Cell phones in education

I’m preparing a 1cr. workshop on the use of cell phones in education to be offered through the Leapfrog Institute here at the University of Minnesota this fall. I thought I’d share the bibliography so far. At least some of this will probably be of interest to readers. If you know of more interesting literature, blogs, etc. on this topic leave a message in the comments. Click here or “Continue reading” below for my annotations.
Exam students can ‘phone a friend’. (2009). Ananova. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_3391974.html
Coopman, T. M. (2008). Toward a pervasive communication environment perspective. First Monday, 14(1). Retrieved April 9, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2277/2069
Costabile, M. F., Angeli, A. D., Lanzilotti, R., Ardito, C., Buono, P., & Pederson, T. (2008). Explore! Possibilities and challenges of mobile learning. Paper presented at the CHI 2008.
Edweek.org (2009). Cellphones as Instructional Tools Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=lobby.jsp&eventid=154461&sessionid=1&key=F6D1D2D288709C1B15A12F74A57B0660&eventuserid=26731318
Hartnell-Young, E., & Heym, N. (2008). How mobile phones help learning in secondary schools. Nottingham, UK: Learning Sciences Research Institute – University of Nottingham.
Kolb, L. (2008). Toys to tools: Connecting student cell phones to education. Washington, D.C.: International Society for Technology in Education.
Librero, F., Ramos, A. J., Ranga, A. I., Trinona, J., & Lambert, D. (2007). Uses of the cell phone for education in the Philippines and Mongolia. Distance Education, 28(2), 231-244.
Prensky, M. (2005). What can you learn from a cell phone? Almost anything! Innovate, 1(5).

Exam students can ‘phone a friend’. (2009). Ananova. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_3391974.html
A teacher in Austria allowed secondary-school students to use their cell phones to call a specialist and ask questions during an exam. This is an effective example of a very simple and innovative way educators can use cell phones in education.
Coopman, T. M. (2008). Toward a pervasive communication environment perspective. First Monday, 14(1). Retrieved April 9, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2277/2069
The author puts forth a theoretical framework about how communications from a variety of sources impact specific situations. The framework is based on a holistic consideration of communications through a range of media, whether they are present in the specific situation or not. This is particularly relevant for discourse on the use of cell phones in education since we know from existing research that cell phone use is widespread among students and that they use these and other devices for a range of learning activities outside of the classroom.
Coopman particularly emphasizes the way that messages are filtered through multiple means of communication and feedback loops to impact a specific situation. Coopman seems to assume that communications devices impact equally on situations, forming “multi-modal and trans-locational access to an integrated communications infrastructure”. This may well be the case, however Coopman fails to address tendencies to try to block certain communications devices in certain situations. This is certainly a tendency that would be relevant to educational situations, but may also be relevant for other situations. It seems reasonable to assume that, despite “blocking”, messages that have previously been communicated using the blocked devices may nevertheless impact the situation. However, the blocking tendency may also affect perceptions about the appropriateness of certain technologies and types of communication as they relate to specific situations.
Costabile, M. F., Angeli, A. D., Lanzilotti, R., Ardito, C., Buono, P., & Pederson, T. (2008). Explore! Possibilities and challenges of mobile learning. Paper presented at the CHI 2008.
The authors describe a study involving the use of mobile communications technology in an “excursion-game” learning activity at the middle school level. Excursion-games are activities that combine exploration and discovery with gameplay and learning. For this study, the researchers had one group of students using technology and another not using technology. The non-technology group received a pamphlet in which the stage was set for the activity in story-form and included a number of “missions” that the students had to complete. The technology group received text messages, 3D images and maps by cell phone, in a predetermined sequence, that included the plot and the missions to be completed.
The researchers discovered a problem with the technology-based version of the game in that the pre-determined sequence constrained the group. This was not the case with the paper-based version. However, the learning outcomes of both groups were the same. The authors conclude that, despite the limitations of the technology-based activity, the technology did not distract the students from the learning activity. Further experimentation and development of the technology-based activity is warranted and likely to deliver better results.
This paper provides valuable insights for educators wanting to use mobile communications technology in learning activities by highlighting both benefits and potential weaknesses in the design of activities.
Edweek.org (2009). Cellphones as Instructional Tools Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=lobby.jsp&eventid=154461&sessionid=1&key=F6D1D2D288709C1B15A12F74A57B0660&eventuserid=26731318
This archived webinar includes three presentations on the use of cell phones and other mobile communications technologies in primary school education.
The first presentation describes the way that mobile communications technologies are already transforming education in various parts of the world. The presenters claim that mobile technologies can make learning more personal, more engaging, and produce better learning outcomes.
