Walking the Talk

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Put an Expert in Every Student's Pocket with ChaCha

Imagine having an expert to turn to at any time for information, advice, guidance…for free! That’s ChaCha, an amazing service that will become invaluable to students. As the site says, “ChaCha is like having a smart friend you can call or text for answers on your cell phone anytime for free!” ChaCha works on any cell phone with every provider and enables students to ask any question and receive an accurate answer as a text message in just a few minutes.

Ideas for Using ChaCha with Students
1) Have all your students ask ChaCha questions about an area of study. Have them share their answers in whatever way you’d like i.e. on a discussion board about the topic, on post its in the class, as Tweets, etc. Have students try to guess what the question was. This is a fun and engaging way to review a unit. If students are in schools where cells are banned, this can be done outside of school. Just have students bring their answers with them to school on paper or submit them digitally.
2) ChaCha is a great homework help aide. Let’s face it, regardless of academic ability, race, class, or type of household, there are often times when students don’t have someone around to help them with their homework. Chacha solves this problem by connecting students to a free network of about 25,000 ChaCha guides. If a student gets stuck…just ask ChaCha. Of course, you’ll want to discuss with students the importance of confirming their information is accurate, just as they’d do if they asked a friend or family member.
3) While many households still do not have internet access, most have at least one cell phone. Chacha is an alternative resource for students who do not have a computer at home. What can you ask ChaCha? Anything! Here are some examples from the ChaCha site:
During the summer I had to read a book which was pretty confusing and if I had a question about a word or phrase, ChaCha explained to me what it meant. Thank you so much ChaCha! ~ Kay
I won a bet on the size of the Moon compared to the Earth, thanks to ChaCha’s quick answer. Can I take my ChaCha guide to my free dinner? ~ Tenny
My mom told me Angora fur was from a goat…I told her it was from a rabbit. Thank you ChaCha for winning me a good home cooked meal!!! I love ChaCha ~ Leah
My family and I were arguing about how far north in the state of Florida where we could find a coconut palm tree. ChaCha came to the rescue and ended it! Thanks again!! ~ Jed

Here’s How to Get Started

• Enter 242242 (spells ‘ChaCha’) into your phone or call 1-800-2ChaCha begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-2ChaCha end_of_the_skype_highlighting (800-224-2242 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-224-2242 end_of_the_skype_highlighting) from your mobile phone.
• Text your question to ChaCha or call and ask any question
• You will receive an answer in minutes that also cites the source and informs you who your guide is answering the question.
• You may want to ask your question more than once as different guides often use different sources and you’ll receive different answers.

Who would you like to have speak to your colleagues about transforming education?

"Who would you like to have speak to your colleagues about transforming education?" This was the question asked of me by a colleague, so I started this list which I welcome others to contribute to at http://tinyurl.com/transformedspeakers

10 Proven Strategies to Break the Ban and Build Opportunities for Student Learning with Cell Phones

by George Engel, Rob Griffith, Scott Newcomb, Lisa Nielsen, Jason Suter, and Willyn Webb

Innovative educators George Engel, Rob Griffith, Scott Newcomb, Lisa Nielsen, Jason Suter , and Willyn Webb know that when it comes to preparing students for success in the 21st century you not only have to think outside the ban, sometimes you have to dive in head first and break it. The following is a collection of ideas each teacher implemented to successfully break and/or work within the ban where they teach in an effort to empower students with the freedom to use their cell phones as personal learning devices.

The Ten Building Blocks for Learning with Cell Phones

1) Build Relationships
Breaking the ban starts with the building of relationships with key constituents. Here is advice on how to get started.

