Tinkerings

I think I was in shock last night as the school board listened to Christy Critchfield read a recommended policy change for the students of Bradley County Schools regarding the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices.  So much so, in fact, that I think I may have missed part of the policy actually says.  I have asked for a copy to post here for discussion.

The previous policy (6.312 here) stated that students MAY have cell phones on campus, but they must be turned off and put away.  Other devices like iPods, mp3 players, and CD players were prohibited from being on campus at all.  Cameras of any kind were also forbidden.

Last night, as the policy was read, my mind started reeling at the educational possibilities that were suddenly opening up as the policy change now states (as I understand it at this time) that students MAY use cell phones and other personal electronic devices (namely iPod Touches) for educational purposes as directed by their teacher.  Inappropriate or unauthorized use of these devices will still mean they are confiscated and returned at a later time.  How long is being worked out by the principals across the district in an effort to make the policy uniform from school to school.

Of course, this change has little impact on my classes.  After all, I teach in a computer lab.  The kinds of things kids can do educationally on their cell phones can more easily be done on the computer sitting in front of them.  And yet, it does offer me the opportunity to help train students in responsible use of these devices.

When I posted this vote on FB last night, immediately my “techie” friends started “liking” the post and congratulating the system.  My “not-so-techie” friends were afraid the school board had opened a Pandora’s box that could unleash all kinds of havoc on our classrooms.

How can this help the classroom?  Oh yes, I hear some asking that question already.  Let me list for you just a few:

• Students with smart phones (and there are plenty) can learn to use the web to do research at home when they do not have a PC or other Internet connection available.
• Teacher lessons and videos can be uploaded to iTunes for students to use for study materials.  (Teachers, did you know that the TN Education Office has an iTunes page with professional development opportunities available to you now?)
• Discovery Education has just introduced an iPhone app for Geography that sells for $4.99.  While I am all about free apps, DE is a for-profit company and the app, I’m told, is totally awesome.  Other educational apps are available.  iPhone apps are not all about bumping, beer guzzling, and announcing your every move on 4Square.
• Students can participate in real-time polls throughout a lesson in order to demonstrate that they are paying attention and getting the material.  It operates much like voting for their favorite American Idol.  We will have to teach teachers how to do it, but we can get some kids to do that.
• Teachers can now establish Twitter accounts for classrooms where the tweets are used for study and review or discussion of novels and more.

I could go on and on, but I don’t mean to minimize the down side here either.  Here are just a few that I have already considered in the past 12 hours or so:

• The Internet capacity on smartphones comes without filters.  Facebook, YouTube, and other sites presently blocked by the state of TN are now fair game in the classroom.  For those teachers who feel filters are the greatest thing since sliced bread, using cellphones in class for educational purposes might put you at some amount of discomfort.  But hey, that’s why its called teaching.
• Greater vigilance will be required of teachers now than before.  Before this policy, a student with a cell phone out was automatically busted.  Now, teachers will need to monitor usage to make sure students are really on task.  Much like making sure those notes they are writing are the ones they should study and not the ones being passed to a girlfriend or boyfriend.
• Teachers need to be trained on the policy and how to use it without abuse.  If guidelines are put in place for students, every teacher must respect those guidelines and enforce them to make believers out of students.  You can’t have one teacher saying, “Johnny, your phone is only for answering this questions and then you put it back on your desk,” and another teacher saying, “Johnny, if you want to send out a couple of text messages while you have your phone out, its ok.”  That’s just like family where little Johnny plays mommy against daddy to get what little Johnny wants.

These are just a few thoughts I have.  Do I believe every teacher is going to start creating lessons that require the use of a cell phone in class?  No.  Most classrooms won’t look any different than any other, except now perhaps teachers will ask students to lay their cell phones on their desks in plain view while class is going on.  That in itself would stop a lot of the inappropriate use students do now when they text from under the desk.

Until I see the new policy, I am not sure what it does for the use of cameras on campus.  Like other uses of phones, cameras and video cameras can be a positive educational experience or a teacher’s worst nightmare.

In the meantime, what do you think of the new policy and its possibilities?  Are you in favor or against the policy?  What other educational benefits have you seen or done with cell phones in the classroom?  Please leave your comments below.