The Smartphone: The technology of the FUTURE!
By: Zack O’Neill and Grant Legault, CNN
Is it perfectly reasonable to allow cell phone gadgets to be used in a university classroom? In our opinion, they should be utilized, according to a study done by Marc Ransford of Ball State University, Ransford (2013) states, “73 percent of students reported using a smartphone as compared to 27 percent in 2009”. As technology advances, smartphones are gaining the ability to become a useful tool in the classroom. Smartphones are enabling students the ability to interact in the classroom by: recording lectures, using different kinds of student response systems, and being able to deliver materials to professors through the technology provided in the new age of smartphone technology. Professors will be able to send mass text messages to students about what assignments are due in the near future. By students already having smartphones, it’s not a huge investment for students to enhance their in-class learning. For us, rather than professors and students argue about whether or not to allow smartphones in class, professors should incorporate the phones into the class as a learning tool that will enhance the classrooms learning environment.
By: Zack O’Neill and Grant Legault, CNN
Is it perfectly reasonable to allow cell phone gadgets to be used in a university classroom? In our opinion, they should be utilized, according to a study done by Marc Ransford of Ball State University, Ransford (2013) states, “73 percent of students reported using a smartphone as compared to 27 percent in 2009”. As technology advances, smartphones are gaining the ability to become a useful tool in the classroom. Smartphones are enabling students the ability to interact in the classroom by: recording lectures, using different kinds of student response systems, and being able to deliver materials to professors through the technology provided in the new age of smartphone technology. Professors will be able to send mass text messages to students about what assignments are due in the near future. By students already having smartphones, it’s not a huge investment for students to enhance their in-class learning. For us, rather than professors and students argue about whether or not to allow smartphones in class, professors should incorporate the phones into the class as a learning tool that will enhance the classrooms learning environment.
The purpose of students being allowed to use these new gadgets inside the classroom is that; in the near future there is hope that the smartphone gadgets will one day be able to enhance the classroom setting tremendously. Smartphones are allowing interaction between students and professors like never before. Now that smartphones are able to record lectures, students can play them back whenever they need the help on their homework, or to study for an exam. The benefits of being able to get retaught the material while you’re doing your homework, is that it can help students fully learn the material, and are able to memorize it easier. This might actually lead to more students doing their homework since they cannot claim that they didn’t know the material prior to any assignments or exams.
According to the website Edudemic.com, “There is a new free resource called Study Boost that connects with mobile phones. You create an account on Study Boost, then you can create your own “batches” of study questions. You can subscribe to the study questions via cell phone”. Something that is as revolutionary as this is going to be beneficial to everyone in the classroom with this technology. For kids in the classroom that are more of the shy type, it might be difficult for them to ask a question in the middle of class. So instead of pushing their boundaries with asking question via raising their hands, this advanced technology of Study Boost will allow shy students to ask whatever their questions are through this website forum or just a simple text message. This new technology is beneficial because, answers to questions that might not of ever been asked, will finally surface and tremendously help the classroom learn fully as a whole.
Now granted, Study Boost is a valuable tool for asking questions, however another helpful tool that will benefit the classroom by allowing cell phones is, students will receive a Text Message reminder. During class when assignments are assigned to the students, they will receive a mass text message from their professor with the information they will need about the assignment. The mass text message sent out to all the students in the class will consist of, what the name of the assignment is, a brief description of what the assignment is, and the date in which it’s due, and if necessary the time the assignment is due. The benefit of this technology is tremendous; students are extremely forgetful when it comes to specifics about assignments and when they’re due. So for the professor to quickly shoot a mass text message with the details to everyone would help all the students stay on top of their school work because most likely ever college student has some sort of cellphone. The message will serve as a reminder for the students of when they need to turn in their assignment.
Now granted, Study Boost is a valuable tool for asking questions, however another helpful tool that will benefit the classroom by allowing cell phones is, students will receive a Text Message reminder. During class when assignments are assigned to the students, they will receive a mass text message from their professor with the information they will need about the assignment. The mass text message sent out to all the students in the class will consist of, what the name of the assignment is, a brief description of what the assignment is, and the date in which it’s due, and if necessary the time the assignment is due. The benefit of this technology is tremendous; students are extremely forgetful when it comes to specifics about assignments and when they’re due. So for the professor to quickly shoot a mass text message with the details to everyone would help all the students stay on top of their school work because most likely ever college student has some sort of cellphone. The message will serve as a reminder for the students of when they need to turn in their assignment.