• with self:
• Realize that leadership begins with example. There are those who are threatened by transitions and change. To break the ban, you will need to present yourself in ways that do not make your colleagues uncomfortable about their instructional methodology.
• with students:
• Let students know you care about making learning fun and relevant and ask them if they’d like the option to be able to do work using their cell phones. Most likely, the answer will be YES! If they are interested provide them with homework options that enable them to use cell phones.
• with parents and guardians:
• Start with the parents by using the cell phone as a tool to bridge the home-school connection. You can have a “Text-of-the-Day” to update parents on what’s happening in the class. You can text parents individually to share information about their child. You can poll parents with Poll Everywhere to get their input and show their opinions matter. You can read this article for more ideas 6 Ways to Use Cell Phones to Strengthen the Home-School Connection . Once parents are on your side and see the value personally, your job convincing other stakeholders becomes much easier.
• with colleagues:
• Try to establish yourself as an innovative leader when it comes to empowering students and teachers with technology. A focus on student centered learning is key. At grade or subject meetings, offer to support teachers in harnessing the power of cell phones for themselves, and if they’re ready, with their students. Get them started and model for them. Perhaps have a polling question in a meeting or gather input with a Wiffiti board.
• with administration:
• Start by working within the system to bring about technological change. Become known as someone that works with what your school has on hand and is flexible to administrative needs. When the opportunity presents itself, respectfully present the need for change and recommendations to update your school’s technological teaching processes.
• with district:
• Become known as a tech leader. Offer to participate in school and district-wide technology decisions. Offer to collaborate with the district technology coordinator and others to help establish a new acceptable use policy (AUP) that will allow the use of cell phones as a learning tool. (The AUP is a critical step toward technological change, many districts are still working with AUP’s developed in the late nineties.) Keep in mind that in most cases, what is acceptable in the physical world applies to the online world as well.

2) Embrace Research
In today’s educational climate providing evidence that the work you are doing is aligned to research and standards is crucial! Here are some ways to do this.

• In addition to content area alignment, ensure your cell infused lessons indicate alignment to the National Education Technology Standards.
• This is a sample of a math teacher’s compilation of Standards-Aligned Activities with Cell Phone and Other Technologies
• Incorporate the use of cell phones aligned to Robert Marzano’s nine research-based strategies.
• You can think of your own or use some of these ideas shared on The Innovative Educator blog.
• Demonstrate careful research of the use mobile technology to building principal and district administration. Provide specific data and examples that are up-to-date, not out-of-date.
• Frohberg, D. (2006). Mobile learning is coming of age: What we have and what we still miss. Paper presented at the DELFI 2006, Darmstadt, Germany. (http://www.ifi.uzh.ch/pax/uploads/pdf/publication/71/2006_DELFI_Darmstadt_MLearn_Framework.pdf)
• Pursell, D.P. (2009). Adapting to student learning styles: engaging students with cell phone technology in organic chemistry instruction. Journal of Chemical Education, 86(10), 1219
• Shuler, Carly Ed.M. (January 2009) Industry Brief: Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children's Learning
• Speak Up, . (2010, March). Creating our future: students speak up about their vision for 21st century learning
• Trotter, A. (2009). Students turn their cellphones on for classroom lessons. Education Week, 28(16), 10-11
• Vavoula, G., Scanlon, E., Lonsdale, P., Sharples, M., & Jones, A. (2005). Report on literature on mobile learning, science and collaborative activity
• Wood, C., Jackson, E., & Wilde, L. (2009, July 24). Children’s use of mobile phone text messaging and its impact on literacy development in primary school.
• Compilation of Mobile technology Journal Articles and Research

3) Plan Activities

• Planning is key. Create and develop a plan, lessons, and activities that you can share with those who care and want to know what you have in store for the use of cell phones in the classroom.

• Develop a well thought-out plan for embedding cell phones into instruction. Invite your students to partner with you in developing ideas to meet learning goals using cell phones. This plan can be shared on your class and/or school website as well as distributed to parents, guardians, and school community members.
• Lesson plan to use with students to begin drafting plans
• Develop a well crafted outline and description of lessons and activities that could be used for learning with a cell phone.
• For lesson and activity ideas visit
• Harnessing the Power of Cell Phones in Class Lesson Plans
• Mobile Learning Lesson Plans | Scholastic.com
• St Marys Schools Lesson Ideas
• Invite administrators and policy makers to observe the lessons. If possible, involve them as students in the class so they can actually participate and experience first-hand an activity that promotes student engagement and achievement.

