Interview on Cell Phone Use within the Classroom

Interview on Cell Phone Use within the Classroom

Finding an educator who uses mobiles within the classroom turned out to be more difficult than I originally thought.  I first set out within my own school.  With the limited amount of people I know in my first year, I came up short on that request. So I contacted a friend from another school who I know uses technology a lot within his classroom. This also proved to be unsuccessful, since his school has a strict no cell phone policy.  However, he was able to direct me to another teacher he knows that teaches Technology Education classes.  

In my interview I wanted to know the following; first, what are the restrictions for the usages within the school? Second, if there were many challenges? Third, if their experience using mobiles was a good experience or not, and why?

At Mr. Schnitter’s school he teaches a variety of Technology Education classes at the high school level.  His district allows the use of cell phones by the students, with permission of the teacher.  This was something that he embraced especially with the capabilities of smart phones and the school’s limited technology resources.  Mr. Schnitter discussed that he often uses mobiles for project related materials.  Students are permitted to use them to take pictures, record audio, and to utilize that information and transfer it to the computer where it can be used to create projects.  Projects like IMovie’s, digital stories, sound tracks, and PowerPoint presentations.  Some students are even permitted more access to help create beginning and end of the year slide shows that incorporate music and photographs to present to the entire student body.  All of which had been captured in part by the use of cell phones in and outside of school at various school events.

In discussing with Mr. Schnitter about the challenges he faced, I realized they were similar to the ones expressed in the articles for and against cell phone usage.  Seen in the link below.  Students would at items test the boundaries of what they could access and what they would do while they should have been working constructively.  He did tell me that he had very strict guidelines to the usage and penalties for not following them, such as doing book work for the remainder of the quarter rather than getting to use the technology.  Some students even had their phones confiscated because of their inability to conform to the expectations.

In the end he did express a great deal of excitement for having the use of mobiles in the classroom.  He expressed that the level of student engagement was much higher than he had ever expected. Although clear, concise procedures and expectations had to be established in the beginning to ensure the success he had overall.  He did recommend I try to incorporate it into my classroom, but warned me to make sure I had a very clear plan and list of expectations prepared.  He also mentioned that it may be a bit more challenging with younger age groups and I may not want to give them as much independence as he did with his older population.

Website:

http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-students-be-allowed-to-use-cell-phones-in-school