Mobile Phones for mLearning

My initial reaction to mobile phones (or cell phones as we Yanks like to say) was: "Are you nuts???" I mean, a classroom can be chaotic enough without those things. However, after a few articles I am no longer quite so against it. To do a quick PMI

Pluses:

• Given the advances in smart-phones the capabilities are endless. I particularly like the use of them as instant feedback devices (ARS). Currently UC-Berkley in California uses a clicker device in lectures to get instant feedback as to how well a students' are understanding the material. A lecturer can ask a multiple choice question and students use their clicker to answer anonomously, thus giving immediate feedback as to how well a concept is being understood. The use of the camera (still and digital) could be quite helpful. The timing and reminder functions could be useful as well as many of the applications. Internet searches and file transfer would come in handy as well. In my teaching areas I could see them used in Drama and Manual Arts easily but see a bit less application in Business
• We should embrace the technology that is not just being used by our children but is found in the job market as well. 
• Studies (Engel & Green 2011, Kemp 2011, and  Docksai 2009) have indicated that cell phones can have positive effects on classroom learning. This is contrary to the 'common knowledge' that cell phones are disruptive that is reported in mainstream papers (Kemp 2011). 

Minuses:

• Potential for unintended uses like texting, facebook and surfing instead of working. 
• Potential increase in 'cyber-bulling' and 'sexting'
• Inappropriate use of the video function to record students (or teacher) and share the file.
• Legal issues concerning the schools liability with regard inappropriate use.
• Not every student owns a smart-phone. Which in addition to access raises some socio-economic issues.
• Resources diverted from other technologies like laptops and tablet computers.
• Who is responsible for training and upkeep of the devices or network.

Interesting/Implications

• Use school owned smart-phones or ipods to control access.
• Smart-phones are not a unique instrument but are a combination of existing devices.

I am still, on balance, not yet ready to say that smart-phones should be used in the classroom. I think the minuses still outweigh the plusses. This exercise has made me think about how technology could be used  and to see the potential. I suspect more schools will experiment with the use of phones in the classroom. The data generated from such 'experiments' should shed more light on the benefits and pitfalls of using phones as a mLearning device.