

43% Increases student engagement
41% Prepares students for world of work
38% Extends school day learning
37% Provides access to online textbooks
35% Improves teacher-parent-student communications
32% Students can review class materials
31% Personalizes instruction
27% Provides way to help struggling students

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)

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

Teacher's Fears of Integration
76% Students will be distracted
62% Not all students have the mobile devices
33% Concerned that students will cheat using the devices
24% Do not know how to effectively use the devices within instruction
23% Need curriculum to support the use of mobile devices

Yet ONLY 13% of teachers dismiss mobile devices as not having a positive impact on learning.

Send Group Text, Email, And Audio Phone Messages to Students or Parents With One Click for Free!

2010-06-02T21:27:00.004-04:00

I recently came across the site SendGM, which is set up to send mass group messages (and receive replies) to cell phones (both text and audio) as well as email accounts at the same time! It is an incredibly easy site to use. Teachers can sign up for a free account, add their contact's preferences (e.g. text, phone call, or email), and then schedule a mass message to be sent at a particular time, and select if they want the recipients to reply or respond to the message. All responses are collected in the teacher's SendGM account!

This is an excellent resource for administrators to send out mass messages to parents or community members using their preferred tool (call, email, text). This is also a perfect resource for teacher's to send out mass messages to parents and/or students. Some examples would include homework reminders, short homework quizzes, polling questions, or other class-related announcements. Under the free plan one account can have up to 25 contacts. If teachers or administrators need to have more contacts they can pay a $79 a year for 100 contacts or 149 a year for 250 contacts (there are more plans as well). This is by far one of the best messaging services I have come across. I really like that it sends messages to the recipients preferred form of communication (and you don't have to send 3 separate messages).

Does banning cell phones in school cause more problems than integrating them?

2010-05-21T09:42:00.003-04:00

"Thomas" a student who read my blog, posted this comment:

"The whole having to hide the cell phone is really why so many students are not able to pay attention. If we were allowed our cell phones as we work, we would pay a lot more attention, since we don't have to keep glancing down at the cell phone we are currently hiding under a table. I am able to avoid the whole messaging thing during school, but if they allowed it i have the feeling my grades would go higher, and my learning would improve"

What are your thoughts? Do you think that by not allowing cell phones in the classroom it causes more issues with distraction than by allowing them?

Current Trends in the Business World With Text Message

2010-05-11T23:21:00.002-04:00

In order for schools to prepare student to be productive citizens and works in the 21st century, it is important to understand the current technology trends in the business world. According to the United Business Wire the following are some popular ways that businesses are using text messaging.

1) Promotional Campaigns

Many companies are using text messaging aim at providing an immediate and interactive experience with a brand via a consumer's mobile phone. Some examples include; contests, voting, surveys, customer satisfaction research, or in-store campaign.

Examples:

Mobile Advertising

http://www.mojiva.com/

Mobile Gift Giving

http://www.giiv.com/

http://www.kangogift.com/

2) Scheduling appointments

Text messaging is becoming the standard way of confirming appointments, scheduling and sending out appointment reminders.

Example:

http://www.timecenter.com/

3) Promoting Properties

Real Estate agents use text messaging as a convenient way to communicate with prospective buyers by sending them information about a new property on the market. Often through a "keyword" campaign where the keyword is posted by properties for sale and in advertisements.

Example:

http://www.forsalebytxt.com/

Companies NEED workers to create and manage these mobile campaigns and markets! Schools need to prepare students to work in this business world.