Here is an article promoting the use of cell phones in classrooms. During my experience as an AVID tutor at South Eugene I sometimes had students texting under the table while we were in the middle of tutorial. Promoting cell phone use in classrooms feels to me like a mistake. There is too much temptation to check email, play games or social network.
I didn’t like it when students took notes on their laptops in classes at the U of O. The constant clicking sound was distracting, and I noticed that the clicking never stopped, even when the professor was not talking. I am 100% in favor of using technology in the classroom, but it has to be the right technology for the right purpose. The author proposes using cell phones in class to conduct polls, send group messages and take quizzes.
A pencil and paper will do just fine for those activities and the teacher won’t have to sit there wondering if the 30 kids clicking away in front of them are focused on the task at hand or updating their Facebook status.