Mobile Phones
101 Uses for a
Camera Phone
Please don't write
off mobile phones as an educational tool just because the school rules say
they're banned. They can be incredibly powerful devices, especially when most
pupils have them and most schools don't have much audio-visual equipment.
Here are just a
few useful things you can do with your mobile in class:
- Film science experiments or class
discussions to add into powerpoint
- Video interviews of people in
the community
- Upload photos to flickr
using your phone's email facility
- Update your class blog
by text message or email
- Post to your blog including
photos you have just taken and a description (useful as a diary while
on a school trip)
- Control your computer or powerpoint
by 'magic' (also know as bluetooth) using Control
Freak
- Record sound clips of debates,
music composed by pupils or modern language classes
- Transfer music or modern language
sound clips to pupils' mobiles (or iPods) to study for homework
- Ask pupils to take photos of objects
(as homework or on school trips) to then study or draw in class
- Take a series of still photos
to then turn into an animation
- Synchronise your phone with your
Outlook email and calendar, so that your phone beeps to remind you of staff
meetings or CPD courses.
- Send a text message to remind
pupils about exams and prelims
- Encourage pupils to text
the school about bullying, crime or anti-social behaviour
- Ask pupils to write a 'keitai
tanka' text message poem and send it to a friend
- Play traditional games like conkers
- ...and if the head teacher fires
you for breaking the school rules, you can always use your phone to get
a better job
Articles
New York Times: Lesson plan on "Pens,
Paper and ... Cellphones? Examining How Modern Technology Can Enhance Learning
in the Classroom". Aimed at 9-12 years but might be more suitable at
older age group or as a CPD activity
Martin Owen, the Director of Learning
at NESTA Futurelab has written an article on 'Killer
apps' for mobile phones - an educational view
An interview with Josh Dhaliwal,
Director, mobileYouth on The
rise and rise of the mobile phone
Dan Sutch, Learning Reseacher, NESTA
Futurelab, Mobile
presence: Enhancing communication within learning environments
This
page was last updated by Kate Farrell
on
6 December, 2005
