EXPAND 1: CHapter 2 Website

Chapter 2 of Teaching With The Tools Kids Really Use discusses how classroom instructions can include mobile technology into their teaching routine. With the popularity of the cellular device increasing and students' attitude become belligerent to "No Cell Phone" zones, teachers are fighting a losing battle. Some schools that I am aware of have embraced the cell phone and made it part of the daily classroom atmosphere. Though this positive view of the cell phone is not accepted at all schools, it does work for some. At the end of the chapter, the website www.polleverywhere.com provides teachers with an outlet to use the mobile phone as an instructional aid. The website is basically an online source that allows users to present to a mass audience by asking a simple question. The audience then replies back using their cellphone and special text code. The replies show up on the screen in a feed format for everyone to see. This would be great for a teacher to use in the classroom as students would be allowed to use their cell phones for educational purposes. There are limitations of course. Teachers would have to be cautious about what students reply with and there is a limit on how many replies one can have. The free version allows for 30 participants. There are paid memberships that allow for more participants, but for a classroom the free version I think would work fine. I really liked how the website did not require an account to use the features that are provided. This makes me think that teachers could easily incorporate this tool in the instruction even if it is at the last minute.

This website relates to the material in the text in the manner that it simply provides educators with a quick and easy tool to aid in the ongoing battle of cell phone use in the classroom. I think the more students are encouraged to use their technology or the more they are allowed to use it, the less problems will arise when they are told they cannot use them. That is the main emphasis from this chapter. The more a teacher can incorporate the technology the better.