Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
iPhones in school? You bet!
 |
It's this attitude that chief technology officer at Oklahoma Christian University John Hermes said they're trying to utilize in lesson plans this fall.
by Kathleen Thurber
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Notebook? Got it. Pens? Yes. Textbook? Packed. iPhone?
It's not a tool that's on the usual list of things to grab while heading to that first college class, but at some universities nearby, iPhones and iPod touches are not only recommended, but are being handed out in hopes that Apple's newest tool will enhance the educational experience.
"If universities and colleges don't have a way to take advantage of these devices, they're going to find themselves behind," said William Rankin, associate professor of English and co-director of the mobile learning research program at Abilene Christian University.
ACU was one of a few southwestern universities that provided some of its students an iPod touch or iPhone 3G this week that students will use to participate in classroom polls and quizzes, check on university and community events, connect to other students and keep up with their class assignments, Rankin said.
And while staff at ACU and other universities have researched the benefits of such devices and have an in-depth plan that details how they will better learning environments, some locals say they'd rather keep their focus on different classroom initiatives.
"I can't imagine why you would use a cell phone for such a thing," said Dean of Math and Sciences at Midland College Margaret Wade.
Wade said they require -- like most schools -- that students silence cell phones while in class and only step out to answer calls in emergency situations. However, she said, students have been known to pick up a call while instructors are lecturing and can often be seen text messaging, both activities she describes as more than distracting.
"It's like their lifeline," she said of text messaging.
With about 90 percent of college-aged students reporting they owned a cell phone in 2007, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Survey, and 32 percent of young adults saying they couldn't live without their mobile phones, it should be no surprise that most students walking by each other on sidewalks at Midland College are talking on the phone rather than to one another.
MC Freshman Janette Barrientos looked down at the phone in her hand Tuesday and said she'll probably bring it to most classes this semester, though she plans to adhere to the instructor's rules of keeping it on silent and generally out of sight.
If an iPhone or similar device could be incorporated into her daily curriculum? Well, she said as her eyes lit up, that'd be great.
It's this attitude that chief technology officer at Oklahoma Christian University John Hermes said they're trying to utilize in lesson plans this fall.
"They already have phones whether we provide them or not," he said. If professors and faculty are able to engage students through these devices they see as a lifeline, he said, they'll be able to better connect with them about university events and any emergency notifications, as well as using the technology to take attendance and complete classroom activities.
"It's all about classroom management," he said, in response to anyone's questions about the devices being a distraction. OCU has provided students with laptops since 2001, he said, and has found that if all of its students have the same technology, staff can utilize the devices in a way that keeps their students at the cutting edge of learning.
For example, Rankin said, now he can give a class poll or even ask an open-ended question and have the results tabulated right away. He acknowledges many think class polls could be just as effective by having students raise their hands, but said with that method, many students choose not to participate.
With iPhones or iPods, he said, everyone is required to be engaged in the discussion even if they're not willing to raise their hand or open their mouth. Plus, he said, if he gives a quiz that gauges how well students are understanding material he can get the results instantaneously and rework his lesson on the spot to hit areas students have missed instead of waiting until several class periods later when he would have paper quizzes graded to regress to misunderstood material.
"One of the great things we see about the Web is people feel comfortable discussing information in ways they don't face-to-face," he said. "It's trying to bring the benefits of the virtual world into the real world."
Those types of polls, said Wade, can easily be taken with inexpensive clicker devices that can be carried into class without the additional distraction of cameras, text messaging and Internet capabilities phones bring.
Text messaging and camera capabilities have made it easier for students to cheat in classes, she said. So while the argument for Apple's technology certainly holds water, she said, the list of disruptions it could also bring outweigh any of those possible benefits.
At the University of Texas at the Permian Basin, students also said professors ask them to keep cell phones out of sight during class. However, said public information officer Iris Foster, the campus is embracing mobile technology through lectures that are podcasted and a new program called Tegrity that will allow any classroom recordings to be sent to mobile devices.
While that doesn't mean cell phones or iPods will become a regular sight in classrooms, students who miss part of a lecture or want to go back and listen to something they didn't understand will soon be able to do that at any point, she said.
Barrientos said that type of tool would be helpful for lectures where she's not able to catch all of the notes she would have liked.
By using the iPhone or iPod touch, Rankin said, students are learning how to use the technologies at the same time businesses are finding out how to use them to their advantage, which can only help kids come graduation. In comparison to laptops (which many schools allow), he said iPhones or iPods are less distracting because they're small enough that they don't create a visual barrier between the student and instructor and they can be easily put away after they're used for class.
"Without a plan to use these tools, all there is is distraction," he said. "If I can get everybody on the same platform with the same capabilities, I've now turned that deficit into an advantage."
At universities that do use the technology, students either pay for them through a flat technology fee or are provided them through other university funds.
And while that may not become the case in the Basin anytime soon, most agreed that likely won't stop any from toting Apple devices to class today.
Check out our mobile site on your iPhone! http://www.mywesttexas.mobi
Kathleen Thurber can be reached at kthurber@mrt.com.
