TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Need/Opportunity My TechQuest will address a need schools have every day, limited access to technology. In this specific example, students need improved access to tools to record text/numeric data, and capture images, video, and audio recordings during field research. They need improved methods to record data; chart & analyze data, brainstorm ideas, and review key concepts. Students using cell phones would have the tool to accomplish all of these things (depending on the cell phone model and carrier.) The cell phone would be a cost effective tool to address this learning need/opportunity. This is a real issue. Students have limited access to mobile recording devices while on science fieldtrips or when doing field research. Some districts are able to provide laptop computers for every student, but most can not. Instead of waiting for a bond issue to pass, consider an immediate solution – use what students carry to school every day, the cell phone. These new cell phones allow recording of text, data, images, audio, and video some even allow access to websites. Cell phones are owned by the student/parent, and are carried by nearly every high school student and many middle school students. The use of cell phones would be of minimal cost to a district. It is the ideal answer to address this need. Using cell phones for instruction isn’t without potential problems. Changing how a school thinks about cell phones, from banning cell phones to embracing them, will take time, policy changes, and education. This TechQuest would help secondary science teachers create and implement lessons where cell phones are used by students for field research. The cell phone is a tool students will embrace. They live in a multimedia world. In a typical day students use their cell phone for more than just talking. They listen to podcasts, watch YouTube videos and send text messages. What if this multimedia tool could be used to support learning? The tool is available for by using the cell phones most students bring to school every day. In addition the project includes loaner phones with prepaid minutes for use for those without cell phones. Some activities can be accomplished using a landline phone or computer.
Implementation Phase I – Teacher education and planning Someone learning: An invitation would be made looking for 4 – 6 secondary science teachers to volunteer to be involved in this project. They would not be paid and they would need to commit to attending 4, three and a half hour, afternoon or after-school professional development workshops, and one, four hour workshop on August 13. The ideal teacher is a teacher who is forward thinking and willing to try new things. The application requires a sign off from the technology director and the building principal.
Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Someone teaching: The teacher in this case will be a consultant, Liz Kolb, a student in the doctoral program at the University of Michigan. She has been contacted and was excited to be invovled with the project. She offered to reduce her normal consulting fees and be available for email/phone support throughout the project. Ms. Kolb is an expert in using cell phones in education. She writes a blog centered around how cell phones are being used in education, www.cellphonesinlearning.com and is the author of the new ISTE Book, “Toys to Tools, Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education” – available October, 2008. In some setting: Ms. Kolb will meet with the science teachers three times. She will first meet them at the August 13th workshop. She will work specifically with this group during the half day workshops in September and November (3.5 hour). We anticipate the workshops would be scheduled immediately after school, however they may be offered during the school day if the teachers are able to secure substitute teachers for a half day (afternoon). The workshops will be hosted at the Calhoun ISD in Marshall, MI. Some subject matter: During the first workshop in August, Ms. Kolb is teaching two workshops (see flyer at the end of document.) In the workshop she is introducing the tools. She will share general classroom integration ideas. The science teachers will be attending with other educators. In the workshop scheduled for September, Ms. Kolb will be working with only the teachers in the project. In that workhsop the teachers will develop lessons as they learn about/select applications where the cell phone is an intregral tool for information collecting, documenting and analysis. Teachers will also learn cell phone management techniques, project implementation strategies, and create accounts on the associated web sites. Teachers will return to their schools and during the next 6 – 8 weeks, will implement one or more lessons designed during the workshop. Ms. Kolb has offered to be available for email and phone consultantion/support throughout the project. The third workshop will be scheduled for November. The teachers will share what they learned in their first lessons and be introduced to additional tools. These tools may include applications where students use their cell phone for reviewing questions on a test or for graphing mathematical fuctions using applications like those available from: www.math4mobile.com Phase II – pilot projects Teachers will pilot one or more lessons they develop with students between the second workshops in September and the third workshop in November. As needed, teachers will be provided with cell phones with prepaid minutes to use to supplement cell phones students provide. As all the projects may not be done simultaneously, the cell phones Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones may travel among the teachers during the projects. As requested, teachers will be given cards with prepaid cell phone minutes for specific cell phone carriers. A wikispaces site: http://cellphonesined.wikispaces.com will be used to post lessons and document the success, problems, and new learning from the project. Phase III – evaluation and documentation Before the project is implemented, participates will take a short survey through www.surveymonkey.com Separate surveys will be given to the teachers and the students. At the end of the project, the surveys will be taken again and the answers compared. As questions allow, the second survey may be delivered using mobile survey tools allowing participants to respond to questions via their cell phone, e.g. using www.mobiode.com We expect the survey results to document improvements in learning. Another form of evaluation will be done. Students and teachers will be interviewed for an educational video, recorded using cell phones. Students and teachers will be interviewed and asked about the project: what they did, what they learned, if they thought it was successful. The final, edited movie will be posted to YouTube and TeacherTube. The forth and final workshop will provide an opportunity for teachers to share their thoughts and insights as to the success of the project and talk about next steps. The comments by teachers and students will also be part of the documentation to the success of the project. The final workshop will also be a time for celebration and sharing of stories about their learnings.