4) Pilot Program
Be willing to start small, demonstrate success and work from there.

• Meet with those key in your school and district decision making to map out an acceptable pilot program i.e. district technology coordinator, building principal and assistant principals.
• Sample pilot program - Delta Schools, Colorado
• Ensure that the pilot program includes all teachers interested in participating.
• Make sure to invite administrators to observe and participate when you are incorporating cell phones into the curriculum. This can be one of the fastest ways to build relationships and get key stakeholders on board.
• Film videos of what you and your students are doing. Publish on online spaces to celebrate the work your students are doing.
• As an example see Culbreth Middle School’s collection of videos featuring the use of iTouches.
• Video of a student field trip to the Chesapeake Bay. Twitter updates at the end of the video were posted by the students during the trip via cell phones.

5) Access for All
Anyone interested in embedding cell phones into the curriculum has heard the argument, but what about the students who don’t have a phone??? Well, you do the same thing as you do when your class doesn’t have enough textbooks. You don’t say, I guess we can’t do our work. We find workarounds. Partner or group students. Have some extras on hand for those who don’t have. Reach out to the community for support, but don’t use that as an excuse to not innovate instruction.

• For more ideas visit
• Solutions for Teaching with Cell Phones in the One to Some Environment

6) Partnering with Students to Use Cells for Learning
When using technology for learning, Marc Prensky’s concept of partnering with students fits in well. Bring students into the conversation and ask them about ways they can meet learning goals in life, at school, and at home.

A template might look like this:

Use Cell Phones for Real Life	Use Cell Phones for Learning Outside of School	Use Cell Phones In For Learning In Class

• Sample from class whose student’s partnered with their teacher to develop ways they could use their phones for learning.

• Student ideas for using cells for learning.

Invite your students to partner with you around a conversation of cell phones and learning. Capture their answers, then share these answers to see if there are any other ideas students may want to add. The ideas can be posted on the classroom website, blog, or wiki, with credit given to the students who are able to take more ownership of how they learn both at school and independently on their own.

7) Parent/Guardian Permission
Before we use cells with students, we must have parent approval. By the time you ask for it, you’ve hopefully already begun some home school connection strategies with cell phones so you are on your way.

• Here are sample parental permission to use cell phones.
• Permission Slip
• Parent Cell Phone Letter
• Parent Technology Permission Form
• Tahoma School District Electronic Resources User Agreement and Parent Permission Form
• Parent Permission Form - Delta Schools, Colorado

8) Acceptable use
Just like any other classroom tool, teachers need to work with students to establish acceptable use policies. In some classrooms the teacher just explains how the general policies apply to the use of cell phones, in others they create a new policy, in some schools the students help create the policies, and in some classrooms they invite parental input as well. Collecting everyone’s thoughts on acceptable use is easy when you use cell phone tools like Poll Everywhere and Wiffiti to do so.

• Here are some sample policies
• 8th grade students brainstorming cell phone rules on Wallwisher (http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/cellphones)
• St. Marys City Schools Acceptance Use Policy
• AHS Personal Wireless Devices - Personally owned devices use policy Littleton Public Schools in Centennial, Colorado General generic simple cell phone policy from FunnyMonkey
• Department of Education, Melbourne, Victoria’s New Primary School Internet and Mobile Acceptable Use Kit
• Department of Education, Melbourne, Victoria’s New Secondary Internet and Mobile Acceptable Use Kit
• Nova Scotia Cell Phone Policy
• Further reading
• Crafting a Workable Cell Phone Policy, Education World, Feb 22, 2005
• Cell Phone Dos and Don'ts | Scholastic.com
• Ways to handle cell phones and other devices in your classroom
• Cell phone etiquette for kids - Tips and Advice for Parents and Families

9) Cell Phone Etiquette
Adults often complain that cell phones are a distraction in class, but how much time have they really devoted to discussing proper etiquette? This can be weaved into a general discussion around behavior and etiquette in different situations. Inviting students into the conversation about appropriate etiquette and what to say to those not exhibiting polite behavior usually works better than telling students how to best behave.

