Just about everyone has a smartphone these days. That means that we have access to unlimited amounts of information at the tips of our fingers. With all the potential we have for using that technology, why do many teachers ban phones in the classroom? I, personally, use my phone to take notes, set reminders, and Google search concepts that I don't understand. I think that phones could play a big role in the classroom.
The camera function, alone, could revolutionize education. In class, I use my camera to take pictures of notes posted on the board. I've used it to take pictures of someone else's notes from classes that I've missed. I've even used it to take pictures of quizzes I've missed, so I would have the information for the final exam. I set reminders through Cortana. (She's the Window's phone's version of Siri.) If I say, "Remind me to do my homework when I get home," as soon as I pull into my driveway, my reminder will pop up on my screen. My phone is an essential part of keeping me organized for school.
Looking at it from the viewpoint of a teacher, cameras would be very useful in art. Using the filter functions could teach students about concepts like value, color, and shade. There are several apps that I have downloaded for my niece and nephews. Connect the Dots teaches kids how to count and to recognize the numeral that goes along with the number. My favorite one for them to play is Preschool Essentials. It teaches them letter sounds through matching letters to pictures of words that start with the sound, colors by matching splotches of paint to objects of the same color, and quantities by matching numerals to objects. It even keeps a progress report for the students. If this was used in a center, the students could play the games and keep track of how much they are improving.
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