This document discusses using smartphones and tablets (BYOD) in the classroom. It begins by asking questions about BYOD and defining it as students bringing their own internet-connected devices to class. It then discusses reasons to encourage BYOD, including keeping students engaged, easily gathering student data, and providing a study tool. Both arguments against and research supporting BYOD are presented. Examples of apps that can be used with BYOD like Nearpod, Socrative, SeeSaw, and Plickers are described. Potential issues with BYOD like access and technology problems are addressed. The document concludes by providing a checklist for determining if a technology is appropriate for one's teaching context.

1. MAKING SMARTPHONES
AND TABLETS WORK
TOWARD, NOT AGAINST,
CLASSROOM EFFICACY
Courtney King
Central Michigan University

2. WHAT IS BYOD?

3. Your students’ phones
and tablets (multi-
platform, internet-
connected devices)
BYOD = Bring
Your Own
Device

4. QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT
HAVE

5. QUESTIONS
• What is BYOD?

6. QUESTIONS
• What is BYOD?

7. QUESTIONS
• What is BYOD?
• Why would we encourage this
technology in the classroom?

8. QUESTIONS
• What is BYOD?
• Why would we encourage this
technology in the classroom?
• Does the literature support it?

9. QUESTIONS
• What is BYOD?
• Why would we encourage this
technology in the classroom?
• Does the literature support it?
• How do you build your bag of (tech)
tricks?

10. QUESTIONS
• What is BYOD?
• Why would we encourage this
technology in the classroom?
• Does the literature support it?
• How do you build your bag of (tech)
tricks?
• What does BYOD look like in the
classroom?

11. QUESTIONS
• What is BYOD?
• Why would we encourage this
technology in the classroom?
• Does the literature support it?
• How do you build your bag of (tech)
tricks?
• What does BYOD look like in the
classroom?
• How do I find if a technology is right for
me?

12. 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!

13. WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE
OF THIS TECHNOLOGY?

14. WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY?
• It keeps students engaged because it’s new and
different

15. WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY?
• It keeps students engaged because it’s new and
different
• It allows us to gather data on our students quickly,
easily, and often

16. WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY?
• 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 assess our students in a low-stakes
environment

17. WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY?
• 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 assess our students in a low-stakes
environment
• Smartphones are a teaching technology that we don’t
have to write a grant for.

18. WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY?
• 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 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).

19. WHY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY?
• 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 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).
• Navigating an app builds technical language skills

20. DOES THE LITERATURE
SUPPORT IT?

21. 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).

22. DOES THE LITERATURE SUPPORT
IT?
• 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.

23. DOES THE LITERATURE SUPPORT
IT?
• 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).

24. DOES THE LITERATURE SUPPORT
IT?
• 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.

25. WHAT SHOULD I ADD TO MY
BAG OF TRICKS?

38. WHAT DOES BYOD LOOK
LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM?

39. 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/assessme
nt tool
• Review guide
• Syllabus presentation/quiz
• Group assessment
USES
NEARPOD

40. NEARPOD
• Download Nearpod from your
app store
• Tap “Join”
• Type in this code:
RIKUM
• Wait for me to navigate to the
next slide

41. 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

42. 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.

43. 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

44. • 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

45. 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

46. • 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

48. 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!

49. 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.

50. HOW DO I KNOW IF THE
TECHNOLOGY IS RIGHT FOR
ME?

51. 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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52. THANK YOU!