Creating Digital Storybooks with Student Cell Phones and Yoddio

A while ago I bookmarked a site called Yodio. Just recently Jimbo Lamb tweeted (and wrote a great blog post) about Yodio and it reminded me that I never reviewed the site. Yodio allows anyone to call in to the 1-877 phone number and record an audio file. The audio file will automatically be posted in the callers account. Then the caller can log in to Yodio, use the MP3 audio files to create a digital storybook. Yodio allows you to upload pictures into an editor and you can use the audio files to assign to individual pictures. When you are done, you hit publish and BAM, you have a professional looking digital storybook. The digital storybooks can be public or private.


Classroom Learning Applications
Foreign Language Classes
While on Yodio, I came across a storybook that integrated foreign language. The speaker had to describe what they were viewing in the image. The Yodio storybook is below.




Field Trips
Students can record their observations or interviews via their cell phone on a field trip. They can take pictures to document their learning via their cell phone. When they return to class they can open up Yodio and edit their digital storybook about what they learned on their field trip.


Creative Literature
Students can record a new ending to a famous novel for homework via their cell phone. For example in the book Animal Farm. Teachers could ask the students to create a new ending, but using visual imagery. Students could take pictures (via cell) of different everyday activities that somehow inspire a new ending to the book. Students can record the audio description that relates the images to the characters in the book and the new ending that the student has conjured up. Back in class, they can log in to Yodio and put together the digital storybook. Below is an example of someone using Yodio for a book report.

South African Professor Dr. Dick Ng'ambi Inspired Me Today

My radio co-host Jeff Stanzler and I had a wonderful interview today with Dr. Dick Ng'ambi who is a professor at the University of Capetown in South Africa. He also runs a mobile phone project at the Centre for Educational Technology. The impetus for starting this project was to allow students who for political reasons often felt uncomfortable speaking in class to participate in class discussions, questions, and groups anonymously. Therefore he decided to use students' cell phones. He told us that about 90% of his students have their own cell phone and they often use it for sms texting. He developed a system that allows his students to use their own cell phones in order to annyomously text course instructors, web sites, and student groups. In doing so, the students participation has greatly improved and it has created an inclusive mobile learning envionrment. Jeff and I will be broadcasting this interview on May 6th at 8:30pm on our Live radio show. Please join us. Dr. Ng'ambi is doing something that could be very useful in classrooms around the world where students' fear ridicule by their identified participation.

If you are interested in learning about some of his research, you can read his paper Mobile Dynmaic Frequently Asked Questions (DFAQ) for Student Learning and Support.

Update on QRcode Orienteering Project

I previously posted about Jarrod Robinson a physical education teacher from Australia, and his fantastic work with cell phones in learning. He recently posted this video showing his students participating in the QRcode project. He also describes how he set up and executed the project on his blog! Definitely inspiring...




Jarrod presents how he is using QRcodes to help his students study the different parts of the human skeleton.

Cell Phones in Learning Radio Show: Wed March 25th, Interview with Matt Cook

Jeff and I had a wonderful interview with Matt Cook. Matt is a 5th grade teacher in Texas who started using Smartphones with his students in January.


Please join us in two weeks, April 8th at 8:30pmEST for an interview with Brad Gessler from Polleverywhere.com

Chat Transcript
Liz Kolb:Welcome!
Liz Kolb:I just shared http://contxts.com
Jeff Stanzler:The Extraordinaries; http://www.theextraordinaries.org/
Liz Kolb:We are talking with Matt Cook about his work with 5th graders and cell phones
Liz Kolb:Information about Matt's Project http://www.kellerisd.net/kellerisd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=600&Itemid=921
Liz Kolb:Article about Matt's project http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/022009dnmetschoolphones.3ef67c7.html
baldfury:any suggestions on what you would do different next time?
Jeff Stanzler:we'll ask that one, baldfury...thanks
Liz Kolb:http://goknow.com Matt's Software
baldfury:thanks Jeff were all about appropriate use here in Manitoba....
Jeff Stanzler:I hear you, baldfury
baldfury:NIce wheelin' and dealin' Matt congrats
Liz Kolb::)
baldfury:thanks a lot for this everyone :D
Liz Kolb:Thanks for joining us

Students Can Use Text Messaging to Search the Internet, Gather Research

While students have access to the Internet at school, many do not have Internet access at home. According to a recent survey by CITA, 71% of U.S. Households have Internet access. Thus a decent percentage of U.S. children do not have access to the Internet in their own home. While 84% of 16 year old Teenagers have cell phones. But only 15% of Teenagers own a Smartphone.

