Time-to-Adoption: Two to Three Years

Cell phones have already begun to feature many capabilities that initially were associated with other devices, such as e-mail, instant messaging, web browsing, and even video. A recent survey of cell phone users in 21 countries indicated that over half are using them for Internet or e-mail services compared to a little over a third in 2004. As the next crest in the wave of portable devices, smart cell phones are poised to break over academia with the force of a tsunami. In other parts of the world, where people commonly own multiple cell phones, they are already moving into the classroom.

In one increasingly common use of these devices, physicians are using their smart phones to access patient clinical data; it is easy to imagine a similar application for any course requiring significant amounts of stored data. Another new application is that created by ComVu, which allows video enabled smart phones to broadcast video to another smart phone device or to a computer. A smart phone is essentially a computer, and software that is developed for it will bring many of the same capabilities of a PC or laptop to this much smaller, more portable device.

Relevance for Teaching, Learning & Creative Expression

• One advantage is enhanced collaboration: increased video mobility allows for better on-the-spot feedback, as for example a difficult bird or plant identification. Since a phone is more portable than a laptop, access to data while in the field could also be increased.
• Cell phones can be used as access points to information stored on the web.
• Short text messages could be used as a means of testing or assessing learning, either by the teacher or as a self-assessment method with other students.
• Cell phones which incorporate GPS devices can be used in many disciplines and areas where location-specific information is needed.
• Smart phones could be used for their original purpose—voice communication—and, with their other capabilities, become sophisticated conferencing or lecturing tools.

Examples

• Stephen Cheung of the University of Sydney used SMS messaging to conduct classroom experiments in economics, including the bargaining game and the contributions game. This replaced the inefficient paper and pencil; it is worth noting that a full computer simulation of these games was not a practical option, but moving it to text messaging on cell phones was. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=605863

• At Coventry University in England, students in the New Media Studies Program are using smart phones to download videos and to receive their grades. http://westmidlands.ideasfactory.com/new_media/features/feature51.htm

For Further Reading

What Can You Learn from a Cell Phone? Almost Anything!
(Marc Prensky, 2004) Discusses various uses of cell phones in classrooms. http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-What_Can_You_Learn_From_a_Cell_Phone-FINAL.pdf

Cell Phones: Nuisance or Necessity?
(Elizabeth Melville, Teaching Today, January 2005) Presents pros and cons of allowing cell phones in classrooms, and suggests some possible educational uses for phones. http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/52