Mobile Phones Wiki... (Assessment Item 1) Part 3 of 4

So this week’s task was to contribute to the mobile phones wiki.  My first impressions included “you’ve got to be kidding me, and no way can mobile phones seriously be used in classrooms in the 21^st century”.  No matter what anyone says, and what research can prove, I truly believe that bringing mobile phone usage into a classroom is a bad move.  Imagine the disruption, the lack of focus on learning and the bullying/stealing aspects it would bring to the classroom.  (The socio-economic status evolving into a disaster, with who can afford the latest model iphone or whose parents can’t afford a mobile phone for their son/daughter regardless).

 

I understand the whole ‘embrace technology, it is your friend’, but students do not need another tool when everything is readily available with the use of interactive whiteboards and other teacher resources.  Consider the possibility of students using mobile phones in the classroom for texting, internet, facebook updates, and videoing you (the teacher) and uploading it onto youtube.  It may be a different story if say the school were to purchase a certain number of smart phones for students to have access to, where it can be monitored and controlled at all times.

 

Mobile phones as a learning tool in the classroom, the inevitable debate for students in this wiki.  I particularly liked the idea of using ‘De Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats’ as a graphic organiser and it was well scaffolded.  Yet again, being a virgin to this scaffolding tool, I found it very educational and useful as it was easy to follow and collaboratively with my fellow students I was able to add my reflections on the topic efficiently and effectively.  However, I must have bad luck because I just went back to view what I had previously commented on and they have all disappeared again.  Regardless of the digital technology problems that have occurred I believe the use of different coloured hats which represent different perspectives on the topic allows the whole picture to be seen.  Students were encouraged to use higher order thinking skills in this process which I think worked really well.  For future reference, I’m thinking that all my reflections on each topic I should just add to my blog and then at least the teacher can see what work I have actually done.

 

In the way of constructivism, students worked as a group, collaborating ideas in this wiki.  In the way of connectivism, finding external resources such as journal articles to support your case and also the amount of thinking required in this activity shows a strong presence of cognitive theories.  This wiki also supported different learning styles with the readings and video, so overall as I work through the wiki’s each week, I enjoying learning how they can be used in different formats despite the let down with technical errors.  I have gained a better understanding of this subject and look forward to putting it into practice in the classroom.