Cell phones in Ontario classrooms

[capricorn]

McGuinty thinks students could benefit from using their hand held technological gadgets in the classroom. Of course, this would also be a boon for teachers.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says school boards should be open to the idea of allowing students to use cellphones in the classroom.

Mr. McGuinty, who won't even let his ministers have cellphones during cabinet meetings, says he understands they can be a major distraction.

But the premier says there is a “right way” to use them in class.

Teachers can use cellphones to show students how to access information online, for example.

But the premier says there is a “right way” to use them in class.

Teachers can use cellphones to show students how to access information online, for example.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario/schools-should-be-open-to-cellphones-in-class-mcguinty/article1708313/

Teacher to class: "Now go to App #812 on your cell phone which explains the discovery of Canada. So STFU and read. A pop quiz will be held tomorrow morning."

Kid to teacher: "I can't access the web on my phone."

Teacher: "Huh?"

Parent to kid: "Put down that cell phone and do your homework."

Kid to parent: "But the teacher lets me use it in class! It's not fair!"

If this comes to pass, I could see the Ontario Liberals suggesting the province fund web connection for all available hand held technological tools the students bring to class. As McGuinty would no doubt say "No child will be left behind".

[fellowtraveller]

They already have them in some Alberta classrooms.

IPhone is the device most kids have or are getting.

[GostHacked]

I think we need to take a step back and leave some of the tech out of the classroom for a while. The classrroom does not need any more distractions.

[capricorn]

I think we need to take a step back and leave some of the tech out of the classroom for a while. The classrroom does not need any more distractions.

I agree. I can imagine the discipline problems that could crop up for teachers over this.

Here is something I find has merit.

Alberta Education has signed a licensing agreement with Media Awareness Network for their Passport to the Internet online student resource, which is aimed at helping students to develop critical thinking skills for their online experiences. Using simulations of the most popular Internet environments, this interactive resource teaches students about online safety, authenticating online information, recognizing online marketing ploys, pro-tecting their privacy, managing online relationships and dealing with cyberbullying.

http://www.education.alberta.ca/media/1229812/supporting_innovative_classrooms_newsletter_2010-03-12.pdf

Students need to be made aware of the good and the bad of the internet, and how to use the web as a learning tool. A class devoted strictly to this end and properly equipped so that all the students have access to the technology.

[fellowtraveller]

I think we need to take a step back and leave some of the tech out of the classroom for a while. The classrroom does not need any more distractions.

My spouse is a teacher and I asked her opinion of this last week. To my surprise, she thought it was probably a good idea. She is normally a traditional sort who is a fierce literacy advocate and takes no prisoners in her class or out of it. She would not use them in her Grade 3 level, but noted that kids from Grade 7 up often have phones and their use is totally integrated into that age group.

Keeping or even getting the attention of that age group gets increasingly tough, it might make sense to demonstrate and share the use of technology as a powerful tool, not just an entertaining toy.

My colleagues son has them in their Grade 8 class, financial help available for those who need it to get or keep the smartphone. They keep detailed calendars of daily school life, assignments etc, research their work, submit work,share files for group work and other stuff I forget.

[M.Dancer]

If McGuinty was a cream cheese there would be a best before date stamped on his arse.

[Michael Hardner]

I find it odd that McGuinty thinks we should care about his opinion. He's not an educator, nor the minister of education. He may be getting Kim Jong Il disease - and soon we'll be teaching our kids that he invented the desk.

[capricorn]

I find it odd that McGuinty thinks we should care about his opinion. He's not an educator, nor the minister of education.

His wife Teri is a teacher. This makes him think he's really clued in to education and knows best.

[capricorn]

Parents have their say on McGuinty's trial balloon, and the views are mostly negative.

But a poll on thestar.com found that the vast majority — 93 per cent — feels it’s a bad idea.

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“There is nothing positive about cellphones or any distractions in the school environment,” wrote a commenter identified as aguadebeber82. “It is no different than teachers traditionally telling students to stop chatter and to put away videogames or comics while in the classroom.”

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Exams will get real easy now.

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Student texts his friend back home. Friend looks up the answer and texts student back. If this won’t raise the provincial average, nothing will.

