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.

~

Child Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there — especially the ones who know exactly what CAADD is!

Enjoy your day!

Recently, I was diagnosed with C. A. A. D. D.? Child Activated Attention Deficit Disorder. This is how it manifests:

I decide to do the laundry. As I start toward the basement, I notice that there are cheerios all over the floor and my car keys are in the cereal bowl.

I decide to pick up the cheerios before I do the laundry. I lay my car keys down on the counter, put the cheerios in the trash can under the counter, and notice that the trash can is full. So, I decide to take out the trash.

But then I think, since I’m going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash I may as well pay the bills first. I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left, my extra checks are in my desk in the office, so I go to my desk where I find a sippy cup full of juice. I’m going to look for my checks, but first I decide I should put the sippy cup in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the sippy cup a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye — they need to be watered. I set the sippy cup on the counter, and I discover baby wipes that I’ve been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back in the bathroom, but first I’m going to water the flowers.

I set the wipes back down, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote, one of the kids left it on the kitchen table. I realize that after school when they go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote as they fight over who lost it, but I won’t remember that it’s on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I’ll water the flowers.

I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down, get some paper towels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the laundry isn’t washed, the bills aren’t paid, there is a warm cup of juice sitting on the counter, the flowers aren’t watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can’t find the remote, I can’t find the wipes, and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I’m really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I’m really tired.

~