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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] for 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"]] || Alexandra Allbon

Cassie Latcham

Johanna Backen

Isabel Bosworth

Nikki Boswell

Katrina Johnston

Rion Banks

Jye O’Grady

Leigh Hagen || //**Judgement:**// What is wrong with this? Why will this not work? Is this safe? Can this be done? || Mobile phones in education, is a irresponsible and unsafe!

The fact that a very large amount of teenagers have smart phones in there pockets available to them around the clock is worrying! they can look up what ever and who ever they like, say what ever like to who ever they like and take pictures when ever they feel like it. allowing phones within the classroom bring in new ways of harassment and bulling.

Students are more likely to get distracted by the phone rather than use for education reasons, many teenagers rather be watching 'fails' on YouTube than learn the quadric formula.

Interfering with classroom teaching, distracting students and teacher momentum. Can aid cheating, increase potential for social disagreements through cyber bulling, status and social issues. There are safety issues including contact with unapproved adults and potential to become a tool in drug trafficking within schools.

Distracting the individual as well as distracting friendship groups if texting occurs. If not set to silent the noise could interrupt learning and teaching. Causes the teacher to stop teaching and address issues. Safety issues include cyber bullying, via social media platforms, text etc. Students taking photos of other students whilst unaware, and potentially distributing the image.

Distraction for students and teacher. Hard to monitor use due to size of screens (ie computers easier to visually monitor). Can be a carriage for bullying, may expose some students due to bullying due to not having the most up to date smartphone etc., some students may not have a phone.

By allowing students to use phones at school they could be used inappropriately and increase the risk of bullying and theft. Parents may not be comfortable with the use of phones due to the risk of these expensive items being damages, lost or stolen. Does a phone really offer anything that a closed network device doesn’t?

Students with cell phones are notorious for spending copious amounts of time on social networks, as such they would be easily distracted by having a phone in class. Cyber-bullying is also a problem when other students text one another inappropriately. source: isysgroupBLOG (2013).

I believe that mobile phones should not be embedded in the classroom environment, as they will prove to be a huge distraction to the students. Also, similar to laptops, if the students are given the opportunity to use phones in the classroom, they could abuse that privilege.

I believe having mobile phones in classrooms would have a negative impact on students learning opportunities. Just like laptops, more often than not, the mobile phones will create a distraction decreasing their focus on the learning task at hand.

I believe mobile phones in the classroom could have a positive effect. Like most things, when you are told NO - This is forbidden - this becomes the thing you want most. In schools where mobiles are not banned in classrooms, students are seen not to be distracted, or using their phones when they should be participating in classroom activities. While there are definitely some issues as expressed previously, giving the child the responsibility to do the right thing and show some maturity can only aid their personal development. ||
 * [[image:debonoshats/blue.jpg width="140" height="128"]] || Cassie Latcham

Johanna Backen

Isabel Bosworth

Nikki Boswell

Katrina Johnston

Sharlee Giannoukas

Rion Banks

Jye O’Grady

Leigh Hagen || //**The Process:**// Where are we now? What is the next step? Where have we been? What sort of thinking is needed? || Currently, 78% of all teenagers now own a phone(about.com/education). So they are here and staying. The next step is to create polices that manage the needs of the student and teachers with the risks towards their safety and learning.

At the moment individual school policy dictates mobile phone use in classrooms. The next step could be to research the PMI’s and inform future policy. Traditionally no phones have been allowed. Progressive thinking is needed – connectivism.

Talking to practicing teachers they have said that their use in classrooms is now dictated by individual schools and then by teacher preference. Traditionally phones are seen as a no no school, let along in the classroom.The next step is to think creatively to come up with some scaffolded activities that involve mobile phones both in the classroom and to support continued learning outside of the classroom. There are both positives and negatives in using phones in the classroom. Given the ever evolving capacity and potential of phones, it seems that schools and teachers need to come up with pedagogical practices and school wide policies to hone the learning opportunities offered whilst safe guarding, and assisting students navigate potential dangers.

