making smartphones and tablets work toward, not against classroom efficacy

MAKING SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS WORK

TOWARD, NOT AGAINST, CLASSROOM

EFFICACY

Courtney KingCentral Michigan University

WHAT IS BYOD?

Your students’ phones and tablets

(multi-platform, internet-connected

devices)

BYOD = Bring Your

Own Device

QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE

QUESTIONS

• What is BYOD?

QUESTIONS

• What is BYOD?• Why would we encourage this

technology in the classroom?

QUESTIONS


technology in the classroom?• Does the literature support it?

QUESTIONS


technology in the classroom?• Does the literature support it?• How do you build your bag of (tech)

tricks?

QUESTIONS



tricks?• What does BYOD look like in the

classroom?

QUESTIONS



tricks?• What does BYOD look like in the

classroom?• How do I find if a technology is right

for me?

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATIONS

• This presentation is NOT telling you that you MUST use any technology.• I am drawing only from experience with

college-level 20-somethings in English for Academic Purposes and an Intensive English Program.• The technology I’m sharing today is a

fraction of what is available. If none of it interests you, hunt for more!

WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS

TECHNOLOGY?

WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY?

• It keeps students engaged because it’s new and different


• It keeps students engaged because it’s new and different• It allows us to gather data on our students

quickly, easily, and often



• It allows us to gather data on our students quickly, easily, and often

• It allows us to assess our students in a low-stakes environment





• Smartphones are a teaching technology that we don’t have to write a grant for.






• We can give them a powerful study tool (and they never leave home without it).






• We can give them a powerful study tool (and they never leave home without it).

• Navigating an app builds technical language skills

DOES THE LITERATURE SUPPORT IT?


• Arguments against app use:• Gary Stager, an educator who pushed America to

buy laptops for every student, notably called BYOD the worst invention of the 21st century on his blog (and has been repeatedly quoted since) (2011)

• End, Worthman, Matthews, and Wetterau (2010) conducted a study that proved that a cellphone ring (or even vibration) can significantly reduce the ability for all students in the classroom to learn. They suggest that cellphones should be banned from classrooms entirely (p. 57).


• Arguments that support app use (in education):• Ferriter (2010) aptly states that “efforts to

eliminate cell phone use are also short-sighted, especially in an era when fewer dollars are available for classroom supplies” (p. 85).

• Samsiah et al. (2013) argued that a resource as ubiquitous as the smartphone must be utilized by educators in order to stay relevant.

• Larry D. Rosen (2010) suggests that students today have been “rewired” and demand the use of technology in the classroom if we want them to remain engaged.


• Arguments that support app use (in TESOL):• Al-Okaily (2014) found that “a BYOD policy is

both practical and can be effectively implemented in an English Language Program” (p. 3).

• Cakir (2015) suggested that when students can access English learning resources at any time from any where, they become more likely to do so in their free time.

• Brown (2014) argued that English language teachers should develop a theory-informed stance on cellphone use in their classrooms, cautioning against either extreme (complete prohibition or a cellphone free-for-all).


• Studies that support app use (in TESOL):• Gabarre, Gabarre, Din, Shah and Karim

(2014) conducted a learner-centered study in a foreign language classroom in which students were overwhelmingly in favor of the use of iPads.

• Wu (2014) found that a group of students that used a vocabulary learning app (WordLearning) instead of traditional study methods significantly outperformed the control group in vocabulary recognition.

WHAT SHOULD I ADD TO MY BAG OF TRICKS?

WHAT DOES BYOD LOOK LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM?

FEATURES• Import Powerpoints

(as .pdfs to preserve formatting)

• Quizzes (No anonymous option, could you pseudonyms or numbers)

• Polls (No anonymous option, could you pseudonyms or numbers)

• Twitter feeds• Drawings• PDF Reports• iOS, Android and Web

apps

• All-in-one presentation/play/assessment tool

• Review guide• Syllabus

presentation/quiz• Group assessment

USES

NEARPOD

NEARPOD

•Download Nearpod from your app store• Tap “Join”• Type in this code:

RIKUM•Wait for me to navigate to the next slide

FEATURES• Polls (anonymous option)• Quizzes (name or student

ID option)• Download report as

a .csv, .pdf, Google Doc• Download, save, or auto-

upload to Google Drive• Web, Android, iOS

• Polls • Quizzes • Exit tickets • Midterm or quarter

progress reports• Group member

feedback forms

USES

SOCRATIVE

SOCRATIVE

• Download Socrative Student from your app store OR go to b.socrative.com in your web browser.• Where it says “Room Name” type this

code:4abbc56a

• Type in your name.• After you type an answer, scroll down to hit submit in order to move on to the next question.

FEATURES• Ideal for low-level

students (but not inappropriate for high-level students)

• Easily upload or directly record media (photos, videos, text, audio) to a private class feed

• Comment on each other’s work

• Android, iOS

• Video recording• Demonstrate

pronunciation skills• Document study

practices • Submit digital copies of

homework/class work• Show and tell

USES

SEESAW

• Download SeeSaw Learning Journal from your app store.

• Select “Student”• Scan the QR Code under SeeSaw on your

handout:

• Record a video of someone nearby talking about their favorite teaching technology.

• Tag their name (on the laminated card).

SEESAW

FEATURES• Does not require that

students have cell phones!

• Uses a simple paper interface

• Respond to questions with up to 4 possible answers (A, B, C, D or T/F)

• Anonymous polling*• Record quiz grades*• Take attendance• Gauge interest• Simple M/C exit ticket

questions*

USES

PLICKERS

• Look at your laminated card. • You have all been given a name.

Check for your name on the scoreboard.

• When you rotate your card, it selects A, B, C, or D

• When the letter is upright, it is selected.

• Try it!

PLICKERS

PresentIllustrate your

information in an engaging,

interactive, accessible format

PlayProvide

students with fun activities to practice their skills

AssessQuiz students on what they have learned

and find knowledge

gaps

SurveyPoll students on their interest in

the presentation, the speed of the class, and the

complexity of the assignments

AdjustUse the daily feedback you

receive to adjust your

presentations to better serve your students needs

KNOWN ISSUES

• Access • Not all students have internet-connected devices (if they don’t,

you can’t have a BYOD classroom)• Students with newer devices will have fewer problems accessing

materials• Technology Glitches• Technology fails us sometimes. And always at the worst times.• It will be perfect when you practice it for your cat/significant

other/the mirror. Everything will go wrong the next day.• Have a back-up plan!

KNOWN ISSUES

• Comfort • If you don’t feel comfortable trying these methods, do not try

them. Your students can tell if its uncomfortable and they won’t follow along as excitedly as they might if you present it with pride and confidence.

• It takes practice. Your cat/significant other/mirror will hate you for it.

• Training• You need the time it takes to practice and get good at it. Most of

us don’t have that time.• Google and Youtube are there for you. You do not struggle alone.

HOW DO I KNOW IF THE TECHNOLOGY IS RIGHT

FOR ME?

Is it reliable?

Can all of my students easily access it?

Do my students gain something from it?Does it merge with my other activities naturally?Is it easy to learn with minimal language?

Will it help my students in the future?

Does it help me meet my objectives?

A WORKING TESOL APP SELECTION CHECKLIST

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THANK YOU!

Courtney Elizabeth Kingwww.courtneyelizabethking.com

[email protected]

http://www.courtneyelizabethking.com/

mailto:[email protected]

making smartphones and tablets work toward, not against classroom efficacy

Education