This document discusses how to use mobile devices in the classroom. It outlines several strategies for bringing your own device (BYOD) including using apps and social media to increase engagement, enrich learning, and promote authentic and anonymous participation. Specific apps and tools are described like Poll Everywhere for polling students, Skitch for annotating images, and Facebook groups for class communication and projects. Guidelines are provided for appropriate social media and app use along with the educational benefits of these strategies.

1. Don’t Fear the Phone:
How to Use Mobile Devices in ANY Classroom

4. Introductions
Skitch

5. Why BYOD?
• BYOD = Bring Your Own Device
• Engaging
• Enriching
• Authentic Learning
• Increased Verbal Reasoning Skills
• Anonymity = Increased Participation
(Kolb, 2011)

6. Poll Everywhere
• Poll Everywhere (polleverywhere.com) is a
free text-based survey
• The teacher asks a question, and students are
given a number to text their response to
• Great as a quick review or an exit slip
• Kids are engaged
• Note for teachers- answers are anonymous
(pros and cons to this)

7. Polleverywhere
Multiple Choice Question

8. Polleverywhere
Open-ended Questions
(try at your own risk)

10. Smartphone/Tablet Activities in Canada, July 2012
% of Respondants
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Text messaging
Voice call
Download and use apps
Surf the net
Connect to social networks
Play games
Listen to music
Voice and video calling
Banking
Reading books/magazines
Watch TV and movies
Ecommerce/purchasing
Watch sports
None of the above
(Watch, 2013)

11. (Watters, 2011)

12. Apps
“The best app will always be an engaging lesson”
- Sean Junkins

14. What is an App?
• The term “app” is short for the word
“application”
• An app is a program that has been created to
improve the functions of a device, or to provide a
device with new and useful functions
• Mobile apps can be downloaded onto a smart
phone so that students can use them in class or
at home

15. What is Social Media?
• Social media is a social instrument of
communication.
• Using social media means that you are not just
getting information, but you are interacting while
getting information
• Traditional media is like a one-way street- you can
read a newspaper or listen to a report on
television, but you have very limited ability to
give your thoughts on the matter
• Social media is like a two-way street- you have
the ability to communicate.

16. Facebook
• Facebook is the King of Social Media
• It’s free
• Your kids likely have an account that they
check often

17. Facebook
• You can create a Facebook Group for your class
• Completely separate from your own personal
Facebook account- when you post to this page
you post as the group’s name (ie- “Calgary
Catholic English Class”)
• Allows students to communicate with their peers
in an authentic way
• Allows for fun projects that look at elements such
as
characterization, relationships, plot, conflict, setti
ng, etc.

19. Twitter
• Twitter is a forum where you must communicate
in 140 characters or less
• Great for homework reminders
• Easy and quick way to communicate with
students
• Great for projects that require students to be
clear and concise
• Also great place for teacher PD
• Proven to increase grade point average
(Online, 2011)

21. Policy

22. Gmail: Communication
Calendar: time management
Drive: A MILLION WAYS TO SHARE
Docs:peer editing
Form:survey students
Spreadsheet:Science Lab data
Presentation:group work
Talk: guest speakers
Webstore: Read&Write Extension
ALL FREE

24. • Many if not ALL of Alberta Program of Studies General Outcome are centre around students
providing feedback on a topic/visual/opinion
• Voicethread provides the venue for students to provide this feedback with differentiated
methods of achieving this general outcome

26. Questions

27. Thank You
Presentation is on
Slide Share (public)
@LauraSchmaltz & @Gilliera