I came across a video “Mobile phones, mobile minds” produced by Teachers TV on Google video. Though the video is quite long (about 27 minutes), it is interesting and educational. The video looks at the world of young people with mobile phones, and the impact on schools and education. It brings up a hot topic that is widely discussed by educators throughout the world.
Today, we have entered an era in which mobile technology is fundamentally changing our culture and impacting every aspect of our lives, including education and training. More than 1.5 billion mobile phones are used in the world today, with a half a billion new ones sold every year. This is more than three times the number of personal computers (PCs), and today’s most sophisticated cell phones have the computing power of a mid-1990’s PC. So, the mobile education revolution is finally here. Over 90% of college students now own a cell phone. Despite what some may consider cell phones’ limitations, students are already inventing ways to use their phones to learn what they want to know. Personally, I think cell phones have tremendous potentials in education and training. Instructional content and learning materials can be delivered in way that fits into learners’ cell phones – their digital lives. Learners are able to benefit from the vast amounts of cell phone-based learning – “Learning on the Go.” However, some K-12 schools are still banning the use of cell phones in schools. Should a cell phone be considered a mobile device for learning?