03.+Chat+and+Text+Messaging

= 03. Chat and Text Messaging =

Name of Technology Tools:
Instant Messenger and [|TinyChat] (Chatting) Cell Phones and Mobile Devices (Text messaging)

Texting as a Tool for Learning - When and Why:
Traditionally viewed by many educators as 'weapons of class disruption' for their loud and abrupt ring tones, stealthy texting capabilities, and use as a tool for cheating, some educators are beginning to view cell phones and mobile devices as educational allies rather than enemies. Rather than viewing cell phones as a distraction, some educators and schools are turning them into tools for teaching. Some schools are using text messaging to remind students of when homework assignments are due and to study for upcoming tests. Texting to alert students of inclement weather and school cancellations or delays is a commonly accepted practice in the college scene across America. Texting is a part of everyday life for young adults that can be used as a means for fostering teacher-student relationships if teachers allow themselves to communicate on a level that is desired by the students they wish to teach. Are you a teacher who still receives excuse after excuse for late or missing assignments no matter how many times you remind your students in class when assignments are due? Try reminding your students via text. Maybe then you just might get the message across...

The //Craik School// in Saskatchewan Canada began experimenting with the use of cellphones as learning tools in 2008 as part of a pilot study, taking things several steps further than simply using texting as a means for reminding students of assignment due dates. Texting was integrated with the curriculum with the notion that by embracing how students wish to communicate teachers could better foster an environment more conducive to learning. Students used texting and cell phones to send themselves reminders, take notes, and record lectures. One teacher adapted the instructional strategy of guided inquiry to have students text their responses to questions she posed to the class throughout each lesson. This use of texting became a formative assessment tool utilized by the teacher to immediately determine whether students have learned what she had intended them to learn. The teacher could then modify the lesson or learning activities during class if students were not demonstrating a clear understanding. The use of texting in the classroom as an educational tool fostered an environment for student centered learning as seen in the YouTube video below. In comparison to newer and emerging technologies discussed in this wiki, the use of texting and cell phones as tools for learning may already seem slightly antiquated even though most schools in America still ban these devices. However, the over-arching point to take away is that innovative and effective teachers and librarians must be willing to explore and adapt new technologies as they come and go to facilitate new opportunities for learning. You can learn more about the Craik School pilot study [|here].

media type="youtube" key="zhAH6nncCKw" height="385" width="480"

Texting in School Libraries:
Texting can be used in school libraries much in the same way it can be used in classrooms as demonstrated above. Instead of reminding students of upcoming due dates for assignments however, students can opt to receive automated text alerts for upcoming due dates for checked-out library books to prevent overdue returns, or receive text notifications when books they are waiting for are returned to the library by other students. Some high school libraries charge students late fees for overdue books and fines for books that are lost or never returned. The intent is to model life skills and moral responsibilities expected of students in society beyond that of high school as well as remind students that school is also a community that they are a part of and their attitude toward shared property for learning impacts not just them but their peers and school community as a whole. The primary focus is never really on the fine itself. School libraries take a soft approach to this modeling and will opt to not follow through with charging students if fear of fines impedes academic learning, compromises the feeling of the library as a comfortable environment for learning, or if outside circumstances in a students home life present itself as an inappropriate situation to require student responsibility of fines. For school libraries that wish to foster the notion of responsibility, self-accountability, and respect for shared intellectual property as a community, school libraries may wish to adopt an automated text alert system reminding students of upcoming due dates rather than dealing with the awkwardness of fining students (or not fining) when books are already overdue. A text alert system can be an optional tool for students as this method of reminder may also be outside the comfort zone for students and their families. However, for school libraries who wish communicate student accountability, texting may be used as a tool for positive reminders of their responsibilities as an alternative to the retroactive and punitive approach of charging late fees and fines.

Chat as a Tool for Learning - When and Why:
Students can use any tool that enables chatting such as any basic one-on-one instant messenger application to more sophisticated group chat tools like TinyChat to connect with teachers and librarians and extend their learning outside the physical confines of school. If a student has a question about an assignment that they are working on from home, the student can use chat as a tool to seek clarification from their teacher or librarian. Conversely, the teacher or librarian can communicate expectations for learning through a different means of communication unique to verbal or print delivery of instruction. As a result, chat can be used as a tool to communicate to a variety of learning styles by providing additional pathways toward student understanding and enhanced student achievement. To learn about the educational benefits of chat used as a backchannel, please refer to section four, backchannels.

Chat and the School Library:
Students may wish to use chat or instant messenger to seek clarification on how to complete specific projects and assignments from the convenience of their home. The student can use chat to ask a librarian questions on chat via 'virtual office hours'. The librarian informs students in advance times of availability. For an upcoming research project which students may be continuing to work on over the weekend from home, a librarian may say, "I will be available via chat to clarify any questions you have regarding research strategies, proper source citation, or using the school passwords to log on to our library databases from home this Saturday between the hours of X and Y." Once a student connects with the librarian via chat and seeks the clarification they need, the chat transcript can be saved by the student and used as a reference tool to refer back to as they continue their work. If an individual student is seeking help on an assignment as a representative of a group for a group project through a librarian via chat, the student can then share the chat transcript with the rest of the group. The chat transcript can either be shared by email, or copied and pasted into TinyChat where all members of the group can chat in a private group setting (with either video, audio, or simple text) and share and discuss what is learned. This use of chat for one on one messaging as well as chat in the collaborative group setting fosters knowledge sharing, an environment conducive to continued learning beyond the library, and speaks to visual and tactile learning styles that are prevalent in contemporary classrooms.

Submitted By: Jen Goldberg