The second presentation describes a specific project carried out in an elementary school in Keller, TX. The goals of this project were to increase technology skills, increase students knowledge and understanding, and to extend learning beyond the confines of the classroom and school day. The project produced very admirable results, both intended and unintended. The presenter concludes with a number of useful points for anyone wanting to do something similar in their classrooms, including curriculum considerations, cyber-safety, resources, and how to garner support from administrators and parents.
The third presentation is a general overview of a variety of possible ways to use cell phones in education. The presenter demonstrates a number of freely available tools that can be used by teachers. The presenter also points out important policy considerations regarding the use of cell phones in education.
Hartnell-Young, E., & Heym, N. (2008). How mobile phones help learning in secondary schools. Nottingham, UK: Learning Sciences Research Institute – University of Nottingham.
This report was the result of a BECTA (the UK government agency concerned with the use of technology throughout learning) research grant. The researchers found that cell phone ownership among 12 year olds in the UK is nearly universal. However, existing policies discourage the use of cell phones in schools. The authors of the report evaluate a number of initiatives that have tested the viability of using cell phones for education. They conclude that cell phones do support learning in a number of ways and make several recommendations concerning the use of cell phones in education.
The authors 8 primary recommendations are:
1. Identify and support champions: volunteer teachers who are
prepared to take some risks
2. Involve those who have responsibility for curriculum, student
management, technical support to plan and work through
responses to the issues raised in this report.
3. Initiate discussions about using mobile phones for learning
(perhaps using student voice work) and survey current
ownership, device capability and the ways mobile phones are
already being used in the school.
4. Provide hands-on, small-scale opportunities for teachers to try
out appropriate uses for mobile phones.
5. Encourage teachers to design activities that make the learning
purpose clear and to anticipate management issues at the
classroom level (such as rules, etiquette)
6. Inform parents of the learning purposes for mobile phones, and
involve them in establishing appropriate ownership,
management and ethical arrangements.
7. Anticipate and address technical issues ranging from battery
charging to network access and security, data protection, etc.
8. Develop new school policies that shift the focus of policy
attention away from the device to the uses, security and
behavioural issues that are the real concern.
This report highlights important considerations concerning the use of cell phones in education from the point of view of policy makers, administrators, teachers and students.
Kolb, L. (2008). Toys to tools: Connecting student cell phones to education. Washington, D.C.: International Society for Technology in Education.
The author, Liz Kolb, is currently one of the main authorities in the U.S. on the use of cell phones in education, having recently completed her doctoral research on the subject. This book is a very practical handbook for K-12 teachers interested in using cell phones in education.
Kolb’s approach to the use of cell phones in education is based on the way that students use their cell phones in their daily lives. She considers the currently prevailing tendency to limit the use of cell phones in schools to constitute a “digital divide” between students’ school lives and their daily lives. Increasing the use of cell phones in schools are considered a means of opening up the classroom to youth culture.
This book provides valuable insights into various aspects of young people’s use of communications technologies and how these can be used in formal education environments to make learning more meaningful and relevant. It includes a number of sample lesson plans that teachers can work from to incorporate cell phones into their classroom activities.
Librero, F., Ramos, A. J., Ranga, A. I., Trinona, J., & Lambert, D. (2007). Uses of the cell phone for education in the Philippines and Mongolia. Distance Education, 28(2), 231-244.
This paper describes a study of the use of cell phones in non-formal education administered by higher education affiliated institutions in the Philippines and Mongolia. The authors discuss the instructional design aspects of the use of cell phones and other mobile communications devices. The project discussed uses a blended learning approach combining cell phone use with traditional classroom activities.
The authors found that cell phones are an attractive option for enhancing and expanding learning opportunities. They emphasize the need for preparation and clear design goals to ensure that learners remain engaged. The authors claim that cell phone learners are very quick to terminate learning activities when they feel that they are not engaged. The authors also emphasize the importance of design when dealing with technology that is rapidly changing.
This paper offers a comparative perspective to the largely Western focus of much of the available literature on the use of cell phones in education. Cell phones have achieved considerable penetration in many developing countries and can be an effective means of expanding learning opportunities, as the projects described in this paper demonstrate.
Prensky, M. (2005). What can you learn from a cell phone? Almost anything! Innovate, 1(5).
Marc Prensky coined the term “digital natives” which has been stirring up a fair amount of debate recently. In this article, Prensky turns his attention to the cell phone as a computing platform. He emphasizes the need for sound instructional design to turn cell phones into learning tools. Prensky discusses the various functions of cell phones, such as voice communications, text communications, etc., and how each might be used to facilitate learning. He provides several examples of each type of use. Finally, he discusses the need to change educator’s attitudes regarding cell phones. Cell phones continue to be perceived as “toys” that have no place in an educational environment. Prensky, however, points out that students already use these devices for a range of learning activities. He urges educators to consider these aspects of their students’ social lives and think about how they can deliver their product (i.e. learning) in a way that suits students’ social reality.