Cell Phones and Tablets in the Classroom

When considering technology in the classroom, most people think about the computer and how it changes the academic landscape. However, there are other pieces of technology that can have a large impact on the scholastic setting. Cell phones and tablets can perform many of the functions that computers can, from simple calculations to data access. More importantly, there are many more students with continual access to a cell phone than to a computer, and the mobility of the technology makes it easier to engage with those capabilities.

One fear that many teachers and institutions have is that cell phones and tablets (and, in some cases, laptops) are distractions in the classroom. While students could use these devices for research and calculations, they are just as likely to use it for social media and non-academic reading. In many cases, this leads to strict rules governing their use in the classroom.

In the article Student Impressions of Academic Cell Phone Use in the Classroom, Jack Tessier documents a study where he allowed students free use of their cell phones for looking up information to share with the class when necessary. The discipline for this study was science course concerned with environmental issues; such a course relies heavily on information for forming and testing hypotheses.

The study found that the use of cell phones was overwhelmingly positive for the students. Students reported using cell phones all the time, and use in the classroom was comfortable for them. Students reported that it helped them learn, was not a distraction, helped them enjoy the class more, and marginally improved attendance. To be fair, the study did rely on student responses to student perceptions, so the results have to be taken with the understanding that students who want to use cell phones will likely report positively about them regardless.

Still, if students are reporting so positively about cell phones, and we can acknowledge the potential benefits of powerful information machines at the students' fingertips, isn't that a pretty good case for trying cell phones out in the classroom?

Personally, I have found classrooms with relaxed technology policies to be more engaging and communicative. There is always the concern that students will use technology for non-academic purposes, but this can be mostly mitigated by oversight by the teacher and policies of accountability in the syllabus. In my own classrooms, I can see myself fostering technology as an excellent way to engage students, and give them powerful tools to enhance their learning experience and capabilities.

Works Cited

Tessier, Jack. “Student Impressions of Academic Cell Phone Use in the Classroom.” Journal of 
          College Science Teaching, vol. 43, no. 1, 2013, pp. 25–29.

Using Computers in a University Environment

The use of computers in a university setting is almost inevitable nowadays. Whether the computer is being used to interact with a word processor, research information, or retrieve/submit assignments, the computer is able to impact nearly every stage and facet of writing.

For ESL students, it goes one step further by "[relieving] the anxiety some L2 writers feel about writing the L2 script, about producing work in their L2, and about writing in general" (Pennington, 1999a; Phinney, 1989). In my own experience working with L2 writers, I have seen L2 students use a word processor to write a paper in English by allowing the processor to take L1 script and translate it. While this process may still require an editing pass where the student checks that the translations are producing the correct effect, it allows the student to think in and write from the comfort of their L1 (particularly if the student does not yet think in English).

It is not only automatic translation that potentially plays a role in writing in the L2. Students who attempt to write in the L2 script (English) will also find that spell checkers and grammar checkers are acting as a sort of coach. When writing via pen-and-paper, mistakes (or perceived mistakes) may cause students to devalue their writing ability by focusing on lower order concerns, even though they may be doing a great job concerning higher order concerns such as structure or ideas. Thus the computer medium allows students to "write in a less self-conscious way and with greater engagement" (Pennington, 305). The result of this is longer periods of writing and longer texts being written.

Going beyond the word processor, other changes in the writing process are clearly improved. Researching information has never been easier than it is now. With online scholarly libraries offering millions and millions of articles, all with keywords, downloadable PDFs, and automatic citation generators, researching is as easy as hopping onto a computer and browsing through endless data.

This alleviates some barriers while creating others. Many students may find that they have access to computers at nearly any moment, but some students who either do not have access to computers often or who are not savvy with technology may not see as much benefit. Many students may find that not having the time or transportation to go to a physical library is eliminated by this access, but some students may benefit more by having professional support from librarians nearby.

Computers are also allowing educators to interact with students virtually 24/7. I have already mentioned Canvas in a previous blog, so I will not go into how that technology gives educators tons of options for discussions, submissions, providing documents, providing support materials, etc. Instead, I want to consider how a particular word processor, Google Docs, can give teachers the power to comment directly on a paper via a digital medium without ever having to meet face-to-face to provide that feedback. Now, instead of needing a physical submission to pore over, write marginalia, and return to the student, all of which requires face-to-face interaction either before/during/after class or during office hours, the educator can simply request that a document be shared (a quick ten second process!), then get online and highlight, comment, etc.

The same risks of less savvy students not taking full advantage of this technology remain, but if the hurdle is truly too much, then face-to-face options still remain (unless it is an online course...but then why would they do that!?)