Therefore if we know that the majority of secondary students have their own cell phone (or could use a parent's cell phone) and we know that most students do not have access to the Internet on their phone (or at least unlimited access), than educators should consider ways to use basic SMS (the most popular choice of communication on teenagers cell phones) in learning. A resource called DOTGO will search the Internet via SMS text messaging (no mobile Internet required). DOTGO works by allowing anyone (no need to sign up) to send a text message to 368266. In the message they can type in any domain name such as "cnn" or "cellphonesinlearning". They will then be sent a text message reply with menu options to search the site. For example you might receive a message from

CNN...reply with the correct #
1) National News
2) World News
3) Sports
4) Entertainment
5) Politics
6) Technology

You reply to the appropriate number and ---Presto! You get a text message with all the information (headlines and stories).

Learning Connections
I think DOTGO has some potential for students who need to use the Internet for homework, but do not have access at home. If the students do not have their own cell phone, they could use their parents' cell phones. Since the cell phones do not need to have mobile Internet to use DOTGO, it allows for more accessibility at little or no cost. Of course students need to be aware of their text messaging plans. In some ways I find this resource similiar to ChaCha. ChaCha allows you to text or call in a question and receive a text message response within minutes. However since you can only ask one question at a time and the answer is limited by 140 characters, DOTGO allows students to research information further and get more specific details.

MACUL iReporters! Send your pics/movies to feet58should@photos.flickr.com

Mobile Business Card

Thanks to my twitter colleague Dan Rezac, I learned about a free resource called Contxts. Contxts uses SMS text messaging to send and receive mobile business cards. I LOVE this resource. I have investigated other resources that have a mobile business card feature, and found usually you need blue tooth, GPS, or an Internet browser on your cell phone to view and/or send digital business cards. While I'm certain in 5 years from now we will all be using cell phones that have these more advanced features, for the general public only about 30% have phones with these features (at least in the United States). Therefore, in order to make your business card accessible to ALL cell phones, creating one on Contxts using SMS texting is a smart option.

In Contxts, you are allowed 160 characters to put all your information into a mobile card. You create a unique keyword so anyone can send a new text message and receive your card. For example my keyword is KOLB. If you would like my business card you can send a text to 50500 and in the message type KOLB. Within seconds you will receive my business information as an SMS text message which you can save on your phone.

Classroom Integration Ideas:
While for professional reasons, having a mobile business card is handy for teachers. As the Contxt site says, "people do not lose a text message the morning after an event." It is an easy way for teachers and administrators to get their information to parents, students, or community members quickly and verbally. Mobile business cards can also be handy for students. Below I describe a few ways Contxts could be helpful in learning.

Flash Card Reviews
Each student in a class can create a "business card" as a 160 character flash card, give it a keyword. As a result, all the students in the class could exchange different flash cards for review. If the cards are saved on the students' phones, than the students can use them anytime for an instant review.

Help Lines
Students who are struggling with issues of depression, addiction, disease, anxieties, peer pressure, or other afflictions are often fearful to tell an adult. By giving students mobile business cards with help line information, they can contact the lines at anytime without fear of being identified.

Local Scavenger Hunts
Teachers can create keyword scavenger hunts using Contxts. For example, a teacher can create "clues" by using the 160 character business cards, and as students answer the clues and find the new locations for the scavenger hunt, they text a new keyword and receive a new clue. This would be a fun activity for local history, math students studying geometry, physics students, or even foreign language students could go around the city or just the school unraveling clues in other languages.

Advetising Campaigns
Students could team up with local businesses to create 160 character advertisements. For example students could create an ad slogan for a local coffee shop, along with a coupon...such as
"Drink a cup of Joe before 8 & Get a rebate...COUPON CODE: 721u". Students could create posters or a word of mouth campaign to try to get people to call in to hear the advertisement and the coupon code.

New Study on Student Mobile Phone Usage in Other Countries

John Evans, a wonderful technology educator from Canada, sent me the study Children's Use of Mobile Phones: An International Comparison. Published by GSM Association and the Mobile Society Research Institute within NTT DOCOMO in February 2009. They studied children ages 9-18 in Korea, Japan, India, Mexico, and China. The document is over 60+ pages long, but I wanted to summarize one of the interesting finds; the number of students who own and use mobile phones.

% of 12 year olds with a cell phone
Japan=50%
Korea=87%
China=27%
India=11%
Mexico=45%

% of 17 year olds with a cell phone
Japan=96%
Korea=71%
China=80%
India=64%
Mexico=85%

According to the Tomorrow Group 2009 Speak Up Report, in the United States currently about 76% of secondary students (12-18) have a cell phone.

Cell Phones in Learning Radio Show: Wed March 11th, Interview with Suzette Kleiwer from K-Nect

Link to the Recording of the Show.
We talk with Suzette Kliewer who is a math teacher in the K-Nect project in North Carolina. She talks about how she has been using Smartphones with her math students.