Research and Resources More than 40 cell phones in education sites are listed at: http://del.icio.us/amann/cellphone Liz Kolb’s blog, www.cellphonesinlearning.com has one of the largest collections of cell phones in education links/resources. Links are posted below: Articles/blogs/podcasts/videos A Pencil is a Word Processor A Vision of K12 Students Today Anywhere, anytime: Using mobile phones for learning Are you ready for Mobile Learning? Education Quarterly Can Elmo Help Kids Learn Their ABC's? Cell Phone Usage Among Teens Cell Phones in Classrooms Land Teachers on Video Sites Cell Phones in Schools: Zero to Hero Cell Phones in the Classroom: A Good Practice Guide Cell phones test schools' outreach efforts Crafting a workable cell phone policy Fair Use Cell Phone Use in Schools Fear the Fear of Cell Phones Fill Er Up First Cell Phone that Reads to the Blind and Dyslexic From Toy to Tool
Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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Hang it up Listen to the Natives Mobile Africa New Study Casts Cell Phones as Effective Teaching Tool Our Cell Phones, Ourselves Our Cell Phones, Ourselves (NPR) PBS Ready To Learn: Cell Phone and Preschooler study Phoning It In School Safety: Cell Phones, Camera Phones, & Pagers Should a ten year old have a cell phone? Speak Up Report, 2006 Stop Banning, Start Embracing Students and Cell Phones: Controversy in the Classroom Students call on new video skills Students find their voice on internet with cells Teaching Through Text Message Teens Turn Repeller into Adult-Proof Ringtone The 2007 Mobile Generation Report Thinking Machine/Think Mobile Phones to Learn
MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones WWWTools: Cell phones in Education
Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Cell phone applications 3guppies (upload movies, media to cells) 3jam (collaborative texting) Audiko (Create ringtones and send to cell) BlipTV (mobile video posting) Blog Talk Radio (podcasting) Cell Flix Festival Cellfish (upload to cells) Cellphedia ChaCha (Mobile Research) Chordmaestro csharpcomputing (upload images/sound to cell) Drop.io (mobile storage and moblogging) Earthcomber Evoca (podcasting) EyeSpot (video editing for cells) Feedm8 (make a blog mobile) Flagr (location moblogging) Flickr (Go Mobile) Flixwagon( Live mobile video streaming/broadcasting) Free Conference Pro (virtual conferencing) Gabcast (podcasting) Gcast (podcasting) GrandCentral (voice mail) Hipcast Homework Now Jaduka Jangl (voice mail, private line) Jott (mobile note taking) Live Journal (Go Mobile) LocoBlog (location maps mobile blogging) Mob 5 (Cell Webpages) Mobile Evite (instant polls) Mobile Math Lab Mobile Query (reference software for cell) Mobilicio.us MoBiOde (surveys for cells) Mofuse (mobile website) Mozes (Create a Mobile Campaign) Murmur (oral history project for cell phones) Museum On The Go (download famous art work/ringtones to cell) My Art Space MyBuddyQuiz Myca (mobile healthcare) Nokia Sports Tracker (track routes with cell) Nozbe (mobile organization
Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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OhDontForget (free and timed text messaging) Phonezoo Photoblogger (Go Mobile) Photobucket Mobile (mobile video and image posting) Pinger (mobile messaging and note taking) Pix2fone (Cell Logos) Plusmo Pocket Film Festival Podlinez (make your podcast mobile) Polleverywhere (mobile polls) QIK (Live Cell Phone TV Broadcasts) QuillPill (Write Your Own Text Message Storybooks) Radar (video and images blogging) Reactee (text message T-Shirts) Ready.mobi (mobile ready site check) Rememberthemilk (mobille organization) ReQall (mobile notes and reminders) Ring Blender (create/send ringtones) Ripple9 Sandy (organization tool) Scanr (faxing and scanning w/cell) Shozu Snapvine (mobile blogging and talking photos) Talkshoe (virtual conferencing) Talkster Text For Free (free text messaging) Textmarks (text alerts) Twiddeo (twitter with video) Twitter (text message social network) TXT60 (video conversion/upload for cells) UnWiredBuyer Utterz (Mobile Cell Blogging,audio, pics, video) Vitalist Voicethread (Cell phone storybooks) Voki (mobile Avatars) Vringo (video ringtones) Wapamama (create mobile website) Wapedia Wattpad (read stories via phone) WayFinder Whrrl (location blogging, timelines) Wiffiti (text-message brainstorming) Winksite (mobile web searching) Xpenser (Track your Spending) YouMail (voice mail) Zinadoo (create mobile websites)
MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Cell Phone Tutorials Flagr Tutorial Flickr Mobile Tutorial Gabcast tutorial
Gcast Tutorial Jott Tutorial Photobucket Mobile
Tutorial Polleverywhere Tutorial Wiffiti Tutorial
Learning from the success of others Cell phones in the classrooms, Craik, Saskatchewan http://t9ers.wikispaces.com Ireland’s use of cell phones in the classrom http://www.learnosity.com/go/client-ncca-ireland Cell phones in learning article by Marc Prensky in Innovate http://innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=83&highlight=Marc%7CPrensky TED Talk - Nokia researcher, Jan Chipchase http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/190
