More on Mobiles

Categories: Writing and Assessment

Bear with me here, I'm on a bit of a learning curve with this one. I steadfastly refused to have a mobile for about 3 or 4 years. In my last job, you could never switch off, and it became an unwelcome extension of the working day. I also used to get really annoyed when people would text each other rather than talk, and used to get really tired of people holding ever so public conversations on their mobiles too. This was when about the most interesting thing that I could do with my phone was play 'snake' (ok, I was addicted). I was, and still am to a certain extent, always amazed when people said they couldn't do without one.

Recently, my eyes have been opened, not for the want to talk and text (I'm still being anti-social :-( ), but as a brilliant little tool for the classroom and beyond. Ewan mcIntosh sent me a link (many thanks) with some good ideas for using mobiles. Some I've already tried, some I am going to suggest for use with my certificate classes before the week's out. So here's some of the things I'd like to try...

1) Using the countdown timer/stopwatch - Particularly with Higher. I have been talking for as long as I can remember about how well you could do if you can combine your knowledge with an ability to answer your exam questions both in time and in an organised manner. Today, we tried timing a 25 marker, and some of you managed within the time, several of you didn't. Practise the questions using your timer at home and keep doing this until you can do the questions to time. If you're doing past papers, then

2) Use the screen as a prompt - The screens on mobiles are small, so you'll only be able to fit a little on it. Try putting short notes on the screen until you are confident doing the questions solo.

3) Bluetooth computer content/friends files to your mobile- I've previously highlighted some sites with podcasts for revision. I know some of you use your mobiles to listen to music. Why not use it as a revision tool to break the monotony of past papers? Just download the files and bluetooth it to your phone. We have done some voice recording in class. Apart from having a fit of the giggles about each others voices, why not bluetooth to each other, and get an opinion on how you've done, or simply use it to share good study aids?

4) Use your phone as an organiser- How important at this time of year to be organised.. Use your phone to help you. I have been talking in class about the importance of not leaving your Geog revision till the last minute since for many of you its the last exam. Use the diary, the memo facility etc to remind you of times you're planning to study Geography.

Hope this all helps, and makes your revision a little fresher.

P.S. Im also looking to use the bluetooth in France in June to share photos, so that I can maybe post some pupil snaps on to the moblog, rather than simply my own.