Mobile Technology in the Classroom

In my spoken language class, my students created independent learning menus on which they posted a series of speaking and listening objectives matched with activities. They in groups had drawn from their own independent learning experience, brainstormed and then plotted their offerings on paper, organized by either general skill (speaking; listening), sub-skill (e.g. fluency; pronunciation; and managing discussions), or activity (e.g. listening to the news). These prescriptions, so dazzlingly displayed on color paper and shared with the entire class, hopefully inspired students, imbuing them with new knowledge, independent learning ideas and goals; especially since, for homework, they need to write another independent learning plan and complete another activity!


I asked students, just as if they were in a local Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong, to select either one menu, or one item from the menu as their goal for the coming week; and what's more, so they wouldn't forget, I implored them to write their concoction down. However, no sooner had I made this entreaty, sweating because, it appeared, only a few students were heeding my words, than out of the corner of my eye, I saw student take out his mobile phone and snap a photo of, presumably, the item that he was going to try in the coming week - wow!


I'm a fan of filming and photographing in the classroom, despite the limitations of what can be published, and have consequently used my mobile phone prolifically during lessons, snapping and shooting away at things that in the spirit of sharing could be potentially useful for others. Nonetheless, that students, too, could use their mobile phones in the classroom to achieve the same pedagogical purposes had never crossed my mind. So indeed, it was refreshing to see someone else utilizing mobile technology in a manner that benefits, and does not distract. I interviewed the student - off-camera - and he said that, being mindful of green, environmental initiatives, he decided to take a photograph of the information rather than copy it. That's a great selling point for mobile technology!


As the lesson ended, and students were filing out of the room, I overheard two students discussing one particular menu that both coveted. The girl had the menu in hand and suggested making a photocopy of it for the boy; and then I interjected, suggesting that he photograph the menu, which is just as good as photocopying it. The idea lit up his mind and at once he took out his camera and aimed it squarely over that A4 paper.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• mobile
• phones
• cellphone
• classroom
• pedagogy
• teaching
• learning
• devices
• education
• schools
• hong
• kong
• hk
• china
• chinese
• students
• esl
• english
• language
• independent
• portfolio