Timeline While the rubric asks for the “portion you will implement during this course and the portion you will implement after this course completes,” this TechQuest will be implemented after the course is completed. And full implementation depends on grant funding. The first workshop has already been scheduled for August 13 at Olivet High School. Recruiting for secondary science teachers has not yet begun. June 2008 June – July 2008 June – August 2008
Write MACUL Grant for Extending Science Research with Cell Phones; create wikispaces wiki Market cell phones in education workshops – August 13 Recruit teacher for project
Toys to Tools: Supporting Curriculum with Cell Phone Applications workshop, Olivet High School Workshop 2 – Cell phone as a documentation tool workshop & September 2008 lesson development; post lessons on project’s wiki; Calhoun ISD; September 2008 Complete pre project evaluation online August 13, 2008
September – November 2008 November 2008 December 2008 - January 2009 February 2009 February 2009 March 2009
Pilot lessons in science classrooms; share what is learned on project wiki; Liz Kolb will be available for support/consult Workshop 2 – Cell phone as a learning tool workshop & lesson development; post lessons on project’s wiki; Calhoun ISD Pilot learning tools lessons; share what is learned on project wiki; Liz Kolb will be available for support/consult Students complete post project survey; record video/audio sharing thoughts about project/lessons Workshop 3 – Evaluation and celebration; teachers complete post project survey; record video/audio of teachers sharing thoughts about project/lessons post lessons on project’s wiki; Calhoun ISD Edit video and audio and post to YouTube & TechersTube; present results of project at the 2009 MACUL Conference, Detroit
Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Budget Items & Purpose – provided by grant Professional Development – Liz Kolb; 8 hours and phone/email support Cell phones with prepaid minutes; 6 phones; $75 each talk minutes @ 15¢ a minute, text messaging @ 10¢ per message, picture messaging @ 25¢ per message SD and Micro SD memory cards – for file recording and transfer (6 at $8 ea.) Prepaid cards – twenty five $10 cards to be used to replenish cell the project’s cell phones or to be given to students who have used their allotted time or by teachers for their cell phone use. Total: In kind Items & Purpose - provided by Calhoun ISD Professional Development – Liz Kolb; August 13 workshop Food for teachers and presenter attending workshops (8 x $10 x 3 workshops) Support by CISD Educational Technology Consultant throughout project; development and implementation of survey; survey summary and project summary; creation and posting of project video Total:
Cost $750 $450 $50 $250 $1500 Cost $400 $240
$640
Appropriate for chosen audience Teachers are not looking for more work. They are looking for ways to do what they are currently doing, but do it more effeciently. They are looking for ways to engage students in the learning process. Science teachers have a challenge finding ways to quickly record information when they are in the field. And sometimes that “field” may be the science lab. There are a number of secondary science teachers who are in great need of handheld tools for students to use to record data. The cell phone is the perfect tool. Teachers will find it worth the time to be involved in this project. Depending on budget, ideally, I’d work into the buget funds to pay for substitute teachers. I prefer to offer the workshops during the day. Some teachers are also coaches and cannot attend after school workshops. Based on the feedback from the educators invovled in the project in Craik, Saskatchewan, teachers will leave this project with changed ideas about teaching. They will have have new ideas about how to integrate technology tools. They will let students know that they are learning along with them. This is a significiant transformation for secondary science teachers who typically see themselves as content area experts. It is an important and needed change as we help educators learn to use technology tools to support learning in new and different ways. Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Project Implementation This project cannot be implemented until after this class is over. To fully implement the project as outlined will require grant funding. Anticipated surprises, unexpected bumps in the road and delights – based on listening to other cell phone projects, I anticipate great success in this project. Some of the surprises I anticipate: •
Issues with administrators in changing policies to allow cell phones to be used for this project
•
Students without cell phones or with cell phones that do not have the features or the service plans, e.g. no text messaging. In the project in Saskatchewan, students would work in groups, using a single cell phone for the entire group.
•
Students using their cell phones inappropriately. Students will be told that this project depends on them using their cell phones in a responsible manner. Guidelines and policies will be put into place. Parents will give their approval for students to be involved. However, there will still be issues to work through.
