Mobiles and smartphones in the classroom

As we know, technology in the classroom is an ever changing phenomenon as each year passes.  This includes using mobile devices such as iPads, smartphones, and laptops.  Two technologies I will concentrate on this week are Smartphones and Smart Bridgit. 

Smartphones have many pros and cons to allowing students to use them in the classroom.  Some of the positives about smartphones that enhance learning are that they have video cameras, interactive boards, and internet connections.  Having the ability to connect to the internet instantly is a great tool for students to have.  Students can instantly access the internet for research for group learning or in class projects.  Also it allows for messaging between student and teacher, or student to student, the writers at webanywhere.com state, “Enthusiastic learners will make use of their phones for legitimate educational purposes on their way to and from school” (webanywhere.com, 2012, Pg. 2).  Students can use their smartphones outside of class for pictures, and text when they see or hear something pertinent to class.  For example, students in a history class can see a memorial, an antique, or an old building, take a picture of it and send it to the instructor with text explaining where it is, who’s it was, and how old the piece is.  Smartphones allow for class interaction outside of the classroom. 

Although there are many advantages to smartphones in the classroom, there are many drawbacks as well.  Drawbacks like theft of phones, abusive texting or instant messaging, and interruptions due to incoming calls and texts.  This is where bullying comes into play. 

In my classroom, I feel it’s just too hard to monitor what students are doing on their phones, so I don’t normally allow smartphones in my classroom.  Once the pros begin to outweigh the cons I will consider allowing them as part of my lesson plans, but until then, it’s just a risk I’m not willing to take just yet. 

The second mobile device I would definitely allow in my classroom, it’s called Smart Bridgit.  Smart Bridgit is a classroom collaboration tool run by the instructor with student interaction via an iPad.  Here is a Smart Bridgit demo via YouTube: http://youtu.be/PPQeNvVzwz8.  I find this technology to be another great learning tool for students to stay engaged through emerging technology.  A 2012 article in Points West audio/visual LTD. States that, “Enable students to use iPads to work together on lesson activities displayed on and broadcast from the SMART Board interactive whiteboard, increase access to front-of-room content for students with limited vision or mobility , and give each student more time with the SMART Board interactive whiteboard” (Points West, 2012,).  Some of the downfalls of Smart Bridgit is cost.  A normal classroom site up is about $4,200.  Other expenses are the iPads, the maintenance of the iPad, and insurance for the system, and replacement for broken or stolen iPads.  I would definitely say the pros outweigh the cons here, and Smart Bridgit is a great tool fro learning.

 

 

References:

Save 50% on smart Bridgit® and foster collaboration in 1:1 tablet environments. (2013, September 05). Retrieved from http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqstyleid=2&mode=form&rsid=5&reqsrcid=APAWebPage&more=yes&nameCnt=1

Admin. (2011, Nov 03). Smartphones: the pros and cons of mobile technologies in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.webanywhere.co.uk