Is this intriguing or what? Software that can convert feature phones to smart phones with eReader capabilities that can easily make eBooks available to those in underserved regions of Africa. Hmmm … I wonder if the project sponsor, WorldReader, has any plans to make similar services available to those in underserved regions here in the U.S.

Even if we can’t get this in the U.S., the great majority of our students do have phones. And before your district invests in clickers, take a spin through this Liz Kolb slide deck for tons of great ideas for how your students can use cell phones intentionally as clickers and other learning tools!

When we were at NECC earlier this month, the topic of cell phones as learning devices popped up several times.  While it isn’t practical right now in my elementary setting, if you are a secondary teacher, you might enjoy this Cellphones as Instructional Tools Webinar co-sponsored by Education Week and Sprint.  From the Web site:

This free event is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, at 4 p.m. Eastern time. 

Cellphones have been called “the new paper and pencil” or “the new laptop,” and they could be in the hands of as many as 10 million to 15 million schoolchildren in the next few years. For their instructional potential and ability to connect students to the Internet, mobile devices are quietly making their way into schools in the United States and abroad. What does your district, school, or classroom need to make this technology leap? Guests will discuss policy and implementation issues and offer practical curriculum ideas for every subject. 

Presenters: 

Elliot Soloway, professor, School of Information, School of Education, and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan
Liz Kolb, education technology instructor, University of Michigan and Madonna University; author, Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education
Ron Myers, principal, Trinity Meadows Intermediate School, Keller, Texas

Moderator: 

Elizabeth Rich, online editor of teachermagazine.org and Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook

Soloway gave a similar presentation in our district this spring, and I’ve browsed Kolb’s book and found it full of clever ideas and tricks (some of which would also work on desktops or laptops).  As some of you know, I got an iPhone last month after months of using cell phones for nothing but dialing and listening … and now I am a smartphone maniac.I think there are powerful educational uses, especially for easily distracted students who may find that a smaller screen helps them focus their attention.Enjoy!

As we continue to think about 21st-century learning and the potential role of ubiquitous computing devices like netbooks and mobile devices, the New York Times is reporting that doctors are becoming concerned about the potential negative impact of texting, from lost sleep due to late night texts to anxiety to sore thumbs.  It’s one in many articles that are emerging lately that urge us to temper progressive educational pedagogy with thoughtful reflection.