Inside the classroom smartphones can be used as an interactive learning tool, during class professors are found to sometimes use a tool called an i>Clicker. The i>Clicker is an interactive remote that is used to help students interact in the classroom discussion by doing question-and-answering polling. However i>Clicker’s happen to be quite a pricey investment. A solution that is found to having to invest in an i>Clicker, is for students to simply just use their smartphone, or cell phone to interact in classroom discussion. The majority of students already have smartphones, so there is no additional investment needed to use the smartphones as an interactive tool. Websites such as “polleverywhere.com” can become a useful and effective way to take poll results just like the i>Clicker does. The smartphone is an easier, more convenient way for students to become interactive in the classroom because of the ease at which students are able to navigate their smartphones now days. The interactive question-and-answering polling in-class on a smartphone or cell phones has the potential to be much more useful for the students, by creating a better work environment.
On the other hand some people may feel that the usage of the smartphone in a university classroom is idiotic. It could be argued that ever since cell phone technology has gotten more advanced, that cell phone usage in the classroom by some is just seen as one big distraction. The reason people see cell phones as a distraction is in the classroom is when the students go to use the cell phone as an interactive learning tool, some of the students will abuse the opportunity to have our their phone, and will end up texting or surfing the web. People say studies are finding that the students are becoming extremely sidetracked because of the texting and surfing the web. According to (Bregman, Peter) he states, “multitasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40%, increase stress and cause a 10-point fall in IQ”. Although that stat might be shocking, it turns out that students aren’t using their smartphones to just interact in the classroom, or text their friends. It turns out according to (Nieslen, Lisa) that, “1 in 3 students are using their devices to complete homework and learn better”. By professors not allowing smartphones this could effect grades because you’re taking away the students right to learn, and be able to do their homework. As a professor you have to be willing to give students the benefit of the doubt, and trust that they’re able to make the right decision not to abuse the privilege of using the smartphone in class.
Overall, the smartphone has the ability to become the greatest asset to the college world ever. By being able to use the smartphone as in interactive tool, you can have students participating in ways you might of never thought possible. By giving students of the shier type the ability to simply message their professors a question so they don’t feel obligated to be uncomfortable in speaking out in-class, is something that can be revolutionized. With the usage of the smartphone as an interactive classroom tool, that can replace something as useless as the i>Clicker, this can become a reality. Even though there are supposed flaws to using smartphones in class, the positives out weight the negatives in this case. Smartphones are the key to the future, so chose them and we will succeed.
On the other hand some people may feel that the usage of the smartphone in a university classroom is idiotic. It could be argued that ever since cell phone technology has gotten more advanced, that cell phone usage in the classroom by some is just seen as one big distraction. The reason people see cell phones as a distraction is in the classroom is when the students go to use the cell phone as an interactive learning tool, some of the students will abuse the opportunity to have our their phone, and will end up texting or surfing the web. People say studies are finding that the students are becoming extremely sidetracked because of the texting and surfing the web. According to (Bregman, Peter) he states, “multitasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40%, increase stress and cause a 10-point fall in IQ”. Although that stat might be shocking, it turns out that students aren’t using their smartphones to just interact in the classroom, or text their friends. It turns out according to (Nieslen, Lisa) that, “1 in 3 students are using their devices to complete homework and learn better”. By professors not allowing smartphones this could effect grades because you’re taking away the students right to learn, and be able to do their homework. As a professor you have to be willing to give students the benefit of the doubt, and trust that they’re able to make the right decision not to abuse the privilege of using the smartphone in class.
Overall, the smartphone has the ability to become the greatest asset to the college world ever. By being able to use the smartphone as in interactive tool, you can have students participating in ways you might of never thought possible. By giving students of the shier type the ability to simply message their professors a question so they don’t feel obligated to be uncomfortable in speaking out in-class, is something that can be revolutionized. With the usage of the smartphone as an interactive classroom tool, that can replace something as useless as the i>Clicker, this can become a reality. Even though there are supposed flaws to using smartphones in class, the positives out weight the negatives in this case. Smartphones are the key to the future, so chose them and we will succeed.