Teaching with Texting!?!

[MomLovesClassics]

Today I read a news article that said there is a pilot program where students are encouraged to text instead of raising their hands to answer questions. The text messages show up on an overhead projector. Maybe others find this to be a great idea, but I do not. First I assume there to be text lingo used instead of real words and sentences. Everyone is in the same room why can they not communicate to each other? Using your voice and being heard is part of learning. I certainly home this is not the wave of the future.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

yuck :glare:

[OH_Homeschooler]

I think it's a good idea because students can answer anonymously (I assume) and the teachers can immediately see how many students are on track or off track. By correcting the students who have submitted their responses anonymously, no one gets embarrassed, which seems to be a good thing.

[AuntieM]

So now will the school district will have to provide phones for the kids to text on...? Or perhaps reimburse students who don't have an unlimited texting plan?

 

Beyond ridiculous. :glare:

[Perry]

I posted about this last year. The link to the article doesn't work anymore, so here is a cached version.

 

I think it's ridiculous. Plus, they have smart boards and clickers, so if teachers are worried about peer influence they can use those.

[Tutor]

I am nervous about how texting and social media (both I which I use, btw) are changing the face of community. I understand that there is also a church (at least one) that uses texting so that people can send in prayer requests and ask questions during the service. As a generally shy person, I know that I would probably use the technology quite a bit were I in school and maybe in the church setting as well, but I know for a fact that it would not be good for me. I would become a mental recluse. Yes, I would go out, but I would probably retreat inside myself emotionally and intellectually and only interact with people virtually as much as possible. I need to be forced out of my shell. :tongue_smilie: I just feel that a part of my humanity fades when I spend too much time as virtual me and not enough time as me me. Board/ internet breaks are vital to me maintaining my sense of self and strong sense of community.

[Perry]

I posted about this last year. The link to the article doesn't work anymore, so here is a cached version.

 

I think it's ridiculous. Plus, they have smart boards and clickers, so if teachers are worried about peer influence they can use those.

 

Teachers are constantly complaining about students texting during class. Seems to me a no-phone policy would be better.

[Saille]

Have y'all read Feed, by M.T. Andersen? Every time I read an article like this, it's the first thing that pops into my head.

[Rhonda in TX]

I am nervous about how texting and social media (both I which I use, btw) are changing the face of community. I understand that there is also a church (at least one) that uses texting so that people can send in prayer requests and ask questions during the service. As a generally shy person, I know that I would probably use the technology quite a bit were I in school and maybe in the church setting as well, but I know for a fact that it would not be good for me. I would become a mental recluse. Yes, I would go out, but I would probably retreat inside myself emotionally and intellectually and only interact with people virtually as much as possible. I need to be forced out of my shell. :tongue_smilie: I just feel that a part of my humanity fades when I spend too much time as virtual me and not enough time as me me. Board/ internet breaks are vital to me maintaining my sense of self and strong sense of community.

 

I'm the same way.

[MomLovesClassics]

Here, they will take phones from kids if they see the phone. Phones are not allowed to be visible. I am not sure where this is happening, but it is not in the local high school.

[mcconnellboys]

Why can't they communicate? Because our new techno-crazy world has taught them not to communicate. Texts and Facebook are all about three words or less phrases. There are no longer even sentences in use, much less paragraphs.

 

OY! Just when my texting, Facebook crazy older son starts college! Hope his schools don't offer this business.

 

Whenever I leave him a voice mail, he calls me to ask me why I called. I've started saying, "Listen to the message I left and you'll know", then hanging up. He practically refuses to communicate already except via text or Facebook. What will happen to communication as we go forward???? I'm seriously worried about it.....

[OH_Homeschooler]

I wonder what you skeptics call the time you spend on these message boards. Is this not a form of communication? Is this not a form of social networking?

 

I think, like it or not, this is the way society is going. Some things will never replace face-to-face contact but there are more options out there for communication, which can be an extremely positive thing for developing minds who may be reluctant to speak up for any variety of reasons. That's why I love to see innovative programs like this.

 

This program is a pilot, not a full-fledged rollout-so maybe in the pilot they'll discover this is not a good way to teach and you'll all be right about how this is another indication of the hell-in-a-handbasket nature of our current society. But maybe not, maybe they'll find some students thrive when they are allowed to text their thoughts.

 

I can only see adding new options to the classroom as a positive thing.

[Perry]

I wonder what you skeptics call the time you spend on these message boards. Is this not a form of communication? Is this not a form of social networking?

I think using technology in the schools is important. But *phones*? Really? Not everyone has a phone. Not everyone has unlimited texting. Mine don't, and won't.

 

The schools here have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Smart Board technology with clickers. There is absolutely no advantage to texting. It seems to be coming from the younger teachers who want the students to think they're cool.

 

There is a huge problem with kids using their phones in class. Using them to text answers is only going to make the problem worse.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Perry

[ThatCyndiGirl]

My Physiology professor specifically discussed texting on the first day of class. His take on it was:

 

(We were in a stadium seating classroom where you walk in at the top and then have to walk down steps to get to the rows, so we were all VERY visible to him....)

 

He said,

 

"From where I stand I can't tell if you are texting or masturbating when you have your hands shoved into your crotch. Please don't do either of those activities in my class or you will be asked to leave".

 

 

:lol:

[Starr]

Anyone who thinks texting is not going on in a high school classroom doesn't know many kids in the school. :)

[AuntieM]

Anyone who thinks texting is not going on in a high school classroom doesn't know many kids in the school. :)

 

Of course texting is going on. That's not the point. The issue is utilizing this technology - with its associated costs and poor grammar habits - to replace real verbal communication in an academic environment.

[Sputterduck]

I wonder what you skeptics call the time you spend on these message boards. Is this not a form of communication? Is this not a form of social networking?

 

I think, like it or not, this is the way society is going. Some things will never replace face-to-face contact but there are more options out there for communication, which can be an extremely positive thing for developing minds who may be reluctant to speak up for any variety of reasons. That's why I love to see innovative programs like this.

 

This program is a pilot, not a full-fledged rollout-so maybe in the pilot they'll discover this is not a good way to teach and you'll all be right about how this is another indication of the hell-in-a-handbasket nature of our current society. But maybe not, maybe they'll find some students thrive when they are allowed to text their thoughts.

 

I can only see adding new options to the classroom as a positive thing.

 

Errrrrrrr...

 

I'm glad I ran off to small village in a different country if this is the way things are going...

[mcconnellboys]

Perhaps you don't yet have a teenager who has stopped communicating verbally since the advent of Facebook and texting......

 

Perhaps you don't have any adults in your life who can no longer socialize with real people in real life because they can't keep their eyes off their Facebook screens, constantly updating with inane comments such as, "another lovely day in the park", and other gibberish no one needs to know.......

 

Perhaps you've not lost friends to the idiotic app/games on Facebook, where they play endlessly like rats pressing that proverbial bar......

 

I have experienced all those things and in my opinion, there is nothing good that can come out of Facebook or texting when both encourage the further loss of our langauge on a daily basis. I see no similarity between either of those mediums and boards such as this one, where people still attempt civil discourse laid out in complete (mostly) sentences.....

[OH_Homeschooler]

Well I use Facebook, Twitter, and I would be happy to text if I had a more modern phone. And I always use proper grammar and complete sentences, as do most of my friends. I just think it might be a tad closed-minded to assume that texting is a bad thing, when I just think it adds an option for communication.