Running head: Emerging Technolgy: Mobile devices

Emerging Technology: Mobile Devices

Kaylee D. Ernst
College of Southern Nevada

Emerging Technolgy: Mobile devices

Table of Contents
Abstract................................................................................................................................3
Emerging Technology: Mobile Devices..............................................................................4
Impact in Classroom............................................................................................................4
Elementary Classrooms...................................................................................................5
Middle & High School.................................................................................................6

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Abstract

Mobile devices are wireless devise such as tablets, smart phones, etc. that can be carried around
anywhere with you and have access to all things that I normal, wired desktop computer has.
These portable computing devices are often small enough to just fit into your hand to make it
easier to carry around and use on the go. These are great in classrooms because you can use them
right in the room without having to get your whole class to the computer lab and also there are
applications that are available and able to be downloaded on these mobile devices than you may
not be able to get on a normal desktop computer. Mobile devices of any kind would be a great
addition to any classroom.

Emerging Technolgy: Mobile devices

Emerging Technology: Mobile Devices

Impact in Classroom
People are often questioning whether mobile devices are distracting in the classroom or
not. There have been studies done that show students who send text messages or use their cell
phones in class at all are often less engaged in the lesson and often score lower grades on tests or
assignments than kids who do not use cell phones during lessons in the classroom. Even though
many other studies have shown that mobile devices in the classroom are a distraction, J.H.
Kuzennekoff decided to do his own study to see if it mattered what the students were texting or
using their phones for. He had some students use their phones to text or talk about the lesson and
answer questions to each other about what was going on in the classroom or with that particular
unit while he also had some students texting or using their phones for whatever they wanted.
When the study was over it resulted in exactly what he thought, the students who were using
their phones for something that had to do with the lesson were getting higher grades on tests than
they were by just listening to the lecture or lesson that was being taught to them. Then the
students who were using their phone to play games or text their friends about whatever they
wanted to were obviously still getting lower grades then everyone else because they were still
not engaged in the lesson and they were unaware of what was going on in the classroom during
that unit. Mobile devices can do so many things for the classroom, good things. There are
applications, games, websites, study tools, etc. that can be used or downloaded from any form of
mobile device. There are things like Kahoot which is a website, and possibly soon to be
downloadable application, that can be accessed from the internet on any device to create tests,
take tests, etc. So, the teacher could create a test on the website and then later in class have their
students all play against each other on that same test as kind of a study tool for the upcoming

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larger test or even have the scores they get on the game be their actual test scores. There are also
mini games that they could find on a lot of different websites for any subject that they are
working on so they could practice for upcoming tests or just have to study and keep the
knowledge that they already have. There is also downloadable software such as Microsoft
applications like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and a bunch more that can all be used for different
things. Word is used to write essays and they also have different templates that you can create
such as MLA Format, APA format, and other helpful tools so if you are not one hundred percent
sure how to format something they already have a template for you. PowerPoint can be used by
the teacher to create a lesson that isnt straight from the textbook or it could be used by the
students as an assignment to demonstrate their understanding in a fun way about a particular
topic they are discussing in class. Plus, there are many, many more things that you could do with
mobile devices in the classroom but these are just a few ways that they could be used.
Elementary Classrooms
Mobile devices would be used very differently in each school depending on the grade that they
were teaching. If you were teaching an elementary school, then obviously you would use things
that are easier for the younger students to grasp the concept of. For the younger grade students,
they need to be really engaged in what they are doing on the devices or they may get distracted
with them easier than older kids might. They might be more successful playing games on the
phones or tablets rather than creating anything. Though, there are websites that will have the
students create things in order to get a more hands on feel while also learning, having fun, and
staying on one spot. There is an app called Puppet Pals HD will let the students create their
own educational show and then watch it when they are done. So instead of just having the class
watch a video about something you could have them create their own show or story on their

Emerging Technolgy: Mobile devices

understanding of a certain subject and then watch it after or even share it with the student next to
them so they can learn from each other as well. There is also this other app called Nearpod that
is like a slideshow but sometimes asks the students for their feedback so you can see how much
they were paying attention to what has already been said in the lesson or just to assess their
understanding so far to see what needs to be gone over more after this part of the lesson. There
are also many other apps and websites that would be wonderful for elementary school students to
be able to have access to in the classroom.
Middle & High School. Once the students hit middle school there would need to be
more challenging things that they use their mobile devices for. There are still things like the
Microsoft applications that they could use for essays in classes as well as things like Dropbox
so they can connect all of their devices like their phone, tablet, and computer all together so all
the documents, pictures, papers, essay, or anything else they may have for school can be
accessed any time from any of their devices so they will never lose anything for a class again.
Also, when I was in middle school we used a website called Edmodo.com a lot. It was
basically formatted like Facebook so teachers could post assignments, discussion questions
that the students have to answer in the comments, the students could post questions they had and
either teachers or other students could try to help to answer in the comments, etc. We had one for
just about every class because there were so many different things that could be done on them
and they were a good tool to be able to have especially if you were absent or you needed to look
back at notes that had been posted before. Kahoot could also be good for middle school
students just to keep them engaged but also have a little bit of fun while learning at the same
time. Just about everything that can be used in middle school also will be used a lot in high
school for a majority of things in the classroom. Also, not for nothing, there are some of these

