Implementation
After surveying the students in my classes, I began implementing technology in the class. At first, I attempted becoming the cell phone police. I would give students a warning to put their device away. If the student continued to use the device, it would go into a basket at the back of the room. I noticed three major things occur by doing this method of cell phone management.
One: Students were not using their devices less. Taking their phone away did not prevent cell phone distractions in the class. Student would still use them, but try harder to sneak them.
Two: Student stress increased. Many students had trouble emotionally detaching themselves from their device. Many students were concerned about not having communication with parents or friends. I had many students fear that they would get into trouble with parents if they didn't answer a text from them right away.
Three: There was a significant impact to my personal relationships with my students. I even had one student storm out of class, and another student became hostel towards me. Many students felt personally attacked when I tried to take away their phones.
For these three reasons, I decided not to be the cell phone police anymore. Instead I wanted to give my students educational ways to use their devices in class.
Work Time
Students were allowed to use their devices for music during personal work time. Many students found that listening to music while working helped improve their focus. Other students were able to cope with classroom anxiety better, while others felt less bored. While others would continue to be distracted by their phone, the majority of the class benefited from this type of device use.
Class Discussion
I gave students the opportunity to participate in classroom discussions using technology. I utilized Microsoft Forms to enable classroom discussion. Students would be given a link to the form. They would answer the questions, then I would discuss them with the class. During this time, more students were using their device for learning instead of a distraction. As well, students were able to think through their answers, instead of being put on the spot. The quality of student feedback in classroom discussions improved.
Instruction
Each class I would post the agenda on the board using the Smart Board. Students would know what to expect in the class, and what materials would cover. I utilized Microsoft PowerPoint. I would create and share a PowerPoint that was focused on the days lesson. Students were able to take pictures of the slides to have a reference point during discussions and learning activities. I would also post these slides on Microsoft Teams for students that missed class.
Education Support
Students were also able to use their devices for translation purposes, Speech to Text, Text to Speech, and research. There are numerous ELL students in my classes. Having a personal device to translate their ideas from their native language to English help students complete assignments. I also encouraged students too "look it up" on their device when searching for answers to discussion questions. This put learning back in the hands of the students, and helped them be accountable.
Media
I used media in my classes to improve student engagement. I would use music videos, short films and clips to help reinforce instruction, learning, and entertainment. I would also use assessment games, such as Kahoot and Gimkit. I would be able to assess student understanding, and students would practice in an engaging way. This helped students feel less bored in class, which led to improved engagement, which then led to less cell phone distraction.
