ASSIGNMENT 1.3 – Mobile Phones Wiki

The ‘Mobile Phones Wiki’, was a task where we assessed the reality of using mobile phones as an educational tool in the classroom through the various checks and balances of our recently acquired learning theories. I found the mobile phones wiki, out of all of the activities to be the most interesting concept so far. Using a table broken down into the Six Thinking Hats, students had to read the available materials, the opinions already posted by others and contribute to one of the categories of thought in a very constructivist manner.

The argument largely came down to the fact that they were a very powerful tool with a great reliance on the self-disciplined learning. It was from these simple points that many people argued their viewpoints, once again a very constructivist activity about a largely cognitive tool. 

I took the critical black hat on this one (which evidently was the most popular position took). In a nutshell, it is just too soon, too soon for students, still excited by this tool in their personal lives to be able to use them in a educational and constructive manner. Yes, they are powerful, yes they are accessible, but what compels students to use them for good? The lack of transparency (as far as the teacher’s awareness of what they are doing compared with desktop PCs) is a major concern. So really I am of the understanding that tablets or desktop PCs are preferable, for constructive learning, teacher’s awareness and the achievement of Higher Order Thinking. 

My opinion though was obviously of little value as my post was dissolved into a paraphrased collection of ideas by the ‘moderator.’ Apparently there were too many posts in the ‘negative’ section; maybe this informed other students about what the consensus of their fellow peers was as to the general perception of such a tool was? So I left with the impression that this measure was an attempt to justify the need for us to examine having such a frivolous tool as mobile phones in the classroom to start off with by downsizing our subsequent rejection of it.