Using cell phones creatively

SALT Presentation: More that Just Talk – An Experience Using Cell Phones for Education

Presenter: Lin Muilenburg/ St. Mary’s College of Maryland

My Mind Map for the Presentation:

http://www.simpleapps.eu/mindmaps/ASraRQJ1tj2oqxc5eDJ9rD84wwJN/mindmap.pdf

I really enjoyed this presentation. The presenter kept us all engaged despite the fact that it was the last show of the day.

If you have a cellphone with a camera, then you can develop learning activity that engages your students.

These activities can take the form of polls, scavenger hunts, photo logs, fone conferences, etc. The applications are almost limitless. I’m thinking of creating a scavenger hunt using QR codes, various clues, and web games, maybe even geo cache to have a treasure hunt teambuilding at work.

A few days later…..

Back at a ‘real computer,’  I’m still obsessed with QR Codes. In the United States, the codes can be read mainly by cell phones. In Asia, most of the phones are outfitted with a QR Code reader. I was able to visit the QR Code Generator site and create one for my blog.

There are endless possibilities for using QR Codes to empower mobile learning with smart phones. For example, students could create their own “Museum Exhibitions” complete with an interactive media tour. They create their exhibits with labels that include QR codes that provide links to web pages, videos, mp3 files, etc. FUN STUFF!!!!  Students could even design their own ‘educational’ treasure or scavenger hunts for their teachers, parents, and fellow schoolmates.

Here’s a really well put together presentation on using QR Codes for Teaching I found on slideshare. The design process is meant for creating learning experiences for students on the University level, but I can see many of the principles being adapted for younger students as well.

http://www.slideshare.net/andyramsden/qr-codes-mlearn08-presentation

#dl09-User’s Point of View – Iphone instead of Laptop

Scary… I started typing Rupert Murdoch’s last name and three letters in and it typed the rest for me.

Love, love, love…

• I can hit double space and it puts down a period. Unfortunately,  I’ve been trying to do this this morning in e-mail and WordPress and it doesn’t seem to be working.
• Can easily create mindmaps using an ap called SimpleMind Express.
• Perfect for short messages and phrases like tweets.  Eventually I’ll get to writing in full paragraphs.
• Copy and paste works great once you get the hang of it.
• Sharing photos and diagrams I create on the phone is easy.

Absolutely abhor…

• Come on put the Delete key farther away from the Return.
• Selecting that tiny bit of text at the top of the field is a b—-.
• WordPress ap doesn’t save all my changes each time I hit save $#@#!!!!!

Best Aps…

• Facebook
• Tweetdeck
• SimpleMind Express

Although I’m thoroughly sick of making mindmaps, I think for taking brief notes while folks are talking in a preso, this is good.  It’s also excellent for real-time sharing and discussion during events.  I found myself tuning into what other people thought or were thinking during the keynote and other presos by using the #dl09 twitter feed.

As long as I am not sharing or presenting at a conference,  it’s completely possible to leave that extra 5-7 pounds at home and still participate and document things adequately.  I love simplicity.  I am taking some time to review the posts I have here and add notes or reflections on what I learned, specifically; how I might be able to apply directly or indirectly what I was able to pick up.

Overall, I think DevLearn 2009 did a pretty good job of encouraging and leveraging the connectivity via online social networks during the conference.  When asked what she learned at DL09, one woman noted that she discovered that her phone was not powerful enough.

I will say that over the weekend my iPhone sat unmolested in it’s charger most of the weekend after I came home from the conference. Good iPhone… now you can rest a bit.