A number of students that we teach do not have access to a computer or consistent internet service at home. For them, this is a major challenge that they face while doing the English A and B SBA. Or is it?
Although, a number of students might not have a computer at home or consistent internet service; I have noted that most students have smart cellular phones. In a number of cases, students have internet service on their phones or they might have access to the school’s open campus wifi.
With this in mind, here are a number of ways you can use smart phones to assist in the creation of the English A and B SBA process:
1) Research Artefacts
Students can use the phones to search for their artefacts, whether it maybe print, video and/or audio.
2) Showcase Artefacts
Students can share their artefacts that they have found with their group mates and teacher via Whatsapp or in SBA update meetings. This will enable the student to get feedback about the appropriateness of their artefacts in relation to their individual topic without having to print or download the information. This can save on time and expense for the student.
3) Video Journals
Students are often encouraged to keep a journal of their experiences throughout the SBA process. The students can opt to keep a video journal in which they record their experiences. This can be used to frame for the students how they have grown throughout the process. This will assist with writing reflection entry number three.
4) Record Practice Oral Presentations
Students can record their oral presentations at home while they rehearse their presentation. In their group presentation practice session meeting they can share their recorded presentation. Students can also watch each other’s presentations and offer suggestions. They can also use a checklist to evaluate each other’s presentation.
5) Typing the Plan of Investigation
Several aspects of the SBA can be typed on students’ smart phone as well as these can be emailed to themselves or the teacher. This can therefore be done without a laptop or desktop computer.
6) Emailing Sample Drafts
Increasingly, we do not need a desktop or laptop to send and rece1ve emails. The teacher can track students’ progress by schedule dates for email updates. These updates can be emailed via their smart phones.
7) Using Google Calendar
Students can also track, share and schedule group meeting with their phones. One thing I noticed with my students last school year was that they had group meeting; however, often they did not record the date and times of their meeting. They also did not note discussion topics, etc.
I know that there are schools that have a no Cellular phones policy with good reason. It is also interesting to note that although this policy exists in a number of cases students still take and use their smart phones in school. Often these phones are not used for educational purposes but instead as an entertainment tool.
Is it that we need to teach the students that their smart phones can be a tool for learning and not just a source of enjoyment?
Is that we need to develop a cellular policy in our schools that lends itself to limited phone use for classes and educational purposes?
Should the no phones in schools policy stand regardless of the educational merits of smart phones?
Please comment below your thoughts or share any other suggestions you might have on the topic.
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