Online Conference "Cell Phones as Learning Tools"

This was AMAZING! The conference I attended had a video which made it possible for me to actually view what she did. I chose "Cell Phones as Learning Tools" because I am absolutely against cell phones in the classroom. I wanted to hear about the benefits before I banned them in my classroom. They are a great tool, but still not for the classroom.

One of the most interesting things I learned for this podcast was a program called Gabcast. A teacher can call a programed number on her cell phone, and make a podcast (up to 60 minutes) that is then published on her/his blogger account. The students, and anyone else can immediately hear what was said on the cell.

Another feature that was talked about was photoblogging. Most cell phones have cameras, and the pictures can be shared online. I wasn't too interested in this one because most people know this by now, but the Gabcast really got my attention.

I do think that cell phones can be a tool, and it would be very handy to be able to leave a podcast at any time. I still don't think they should be in the classroom for students. A teacher would have to monitor them regularly to make sure that the students were paying attention, not cheating, or distracting the other students.

I really had a fun time watching this conference. It was very informational, and broadened my knowledge of the technology that is already out there.