journal 4

From Toy to Tool
By Liz Kolb

What a fun article! Liz Kolb, a student at Michigan University whom studies technology learning, writes about the fun ways in how to incorporate a cell phone into your lesson plans. Although the idea might sound a little crazy, Kolb mentions several ways in how students can use their cell phones to help them study, do reports or even conduct interviews over the phone yet still have it directly imported online. Kolb recognizes the fact that students are more interested in their cell phones at times than they are the teacher standing in front of the room, and because of this, creative thinking is needed in order to stimulate the learning process. She proposes the idea of using helpful websites such as Gabcast.com and Blogger.com that will include the use of the students cell phones when they need to record important information. Once the students sign up on these free websites, they are able to record interviews they are conducting or record important information they believe they will need later. The data recorded by student is then automatically posted on the web under the site they/or the class as a whole has set up. Kolb also confronts some of the skeptical comments and provides convincing arguments that could make a teacher comfortable enough to go ahead and try this new concept.

Question #1: Do you think this is a good idea for students in the middle level grades?

I believe this is a fantastic idea for teachers of all grades, but especially for the middle and high school levels. Since teachers commonly have to compete with the student’s cell phones in class, bringing the cell phones forth and showing ways in which they can be beneficial to their learning is very smart. I believe that any way a teacher can bring forth real life situations to a subject to the student is just another way to encompass different learning styles and therefore create a better and more enjoyable learning environment.

Question #2: What are some different arguments you could make as a teacher to find the money to support this lesson and buy cell phones and perhaps computers for your classroom?

As a teacher, I would recognize the following concepts that the students would develop with the use of cell phones and computers: the use of technology that the students use in their everyday lives, cell phones are not only social toys, but also a learning tool, etc.