Just the Facts, Ma’am!

According to the news, Niagara Falls PC candidate George Lepp had a picture of his privates posted to his twitter account. My first impression upon reading the stories are disbelief followed by an inability to stop giggling.

Some days I love the media.

The Accidental Tourist

The Toronto Sun first stated the photo was “accidentally” taken while the blackberry was in camera mode inside Lepp’s front pocket.

Sakach said the device was operating on camera mode in his front pant pocket when it went missing. He added that Lepp suspects it was taken as he was jostled by protesters outside the Dixon Rd. convention centre where the Tories met for the party’s weekend convention.
~ The Toronto Sun

The humour comes when you consider exactly how someone could “accidentally” take a picture of their genitals from their front pocket.

In order to accomplish this masterful, yet physically awkward feat, the person would have to:

1. Have a big enough hole in their front pocket to allow for the camera portion of the blackberry to fall exactly into an open space
2. Be going commando
3. Reach into their pocket and pull the camera back far enough to take the photo, and
4. Be far enough away from everyone and anyone so as not to look awkward standing with their hand in their pocket while yanking their pants a foot away from their crotch area and muffling the audible click of the camera and the brightness of the flash.

Now consider the photo itself: a man naked from the waist down showing a close up of his penis and crossed legs.

Perhaps I’m missing a major disconnection in logic here, but wouldn’t it be a bit difficult to “accidentally” capture this particular composition of naked parts and legs if the camera is in someone’s front pocket? Especially when you take into account the fact that the man was still supposed to be wearing his pants at the time this occurred?

That’s what I thought.

Yet apparently our media representatives thought the facts solid enough to run with the story.

Of course this prompted OTHER newspapers to pick up on the sordid tale, but they did so by quoting the original newspaper as a valid source. I guess stealing from the competition counts as valid research these days.

Because Twitter Says So

I would also like to give a big online ‘high five’ to the Canadian media giants for once again going crazy at the mention of something happening to someone on Twitter. A mere hint of a person doing anything remotely inappropriate on the social networking ap sends the media into a frenzy of badly researched articles and incorrect facts just so they can slap the word “Twitter” on the front page.

The following headlines appeared in some of our top newspapers, including the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail:

• Lewd picture on Twitter not of Tory candidate, aide says
• PC candidate’s privates appear on Twitter
• Ontario Tories deny candidate sent porn Tweet

Where it began

For me, the real story is the fact that a PC candidate had an unlocked blackberry. After all, as every college student will tell you – never leave your phone unlocked because you never know which one of your dimwitted friends is going to take a picture of their privates and post it to your twitter account.

Perhaps this is a lesson which needs to be passed on to our political candidates.

Next time use a password.

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Smartphones in Classrooms?

According to a news article in from Global today, the Toronto District School Board is lifting it’s cell phone ban in classrooms starting in September.

Trustees of the Toronto District School Board approved a motion Wednesday night lifting the ban on using cell phones and other mobile devices in city classrooms.

In a statement released early Thursday morning, the board said students may use cell phones and PDA devices in classrooms and hallways, “provided it does not distract from student learning or school activities.” Teachers will ultimately have the final say on the use of electronic devices in their classrooms.

The changes to the policy will take effect starting in September.

The ban was implemented in 2007 over fears from trustees that cell phones distract students and cause disruptions in classrooms.

While the article makes it sound like the Toronto District School Board is finally making its way into the current century, the humour of it all is that the actual decision is being left up to individual teachers.

Yes, I’m sure there will be forward thinking educators who recognize the value of having access to mobile technology and smartphones, but many will still continue to restrict the use of the phones all together.

The argument over cellular phones volleys back and forth across two thoughts; that cell phones are distracting, and that smartphones are useful.

As an educator I firmly believe smartphones are incredibly useful and an integrated part of our daily lives.However—I also believe they have their place.

My in classroom sessions usually run for 3 hours and are divided up into three blocks covering a lecture portion, group work, then an open class discussion. During the initial lecture portion, my rule has always been, and will always be, “laptops closed and phones on silent”. Once the group work begins, laptops and phone usage is allowed, so long as the usage is topic related. Do I expect that everything done is class related? Hell no. But as long as it’s not disruptive, and the work is completed, I honestly see no reason why students should not be allowed to have access to the technology.

Over the year I have had several students complete group research using their smartphone (instead of a laptop), which to me is the perfect example of how cell phones can be used properly and within limitations in a classroom setting. The reason this fact is important to mention is because my classes—part of a computer or media based program—take place in rooms with no computers other than the one powering the display projector.

The main topic I teach centres around digital society, yet the classrooms have no access to technology other than what the students themselves bring.

I believe this situation is reflective across the board, and that is exactly why I applaud the Toronto District School Board for raising the ban. I hope my fellow educators can see past the distraction and find a way to compromise for the technology.

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