Implications And Teaching Opportunities For Camera Use In Teaching and Learning.

Part A

Dr. Strange posted some interesting facts about Millennials (People ages 18-24) and smart phones, on our EDM 310 class blog. (The information came from Zogby Analytics.) 87% of people in this group say that their smartphone never leaves their side. That is a very high percentage. Of course there are problems when it comes to dealing with smartphones in the classroom. Many students abuse the privilege of having one. But with such high percentages of how many people depend on their smartphones, can we really expect anything different? I have heard a lot of teachers complain about students using their phone during a lesson, and I can see why that would be frustrating. As a teacher, you put a lot of your heart and energy into lesson planning for the students to learn. They should at least pay attention and not have their phones out during this time.

However, I do believe there are many ways to implement the use of smart phones in the classrooms to cut down on the not so appropriate times they are being used. Maybe have set times during the day where students can use their phones in groups while collaborating. Or even giving small prizes at the end of the week to the people that follow the "smart phone rules" that you have set in your class. There are many educational apps that students can download to their smart phone that they can use to help them learn. It may take some time to get students to follow and respect your rules about smart phones, but I think that having the right attitude and approach would come with great compromising from your students.

Part B

There are so many different things I could think of to make good use of smart phones and tablets that have cameras. Assuming that I am a third grade teacher, and all of my students have either a tablet or smart phone with a camera, I could do a little project on the first day of school that will help the students learn each others' names. I would have the students make a picture slide show using the camera and other tools on their devices. The slide show would consist of everyone's picture and name. The students would learn names by putting the project together as well as watching it back after it is completed. This is also a good way for parents to know all of the students in the class. Another great idea is to have an outside day where students can take pictures of different flowers and trees for a science lesson. This is similar to the lesson plan found on the ALEX website. I can't wait! I am so excited to get started with all of these creative projects that help students learn. I believe I will be a very lenient teacher when it comes to all technology in my classroom, thanks to EDM310.