Group+2

Add your thoughts to this wiki, reflecting on mobile phones in education .You are welcome to put on and take off a new colour hat as your reflect on different issues and perspectives!

De Bono's Hats
If you are unfamiliar with de Bono's six thinking hats, [|visit][|Volunteering Australia] fo r a reso urce on the topic. Then edit the table provided as scaffolding, add your ideas, opinions, and where possible your research. How will a collation of diverse perspectives from 19 different people inform your thinking? How could you use this in your classroom?


 * ==Colour Hat== || ==Names of students adding ideas== || ==The colour perspective== || ==Your ideas, research, perspectives and arguments == ||
 * [[image:black.jpg width="126" height="122"]] || Aidan Godbaz
 * [[image:black.jpg width="126" height="122"]] || Aidan Godbaz

Kimberly Wilson

Jessica Firkin


 * Zeb Martin-Teale **


 * Michael Patrick **

Rachael Collins || //**Judgement:**// What is wrong with this? Why will this not work? Is this safe? Can this be done? || Having mobile phones in the classroom will just never work! For most students, it will be too distracting to have a mobile in the classroom. Currently, most students carry them into classrooms already when there is a ban on them during school hours. What liberties will students take when they are actually allowed? And what control will the teachers have over the student's use of mobile phones? If students are off task and not using their phones in an appropriate manner, will the teacher be able to confiscate #|the phone?

When I first began my thinking on the topic I struggled to see the merit in allowing phones to be used in education. My thinking was that students could access tablets for the same purpose and that the temptation for distraction outweighed the #|benefit. I also had concerns about the safety of students from cyber bullying or inappropriate content as well as the teachers inability to monitor the usage. I was also thinking that it would be difficult to ensure access for all students particularly if not every student owned a mobile phone. (Images sourced from Google images)

Mobile phones in the classroom will only contribute to further disruption from valuable learning as most students will be able to access text messaging and social media which will distract them from the actual task. Most schools ban #|mobile phones all together and the few schools that allow them have very strict rules for the use of them during school hours. For me, safety is huge issue with more and more children having access to technology and the internet. Cyber bullying is a major issue in not only high schools but increasingly in primary school environments as well. Technology should be encouraged in the classroom but I don't believe it should be through the use of mobile phone, at this stage the safety concerns, cyber bullying, disruptions to learning and lack of everyone having access to the same resources will only cause major issues.


 * Mobile phone in classrooms will just create a major distraction not only to the students using them but also to fellow #|classmates and the classroom environment in general. In addition to this when used in the classroom mobile phone can be a major safety concern as teachers are not able to monitor what every student is doing/looking at. In the end this could lead to such instances as students cheating on tests, looking at inappropriate material and using social networks for the wrong reasons. Additionally, most mobile phones have cameras imbedded in them and with this tool many students would be breaching certain codes of conduct when taking happy snaps and posting them on the World Wide Web. **

Although there are many benefits to Mobile phones in the classroom there are some issues that arise with the technology. With the ever present rise of social media and app’s providing students with the means to instantly send and receive messages and images that could be damaging to a student’s, cyber-bullying becomes a serious issue. All students no matter their background deserve a safe-environment to learn and develop, which inevitably could be diminished if all students have the technology and means to bully other students from their desk. With a huge range of Mobile Phones, ensuring all students have compatible devices is another major issues as some phones will cost significantly more than others. For this to be possibly done in schools major work will be required to be done in insuring cyber-safety for all students, how to ensure the technology is being used correctly and ensuring all teachers have correct #|training and understanding on how Mobile Phones should/could be used in the classroom.