•
Delights – I anticipate that the teachers and administrators will be the groups most surprised by the success of the project. Just looking at the list of applications above, the cell phone is the doorway to an amazing collection of tools – well beyond what teachers or administrators could imagine. Our job as educators is to help the students utilized these tools to improve teaching and learning.
Project Evaluation This project has evaluation built-in to the project. In previous positions I created and summarized pre/post evaluations for a handheld and a one to one laptop project. These evaluations were done on paper or on the computer. The evaluations for this project would be moved to www.surveymonkey.com for the pre survey and the post survey would be done using cell phones and a survey tools, such as www.mobiode.com. A summary of the evaluation will be posted to the project’s wiki, http://cellphonesined.wikispaces.com An educational video will be created using the cell phones’ builtmovie recording capabilities. Students and teachers will be asked to share their thoughts and insights as to the success and problems of the project. These comments will also be a part of the evaluation documentation. The final, edited movie will be posted to YouTube and TeacherTube. I expect that based on these evaluations, the project would continue into the next year and be expanded into other curriculum areas.
Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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in
MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Links to Standards – standards the project supports are in bold NETS Standards for Students (2007) www.iste.org/nets 1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: a. b. c. d.
apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. create original works as a means of personal or group expression. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats. c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures. d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems. 3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students: a. plan strategies to guide inquiry. b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. d. process data and report results. 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students: a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation. b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project. Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions. d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions. 5. Digital Citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students: a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology. b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity. c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning. d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship. 6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students: a. b. c. d.
understand and use technology systems. select and use applications effectively and productively. troubleshoot systems and applications. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.
Links to Standards – standards the project supports are in bold METS Standards for Students www.techplan.org 4. Technology communications tools a. Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences. 1. Students identify and describe various telecommunications or online technologies (e.g., desktop conferencing, listservs, blogs, virtual reality). 2. Students use available technologies (e.g., desktop conferencing, e-mail, groupware, instant-messaging) to communicate with others on a class assignment or project. 3. Students collaborate in content-related projects that integrate a variety of media (e.g., print, audio, video, graphic, simulations, and models) with presentation, word processing, publishing, database, graphics design, or spreadsheet applications. 4. Students plan and implement a collaborative project using telecommunications tools (e.g., groupware, interactive web sites, videoconferencing). Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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TechQuest: Extending Science Research Using Cell Phones Attached is flyer for “Cell Phones in Education Workshops”, August 13, 2008
Andy Mann Ed Tech Consultant, CISD
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MSU CEP 812 manna@calhounisd.org
Cell Phones in Education Workshops Presenter: Liz Kolb, Author of the ISTE book, “Toys to Tools: Connecting Cell Phones to Education” August 13, 2008 Olivet High School 255 First Street, Olivet Register at: http://pdreg.calhounisd.org
Time Saving Cell Phone Tools for Busy Educators 8:30 - 9:30 AM Cost: No charge Registration 8:00 AM CELL 501 - Time Saving Cell Phone Tools for Busy Educators, Section 1 Learn how your cell phone can be used to save time and make you more productive. Learn to add items to your calendar without touching a key; email a message to a teacher with just your voice, and more. Explore the most important time saving tools from Google, Jott, and others. In terms of personal productivity, this will likely be the most useful one hour workshop you’ll attend all year. Required: bring a cell phone with text enabled. Required: bring a cell phone with text enabled and if possible, a built-in camera. Computers will be provided.
Toys to Tools: Supporting Curriculum with Cell Phone Applications 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Cost: $10 Registration: 9:30 AM CELL 502 - Toys to Tools: Supporting Curriculum with Cell Phone Applications, Section 1 Learn how cell phones can be used as a learning tool K-12 in this “phones on” workshop. Create online accounts with web applications then use your cell phones as you explore model lessons. Discuss ways to overcome potential problems and learn about alternatives such as completing projects using a landline phone or with a cell phone outside of school. Can cell phones be used productively instead of banned? Leave with the answers along with specific integration ideas. Required: bring a cell phone with text enabled and if possible, a built-in camera. Computers will be provided.
About the Presenter Liz Kolb is a cell phones in education champion and author of the new ISTE book, “Toys to Tools: Connecting Cell Phones to Education”, being released October, 2008. She is passionate about guiding educators to take advantage of the tool students carry with them every day, the cell phone. Her blog, www.cellphonesinlearning.com provides a wealth of ideas about how cell phones can be used to extend and support learning. Liz is a former social studies teacher and technology coordinator. She currently teaches at Madonna University as she completes her PhD in Learning Technologies at the University of Michigan. For more information contact: Andy Mann manna@calhounisd.org
CISD Ed Tech Consultant (269) 789-2421