Journal # 4

“From Toy To Tool”
By Liz Kolb

This article was great! I wouldn’t have considered ever using cell phones as a classroom tool to integrate technology in the classroom. It just goes to show that technology can really be all encompassing. Having created a blog this semester for our technology class I have realized just how easily children could get on the computer and post their own. I plan on teaching first or second grade, so I don’t think the children will have cell phones… well at least at 5-7 that they don’t…geez! Although for classroom activities where children interview each other and then transfer that interview to a blog on the computer by audio would be awesome. I would lend my cell phone to the kids to record audio and then they could transfer it. I think my favorite part of the article was the idea using camera phones to produce pictures on the blogs that pertain to what the child is writing about or what their audio clip is about. I think that photos create such an important facet to presentation. I will definitely talk to my administrators at school to see if it is ok to try this cell phone integration as a classroom tool. It seems like something that not only would I be excited to try, but the children would be ecstatic.

1.) Would using this method be cost effective for teachers or too expensive?
I think that this method would be expensive. It seems like an awesome integration in the classroom, but in order for children to complete this assignment they would be using day time minutes which depending on provider can go quickly. For me personally, I teach in a very low socio-economic area, and the only way the kids would be able to complete the audioblogging would be using my personal cell phone. Depending on how long this process could take a long time. Therefore, this idea although exciting, is also a concern when thinking about acting it out.

2.) What are ways to make this method more cost effective?
By collecting a 1 or 2 dollar fee to purchase a phone card for a cell phone the cost would be distributed and not lay on single parties or the teacher. Also by using audio blogging sites or regular blogging sites with audio or picture capabilities that are free to users, the cost could also me minimal. Sites like blogger.com or Gabcast.com are free to users and will reduce cost.