Most teenagers have a mobile. Integrating them into education should follow. We have been scared of this but we need to think outside the box to how we can use them to our advantage. source: Reading. M. (2012).

I believe that there is both pros and cons when it comes to using mobile phones in the classroom however I think that it is important to keep up to date with technology that appeals to students. Mobile phones are global and are used every day in nearly every house hold. If we aren't using technology such as mobile which are current and what the students are familiar with - how are we supposed to engage students and get them actively involved within the classrooms? I think if mobile phone were introduced into the classroom there would have to be rules and regulations implemented and set.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the majority of students (years 5 and 6) have mobile phones, iPads or tablets etc. Therefore, as the students have prior experience, they would know how to use them and use them appropriately. But it is important that there is strong observation from the educator when these devices are being used.

With technology finding its way further into the education system (and around the world), it would not surprise me if mobile phones find their way in also. It is an observable fact that each year, the age of children that have some kind of technology gets younger and younger. Therefore, having mobile phones in school may be successful (students will have prior knowledge) but will have to be monitored closely by the learning manager.

 Integrating mobile phones into the classroom environment rather than classing them as contraban could become an educational aid for teachers, rather than a hindrance. With correct policies and procedures in place, smart phones present limitless opportunities for connecting students both in their own classrooms, and globally. ||
 * [[image:green.jpg width="147" height="121"]] || Cassie Latcham

Johanna Backen

Isabel Bosworth

Nikki Boswell

Katrina Johnston

Rion Banks

Jye O’Grady

Leigh Hagen || //**Creativity:**// What new ideas are possible with this? What is my suggestion for success? Can I create something new? || Teachers who use phones in their lessons say that their students are engaged and more attentive than typically. A phone can be a powerful educational tool. Many successful strategies are being developed s such as a small group projects with incentives such as research races and text competitions for correct answers such as the website [|polleverywhere.com]

New ideas – immediate access to information and the ability to communicate and share it, activities could be developed using the GPS functions in phones, e.g. math problems derived from google map get direction function. Suggestion for success is conduct/engage in research to support ideas. - GPS is also a great tool for keeping track of truant students ;)

New types of activities can be created that are not possible or as engaging with a computer.

Students can text/post live questions to the teacher anonymously, students can quickly and easily research an answer to a question themselves, photos can be taken of notes rather than copying it all down, the possibilities are endless. For mobile phone use in the classroom to be successful, they should be scaffolded and planned use to avoid distraction and non-beneficial use.

The ever evolving capacity of phones does offer endless possibilities for teachers, students and learners. The diversity of functions on these devices opens up opportunities to further embrace the idea of multiple intelligences by allowing students to collect artefacts, evidence or data that musical, visual, verbal, or literal, for example.


 * There are apps that can be used in all subjects.
 * Social networks can be used to collaborate.
 * The camera could be used to created v-blogs or document work practices.
 * Can be used to look-up and read textbooks on the fly.

source: dazeinfo (2012).

By having phones in the classroom: Allows for new activities to be introduced (e.g. games and apps)
 * The students have a new way of learning
 * It accommodates for all three learning styles (visual, auditory and kinaesthetic)
 * Is engaging and interesting

There are numerous activities/strategies that have been created to have a positive impact on the use of mobile phones in the classroom. Examples of these are; use of the mobile as a response system, teacher apps, delivering materials (e.g. curriculum details) and recording lessons (for individual work) (Ormiston, M., 2012).

Classroom and student specific programs and apps can be developed and utilised, making the teacher/student relationship more personal (and trackable). E-Learning also allows the student to access content 24/7, rather than standard school hours. Distractions can also be limited by flipping this technology the other way; perhaps accessing school content through a specific app that blocks the use of other sites, similar to how the typical classroom computer works. ||
 * [[image:debonoshats/red.jpg width="116" height="133"]] || Cassie Latcham

J ohanna Backen

Isabel Bosworth

Nikki Boswell

Katrina Johnston

Rion Banks

Jye O’Grady

Leigh Hagen || //**Feelings:**// How do I feel about this? What do I like about the idea? What don't I like about the idea? || I do like the safety factor of my child having the ability to contact me but I don’t like that in return anyone could contact my child. Mobile cameras and social networking can lead to an array of issues in social issues and safety. The connection between bullying and suicide is becoming increasingly apparent. Researchers in Australia and New Zealand are finding an increasing number of suicides by teens may be attributed to being cyber bullied by their peers.

