Week 6

For our final reflection we looked at the use of Mobile phones, iPads and iPods in the classroom. 

Mobile Phones in the Classroom

Using mobile phones in the classroom... I have to be honest I am not completely sold on the idea. I can definitely see the benefits but at the same time there are a lot of cons when adding a device such as a mobile phone to the classroom. The main thing that comes to mind for me is Cyber Bullying. Not only this the mobile phone can be very distracting and it is hard to monitor what the students are using it for. 

Having said my opinion, the readings for this week include a list of uses for the mobile phone in the classroom.

These are the tools I think would be useful in the classroom:

• Learning a new language
• A calculator
• A camera
• A dictionary of word play pal
• A calender
• Vote/Poll using a QR code

And these are the tools I do not believe would be effective:

• Receive SMS from students
• Send SMS reminders
• SMS based chat room
• Phone blogging

iPads in the Classroom

iPads in the classroom! Now that is a better idea. If the school is providing the iPads it is easier to monitor what the students can use and access on their iPad and I can definitely see the benefits in allowing the class to utilise them for higher learning purposes. 

Some interesting ways to use the iPad in the classroom are:

• Practice Maths using Super 7 HD
• Soundnote
• Mindmapping/pinboard
• Connect to a Live Tutor
• Bluster (vocabulary building)
• Sliceit (Mathematical problem solving)
• VoiceThread
• Writer's Hat (Word generator)
• ABC Spelling Magic
• Globe in your classroom?

iPods in the Classroom

iPods in the classroom are another great idea. As I said above, it is easier to monitor what students are doing on devices such as these and they can be used for a number of things in the classroom, including: 

• Fantastic Contraption (Maths skills)
• Voice Memo (Story building)
• Collect Data with Google Forms
• Create Custom flashcards
• Radio Station Apps

QR Codes

The ICT tool we looked at this week was QR Codes. QR Codes can be scanned by your device (with the use of an app) and take you to a link for a website. 

I have created one that takes you straight to my blog. 

Here is an idea of how a teacher has used QR codes in their classroom:

Well that's it from me! Good luck with your Synopsis guys :)

References 

Enhance learning picture, viewed 14 August 2013, http://notanotherhistoryteacher.edublogs.org/tag/cell-phones-in-school/

Simpsons GIF, viewed 14 August 2013, http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/phone%20gif

iPad, viewed 14 August 2013, http://www.edudemic.com/2012/11/the-early-results-of-an-ipad-classroom-are-in/

iPod touch, viewed 14 August 2013, http://www.apple.com/au/ipod-touch/

QR Code in Education, viewed 14 August 2013, http://theohiobloke.edu.glogster.com/qr-codes-in-education/

Got Ethics?, viewed 14 August 2013, http://carrierconsulting.com/code-of-ethics/