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What about the kids whose Mommy and Daddy couldn’t afford to buy them that sleek new smart phone?” a reader asked. “I remember how I used to feel as a kid when I was one of the few students still bagging a lunch on pizza day. I can only imagine the desire to sink below my desk as the teacher instructed the class’ upper crust . . . for a fancy internet lesson.

http://www.thestar.com/article/861712--mcguinty-s-comment-on-cellphones-angers-parents

The comments to the above story are shaping up on the negative side.

Over to you, McGuinty.

[punked]

Here is a better idea the Feds need to let school put up cell phone jammers so phones don't work anywhere in the schools.

[Shwa]

I was one that that 93% that voted no and only because we cannot guarantee that all kids have an equally similar or useful device. The use of web-enabled cell phones - especially the iPhones type smartphone is a great idea provided it is done in an equal and fair way where everyone benefits. Content restrictions can be blanketed on the use of internal school wifi and leave the emergency voice streams intact.

There was a time when a similar 'controversy' existed over the use of printed books because the scholars back in that day were set on the idea that you could only properly learn and value something if you copied a manuscript word-for-word, character-for-character, icon-for-icon.

Marshall McLuhan made note of this historical period and warned that we would eventually have a similar such period ourselves. His warning was over television. Really, just another information device.

Now had McGuinty said that there would be a move to replace the rip-off industry textbook gravy train with eBook devices, I would have likely voted yes. However, I don't believe the form factor of most cell phones is conducive to being a proper learning or teaching device. But that is my bias since I have to use stupid reading glasses now. Plus I like the feel of a paper book. But I don't expect modern kids - even my own - to simply pick up my bias as some sort of uncontested truth.

Regardless, I hope they will read Marshall McLuhan whether on a smartphone, eBook reader or in cherished paper.

[charter.rights]

I grew up in the era of slide rules and logarithm tables and remember to fears, arguments and cost of introducing electronic calculators in the classroom. If we are to advance as a high technology society then we have to embrace the cutting edge technologies early in the classrooms.

With the introduction of the IPhone, IPad and similar smart phone and tablet type computing / convergence I think it makes sense to start bringing that kind of technology into the classroom. However, if they do then they must be supplied by the school board as a necessary tool of teaching. Families should not be expected to fund their children for such experiments.

[Michael Hardner]

However, I don't believe the form factor of most cell phones is conducive to being a proper learning or teaching device.

That's the point. I don't think much is ever learned from such devices. Rather, it's an opportunity for McGuinty to make himself into the knower of all things in the public mind. How much did television really change how classes were taught ? It was negligible, IMO. We still have a teacher in the room talking, and listening and that's the essence of it.

If McGuinty was premier in 1982, he would have been pushing Pac Man in the classroom, no doubt.

[Shwa]

That's the point. I don't think much is ever learned from such devices. Rather, it's an opportunity for McGuinty to make himself into the knower of all things in the public mind. How much did television really change how classes were taught ? It was negligible, IMO. We still have a teacher in the room talking, and listening and that's the essence of it.

If McGuinty was premier in 1982, he would have been pushing Pac Man in the classroom, no doubt.

I must have misunderstood the news reports Michael, I thought McGuinty wanted to just allow cellphones in the classroom as a supplemental learning tool. I didn't know he wanted to replace teachers and all that essential talking and listening with cellphones. That changes things quite a bit doesn't it?

How much did televion change how classes were taught? Well for one, it is much easier to setup a video or DVD than it was a film projector and your choice of documentary or movie improved. When I was in grade 4 waaaaaayyyy back in the 1970's our class created a show for TVO broadcast. I am sure there are more benefits though, like educational video, documentaries and movies, news reports, point-to-point video connections, distance learning...

[Michael Hardner]

I must have misunderstood the news reports Michael, I thought McGuinty wanted to just allow cellphones in the classroom as a supplemental learning tool. I didn't know he wanted to replace teachers and all that essential talking and listening with cellphones. That changes things quite a bit doesn't it?

How much did televion change how classes were taught? Well for one, it is much easier to setup a video or DVD than it was a film projector and your choice of documentary or movie improved. When I was in grade 4 waaaaaayyyy back in the 1970's our class created a show for TVO broadcast. I am sure there are more benefits though, like educational video, documentaries and movies, news reports, point-to-point video connections, distance learning...

