Use it or Lose it?

I am a member of the EDUCAUSE LinkedIn group. There has been a robust conversation on the discussion board about the use of cell phones in the classroom called Mobile Devices in the Classroom: Use Them or Lose Them?. There have been responses from both ends of the spectrum and everything in-between. Individuals who are adamant that cell phones do not belong in the classroom and teachers who are just as enthusiastic about their use and how they can enhance the classroom environment. And, of course, everything in between.

I believe the conversation came about because of the mLearning conference that took place last week in San Diego. The twitter feed from the conference share some of the following stats:

• More people have mobile phones (4.6B) than toothbrushes (4.2B).
• U.S. teens send SMS (text message) every 5 minutes.
• Half the total Internet access in the world comes from mobile phones.

It certainly is a technology that can’t be ignored. As many of you know, I am a supporter of the cell phone as a tool for learning. I think it holds great potential for transforming education—especially in developing countries. I think we are just scratching surface of what it can do.

I am very excited to be alive right now and I can’t wait to see how this story ends. Will the cell phone be relinquished to the box of old educational software titles and tools that were a “flash in the pan”? Or, will it prove to be evolutionary and become a staple of every learner, just like their calculator, pencil bag and notebook?