Mobile Learning Lab

I was really intrigued by the numerous ideas of using Flipcameras in the classroom.  There were so many great projects that could be used in many different curricula.  I liked the idea of making videos with students tutoring/teaching another student a hard topic, ie. some math topic.  I'm a big fan of my students creating videos of themselves performing labs.  I think this would be great to have students create vodcasts doing different labs over the semester or year and then having a library of them for future use.  I'd love to do a videocast that would demonstrate the safety rules in a lab, for instance.  Using iPads, iPods, et cetera makes doing research a snap.  There are a couple of free applications that are very beneficial to science in particular.  It's known that students learn as many new terms in biology as they do in the first year of a foreign language.  There is a free app called "Science Glossary" which gives definitions to numerous terms.  It would be beneficial so students wouldn't have to keep asking what things were; they could look it up in a snap and continue with the lesson.  They'd get to concentrate on the science, and not on the difficulty of the vocabulary.  

I'm a big fan of the Poll Everywhere.  I thought that would be a great way to do either a bellringer or exit ticket.  It would give me an idea of how students did with the previous day's lesson or the current day's lesson in a few moments.  It would also give students an opportunity to contribute to the class via text.  Even shy students who aren't usually very vocal in class (and sometimes get lost in the shuffle) would be able to contribute.

There is the inevitable challenge of students getting off task if they are allowed to use mobile devices.  However, I think if the rules are made very clear when the tasks are explained, then students will know the consequences of going off task immediately.  For example, if they are to be using their cell phones for completing a survey in class, then that's all they should be doing.  I feel that they need clear cut rules at the beginning.  If they're caught on Facebook, and it's not Facebook time, then they lose points for that day or assignment.  It will be easier to establish clear rules right from the beginning.  I'm amazed at how much knowledge my students can share when they're allowed to do research on their phones or iPods.  They like using the devices to help them find answers.  What they don't know is that I'm secretly trying to teach them how to problem-solve.  :)