Exactly. Much easier to setup a video or DVD -> i.e. not a significant change at all.

McGuinty is clearly "Mr. Technology" - my God, let's vote for him !

[Topaz]

This was the topic today on a radio station in SW Ontario. A lot of the callers were concerned about kids playing games and not pay attention the teachers. Some schools won't allow them IN the classroom but laptops are. Kids need to learn the basics of spelling and math. Some kids who have graduated can't do math without a calculator!How does a cell phone help a student learn to write a cheque or balance a budget? If they don't learn the "old ways" of learning then how will they learn the "new ways" and understand the whys?

[PIK]

Just proves that goverment should not be allowed into the class room. This is a vote grabber, or kids that leave school and turn 18 ,will rtemember how McIdiot let them up date thier face book accounts and sextext thier friend in school. I think he is thinking he is going to be preimer for along while . But I am sure there are enough idiots that will vote for him, in the 416.

[eyeball]

Here is a better idea the Feds need to let school put up cell phone jammers so phones don't work anywhere in the schools.

Instead of a jammer perhaps the teacher should have a means to temporarily override the signals his students devices are receiving and direct them to whatever it is the teacher wants the students to focus on.

I think the potential for using this technology as a learning tool is being lost in all the knee-jerk reaction to it.

[bjre]

Politicians work for interest groups, they work for interest groups to take more money, Rogers and Bell and other big businesses will be able to take more, government will take more tax, that is all.

Even when it will damage the kids, even when it will destroy the future, who cares.

[M.Dancer]

Politicians work for interest groups, they work for interest groups to take more money, Rogers and Bell and other big businesses will be able to take more, government will take more tax, that is all.

Even when it will damage the kids, even when it will destroy the future, who cares.

....amazingly, no one has proposed increasing the Tin Foil content in the class room...

[Jack Weber]

....amazingly, no one has proposed increasing the Tin Foil content in the class room...

Well...That depends on what you're carrying....

[charter.rights]

Allowing "smart phones" (that IS the topic under discussion) will open gateways to the communication technology.

Imagine being able to take your entire homework - including the reference material - home on one phone. Imagine being able to access world information to do research in the pam of your hand.

I think with a bit of ingenuity that putting smart phones in the classroom can have a dramatic improvement on the way subjects are taught and learned. Like a skill saw in the hands of the carpenter does the same things as a hand saw only with less time.....the smart phone is just another tool.

[Michael Hardner]

...the smart phone is just another tool.

If you read McLuhan, he explains why there's no such thing as just another tool.

Introducing hammers to a certain tribe in the South Pacific destroyed the social structure of the tribe. All technology has unforeseen consequences, a trojan horse effect, that can't be predicted.

[GostHacked]

Instead of a jammer perhaps the teacher should have a means to temporarily override the signals his students devices are receiving and direct them to whatever it is the teacher wants the students to focus on.

It's possible, but completely impractical. It's easier to control the content on the school computers simply because they can control the flow of information to the computer via policies on the network. Very hard to do that with a mobile device like a cell phone, unless they are neutered in a sense to only allow them to connect at the schools wifi, hen you have control.

I think the potential for using this technology as a learning tool is being lost in all the knee-jerk reaction to it.

Well the trend has been that we are always looking at a screen and not each other. I mean you have 20 kids in a class communicating with each other through the devices when they are sitting right beside one another. It does not encourage much real solid and meaningful interaction between the students and the teachers.

[GostHacked]

Allowing "smart phones" (that IS the topic under discussion) will open gateways to the communication technology.

Imagine being able to take your entire homework - including the reference material - home on one phone. Imagine being able to access world information to do research in the pam of your hand.

This is an 'all your eggs in one basket' scenario. You are completely screwed if you ever lose the phone. And well, you can already access all the information to do research from your smartphone.

I think with a bit of ingenuity that putting smart phones in the classroom can have a dramatic improvement on the way subjects are taught and learned. Like a skill saw in the hands of the carpenter does the same things as a hand saw only with less time.....the smart phone is just another tool.

I'd support a strictly wifi tablet. Like one verion of the iPad which only has wifi and no way to connect to a cell network. But to me it's all distractions that are not needed. The technology is not going to help if we don't have proper teachers, or even to have an up to date curriculum to teach from. It's the content of what is being taught we need to focus on.