It's not a tool that's on the usual list of things to grab while heading to that first college class, but at some universities nearby, iPhones and iPod touches are not only recommended, but are being handed out in hopes that Apple's newest tool will enhance the educational experience.
"If universities and colleges don't have a way to take advantage of these devices, they're going to find themselves behind," said William Rankin, associate professor of English and co-director of the mobile learning research program at Abilene Christian University.
ACU was one of a few southwestern universities that provided some of its students an iPod touch or iPhone 3G this week that students will use to participate in classroom polls and quizzes, check on university and community events, connect to other students and keep up with their class assignments, Rankin said.
And while staff at ACU and other universities have researched the benefits of such devices and have an in-depth plan that details how they will better learning environments, some locals say they'd rather keep their focus on different classroom initiatives.
"I can't imagine why you would use a cell phone for such a thing," said Dean of Math and Sciences at Midland College Margaret Wade.
Wade said they require -- like most schools -- that students silence cell phones while in class and only step out to answer calls in emergency situations. However, she said, students have been known to pick up a call while instructors are lecturing and can often be seen text messaging, both activities she describes as more than distracting.
"It's like their lifeline," she said of text messaging.
With about 90 percent of college-aged students reporting they owned a cell phone in 2007, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Survey, and 32 percent of young adults saying they couldn't live without their mobile phones, it should be no surprise that most students walking by each other on sidewalks at Midland College are talking on the phone rather than to one another.
MC Freshman Janette Barrientos looked down at the phone in her hand Tuesday and said she'll probably bring it to most classes this semester, though she plans to adhere to the instructor's rules of keeping it on silent and generally out of sight.
If an iPhone or similar device could be incorporated into her daily curriculum? Well, she said as her eyes lit up, that'd be great.
It's this attitude that chief technology officer at Oklahoma Christian University John Hermes said they're trying to utilize in lesson plans this fall.
"They already have phones whether we provide them or not," he said. If professors and faculty are able to engage students through these devices they see as a lifeline, he said, they'll be able to better connect with them about university events and any emergency notifications, as well as using the technology to take attendance and complete classroom activities.
"It's all about classroom management," he said, in response to anyone's questions about the devices being a distraction. OCU has provided students with laptops since 2001, he said, and has found that if all of its students have the same technology, staff can utilize the devices in a way that keeps their students at the cutting edge of learning.
For example, Rankin said, now he can give a class poll or even ask an open-ended question and have the results tabulated right away. He acknowledges many think class polls could be just as effective by having students raise their hands, but said with that method, many students choose not to participate.
With iPhones or iPods, he said, everyone is required to be engaged in the discussion even if they're not willing to raise their hand or open their mouth. Plus, he said, if he gives a quiz that gauges how well students are understanding material he can get the results instantaneously and rework his lesson on the spot to hit areas students have missed instead of waiting until several class periods later when he would have paper quizzes graded to regress to misunderstood material.
"One of the great things we see about the Web is people feel comfortable discussing information in ways they don't face-to-face," he said. "It's trying to bring the benefits of the virtual world into the real world."
Those types of polls, said Wade, can easily be taken with inexpensive clicker devices that can be carried into class without the additional distraction of cameras, text messaging and Internet capabilities phones bring.
Text messaging and camera capabilities have made it easier for students to cheat in classes, she said. So while the argument for Apple's technology certainly holds water, she said, the list of disruptions it could also bring outweigh any of those possible benefits.
At the University of Texas at the Permian Basin, students also said professors ask them to keep cell phones out of sight during class. However, said public information officer Iris Foster, the campus is embracing mobile technology through lectures that are podcasted and a new program called Tegrity that will allow any classroom recordings to be sent to mobile devices.
While that doesn't mean cell phones or iPods will become a regular sight in classrooms, students who miss part of a lecture or want to go back and listen to something they didn't understand will soon be able to do that at any point, she said.
Barrientos said that type of tool would be helpful for lectures where she's not able to catch all of the notes she would have liked.
By using the iPhone or iPod touch, Rankin said, students are learning how to use the technologies at the same time businesses are finding out how to use them to their advantage, which can only help kids come graduation. In comparison to laptops (which many schools allow), he said iPhones or iPods are less distracting because they're small enough that they don't create a visual barrier between the student and instructor and they can be easily put away after they're used for class.
"Without a plan to use these tools, all there is is distraction," he said. "If I can get everybody on the same platform with the same capabilities, I've now turned that deficit into an advantage."
At universities that do use the technology, students either pay for them through a flat technology fee or are provided them through other university funds.
And while that may not become the case in the Basin anytime soon, most agreed that likely won't stop any from toting Apple devices to class today.
Check out our mobile site on your iPhone! http://www.mywesttexas.mobi
Kathleen Thurber can be reached at kthurber@mrt.com.
 |
 |
|
| More homes for sale, market stabilizes | Bank fraud scheme brings 11-year term |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of mywesttexas.com.
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, however we reserve the right to delete any post we see that may be considered slanderous, excessive and/or foul language, or any post that we may deem inappropriate.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
News
Sports
Business
Entertain
Life
JH wrote on Aug 28, 2008 3:19 PM:
Good luck! "