Author: Joseph Ferrantelli, Ed. D., Wagner College
I worked 26 years in one of the most prestigious school systems in the country. In the latter half of that time, technology was being used in the classroom. The school system spent millions to install interactive boards in every classroom.
Early Resistance
However, the teacher training was not adequate. The four-thousand-dollar chalkboard was used essentially as a chalkboard. Millions more were spent on computers for classes, but there wasn’t enough. And the computers that we did have often didn’t work.
Computers that did work could not pass the school’s firewall. Many websites, such as YouTube, were blocked and could not be accessed. It was amazing to see how the school system insisted on the “NO CELLPHONES ALLOWED IN SCHOOLS” rule. This was ignored by everyone. Okay, so I can’t get a working computer for my class, but every student has a smartphone in their pocket.
Mobile Rules Broken
I had to ignore the rule, but it was a good thing for my students. My students were encouraged to use their phones to Google any information they needed. This helped me to learn. As a class, we had instant access to all of the knowledge in the world. Students were able to search the internet for information about the topic and found a wealth of it. When a student asks a great question, I ask if anyone has the answer. If not, I ask them to Google it.
To motivate my students, I would give “Math Bucks” to the person who discovered the answer first. This elevated learning to a whole new level. As a math teacher, it was a pleasure to have students search definitions, view Khan Academy explanations, and even see a video of students singing the quadratic formula.
Students could quickly research and answer any question when working in groups. I could use my phone to collect formative assessment data via Plickers digital learning tool. We could also use our smartphones with the app Kahoot to work in an interactive whiteboard, answering questions and getting instant feedback.
I could also upload a file to a Learning Management System like Moodle or Blackboard. The LMS was accessible from any device.
Differentiating Learning Tools
I could email each student the worksheet via my phone if I didn’t want them to make copies or forgot. They open it on their phones after they receive it. This allows me differentiate the worksheet I sent. I could send the struggling student lower level questions and worksheets with more challenging questions to students who need enrichment.
My experience has shown that students learn more when mobile devices are used correctly in class. Students are more involved. The noise you hear becomes good noise, the noise of engaged students.