 * If students were allowed mobile phones in the classroom, it would greatly disadvantage the effect of work of teachers and will hinder the overall learning in a classroom. Even if they are used during a lesson, students would become easily distracted with games, social media, texting etc. Any presence of mobile phones in the classroom is a negative impact on teaching and learning. ** ||
 * [[image:debonoshats/blue.jpg width="140" height="128"]] || Aidan Godbaz

Kimberly Wilson

Jessica Firkin


 * Zeb Martin-Teale **

Michael Patrick

Rachael Collins || //**The Process:**// Where are we now? What is the next step ? Where have we been? What sort of thinking is needed? || Most teenagers have phones. As part of a society where technology is evolving in leaps and bounds, it is a responsibility of educators to adapt our teaching methods to flow with the times. The incorporation of mobile phones into the classroo m could have both positive and negative effects. We should think "outside the box" in an attempt to positively integrate mobiles into the classroom.

“As far as Kolb and others are concerned, educators have more to gain from embracing cell phones than they do from keeping them out of the classroom. "The educational segment is lagging behind the sophistication of the students," says McKinney of HP. "They need to catch up."” (AMTA.org)

#|Curriculum.edu.au provides that although there are obstacles to implementing such technology, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. This website also provides guidelines for implementation.

The fact of the matter is, technology is here to stay, our students are tech savvy and we are preparing them for a technology rich world. It seems only logical that teachers change their thinking from being afraid of this technology creating a strain and providing to distractions to opening the mind to the possibilities. I believe that the 21st century teacher should approach this with both caution and open arms to follow the set out guidelines and work within the schools policy to safely and sensibly incorporate this technology into learning experiences .

[[image:https://rqcsocialmedia.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/teacher-does-texting.jpg width="281" height="232"]]
(Image sourced from Google images)

Technology is a major aspect of everyday life and now it would seem that most teenagers have their mobile phones 'glued' to their hands. Most students would have access to mobile phones, iPod's or tablets. I think that with careful consideration and clever planning, we as teachers will be able to find a way in utilise these tools in our everyday classroom. Obviously some students will attempt to push the boundaries but I think the positive learning outcomes that could be achieved would far out way the negative aspects of mobile phone use in the classroom. Perhaps as the future educators we need to just give it a go and embrace mobile phones in our classrooms.


 * Because of the ever growing numbers of "Smart phones" that not only teenagers but young children are growing up and using in current times it is important as educators to be able to use and adopt these technologies in out learning design. but Teachers should not just jump in the deep end before giving deep thought into how and where they could be useful and what sort of pre-emptive measures need to be taken to make sure mobile phones are not only safe to use in the class room but are also being used for what the purpose **
 * is at hand. **

Mobile Phones are no longer just a means of communicating via speech and messaging, they are now portable hand held computers able to answer any question within seconds. Introducing Mobile Phones into the classroom will probably occur in our life time as our society becomes more technologically advanced and depend, Over the past decade classrooms have start to incorporate technology such as IPad’s, Laptops and smarts boards into everyday teaching situations and inevitably Mobile Phones will take the same course as these technologies into our everyday classrooms, teachers need to embrace the technology available and ensure they are keeping up with the times.


 * Where we are right now, modern technology is impacting every aspect of our lives to the point where we are dependent on the presence of technology to get through the day. Children of a school age are becoming more and more accustomed to the use of mobile phones, whether it be them playing games on their parent's phone, or even being given their own. There needs to be a simple way to utilize this use of mobile phones into a classroom environment, without the easy distraction and misuse that would hinder learning. ** ||
 * [[image:green.jpg width="147" height="121"]] || Aidan Godbaz

Kimberly Wilson

<span style="color: #26207f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Jessica Firkin


 * <span style="color: #26207f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Zeb Martin-Teale **

<span style="color: #76f262; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Michael Patrick

<span style="color: #5a0791; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Rachael Collins || //**Creativity:**// What new ideas are possible with this? What is my suggestion for success? Can I create something new? || With the incorporation of mobiles into t he classroom, students and teachers are faced with an array of new opportunities. New classes could be held about mobile phones safety and usage. Even a new form of digital art could be incorporated into schooling. The mobiles could be used as a teaching tool in order to create a collaborative learning environment through class texting or blogging. Even Face Time could be used and projected onto an interactive whiteboard if a guest speaker couldn't make it physically to the classroom.



