Technology Use Senario #6

Hey everyone, I chose to do scenario 6 for this activity:

John and his friend Mike both have camera phones. Mike sits in the back of his class and uses his phone to photograph the test for John, who is taking the test that afternoon. Mike then emails the photograph to the test to John's phone (Ribble, 2011).

Well, it is very obvious that Mike and his friend John are using technology inappropriately. To begin, Mike is using his phone during a test. The phone he has not only can be used to take pictures but can also connect to the internet and he can have access to sites that might have the answers to the test questions. Today, math classes are allowing more and more students to use their phones as their calculator instead of using a calculator bought from the store. I understand why they do this to save the students money, but it is hard for a teacher to regulate what students are doing on their phones 24/7 especially during a test. Secondly, Mike is giving his friend John the test before he does it, which is cheating. Technology is supposed to help you develop skills to complete tasks in school, and if used abusively, like in this scenario, makes a bad name for technology not to mention the student is not learning anything. In the article, "Cell phones in school" they address the point that it is unhealthy for students to depend excessively on their cell phones.  The point of tests is to assess YOUR skills and not the internet's skills. Knowing the test in advanced, teaches the student nothing.  I think that the underlying issue here is that students need to be taught how to use technology properly in the classroom. As the article "From toy to tool: Cell phones in the classroom" explains, teachers do not want to be responsible for harmful mobile behaviour. It is important to teach cell phone etiquette. I am a believer of technology being used in the classroom, and by addressing proper digital rights and responsibilities of technology will help students understand proper use of technology. Mike should have put his phone away and gave his friend John hints about what was on the test and not fully tell him. As suggested by "From toy to tool: Cell phones in the classroom" , it is important that the teacher set rules about using phones as calculators in the classroom.


The article "from toy to tool: Cell phones in the classroom" also offers some good ways to address cell phones etiquette. Do you have any that you would like to add? feel free to tell me :)

Thanks for reading!
Missemilyp