Mobile
Phones in the
Classroom
ICT in the Classroom Conference
Durban
July 2015

In this workshop, you will:
• Understand the benefits of using mobile phones in schools.
• Develop activity ideas for mobile phones to meet learning objectives and grow
21st century skills.
• Explore strategies to overcome challenges and manage mobile phone use in
the classroom.

All documents are on this site:
https://engage.intel.com/groups/durban

Why Mobile Phones

The mobility of mobile phones allows
students to access content and use
technology tools and apps anywhere
and anytime to personalize their
learning.
Anytime, Anywhere Learning

Mobile phone features, tools, and apps
provide new and engaging learning
opportunities for students
Increased Engagement

Productivity tools, which are easily
accessible on mobile phones, can
develop student organization and
accountability.
Student Productivity

Mobile phones offer new methods for
teachers, students, and parents to
communicate effectively and efficiently.
Improved Communication

When students bring their own mobile
phones to use as learning devices,
schools save on the cost of purchasing
and supporting school-owned
technology.
By bringing mobile phone use out into
the open, teachers can guide students
in learning how to use their mobile
phones responsibly and appropriately
as tools for learning.
Accessibility and Ethical and Safe Use

Try It: Brainstorm Possibilities
The true power of mobile phones extends far beyond their most frequent uses. In
this activity, you will do some initial thinking about how mobile phones are
commonly used.
 List all the ways you commonly use your mobile phone.
 List the ways young people commonly use their phones in and out of school.
Use the following questions to guide your reflection or discussion about mobile
phone use
 What are the differences between adult and student use of mobile phones?
 How can common mobile phone uses serve educational purposes?

Research shows……
While many schools currently ban mobile phones on campus, research shows
that many middle and secondary school students already use mobile phones and
other mobile devices for school-related learning outside of school hours. A 2013
survey of 2600 students in the United Sates found that 47% of middle school and
60% of secondary school students use smartphones for homework
Only 6% report they can use them in class
THAT IS CHANGING…..

Group Discussion
Read the article Finally! Research-based proof that students use cell phones
for LEARNING
Discuss:
 Are similar mobile phone use gaps evident in your community?
 What are your feelings about allowing students to use mobile phones in schools?

Mobile Phones
for
Communication

Polling
Polls can be powerful tools for gauging student understanding as well as
engaging students in lessons. Polling tools can bring immediate interaction and
active engagement where all opinions are shared and discussed. Using text and
Web site response systems, students can share answers and opinions
anonymously in real time with the entire class.

Try It: Set Up a Poll
• Navigate to the polling tool Web site and take some time to explore its features
and use suggestions.
• Consider how you might be able to use it with your students.
• Identify an upcoming lesson and think of a poll question to generate student
interest or check for student understanding.
• Follow the Web site instructions to create your poll question.
• Use your mobile phone to text in an answer and watch it appear on your
computer screen.
Technology
• Poll Everywhere

Mobile phones and
smartphones can be
used as digital media
creation tools to
provide opportunities
for students to express
creativity and make
choices about how
they present their
learning.
Media
Creation

Try It: Audio Recording
In this activity, you explore the basic audio recorder on your mobile phone.
• Locate the default audio recorder on your mobile phone.
• Take a moment to think of ways you could use an audio recorder tool in your
classroom lessons and projects with students.
• Record your ideas, using the audio recorder, and then listen to the recording.
• You may choose to re-record your ideas a second time.
Technology
• Default audio recorder

Mobile phones and
smartphones can be
used as
organizational tools to
develop students’
accountability and
productivity.
Consider the
productivity tools in
the chart.
Productivity

Try It: Student Reminders
Student text reminder tools allow teachers to send text messages directly to
student and parent mobile phones from a computer or smartphone app, making it
easier for teachers to quickly and efficiently communicate important information
to their students.
Open the text reminder Web site. Quickly explore the features of the tool by
watching the brief tutorial video. Think about how you could integrate this tool
into your communication with students and parents. Take a moment to set up an
account. Send a message to your mobile phone reminding yourself to use this
tool with your students.
Technology
• Remind