<span style="color: #9005d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Incorporating this technology into the classroom provides an array of new opportunities for both teaching and learning.

<span style="color: #9005d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Teachhub provides some tips and suggestions for using mobile phones in the classroom including: “recording lectures: The “Flipped" Classroom, use cell phones as your student response system, delivering materials, teacher apps, group work to ensure access and to teach cyber safety.”

<span style="color: #9005d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The opportunities are endless. I would love to use this technology to ‘poll’ students either anonymously or not to gain their feedback or preferences as well as create another channel for them to have their voices heard in their learning and to foster a safe and inviting classroom environment. I could also see the benefit of using this technology for students who may struggle with communication such as ESL students. Other students with special needs such as ASD and ADHD could also benefit from using their mobile phones in the classroom to communicate their needs, as an aid or extension for learning or as a research tool. For example, alarms could be set reminding ADHD students to take a movement break and have programmed reminders for activities for them to choose from. ==<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> == (Image sourced from Google images)

Using mobile phones in the classroom creates endless opportunities for interactive digital learning. With thousands of 'apps' available teachers need to be able to find meaningful ways to include them into the classroom, perhaps with will mean teaching a topic in a completely new way. With the rapid progress of technology some brilliant minded teacher may come up with the perfect classroom app that not only promotes and supports the use of mobile phones in the classroom but also finds away of dealing with the negative aspects that could arise. We are already using iPad's and tablets in our classrooms, allowing mobile phones just means greater access would be had by all students.


 * Things that could be useful would be reminders set on the phones throughout the day to alert children what they need to do, this put it back on the child to be self managed. Also the class could have a lesson on cyber safety/ codes of conducts etc. and this will depend on the age group that it is targeted at. Also depending on age group you could organise video calls with a class in a whole other country and this could follow the lesson on cyber safety and codes of conduct. **

Introducing Mobile Phones into a classroom opens the door to a wide variety of opportunities and experience that were not available before. This includes allowing students to collaborate work and share ideas and even allowing students sick at home the opportunity to complete work at home and not miss out on work and fall behind.


 * Incorporating mobile phones into the classroom will open a lot of doors to the exploration of teaching and learning. Teachers can send students reminders about homework/assessments/tasks etc., students can use these to research portably when on the go, students can share ideas to a group when they are not in class, and many more opportunities that can arise from this. ** ||
 * [[image:debonoshats/red.jpg width="116" height="133"]] || Aidan Godbaz

<span style="color: #8c16e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Kimberly Wilson

<span style="color: #26207f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Jessica Firkin


 * <span style="color: #26207f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Zeb Martin-Teale **

<span style="color: #57f55d; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Michael Patrick

<span style="color: #54118b; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Rachael Collins || //**Feelings:**// How do I feel about this? What do I like about the idea? What don't I like about the idea? || I personally disagree with having mobile phones in the classroom. I see them as a distraction which could negatively influence teaching and learning. I don't see the point of incorporating them into th e classroom, when tablets or computers can do much the same job.

<span style="color: #900ce0; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Having now done some research and having read some alternate viewpoints, I have changed my opinion about incorporating phones into the classroom. Originally my strongest arguments were that tablets were just as effective, what if not all students had a phone, the cyber safety, distraction and monitoring. I have since read ways to combat all of the above including phones being cheaper than tablets, students being able to share, taking away the taboo, seizing the opportunity to teach safety as well as engaging the students in something that interests them. I have also read many fantastic benefits which have excited me about the the future of ICTs in the classroom

==<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> == (Images sourced from Google images)

I am in 'two minds' about the use of mobile phones in the classroom. I can definitely see the potential advantages and as an adult learner we often use our mobile phones to access learning materials and collaborate with other students etc. However, I do believe the distractions that can be created from allowing mobile phones into the classroom could have an equally negative outcome. Digital safety and cyber bullying are major aspects that would constantly play on my mind if I were to allow my students to use their mobiles during class. It is very easy to multi-task and flip between apps on smart phones which makes it easy for students to get distracted by a text or a facebook post. I think the classroom environment and situation would need to be carefully considered before I would be pushing for mobile phone use. In the meantime students have access to computers and tablets in the classroom which allows similar learning experiences.


