Cell Phones in the Classroom

Call me old-fashioned but I just do not think that having a cell phone as a teaching tool would be a good idea. There are too many other resources that we can use that are not nearly as distracting as a cell phone. No matter what rules or contracts you try to enforce with your students, they still are going to be tempted to use that device for things besides learning.

We should be investing our funding on improving computer labs in school by updating the software and purchasing new equipment. There are so many things that can be done with a computer that can't be done with a cell phone. I feel that a cell phone can only take a student so far in advancing their technology skills, where a computer can open up so many more doors for them. Rather than focusing our time on cell phone use we should be spending more time on increasing their computer skills.

After reading both articles the only useful skill that could be beneficial is the ability to take pictures and record lectures on the cell phone that can be immediately synced with a blog or other site. I just feel that trying to incorporate cell phones into classrooms will end up costing more money than it is worth. I personally have gone over my minutes or texts in a month without even realizing and can across a shockingly high bill. I can only imagine what a teenagers monthly cell phone usage looks like. Financially it is not a wise decisiion.

When my students enter the classroom there will be no cell phones allowed. Unless the students parents have made prior arrangements with me that allows the cell phone to be present. If they bring their phone then it will be taken away and given back at the end of class. It is too much of a distraction for students and too tempting to not play with during class.

Technology for Our Students

Today's world relies so much on the technology that preparing our students to be fluent in this tech-world is a crucial part of their success in the "real world". Almost any job today will require you to have some basic computer skills. Our students will need to be ready for the competition that will present itself in their future careers. I am slowly learning new skills with technology that I will definitely be incorporating into my lesson plans as a future educator so my students will be better prepared in their future. This course alone has gave me so many more useful strategies for teaching that will be beneficial for all my students.

Of course it can be difficult to use technology if the school doesn't have the proper equipment. In the article "Social Justice-Choice or Necessity", they suggest using local community resources such as the public library or a local Boys and Girls Club, this way students can have access to certain software or programs that may not be available for them at home. A previous article titled "From Toy to Tool" talks about the use of cellphones in the classroom and suggests teachers writing for a technology grant that would allow the purchase of certain software or other technology tools to be used in the school. There are ways to gain access to these tools, it just takes a bit of creativity on our part.

I want all of my students to have the same opportunities as their peers so making sure that they are well prepared and knowledgeable with technology is very important to me. I will make sure that I am continually updating my own skills with the digital world and bringing a new and creative twist to their learning.

Video Games in the Classroom

I remember in elementary school when we were first using computers we played a game called "The Oregon Trail", it was amazing. Everyone I know that played this game as a child absolutely loved this activity. Not only did this game teach us about using a computer and about the history of the Oregon trail, it was fun and exciting. Instead of being in the classroom and finding the information in a text, this gave us a "hand-on" approach to learning. Allow I am not the best at video games, I think that video games are a useful tool to enhance the learning process.

In the article "Good Video Games and Good Learning" written by James Gee, he brings up several points that show why video games are useful in the classroom. I agree that when playing a video game it allows the player to take on the identity of the character, they make a committment to their identity and really feel what it's like to be in this virtual world. Video games give you interaction unlike what you would receive out of a textbook. You provide a form of input and the game responds to this with a certain output, a book only allows for a one-way interaction. I also find it important that video games allow the student to be apart of the developing of the game. In school students don't have many opportunities where they can contribute to the lessons, the video games allows them to contribute to their learning.

Although I feel video games can be a valuable tool for learning, I don't think they should be overly incorporated into the curriculum. I know that personally I struggle with video games and feel more comfortable learning out of a textbook or taking notes in a lecture. It is important to keep in mind that not all students will have the hand-eye coordination that is necessary to be successful in video game learning. All students learn differently so all styles of learning need to be incorporated into the classroom.

My students will be much more technologically advanced than I so I will definitely make sure that I use technology based learning whenever possible. There are many positive aspects that can come out of using video games as a learning tool in the classroom and as a future educator I want to make sure that my students have a chance to take advantage of the technology that is available to them.