Smartphones in the classroom could improve learning

From the dear old grauniad
Smartphones and handheld computers: the new battleground in UK schools | Education | The Guardian

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Children's learning could "hugely improve" if all pupils were given smartphones to use in the classroom, technology experts say but, instead, the UK risks falling behind because "the government doesn't seem that interested in it".

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Hand held devices... maybe.

Smart phones: You have to be kidding!

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Originally Posted by elsiegee40

Hand held devices... maybe.

Smart phones: You have to be kidding!

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:nod:

Smart phones are for a few things; making phone calls, texting, light web use, receiving emails, replying with short responses to emails, looking at facebook, and games. Obviously there's a few other uses but there's no way in hell I could use one for research or typing up, so to me that's classroom use out of the window.

On Saturday I was out in the town and a mate asked me what was on at a nightclub. I had a quick look but after about 2 minutes of searching to no avail I gave up - to me that's proof right there that they are no good for research as I actually wanted to know something, with the reward being beer, and I still got fed up.


Unless there's some serious redesigning to me it will always be;

Phones - communications and games
Tablets - research and facebook
Laptops - research and word processing
Any serious PC work - desktops

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Originally Posted by j17sparky

:nod:

Smart phones are for a few things; making phone calls, texting, light web use, receiving emails, replying with short responses to emails, looking at facebook, and games. Obviously there's a few other uses but there's no way in hell I could use one for research or typing up, so to me that's classroom use out of the window.

On Saturday I was out in the town and a mate asked me what was on at a nightclub. I had a quick look but after about 2 minutes of searching to no avail I gave up - to me that's proof right there that they are no good for research as I actually wanted to know something, with the reward being beer, and I still got fed up.


Unless there's some serious redesigning to me it will always be;

Phones - communications and games
Tablets - research and facebook
Laptops - research and word processing
Any serious PC work - desktops

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Smartphones could be used in the classroom in place of those very expensive student response systems.

Just because you failed to find something on your phone via search doesn't mean that everybody is the same.

I use my phone for 90% of my web surfing at home and using internet forums, searching for information, twitter/facebook via an app, flash video etc....

Ben

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Originally Posted by plexer

Smartphones could be used in the classroom in place of those very expensive student response systems.

Just because you failed to find something on your phone via search doesn't mean that everybody is the same.

I use my phone for 90% of my web surfing at home and using internet forums, searching for information, twitter/facebook via an app, flash video etc....

Ben

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Smart phones could, but there's no control over what else they could do.

So while the little darlings are merrily using facebook and watching dodgy videos on YouTube, the teacher's wondering why nobody has voted,. There are definitely safeguarding and esafety issues.

At least with stuff operating over the school's wifi, there can be some control.