"SMS: Text Messaging Gets Redesigned" by Pieter Ouwerkerk

Cell Phones in Schools!!!

Now, THAT is one touchy subject! A few weeks ago, I came across a discussion led by Jeanette Westfall, a co-principal at a local high school. She initiated a lively debate over whether students should be allowed to use cell phones in class. Their discourse got me thinking.

The biggest argument I see about the use of cell phones centers on texting. Critics state that students who have cell phones in classes tend to text their friends ALL the time. In addition to time wasted, their informal writing styles, typical of texting and e-mail, is sneaking into assignments for school. Therefore, opponents argue, cell phones should not be allowed in schools.

So, I got to thinking back to when I was in middle school. There was no worries as to whether I was texting. I didn’t have a cell phone. I did not need one. I had the power of the “NOTE”.

"Passing Notes" by Paris Lemon

In fact, I passed so many notes in the 7th grade that I had a box FULL of them–all folded in the latest craze. And, amazingly enough, teachers didn’t ban the use of paper to prevent us from writing yet ANOTHER note to our BFFs.

Paper is a tool. And, we used this tool for “legitimate” class time purposes. Our teachers taught us how to use paper appropriately. I learned, both directly and indirectly, what and when note writing would be OK. And believe it or not, by the time I left high school, my note writing decreased to when it was a necessity.

Texting is 21st Century Note Passing. The way I see it, a cell phone is just another tool. A FANTASTIC TOOL that is sorely underutilized. We haven’t had the opportunity to teach how to use a cell phone appropriately.

Cell phones are not allowed at the school where I teach. I must admit, however, as a science teacher, I’ve had the students bring out their illicit contraband on more than one occasion. We’ve shot pictures as we’ve gone on a field trip to a local urban conservation area. We’ve used the calculators and stopwatches for data collection. We’ve actually called people.

There are so many uses for a cell phone in a classroom. If you’re ever in the mood, visit Liz Kolb’s website on From Toy to Tool, Cell Phones in Learning. She provides even more ideas on how to use a cell phone to instruct.

For now, let’s focus on text messaging. It is a huge issue in education. I have two points. First, students will continue to text. It is powerfully engaging, it is easy to do, and it allows us to stay connected to those we care about. I say, that as teachers in the twenty-first century, we would be remiss to ignore the technology in the palms of our students’ hands.

So, students will text. The goal of texting is to say something and to say it fast. Shortcuts have been developed. In fact, whole thoughts are summarized into bite size pieces to be sent with the push of a button.

There is power in the ability to summarize. In fact, Marzano and associates have looked at multiple studies on the use of summarization. They have found that teaching students to summarize is one of the most effective classroom instructional practices that work.

What does this mean? Use texting in class. There’s an actual summarization technique called Text Message. (formally News Blast.) In Text message, students are to summarize what they’ve learned in 25 words or less. Students can send the message to me via an actual text message, by e-mail, or written on paper. If students want to use text lingo, I think that’s great. There are text translator’s on the internet to help me decipher, if needed. What’s great, students are getting to text, and summarizing content they need to learn for my class.

Now, the second point I want to make about text messaging. Texting IS an informal written language. As critics have said, this informal language is creeping into assignments and other written work where texting isn’t appropriate.

Since cell phones have not typically been utilized in classroom situations, there has been no one to formally address how and when to use texting. As teachers, we need to be deliberate in our instruction on how to code switch. By this, I mean, to teach students the difference between the informal and formal textual languages.

An example would be to show students it is perfectly OK to use text lingo when writing to a friend or taking notes for a class. (How many of us used some form of short hand or abbreviations in college). That writing style is very different than writing to a boss or for a term paper. When writing for an actual assignment or job situation, a more formal writing style would be preferred.

Cell phones are in our classrooms. Students are texting. What do you think should be done?

hw shd cell fons B uzd n schls?

Artwork Thanks:

Lemon, Paris. “Passing Notes.” parislemon’s photostream. 16 SEP 2007. Flickr. 8 Nov 2008 <http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1430/1389778233_a7faedb980_m.jpg>.

Ouwerkerk, Pieter. “SMS: Text Messaging Gets Redesigned.” pouwerkerk’s photostream. 03 JULY 2007. Flickr. 8 Nov 2008 <http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1266/706401207_b8ff020a72_m.jpg>.