 * To be honest I feel as if I am a fence sitter on this subject as I don't totally disagree with using mobile phone in the classroom as I know in todays society they could be such a useful tool. However, I also can see how destructive and distracting they could be in a classroom environment. So in the end I feel the use of these tools comes down to "What are we using them for" and "Why are they useful for this" **

I personally do not like the idea of introducing Mobile Phones into classrooms, especially in the primary school setting. Although there are some great points for introducing Mobile Phones, such as allowing absent students to keep up with work, and enabling students to network and develop proper technology etiquette, the con’s out way the pro’s. With cyber-bully being ramped within schools today, introducing a form of technology that enables the instant transmission and receiving of abuse and damaging images and messages does not suit my own philosophy on technology in schools.


 * There are pros and cons to having mobile phones in the classroom. On one hand, they can be a very useful tool that can be used in almost every lesson during the day and opens doors for new learning experiences, but on the other hand, they can result in being something that is very distracting and can affect the teaching and learning process. Right now, the bottom line is that even though they can be very useful, they can cause much disruption in the classroom so it is best to not be used by students for learning. ** ||
 * [[image:debonoshats/yellow.jpg width="117" height="128"]] || Aidan Godbaz

<span style="color: #8c16e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Kimberly Wilson

Jessica Firkin


 * Zeb Martin-Teale **

Michael Patrick

Rachael Collins || //**Benefits:**// What are the good points? Why can this be successful? Why is this a good thing? || Benefits include: * real time information * encourages students involvement * Apps can be used as study tools * mobiles are portable learning tools

<span style="background-color: #a711cc; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">T <span style="color: #bb08e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">here is much support for mobile phone use in education. Some examples include:

<span style="color: #bb08e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">“We found that not only did student achievement improve, but also that low-achieving and at-risk students gained the most. We found the impact of banning phones for these students equivalent to an [|additional hour a week] in school, or to [|increasing the school year by five days]” (The Conversation).

<span style="color: #bb08e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students will be expected to use the devices to brainstorm ideas and get virtual handouts and podcasts during class. Instructors will use them for such tasks as monitoring attendance. "This is a new platform for learning, in the same way a laptop or a desktop was a new platform," says William Rankin, co-director of mobile learning research at the school, which is in Abilene, Texas. (AMTA.org)

<span style="color: #bb08e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">There are many positive benefits to using mobile phones in schools to enhance learning such as engagement, delivery of materials, supporting a flipped classroom, access to apps, collaboration opportunities. Educational support, notetaking, keeping up with what happens outside school and student interests, access to the internet, opportunities to teach cyber safety, taking away the stigma, lots of in built tools and many more reasons. ==<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> == (Images sourced from Google images)

There are some great benefits for allowing mobile phones into the classroom including: greater access to learning materials, educational apps, additional support for low - achieving students, interactive collaborations (non - threatening digital environment), updated current information, and the ability for the teaching to view all contributions and interactions. Ability to change learning environment and have the information in a portable device that everyone can access. Some teachers and classrooms have found it very successful utilising mobile phones in their classrooms, if we embrace change and attempt to make it work, we may also find the same success.


