So lately I have noticed that there are a lot of web2.0 sites that offer free text messaging to any cell phone from the web. One example is http://textforfree.net/. I find these sites intriguing especially since I know how much students (especially high school students) love to text message each other. I know it costs money each time they text, so being able to create text messages from the web may be a nice option for the wallet as well as for learning. I am just starting to think of ideas for using these free text tools.
One idea is for homework/organizational reminders, where teachers and/or students could send a text from school (where cell phones are banned) to the cell phones to remind them of important assignments, group work...etc. Another idea is to use the text messaging tool to develop an assignment around it, such as "poetry text" where students in English class could create text messaging poetry that they would send to each other (in a sense publishing their poetry). They could also create "text reviews" for test reviewing, where students could send each other review questions or reminders. In a business class, students could create a "text advertising" campaign to target teenagers with a new product. In a social studies class they could create a "text election slogan" to get others interested in their candidate or choice, or they could do "text current events" where different students are in charge of texting current national or world events as they occur in real time (for example a student could be in charge of the War in Iraq and texting when new developments occur).
These are just a few ideas I've come up with as I have been playing with these new tools, I'm very interested in any other ideas out there...until next time, I will be texting---for free!
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