Chat Room Transcript:
Liz Kolb:Hi everyone
Liz Kolb:http://mrrobbo.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/qr-code-orienteering/
Liz Kolb:http://reader.kaywa.com/
Liz Kolb:Jarrod is using QRcodes for Orienteering
Liz Kolb:Hi Peggy!
Peggy_G:Hi Liz
Jeff Stanzler:http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2008/09/episode-47-october-1-4-2008/
Jeff Stanzler:http://txteagle.com/
Jeff Stanzler:Hi, Peggy
Peggy_G:Hi Jeff-thanks for those links :-)
Liz Kolb:http://www.projectknect.org/Project%20K-Nect/Home.html
Peggy_G:This is great to hear from Suzette! Our keynote speaker at MEC yesterday mentioned projectknect and described everything they were doing with it in the UK-David Whyley :-)
Liz Kolb:She is wonderful! I'm so glad this interview is recorded! My preservice teachers will benefit from this
Peggy_G:Definitely!!
Peggy_G:The kinds of projects David Whyley described were incredible and the students were totally engaged!
Liz Kolb:Mobi control here http://www.littlebeacon.com/Default.aspx?ID=1059
Liz Kolb:The software they use to see student data on any cell phone
Peggy_G:David showed us his projector phone where he could project what was on his mobile device to the screen for all of us to see.
Liz Kolb:Cool! I have yet to see one live
Richard@MobileEd.org:Hi, Liz!
Liz Kolb:Hi Richard! So glad you joined us
Peggy_G:it sounds like the students were soooo motivated!
Liz Kolb:Awesome to hear that teachers are getting excited about using cell phones
Peggy_G:Reminds me of the quote: to teach is to learn twice :-) so powerful for the kids to teach other kids!
Richard@MobileEd.org:So, there could be a new rubric, a new way to assess predicated on video?
Liz Kolb:@Richard..Good Point! I'll ask about assessment
Peggy_G:that project gave her a voice!! :-) Wow!
Jeff Stanzler:isn't that something!
Peggy_G:what a powerful eportfolio the students are creating by sharing their videos :-)
Liz Kolb:@Peggy YES!
Peggy_G:that kind of assessment is so much better than a rubric :-)
Peggy_G:peer review and conversation and not just teacher judgement
Peggy_G:how creative! enter answers on cell phone but can IM other students for assistance. I love it!
Peggy_G:it is a true community of learners! Excellent model Suzette!
Richard@MobileEd.org:Just lost you all....
Peggy_G:just ran out of time :-) what a great show! Thanks Liz, Jeff AND Suzette!
Liz Kolb:Thanks everyone!
Jeff Stanzler:Thanks so much...
Liz Kolb:Will post the chat on my blog

Cell Phone Conferencing A Free Tool for Teaching!

Cell phones can be a handy conferencing tool for teaching and learning. Part of teaching is being able to conference with students, parents, experts, and members of the community. Often conferences and meetings are conducted face-to-face. Recently with the rise of web conferencing tools some schools are starting to take advantage of these internet-based tools for virtual conferencing and even professional development. However if students, teachers at home, parents, or other community members do not have access to the Internet, they are unable to participate in these web conferences. BUT...They can if they have a cell phone (any cell phone will do). Many conferencing tools now have call-in numbers where participants can call-in to listen to and participate in the conference session. Some of these web tools even record conferences as MP3 or Video files, which can be converted to be viewed and/or heard on cell phones as an archived file. Using a resource such as Podlinez, the mp3 files of the conferences can be given a call-in number so that people who could not attend the live conference could still call-in to hear the conference.

Below are a few conferencing resources that couple with cell phones
DimDim
Dimdim is entirely free for up to 20 participants at one time. Dimdim includes audio, video, interactive whiteboards, computer screen sharing, and document uploading in the free conference options. All Dimdim sessions can be recorded and become flash video files online. Dimdim includes a dial-in number so that those without Internet access can still hear and participate. I use Dimdim with my preservice and inservice teachers and have found that on occasion the call-in number has allowed access to some who were not at a computer at the time of the designated conference (for example I had one student who was at the Inauguration in DC during a required conference so he called in on his cell phone). Dimdim is a great option for virtual professional development workshop for teachers.

Freeconferencepro allows up to 250 people to call in on a conference at one time for free. The conferences are audio only and can be recorded and saved as mp3 files. These are very private conferences and thus would be great for parent-teacher conferencing.

Freeconferencecall has U.S. and international free conferencing numbers! People from up to 10 different countries can meet up for free on one conferencing line. This resource allows up to 96 callers on one call at a time. The calls can be recorded and immediately posted to iTunes as a podcast as well. This could be beneficial for public school meetings where some community members are unable to physically attend but would like to hear and possibly participate.