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tolls that high schoolers and even middle schoolers use that would be great for even students in
college. I know in both high school and now college I have used quizlet quite a bit to study for
tests, make sure I have the right answers on study guides, etc.
Benefits in the Classroom. There are many different things that I have found while doing
research or even just being in the classroom myself that says being able to use mobile devices
has many benefits for both the students and the teachers. One of the benefits that I have noticed
most is that the students tend to get less distracted. If you let the children use cell phones or
tablets or any other type of mobile device that you seem fitting to have in your classroom, then
they put a lot of their attention into doing that one thing with the technology that is in front of
them. Also, the students learn more and have more fun while using devices like these. When they
are told to play a game to study for this test it usually seems like less of a chore and more of a
game where they can be more hands on and get competitive with other students in the classroom.
While the students are having fun, being competitive, and trying to get the best score in this
game they hardly realize that they are really playing an educational game and they are learning
things when it seems to them like they are just having fun and messing around in class with their
friends. I also read online, at securedgenetworks.com that it helps to prepare the students for
the future. A lot of people are very dependent on technology and we become more dependent
with each new coming generation so using some sort of technology or mobile devices in the
classroom will help prepare the students and teach them how to use of the tools that they might
need for a job later on. If they did not have this preparation in the classroom, then they may be
held back later and passed up for a job because they were unaware of how to use different
software or tools on a computer. This same website also stated that mobile devices are more up
to date than textbooks are. Think about it, new textbooks are only published so often. How many

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times have you been in a classroom and used or seen someone else using a textbook that was
maybe a few years old? I know that I have been in that situation several times and sometimes it
is no big deal but other times information changed or new discoveries are found so the
information in updated and by using those outdated textbooks you only feeding the children
outdated and basically useless information. Online you will not have any of those problems
though because everything gets updated so often, of course, you would have to make sure you
are reading from a reliable source but for the most part the internet is a more helpful and useful
to tool to have in the classroom opposed to a textbook.
Conclusion. In Conclusion, there may be some cons to being able to use mobile devices
in the classroom but there are many more benefits than there are downsides to this. The down
sides may be that the students would venture on to different websites than you told them to be on
but for the most part I do not believe that would happen very often, if really at all. The students
would have more fun being in class and they would learn a lot more since they were having d=so
much fun and they would barely even realize they were learning as much as they actually were.
Also, you can use mobile devices for any grade. There are things that could be used to help
anywhere from preschool all the way up to even college or in everyday life, outside of school. If
the students are taught how to use these tools, then they can use them anywhere and they can use
them down the road when they are older and in higher grade levels. Personally, I do not really
see any major downsides with incorporating mobile devices into the school day. The devices that
would be used do not even have to be used for every single thing in every single lesson of the
day but I do believe that they should at least be introduced to the students and they should be
incorporated quite a bit into the school day only because there are so many upsides and benefits
to having mobile devices of some sort in the classroom.

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References

How do mobile devices in the classroom impact student learning? (2015, June 9).
Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://phys.org/news/2015-06-mobile-devices-classroomimpact-student.html
Robledo, J. (2012). Edutopia Mobile Devices for Learning Guide (PDF. Retrieved
November 3, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/guides/edutopia-mobile-learningguide.pdf
Networks, S. E. (2016). 4 Benefits of having mobile technology in the classroom.
Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/4-Benefits-ofhaving-mobile-technology-in-the-classroom
Form, B. E. (2013, October 6). Benefits of Mobile Devices in the Classroom. Retrieved
November 03, 2016, from https://www.learndash.com/benefits-of-mobile-devices-in-theclassroom/
Teachers, B. T. (2009-2016). Advantages/Disadvantages of the iPad Classroom. Retrieved
November 03, 2016, from http://www.teachhub.com/advantagesdisadvantages-ipad-classroom
Pros and Cons of Allowing Digital Devices in the Classroom. (2012, November 7).
Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/tech-ed/pros-andcons-of-allowing-digital-devices-in-the-classroom/
Matthew Lynch Dean, Syphax School of Education, Psychology & Interdisciplinary
Studies, Virginia Union University. (2015). Do mobile devices in the classroom really improve
learning outcomes? Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://theconversation.com/do-mobiledevices-in-the-classroom-really-improve-learning-outcomes-38740

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