Matt Monjan let me know that the Simpsons spoofed cell phones in the classroom this past weekend. Yes, it’s funny, but it’s also frustrating because there’s so many hints of truth in there. Give the segment a watch before continuing. For visitors outside the US, visit FOX to watch the full episode. Clip I’m referring to is from about 1 minute in until the 3:30 mark.

Yes, it’s a comedy, but comedies are only funny if there’s kernels of truth in there. The kids are distracted by the phones. When asked what they’re using them for, they know the stock answers and can rattle them off without thinking. But there’s a big difference between a student rattling off an answer that they think will satisfy an inquiry, and a teacher actually using a mobile device for educational purposes. And all too often, the solution is pretty similar to what you see in the clip… lock it away and pretend it doesn’t exist.

Fact is, they aren’t going away. If anything, they’re only becoming more and more prevalent. School budgets are tight, and here we are with millions of dollars in technology that’s being paid for by the parents VOLUNTARILY… and most schools refuse to leverage it because of outdated policies and teachers that don’t want to modify their own classroom management strategies.

I’ve heard it thousands of times it seems, “cell phones are a distraction in class.” That’s great. So is the class pet, a window, a paper clip and pencil/paper. Isn’t teaching students to overcome these distractions part of what we do in the classroom? Heck, I used to focus on that in kindergarten! “Maybe you should put that toy behind you right now because it’s circle time. You can play with it again during choice time.” Saying that cell phones should be banned in schools because they’re ‘too distracting’ is a cop out. If your current classroom management model can’t incorporate mobile devices…. well, then it’s time to do some unlearning and relearning.

When I saw Jeremy Davis recently, he told me of an educator who uses cell phones in the classroom. In fact, this teacher requires that the cell phone be out and ON the desk. In plain site. Not hidden in a pocket or backpack. So if the student is using it, the teacher KNOWS. And if the student is using it when they shouldn’t… Well, that’s when there are consequences. Phone is confiscated until the end of the week, or the parent can pay a $25 fine to get it back for their student. Sure, there were plenty of students who lost their phones, and plenty of fines paid. They used the money to pay for a field trip before the end of the year. But the point is, the students learned when it was ok to be using the phone as a learning device, and when it was inappropriate. Believe me, no student wants to go to his parents and let them know that they need $25 to get their phone back… and explain why.

Sure, we can keep fighting to keep cell phones hidden or banned in schools. But it’s a battle that schools can’t win. Life progresses, things change. Like it or not, these devices are here to stay, and adoption rates are racing towards 100+%. I suggest teachers be proactive. Because there’s a tidal wave coming and you can either ride with it, or have it crash into you.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Hi Tech Cheating – Do Your Kids Do It? (dadventure.ca)
• Devices locate kids, parents find peace of mind (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Related Reading on Teach42

• Mobiles to Help Learning? High School in UK says OK
• Cell phones and internet can be used to cheat.
• Cell phones in the classroom
• Try a new phone on for size.
• Mobile phones in the classroom…. again

Anybody shocked? In a report from Common Sense Media, 35% of students admitted to cheating via cell phone, and over half the students surveyed admitted to using the internet to cheat in some way. There are plenty of people who would say that this is a fantastic reason to ban cell phones in schools. I only hope that those same people ban the internet too.

Seriously though, I’m not sure anybody is all that surprised. And before any suggests we start banning technology because it can be used to cheat, I suggest they do a few Google searches. Cheating has evolved into quite the art form. Taking away their phones won’t stop anyone, any more than taking away the graphic calculators would. If someone wants to cheat, they will.

A few other key findings from the study:

* 41% of teens say that storing notes on a cell phone to access during a test is a serious cheating offense, while 23% don’t think it’s cheating at all.
* 45% of teens say that texting friends about answers during tests is a serious cheating offense, while 20% say it’s not cheating at all.
* 76% of parents say that cell phone cheating happens at their teens’ schools, but only 3% believe their own teen has ever used a cell phone to cheat.
* Nearly two-thirds of students with cell phones use them during school, regardless of school policies against it.
* Teens with cell phones send 440 text messages a week and 110 a week while in the classroom.

Related Reading on Teach42

• Cell phones in the classroom
• How can I cheat on the test? Let me count the ways…
• What can you do with a cell phone in the classroom?
• Deleting Online Teens Act
• Mobile phones in the classroom…. again

Image via WikipediaIt’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the idea of using mobile phones in the classroom. In fact, I recently posted a roundup of all the different applications I had installed on my phone, along with an educational spin for each. Without fail though, when I do post something along those lines, I always receive a few emails from people saying, “But you have a special super dooper phone. There’s no way you can do that with MY phone.” First of all, more than likely you can. It’s amazing what an average phone will do nowadays. BUT even if it can’t, there’s a way that you can receive your choice of Nokia’s phones mailed to you for a trial period… for free.

The Nokia event I attended in Helsinki was organized by WOM World. While there, I learned that people can go to their site and request just about any Nokia model current released in the wild to be sent to you for a trial. I was just a little dubious, so I put in a request shortly after returning to the US. Then, just last week I got confirmation that my request had been approved and a Nokia N78 was being sent to me for a two week trial. During that time, I intend to install every free application I can find and to really put it through its paces. And when it comes time to send it back… Well, suffice to say I intend to apply for another phone that very same day.

Think about how cool that is. Pick a phone that intrigues you. Register for a free trial. When it arrives, just throw in your SIM card. If you don’t have an internet plan, perhaps you might want to register for one for just that month (or few weeks). Then try out every new feature, application and site you can find. From live streaming to geocaching, see what you can do with it and what you can’t. And when you’re done, you can just send it back.

I think it’s a great opportunity and well worth your time to try.

If you aren’t too familiar with Nokia phones, you may want to consider starting off with the N96 (successor to my current phone), N810 (tablet device), or e71 (Blackberry style).

Related articles by Zemanta

• Nokia Users Needed For Beta
• Pretend your way to an N78 or N96
• Advantages of Unlocked Cell Phones
• Nokia Workshop in Helsinki
• WOM World widens, now covers other Nokia hardware

Related Reading on Teach42

• Phree Phone Trees with Pheeder
• Cell phones and internet can be used to cheat.
• Free your data and get DabbleDB for free
• More free webinars
• What can you do with a cell phone in the classroom?