I feel apprehensive; and that if you have access to a computer in class you don’t need access to a mobile phone. I like that it would engage students more I don’t link that it would be distracting and very difficult to monitor/manage.

I think it’s a great way to engage students. I believe most young adults feel immediately more comfortable when their phone is close by and they can use it. It’s a way of engaging attention and “moving with the times”. However, I also feel that it would be hard to control, and requires the supply of a phone, which may not be possible for all students. Can lead to competition about style/model of phone etc.

A huge amount of trust is needed to allow students the privilege of using phones

in the classroom. As useful as they could be there is a big temptation for them

to simple be a distraction, used for off task or inappropriate activity, as

well as pose a genuine risk for bullying (physical or cyber) and theft.

source: Funny Pictures (n.d.)
 * I think it would be positive as students enjoy their phones.
 * Incorporating fun is important.
 * However, there could be social division or bullying due to how new/big/expensive each phone is.
 * They bring them most days anyway, why not incorporate them.

Personally, I feel that phones are used appropriately and is somehow beneficial to each student, then by embedding mobile phones into the classroom is a good thing. It is essential that education moves with the digital age, and therefore this would be a positive step in education.

I feel that it is not necessary to include mobile phones in the classroom. There are many safety concerns in general that you need to be aware of (hacking of phone, contacting strangers etc.) and from an education view, the safety concerns are just as bad. In addition, I feel that if mobile phones were to be used in the classroom, there’d have to be a great deal of trust and respect built between the learning manager and students.

I feel that phones should be integrated, if for no other reason than teachers will be continually fighting against them anyway. Mobile phones are here to stay, and students are not going to stop using them. We might as well utilise them as something else in the teacher's tool belt, instead of constantly saying no. I like that including them offers a level of respect between teacher and student; as the student is expected to maintain a certain level of maturity, I dislike the idea that they could be used negatively; for things like bullying. I do however believe this is a problem no matter the technology available, so this is not something exclusive to mobile phones. They simply make it easier. ||
 * [[image:debonoshats/yellow.jpg width="117" height="128"]] || Cassie Latcham

Johanna Backen

Isabel Bosworth

Nikki Boswell

Katrina Johnston

Rion Banks

Jye O’Grady

Leigh Hagen || //**Benefits:**// What are the good points? Why can this be successful? Why is this a good thing? || The students can manage their own after school activities and commitments. Phones also have a GPS capacity which could be used in a crisis to aid the safety of students. Mobiles phones have amazing capacities, with the connection to the internet, students can be truly portable learners. There is a ‘smart’ in a smartphone.

Good points: parents can communicate with children frequently, can improve social engagement, safety (in that children can call for assistance if needed), mobile internet access. It’s a good thing from a personal (not digital) safety perspective which may make integration successful.

Engaging, progressive. Fun to plan for! Students are contactable at all times, gives another ICT platform to use to scaffold learning.

Mobile phones are likely to provide the opportunity for students to utilise a wide

variety of ICTs through the use of various phone apps. Although these apps may

similarly be available on ipads/tables or laptops, mobile phones are easier to

transport and less with the use of special cases are far less likely to be damaged,

which gives the practical opportunity to use ICTs beyond the physical bounds of

a classroom. They can be taken on excursions and to other physical locations of

the school.

source:catandogme.com
 * They can be contacted at school.
 * Good in an emergency.
 * They will encourage social connections.
 * Incorporates technology that students use every day.
 * A variety of apps available to use as resources.
 * Camera, recorder, calculator, calendar and textbooks in your pocket.

I believe that this can be a successful move because students are becoming more engaged and interested in ICTs, and if mobile phones are introduced to classroom learning, the students will benefit. It will also improve their ICTs skills, which is essential in the fast-moving digital world.