10) Classroom Management
As with the use of any technology in the classroom, when using cell phones in the classroom you must have classroom management procedures in place. The nice thing, however, about cell phones is that you don’t have to worry about distribution, collection, storage, imaging , and charging of devices. Consider working with your students to develop this plan, you may find that they build a strong, comprehensive policy of which they will take ownership and be more likely to follow. Once developed, the plan should be posted in advance of using cell phones in the classroom.

• Sample plan
• Ideas for Managing the Cell Phone Classroom

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This article was collaboratively written by George Engel, Rob Griffith, Scott Newcomb, Lisa Nielsen, Jason Suter, and Willyn Webb using Google docs. For information about each of the authors visit texting teacher biographies.

Apps for Innovative Educators with Androids

If you’re an innovative educator with an Android, then you might want to check out Android for Academics. The company’s focus is creating smartphone applications for educators. There are currently four applications on the Android market, and several more in the works. Most of their applications are free.

The applications.

1. Gradebook
   With Gradebook, there is no need to have a separate gradebook on your phone because the program is designed to interact with a Google Docs Spreadsheet. Give the program your spreadsheet info, and you can easily access and edit grades from the phone with a wide range of quick entry options. Another novel feature is that you can email students auto-generated grade reports.
2. Attendance
   This app offers an easy way to take attendance with an Android phone. Like Gradebook this is designed to interact with a Google Docs Spreadsheet, so that all of your information is automatically stored in the cloud.
3. Grade Rubric
   Grade Rubric gives professors a quick and easy way to grade using grade rubrics. Novel features include auto-generated a grade reports that can be emailed to students, and the ability to record grades inside of Gradebook.
4. Grade Ticker
   A quick and easy calculator for professors who grade assignments by ticking off points as they grade. This app also integrates with Gradebook for quick, efficient recording.
   

Most of the Android for Academics apps are available for free, and they plan on releasing a free version of Gradebook soon. They also have plans to expand their apps to the iPhone platform. Visit www.androidforacademics.com for more details.

For more ideas on using Androids in the classroom visit this list from Androids for Apps co-founder Andrew Cullison. I don't have an Android, but I like what I see. I'd love to hear what those with the devices think of their use as educational tools.

Ideas for Managing the Cell Phone Classroom

As with the use of any technology in the classroom, when using cell phones in the classroom you must have classroom management procedures in place. The nice thing, however, about cell phones is that you don’t have to worry about distribution, collection, storage, imaging , and charging of devices.

Below is a possible classroom management protocol. You’ll want to modify this to your particular classroom needs and discuss with students prior to introducing cell phones into the classroom.

• Upon entry and departure of class please ensure cell phones are turned off and stored in your backpack.
• On days when we are using cell phones for learning please ensure they are set to silent.
• Only use phones for learning purposes related to classwork.
• When phones are not in use on a day we are using cells for learning place them face down on the upper right side of your desk.
• If you notice someone in the class using their cell phone inappropriately, remind them to use proper cell phone etiquette.
• If at any time your teacher feels you are not using your cell phone for class work you will be asked to place your phone in the bin in the front of the room with a post-it indicating your name and class.
• After the first infraction each month you can collect your phone at the end of class.
• After the second infraction you can collect your phone at the end of the day.
• After the third infraction your parent or guardian will be asked to retrieve your phone. If you use the phone inappropriately again during the month your parent or guardian will be required to retrieve your phone.
• At the beginning of each month, you have a clean slate.

Be open to modifications or suggestions your students may have. They may have some good ideas. Note however, that this should be determined and posted in advance of using cell phones in the classroom. Additionally, if you work with your students to develop this policy, you may find that they build a strong, comprehensive plan for which they will take ownership and be more likely to follow.