Journal 4

"From Toy To Tool," by Liz Kolb.

The authors first impression of the use of cell phones in the classroom starts with the idea that they should be banned. After realizing that cell phones are an integral part of her students lives, she has since started to rethink this idea. In her article she goes on to tell how students can use their cell phones as a learning "tool" instead of simply as a "toy." She suggests ways that students can be taught to use their cell phone to their benefit and how to use them as a resource in their education. The author also suggests that school administration and parents should be kept informed of how the students are to be using their cell phones within the classroom. Although she admits that there is a possibility of misuse, she feels that the benefits out weight these risks for the students.

Questions:

1. How could a teacher manage the use of cell phones in the classroom to know that the students are not simply texting friends, etc? I feel this can be done in several ways; one of which could be to collect the cell phones at the beginning of class and later pass them out for use or upon leaving the class.

2. What could be a possible way of enforcing this use? You could start with a series of warnings to the student. If the misuse continues you could go to more severe penalties such as not allowing the student to be involved in that days activity, or with continuous misuse, collect the phone for a parent to pick up.

3. What are some other possible ways to use cell phones as a tool in the classroom?
I feel that since cell phones are such a big part of today's society, a classroom setting would be the ideal place to teach such things as the proper use of cell phones (when/where/how it is appropriate) to use your phone.