Mobile phones and
smartphones can
be used to quickly
access information
anywhere and
anytime, freeing
students from
location restrictions
inherent with
libraries and
computers.
Information
Retrieval

QR codes are machine-readable labels
containing text or other information
types with a variety of educational
uses. Teachers and students can
create QR codes packed with
information and display them for others
to discover.
Technology
• Reader App: QR Code Reader
• Web site: QR Code Monkey
Try It: Create and Read QR Codes

Mobile phones
can be used as
GPS devices to
enhance your
location-based
educational
activities.
Location-Based Use

Classroom Example: A science teacher
hides geocaches near native plants on
his school campus.
In the caches, he includes information
on the native plants as well as activities
for students to try upon their discovery.
Technology
• OpenCaching
• Install a geocaching app on your
mobile phone, and use it to discover
nearby caches.
• If possible, consider taking a trip to
look for a hidden cache nearby.
• If no caches exist yet in your area,
list ideas for creating your own.
• While completing the activity, think
about how you might use
geocaching with your students.
• Explore a geocaching Web site to
learn more.
Try It: Geocaching for Students

Managing Mobile Phones
in the Classroom

Challenges: Disruption to Learning Environment
Mobile phones are often viewed as just one more distraction for students. Instead
of focusing on learning, students might use mobile phones for non-educational
activities, such as texting friends, accessing social media sites, or playing games.
Possible solutions:
• Designate free tech use times.
• Hold students accountable to a clear set of mobile phone use expectations for
the classroom.
• Model exemplary behavior by keeping your mobile phone away when not using
it for classroom purposes.

Challenge: Inappropriate Use
Academic examples of inappropriate use might include information retrieval,
texting, or the use of cameras to document items during testing. Social examples
of inappropriate use might include bullying, sharing of private information, or use
of mobile phone tools such as voice recorders and cameras to record people
without their permission and transmit explicit content.
Possible solutions:
• Directly teach digital citizenship skills and appropriate behavior in digital space.
• Involve students in creation of classroom or school use policy that outlines clear
consequences.
• Build a climate of trust and encourage self and peer monitoring.

Challenge: Writing Habits
Mobile phones and other mobile devices are changing the way people
communicate. Phrases are being shortened to acronyms and new words are
being created.
Possible solutions:
• Teach the importance of correct language use for professionalism and career
readiness.
• Identify times for formal and informal language use with your students.
• Demonstrate flexibility and listen to your students’ input on how language is
changing with mobile phones.
• Build clear expectations about language use into assessment criteria and
rubrics.

Challenge: Equity
While student mobile phone ownership may be common in your school, it most
likely is not 100 percent. This can make it challenging for teachers to plan
effectively for instruction with mobile phones.
Possible solutions:
• Provide low cost mobile devices for students without mobile phones.
• Plan non-tech alternatives in lessons and activities.
• Group students around available mobile phones.
• Talk directly with students about equity issues in your community.

Try It: Troubleshoot Scenarios
Read through each situation in the Mobile Phone Challenge Scenarios. Use the
following questions to guide your note-taking or start discussions with a group of
peers:
• What steps can you take to prevent this scenario from occurring with your
students?
• How would you deal with the scenario if it occurred in your school?

Apply: Develop a Presentation
Make a presentation for your school administration outlining what you have
learned. For the purpose of the presentation, imagine your school currently has a
mobile phone ban that you want to help overturn. In your presentation, consider
reviewing some of the following:
• The benefits of student mobile phone use
• Specific strategies to begin using mobile phones in your classroom or school
• Potential solutions to mobile phone challenges in the school environment
Consider presenting your presentation to a group of peers or your administration.
Technology Option: Prezi