Scriblink is entirely free and uses FreeConferenceCall (described above) for the cell phone call in number. Scriblink has a collaborative whiteboard and chat room as well as the audio conference. This type of conference is great for public meetings (such as committee work or board meetings).

Australian Teacher Impresses with Cell Phones in Learning

Australian educator Jarrod Robinson (Known as Mr. Robbo -- The P.E. Geek) has been doing some very impressive activities with cell phones in his instruction. He is a physical education teacher in Victoria, Australia. Below I describe a few of these innovative projects:

Most recently Jarrod has developed a QRcode orienteering activity for his students. Awesome! Below are the instructions to his activity from his Blog. Jarrod used a simple Google generator to create the QR codes.

1. The students will be working in pairs using their mobile phones and their QR code reading software.
2. The course will start with a single QR code, each pair will receive a different code so that they start at a different part of the course.
3. Students will scan their codes which will then reveal the directions they need to dial into their compasses and a riddle that gives clues as to the location of the first marker and the next QR code.
4. Half way throughout the course is a QR code with a difference, it contains a template for an SMS message that links directly to my mobile phone. Once scanned the students will send a text message that basically asks for the next clue, which will then be sent to them so they can complete the course.
5. The final QR code links to a downloadable Microsoft word document that details the questions they need to complete around the practical experience as related to the course.

Another activity that Jarrod has developed is sending homework to student cell phones through MMS messaging. Jarrod sends videos and pictures to students as part of their homework assignments. He sends a video message along with instructions to the students for their homework.

The third activity has a focus on using cell phones in exams. Jarrod is using SMS texting to help his students prepare for exams! He uses smsexpress to set up automatic SMS messages that are delivered to his students periodically over the course of the week leading up to the exam. Students receive the messages each day, which are actually questions from the exam. He even gives them options as to what time of day they prefer to receive the questions. As a result Jarrod feels that his students are able to research, collaborate, and better construct answers to his exam questions.

Finally, Jarrod had his students create a blog during their physcial education camping trip via their mobile phones using Utterli. Students posted pictures, audio, and text messages about their camping experience at Grampians National Park. He used the images and posts in their final assessment project! I think it is very smart to use student-collected data in the assement of units and projects! BRAVO Mr. Robinson, keep up the amazing mobile work! I'm very inspired.

Using SMS Texting for Reference Help with Udefn

Many educators have posted about the benefits of using Google SMS to help students with reference needs such as translation, weather, local information, stocks, currency exchange rates, and more. Recently Lisa Nielsen wrote a wonderful post about what Google SMS can do and how the tool could be useful in education. My only issue with Google SMS is that the "keyword" is set up by Google, and thus you have to remember a vast number of "keywords" to use the service. For example if you want information about converting currency you have to text Currency Conversion-9 usd in euros. If you just text currency, you will not receive the conversion. While the text is similar to what you want to do (such as Airline for flights), when there are over 20 different texting keywords it becomes difficult to remember. Also, Google SMS does not allow you to create your own feed for text referencing. For example if you would like the headlines from the New York Times, you would have to try the Q&A and see if you get what you are looking for. A good alternative to Google SMS is Udefn. In addition if you want local information you need to specify your location or you will be given more generic information. Again it is a lot to remember.

Like Google SMS, Udefn is a SMS text message referencing tool that is free to anyone. The difference is that YOU create the keywords. For example if I want weather reports, my keyword might be "w". In addition, Udefn allows you to add your own RSS feeds and create a keyword for them. Therefore I could create a keyword for my favorite blogs, wikis, NPR reports...etc. I am not limited to the Google keyword list!

A few of Udefn's Keyword Options

• Gmail: Create keywords to read your email! You do not need to have mobile Internet on your cell phone to read your email. Just set up a keyword at Udefn and text each time you want to catch up on your email!
• HTTP Uptime: Check up to 3 websites at once from one keyword!
• RSS: Create your own keyword for your favorite RSS feed!

How is this helpful in Education?
First, I love that students can pick their own unique keywords. Just as students learn differently, they will remember keywords for different reasons. It gives them some choice and authority over their learning.

Second, Udefn includes a message history, so the teacher can check to see when keywords were sent and the messages received!

Third is Email accessibility. Since there are more students with cell phones than have Internet access, the text option to read email allows for accessibility to email without the cost of mobile Internet.

Integration Ideas
Lisa Nielsen posted some great ideas on using Google SMS and many of those ideas apply to Udefn. Check those out here.

Below is one idea that works well with Udefn.
Current Events
Using the RSS option, students can keep up with current events; news, stocks, innovation, local happenings via SMS on their cell phone wherever they are. This is nice for any class that integrates current events into the curriculum. By creating their own RSS keywords, students can follow their own choice of newspapers, blogs, and web resources to get their current events. They could even compare and contrast the accuracy of the news and the reporting with each other.