<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">With technology commonly being used throughout classrooms, the inclusion of mobiles will allow for a broader range of skills to be used. It will also allow for individual work/answering (when in full class situations) to be done more effectively.


 * Mobility - accessed anywhere, lighter than carrying around several textbooks
 * Instant information - no need to take turns on school computers/ wait for library books
 * Exposes students to a broader information database
 * Cost - cheaper for parents than purchasing several text books that will never be used again ||
 * [[image:white.jpg width="153" height="133"]] || Cassie Latcham

Johanna Backen

Isabel Bosworth

Nikki Boswell

Katrina Johnston

Rion Banks

<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jye O’Grady

Leigh Hagen || //**Information**//: What information do I have? What are the facts? What information do I need? What do I want to KNOW? || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All the information I researched on this topic indicated that it is early days, leaving schools to adapt and trial their own regulations. More information is needed to be collaborated and more safety initiatives need to be put in place before we will have a clear answer.

I’ve researched a number of websites (.gov and public) which all seem to discuss the benefits of personal safety and creative engagement with a caution to cyber safety and distractions/disengagement from the classroom environment. I want to know what the teachers out there right now think.

I knew little about the issue of mobile phones in the classroom and the current acceptance of them until I did some research. I found that it is a contentious and emotional issue. Schools that do decide to allow them need to have clear policies for managing their use. I need to know if the schools I will do my prac in have policies on mobile phone use at school? I want to talk to a teacher that does purposely scaffold activities with the use of mobile phones and how it works for them.

The prevalence of students with mobile phones in secondary schools has increased

significantly over the past years. What may have previously been a status

symbol or considered a valuable item is now more likely to just be an essential

personal item, but does this mean there is an opportunity for to utilise these

devices within schools? There is a lot to consider with the question and a lot

of variables that come into play.

Source: Cook, K. (2013)
 * Most kids have a cell phone and take it to school every day.
 * Texts books are available digitally.
 * Texting is just another form of passing notes.
 * I want to know if there are ways to limit distractions to make them more acceptable.

Education Queensland state that “Most schools have their own policy about whether students can take their mobile phones to school and how their use is governed”. Mobile phones being used in the classroom is an area where there is not much evidence until more schools implement the device in their classrooms.

<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There are numerous sites that contain strategies to maintain a safe environment for the use of mobile phones, yet it uncommon to find a site foregrounding how to monitor the students use. As a student teacher who is hoping to get a grasp on new and interesting ways to get the best out of students, I want to know what teachers think about including mobile phones in the classroom.

Like anything new, information and evidence is scarce in the beginning (and oftentimes skewed). While some websites offer planning proposals for the use and policing of mobile phones, this is something that is determined by each individual school. I would like to hear from school's where phone integration is successfully working, as well as schools where they have perhaps tried and failed. I would also like to know what students think of the idea. ||

Source: Katrina Johnston

Reference List CatandDogmee.com. (n.d.) //Mobile Phones Welcome// [Digital Image] .Retrieved from catandogme.com

Cook, K. (2013) //Flipped Classroom and Making tutorials// [Cartoon]. Retrieved from http://www.katiecook.info/page/2/

dazeinfo (2012). //Use of Smartphones and Tablets in the Classroom: [Infographic]// [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://dazeinfo.com/2012/08/03/use-of-smartphones-and-tablets-in-the-classroom-infographic/

Funny Pictures (n.d.) //Male Student Raising His Hand In Class// [Cartoon]. Retrieved from http://funny-pictures.picphotos.net/cartoon-raise-hand/images.clipartof.com*small*1088839-Clipart-Life-Long-Male-Student-Raising-His-Hand-In-Class-Royalty-Free-Vector-Illustration.jpg/

isysgroupBLOG (2013). //How to waste time in a boring class// [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://classroomsurvivalguide.blogspot.com.au/

Reading. M. (2012). //Friday Funny - Phones in School [Cartoon].// Retrieved from http://teacherstraining.com.au/phones-in-school/