6. Let them Use their Technology

Oh boy do a lot of us struggle with this one.  I know a lot of teachers with signs on their doors that say “Cell phones are not allowed.” Others have bins to collect students’ phones during class.  I admit that smartphones are not appropriate for all lessons, but we should consider them an asset more often than a classroom management problem.

A majority of students in a majority of schools have miniature computers in their pockets at all times.  We MUST leverage this technology in our classrooms, especially in schools (like mine) that struggle to provide enough computers for students to use.  Try this experiment.  Next time a student asks a question that you can’t answer, say “I don’t know, but take out your smartphone and look up the answer for me.”  See how the student’s eyes light up as they search for the answer and announce their findings proudly to the class.  You have just taught them to seek and find their own answers by using their device for academic pursuits rather than just for entertainment and social media.

The fact is that teachers are no longer the single source of knowledge in the classroom.  Let’s not resist that but celebrate it!

There are myriad ways to use smartphones in lessons.  Here are just a few:

• Accessing Google Classroom, G Suite Apps (Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, etc..)
• Researching content
• Reading QR codes
• Accessing YouTube tutorials, lessons, or content (Crash Course, Veritasium)
• Accessing teacher-generated lessons on Nearpod.
• Learning math (and other topics) through Khan Academy or Virtual Nerd.
• Accessing Duolingo to learn a foreign language.
• Recording audio or video for an activity or project to share or use via Google Drive.
• Playing games with Kahoot!, Formative, Socrative, or Quizlet.
• Taking pictures to document progress to share with the teacher using Seesaw, Recap or Google Drive.
• Completing a Google Forms survey or quiz.
• Accessing a class blog/website.
• Emailing teachers.
• Communicating with teachers using Remind.
• Taking notes using Evernote or Google Keep.
• Logging calories in PE/Health class using MyFitness Pal.
• Accessing school calendars and grade reports.
• Playing music (with earbuds of course) during independent work to help students focus.

If we can teach students how to appropriately use their technology for academic purposes, they will see it as a tool for learning and creation.  Of course, there will always be students who will abuse this privilege, but we shouldn’t let the indiscretions of a few negatively impact the majority.

Disallowing students the use of their technology not only precludes them from the aforementioned activities, but also buoys their perception of teachers as being out of touch.  We want our students to have a growth mindset.  We want them to be life-long learners.  In order to promote these virtuous traits, we need to lead by example.

Please add your comments below.  I invite you to share your opinion on this topic.

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