Cell Phones in the Classroom...How Do We Do It?

Depending on where you live, cell phones in schools have progressed as follows:

• A violation of state law
• Not against the law, but banned from being on campus
• OK to bring on campus, but must stay in the locker all day
• OK to use between classes, but must never see the light of day inside the classroom
• Maybe, just maybe something that can be used to promote learning and increase productivity

Over a decade ago, we were looking at handheld devices (primarily Palm) as being a significant breakthrough in how we could deliver instruction. At the same time, cell phones were becoming popular items in the backpack of students. Since that time, the two devices have merged, and they have merged with other existing devices as well. Now, you can make a phone call, keep a calendar, take a picture, and view a video (just to name a few) all on the same device.

The business world was finding the all-in-one tool to be a "must" for productivity. And if it makes adults more productive, we must ask the question, "Can it make students more productive as well?" More and more, people are beginning to feel the answer is "Yes." In an environment where we want technology yet lack the funds to purchase it, we also exist in an environment where students have purchased their own.

I would not for one second suggest we allow smartphones into classroom and then come up with ways to use them. That's a recipe for frustration and mediocrity. Instead, the question before us is what can be done best with a smartphone, and then loosen the restrictions that have kept best practice from becoming current practice.

I wish I had all of the answers, and I don't think any of us has them all. I do want to share one post that provides some of the nuts and bolts for moving from where we are with cell phones in our schools to where we could be. I recommend 10 Proven Strategies to Break the Ban and Build Opportunities for Student Learning with Cell Phones.

Lauderdale County and Cell Phones

Today's Associated Press article talks about Lauderdale County (Alabama) and its approach to cell phones.

While at the National Middle School Association Conference, I listened to closing speaker Rick Wormeli talk in no uncertain terms of how backwards many school systems will look five years from now in terms of cell phone policies they tried to enforce. At this same conference, I had planned to attend a session on cell phone usage in classrooms. There was such a crowd, I couldn't get in the door.

Back in August, I devoted several posts to this subject. I think this is a topic that deserves more thought than many people are willing to put in and is a topic that is not going to go away.

Lesson Plan--Cell Phones in the Classroom

The last several posts have centered around the potential positive impacts of cell phone use in the curriculum. Beth Glasgow is a resource teacher for Shelby County (Alabama) Schools and known for innovative uses of technology. She sent me this lesson plan which is right on point with the topic of these last several posts.

Where Have We Been? Where Are We Going?

You must read the previous three posts for this one to make any sense, so if you have missed the last several installments of this blog, please take a moment to read those posts and then return to this one.

In Saturday's post, I spoke of three questions related to the use of technology that I asked of 614 Alabama principals in 1997. Those questions and the results are as follows:

Do you personally use:

1. Voice mail? 15% Yes 85% No
   
2. E-mail? 29% Yes 71% No
   
3. Word processing program? 75% Yes 25% No

Today, the use of all three is practically universal, and the changes have occurred within 12 years. My question is, "What changes in the use of smart phones are we likely to see in the next decade?"

My next question is, "As the use of smart phones as productivity tools rises among teachers and administrators, are we likely to see a different attitude towards student use of smart phones?"

We have a choice:

1. Hang on to the policies of the past.
2. Look into the future and shape policies that will help our students meet the demands of a changing world.

As a starting point, I would strongly suggest reading the accounts of a teacher who understands the potential. The blog post by Vicki Davis can be found here.

P.S. Thanks to Dr. Henry Clark for causing me to ask the questions 12 years ago which seemed so insignificant at the time. The contrast between then and now gives us some idea of the change we can expect over the next decade.

More Kids Than Teachers Own Smart Phones

The August issue of T.H.E. Journal contains statistics on smart phone ownership. Their findings include:

• Teachers report less ownership of smart phones than both high school and middle school students. (High school was 28%, middle school 24%, and teachers 20%.)
• Smart phone ownership among students in kindergarten through second grade is nearly equal to that of teachers.
• Principals lead the pack with 30% ownership. But, if 30% have a smart phone, that means 70% do not.

To read the article in its entirety, click here.

Is there a relationship between these figures and the debate discussed in the last two posts? If the percentage of teachers and principals who own smart phones was higher, would we be taking a different attitude and a different approach towards student use of these handheld devices?

In 1997, I completed my dissertation, A Study of Time Management Practices of Alabama Principals. I sent surveys to 614 Alabama principals concerning their use of some 50 different time management practices. The return rate was over 70%!

At the suggestion of my mentor, Dr. Henry Clark (who I was fortunate enough to have as a member of my dissertation committee), three questions related to the use of technology were added to the survey:

Do you personally use:

1. Voice mail?
2. E-mail?
3. Word processing program?

In this coming Monday's post, I will share the results for those three questions and the implications I feel they hold as we look a decade into the future.

Cell Phones in Schools

Dave Sherman responded to my last post and asked my opinion. Rather than try to summarize it in a comment, I am devoting this post to it.

As Dave said in his comment, this issue is not going to go away. Cell phones are a part of our culture. Ten years ago, it was easy enough to say, "No cell phones for teachers." Try that today and see what happens. Schools spend inordinate amounts of time with policies to try and ban cell phones. Kids always find ways to get around them. Kids go the restroom and cell phones come out, as just on example.

I think the key is not banning the cell phones, but eliminating the interruptions that they can provide.(That would not be a bad idea for adults, either.) As Vicki said in her article, inappropriate use of a cell phone places it in "detention" for a week. To me, that seems a consequence that is reasonable, rational, and is not going to cause headache and heartache for the teacher.

The big picture to me, however, is not the distraction. It's the opportunity either seized upon or lost to teach kids how to use a common tool in a productive way. That's why I thinking reading Vicki's article is a must. It sheds a whole new light on what is possible for kids now. We are trying to teach them how to function in the 21st century, and we are going to have to use 21st century tools to do it.

As a next step, I am not saying everyone should allow students to use cell phones anytime, anywhere, or however they like. What I am saying is that as a next step, read Vicki's article. In light of her thoughts and the thoughts of others like her, begin the discussion of what is going to best help our students to be productive in the 21st century. Right now, it looks like using cell phones as a productivity tool is a pretty good component.

Cell Phones in Schools

Mention "cell phone" and "school" in the same sentence while in a room full of principals, and you get the same effect as fingernails on a chalkboard. The harder we try to devise ways to keep cell phones out of schools, the more ways kids find to bring them in. I don't think that one is likely to change.

Do cell phones have a place in schools? The quick answer for many is "no." After all, why do kids need to make phone calls while in school? And we all know that making a phone call is all a cell phone can do, right?

Vicki Davis is noted nationally for her creative work in technology education. This post from her blog is a must-read. She realizes that kids are going to have cell phones and makes the choice to teach them how to use them as productivity tools.