Cell phones are banned – please take out your cell

phone

Annette de Jager083 253 2816

Nellie de Crom082 853 2454

meLearn-Education

Innovate 2008 Cape Town 3 October 2008

Copyright me-learn Education

me-learn

The use of mobile and electronic devices to make me learn

So, let us do it…

1. Please take out your cell phone

2. Switch on your cell phone

3. Switch off the sound

4. Switch on the Bluetooth

What will happen if you do this in your classroom on

Monday?

It will not happen because cell phones are banned….?

Why are cell phones banned…?

•…because children do “naughty” things with cell phones…?

•…what “naughty” things do they actually do with the cell phone…?

•…how many children actually do “naughty” things with their cell phones?

•…will they not in any case do “naughty” things whether cell phones are banned or not OR with or without the cell phone?

•…what about those who do not do “naughty” things with cell phones?

OR will it not happen (just maybe…)

• …because teachers are afraid of what children can do with cell phones that they themselves cannot do…?•…because of the evolution and the revolution about change…?•…the evolution because of the inevitability of the change and the revolution because of the resistance to change…?

…such as…• 1800’s

– slates for educated citizensexpensive: students will no longer know how to

roll birch bark for writing on• 1860’s

– blackboard indispensably necessary as stove or fireplace

security: students will no longer have individually secured information / information deleted

• 1900’s– ball point pens / OHP / Video / Slides …

expensive – students will no longer learn how to use wooden quill pens properly

• 2000’s- desktop computers in schools and for one-to-one laptops

expensive / security / LAN / licensing / electricity, etc.

2001

“In a mobile society people need to be able to work efficiently while on the road. Notebooks are the smallest and most portable real computers today (1995), but soon there will be pocket-size computers with snapshot-size color screens (2006).

When you whip one out, no one will say, ‘Wow! You’ve got a computer!’

Gates called it a ‘Wallet PC’ or the ‘New Swiss Army knife’ and “…it will outperform the most exotic computer of just a decade ago…” (Gates 1995: 73)

Did Gates know that his “pocket size computer” was going to be a

cell phone?

The road…

What can we do with cell phone…?

What happens during the learning process?

We communicate information …

via…

• Text

• Sound

• Animation

• Video

•Graphics

• Providing information to learners

• Finding information by learners

• Processing information

• Presenting information

Integrating

• different tools

• options such as media center,

computer center and “classroom”

• selection of the most suitable medium

• CCFOs

Critical Cross Field Outcomes

• Problem identification / solving• Skills to be able to make analysis• Find information• Work together effectively in groups• Communication• Manage and organise oneself and data• Use Science and Technology

responsibly• World as related systems• Responsible citizens

Example

Learning Area: Natural SciencesMatter and MaterialProperties and uses of materialAcids and Bases

From Grade I to 12

Acids and Bases

1. What is an acid and a base?2. Provide examples of acids and bases in

every day life.3. Why is knowledge about acids and

bases important?4. How do we distinguish between an acid

an a base?

PI

1. What is pi?

2. How do we calculate pi?

3. Why is knowledge about pi important?

4. Give examples of pi in everyday life.

Acid

Base

Every day examples

Why is it important?

How do we distinguish between an acid and a

base?

pH graphs

Copyright TUT

Copyright TUT

x x√

Copyright TUT

Why NOT – reject or

accept:• Cost?• Infrastructure?• Extra weight to

suitcase?• Crime factor?• Maintenance?• …?

Accept:• …the cell phone is the MOST IMPORTANT

possession of the learner…Use it to “teach” the learners…• Attention• Responsibility• Decision-making• Excitement / Fun• Creativity• Challenges…

So, did the fact the cell phones were switched on disturbed you ?