Bring Your Own Device BYOD : Smart Phones

Since many volunteer literacy programs work one to one, use of Bringing Your Own Device can be made easier.  Many students have smart phones which can enhance lessons and provide follow up practice. Here are considerations from a classroom focus which can be adapted for volunteer programs. Many libraries provide training and technical assistance to help tutors become more familar and comfortable in using these devices. Please share aps you like and ideas for lessons in comments below.

From LINCS:

Original text from the Discussion: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Technology Colleagues, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is becoming more widespread in K-12 and higher ed, and also in adult education. I noticed, for example, that the COABE Conference in Pittsburgh in March 2014 will have at least one BYOD session where participants are asked to bring their own Internet-accessible device (e.g. a smart phone, tablet, or laptop). The proliferation of Internet accessible devices in adult literacy education may be good news, but it also raises some interesting questions and challenges for our discussion here. Below are five areas we may want to discuss. There may be others, too. I invite you to pick one area (or more if you like) and share your thoughts, resources, answers and solutions. I am eager to hear your thoughts. 1. BYOD Policies. K-12 needs BYOD policies, and increasingly schools now have them. Do we need them in adult basic education, too? If so, why, and what should the policies include? For example, some K-12 BYOD policies include preventing students from making audio or video recordings of classmates. Do we need a policy like this in adult literacy education, too? Why or why not? 2. Access. How can teachers handle the situation where a majority -- but not everyone -- owns or has access to a handheld Internet accessible device? Ask students who have them to share their devices, for example in groups of 2-3 students? Purchase devices to lend to students in the classroom? If so, what should adult education programs and schools buy? Tablets? Smartphones? Netbooks? Laptops? 3. BYOD Maintenance and Repair Issues. If adult education programs and schools do lend students Internet accessible devices, what should they anticipate will be needed for maintenance and repair? 4. Separate Wireless Routers. Will a school or program need (a) wireless router(s) and ISP account(s) separate from the regular program/school ISP? If so, why, and what is a relatively inexpensive solution to creating this? 5. Mobile Learning Content. What are some good apps and lesson plans in numeracy, reading, writing, English language learning, science, social studies, health literacy, financial literacy, and other areas for adults using Internet accessible devices in a classroom? David J. Rosen djrosen123@gmail.com

Smart Phone Apps -- Not Just Momma Bell's Phone

Ways to learn continue to evolve.  Collaborative learning is now possible because of social networking and the new media.  New technologies accommodate different learning styles than pen and paper lessons, and smart phones put the potential for learning in the hands of many.   E-books are becoming more mainstream in 2011, and one of the newest tools being used today is the smart phone.

Your phone comes with the ability to record video, an easy way to record a dialog for your student.  They can then listen to it, practice and send you their practice session.  

If you don't want to use video, there are Apps that can be downloaded to turn a phone into a tape recorder.  Students can record their audio stories through a traditional recording on this.   

There are even Apps that capture a person’s vacation with photos, audio and writing.  One of the popular ones is (My Vacation).  There is a free lite version that will capture one trip.  To do more, pay $2.99 to ITunes.   

Even a humorous program like Talking Tom can provide a silly way for an ELL to practice speaking English and send a short story to their tutor via their Smart Phone.  The the basic version is free but can be enhanced if you pay.