10 Ideas for Using Cell Phones in the Classroom, K-12

[Timothy Gangwer]

In today's "flat world" millions of students in China, Japan, the Philippines, and Germany are using their mobile phones to learn English; study math, health and spelling; and to access live and archived university lectures. Marc Prensky shares that the average cell phone has more computing power than many of the computers of 10 years ago. He goes on to ask, “How can we harness that power in education?” Below are 10 easy ideas for integrating cell phones into learning and instruction.

1. Student response polling or pop quizzes
2. Find definitions, currency conversion, math equations, translations
3. Use as an Internet browser to access information
4. Research
5. Read news articles and current events
6. Read books
7. Download and use education programs such as Google Maps and use as GPS
8. Use as a digital or video camera to accompany school projects, publishing, etc.
9. Educate students on appropriate and acceptable social use
10. Use the voice technology to share engaging lectures or lessons

Listed below are additional resources for learning more about integrating cell phones into instruction.
Toy to Tools Blog by Liz Kolb
http://www.cellphonesinlearning.com/
This blog is dedicated to conversing on methods for integrating cell phones into classroom learning.

Cell Phones in Learning Wiki
http://cellphonesinlearning.wikispaces.com/

10 Ways to Use a Camera Phone in Education Blog by Jeff VanDrimmelen
http://edutechie.com/2007/06/06/8-ways-to-use-camera-phones-in-educ...

Mobile Phones in Education: Constructive Not Destructive Power Point by Sharon Tonner
http://www.slideshare.net/satonner/mobile-phones-in-education-const...

2009 Horizon Report for K-12 Edition focused on Mobile Technologies
http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon-Report-K12.pdf

Teach Digital Wiki by Wes Fryer
http://teachdigital.pbwiki.com/cellphones

Duke University Center for Instructional Technology: Mobile Devices in Education
http://cit.duke.edu/tools/mobile/index.html

Cell Phones Get Top Marks in Classroom - article from eSchool News
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/around-the-web/index.cfm?i=58186