 * Mobiles phones hold a plethora of benefits for use in the classroom environment, first of all students can access useful an reputable information instantaneously to help them with the learning. Secondly, these devices are familiar to todays generation and they are very capable of using them, would this not be a smart idea to help them learn with a familiar device, were books not familiar to you? **

There are a number of benefits that would occur if Mobile Phones were introduced into a classroom. Students would have an interactive technology that enables them to communicate and collaborate with other students regard tasks and if they require assistance. Absent students will be able to complete school work from where ever they are and not miss out on any vital assessments or information. Mobile Phones are also a cheapish type of technology that is becoming more and more radially available for students. If students are taught properly and given an opportunity to develop skills using Mobile Phones they will gain invaluable skills and knowledge they will be required to use later on in their education and careers.


 * The benefits that can come of using mobile phones in the classroom are that the students will be exposed to new and exciting ways to learn, students can be involved in group work outside of the classroom without needing to be sitting with other students, students can individually find information for a certain topic for homework or an in class activity, and many more benefits that can improve learning, ** ||
 * [[image:white.jpg width="153" height="133"]] || Aidan Godbaz

<span style="color: #8c16e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Kimberly Wilson

Jessica Firkin


 * Zeb Martin-Teale **

Michael Patrick

Rachael Collins || //**Information**//: What information do I have? What are the facts? What information do I need? What do I want to KNOW? || It is a well known fact that technology will continue to evolve in the future. Soon, technology will be everywhere, including deeply embedded into everyday use in the classroom. I'm curious about how this will effect society and education in the future.

]

<span style="color: #c60cd6; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Currently the policies about mobile phone use in schools largely discourage their usage. The Department of Education and Training in Victoria for example has a current policy which suggests that phones should stay in students bags and not be used in any form to cause any type of disruption. On the other hand, there is an exception as to when they are being used to aid learning. This suggests that there is a transition of acceptance in the air. It is beginning to generate movement and discussion as to the many benefits this technology can provide and also caution to the power it brings its users.

Technology is becoming more and more a crucial part of our everyday lives, this is something that as a community we know and it is generally accepted. Although most schools do not allow mobile phones in the classroom they are becoming more aware and tolerant that students do carry them in their school bags. With teachers understanding both the positive and negative outcomes I don't think it will be long before more and more teachers/schools allow it and even embrace the use.

**From personal experience the usage of mobile phone in schools is a no, no. Technology is the largest influence in the modern generation and controls most of the everyday goings on in the world, mobile phones play a huge part in our society now and it is mazing at the endless capabilities that we can reach with these devices. It is because of this I am interested in finding out new ways in which these could be incorporated into a classroom as and effective and useful ICT**.

<span style="color: #9109d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">[] <span style="color: #9109d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">[] <span style="color: #9109d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">[] <span style="color: #9109d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">[] <span style="color: #9109d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/mobile_phones_and_student_learning_in_secondary_sc,28526.html?issueID=11897 ||
 * There is no doubt that mobile phones are a way of life for us now, and this is something that is going to be even more evident in our lives as time goes on. Children are already using iPads, iPods and laptops in their classroom learning, so it is only a matter of time before mobile phones become part of this as well. As long as there are clear measures in place to avoid the misuse of mobile phones by students in the classroom to keep them from becoming distracted, then they will become a great new tool that can be used in many different ways to benefit students' learning. ** || After researching a number of websites and news articles on this topic, it is evident opinions are mixed on this matter. I found in an article by Emma Drury, the endless possibilities mobile phones provided in classrooms and how teachers are currently using them, from multimedia to geocaching to replacing calculators, mobile phones have a staggering amount of uses in the modern day classroom. But on the other hand according to nobullying.com 7 in 10 young people are cyber bullied with 37% being on a regular basis. If mobile phones are introduced into a classroom environment the possibilities of bully increase as more and more children have the means to share their thoughts instantly without thinking of the consequences. A lot of research into the effectiveness of mobile phones in the classroom and the effects on the mental and physical problems that could arise from using mobile phones constantly and frequently needs to occur before anyone considers introducing mobile phones into the learning environment. ||
 * || <span style="color: #8c16e8; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Kimberly Wilson ||  || <span style="color: #9109d1; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">References