Cell Phones in Learning Radio Show: Wed May 6th: Dr. Dick Ng'ambi from South Africa

Chat Transcript:
Liz Kolb:Welcome! We are speaking with Dr. Dick Ng'ambi tonight. HEre is the link to his information http://www.cet.uct.ac.za/DickNgambi
Liz Kolb:Dr. Ng'ambi is giving us background on how students in SA were afraid to speak up in class b/c of history of segregation in SA....thus wanted to create a space where learners could share annoymously
Liz Kolb:90% have cell phones
Liz Kolb:HI Peggy! Thanks for joining us
Jeff Stanzler:Hi, Peggy
Peggy_G:Hi Jeff and Liz
Liz Kolb:Sounds similiar to students' apprehensions in the US
Peggy_G:is he talking about university students or K-12 students?
Jeff Stanzler:university students, Peggy
Peggy_G:thanks
Peggy_G:that is an interesting way to get those notices--pulling vs pushing! makes so much sense
Jeff Stanzler:I agree...apt and vividly descriptive language
Liz Kolb:Love how the teachers are learning from the students via cell phones
Peggy_G:constructivism at its best :-)
Peggy_G:I've never heard anonymity stressed so much--very interesting perspective!
Jeff Stanzler:Peggy, I don't know how clear it was, but part of the issue was these students growing up in apartheid SA, came to lack confidence in their ability to participate, and to feel self-conscious.
Liz Kolb:HI John !
Peggy_G:thanks for that clarification
joevans:I'm late to the party. Hi Everyone!
Peggy_G:Hi Joe-great to see you
Liz Kolb:Dick is talking about how his students use text messaging to get over their political concerns of speaking up in class
Jeff Stanzler:It may be that these ideas have some applicability here, do you think?
Liz Kolb:Better late than never
Peggy_G:maybe??
joevans:You too Peggy. Very interesting presenter
Jeff Stanzler:Or that they speak to some concerns that might manifest themselves differently here, but would still be resonant.
Jeff Stanzler:Welcome, Joe
Peggy_G:typo--John! :-)
Jeff Stanzler:Sorry!!
joevans:Hi Jeff. It's John Evans - hn = joevans
Liz Kolb:Link to research paper of Dick's about his text messaging project http://74.125.93.104/search?q=cache:YmTV69ZfkWkJ:www.mlearn.org.za/CD/papers/Ngambi.pdf+%22Dick+Ng%27ambi%22+AND+%22FAQ%22+AND+%22phon
Jeff Stanzler:Sorry, John...thanks for the correction.
Peggy_G:I think teachers in the US are afraid of anonymity--control issues
Liz Kolb:Dick is also on Facebook
Liz Kolb:@Peggy I agree...we love our filters
Jeff Stanzler:Good point, Peggy.
joevans:Teachers everywhere I think fear anonymity as it may bring negative consequences
Peggy_G:knowledge respositories--interesting concept
Liz Kolb:We forget there could be some excellent benefits
Jeff Stanzler:I'm with you, John. Yet I do think that some of our students lack a sense of their ability to contribute. Maybe anonymity might be a bridge to some of these students...
Peggy_G:do students in South Africa take more responsibility for their own learning than those I've experienced in my university classes?
Liz Kolb:Good question Peggy we will have to get the answer later from Dick
Jeff Stanzler:Dick.Ngambi@uct.ac.za
Liz Kolb:Thanks everyone!
joevans:I agree Jeff.
Peggy_G:very informative conversation! Thanks!
joevans:Man that timer waits for no man!
Jeff Stanzler:Glad you liked it, Peggy. Thanks for listening everyone!
Jeff Stanzler::-)
Peggy_G:isn't that the truth?? :-)
Liz Kolb:I know, maybe we should extend to 45 min
joevans:How long does the chat stay open?
Liz Kolb:About 10 minutes after show
Jeff Stanzler:I don't know when they close it, John. I'll stick around.
Peggy_G:See you next time-thanks for a wonderful guest!
Jeff Stanzler:Sounds great, Peggy...thanks!

Cell Phones in Learning Radio Show is BACK!! AND Improved!

Starting this Wednesday, Feb. 11th. Cell Phones in Learning's live radio show will return at our new time...8:30 pm. It is a 30 minute show (so it can be your lead-in to the EdTechTalk 9:00pm shows).

First, let me say that I could not host alone. I found it too difficult to monitor the chat room and speak coherently at the same time. Therefore I have brought on board my co-instructor at Michigan, Jeff Stanzler. His twitter ID is "stanz". Jeff has a background in both education technology and foundations. He is in charge of an innovative technology project at Michigan, which includes web-based simulations pairing university students and K-12 classrooms. I am so excited to have Jeff as a co-host. Not only is he very interested in the topic of 21st Century learning and cell phones, but he found our first interview for the upcoming broadcast!!!

Our guest this week is a high school teacher named Larry Liu. Larry is a former student of Jeff's and mine. Larry is now teaching in Michigan and using both cell phones and Facebook with his high school students!!! You will have to tune in on Wednesday to learn more about Larry's innovative project! We will be broadcasting through BlogTalkRadio. Below is the link to our broadcast! Please Join Us!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/elikeren

Episode 2: Rules and Regulations around using Cell Phones Inside of the Classroom for Learning.

Links from Broadcast:
Drape's Takes Post on Controlling Mobile Use

TxtEagle

Geograffiti


Next Episode: Wed Oct, 22nd (between 2-3:00) Mobile Picture Projects with Cell Phones.

Liz is Going Live! Cell Phone Live Radio

After listening to a great podcast from Seedlings where Tracy Pariseau was speaking about using Blog Talk Radio for live radio broadcasts, I have decided to take the plunge and create my own live radio talk show. I created an initial episode to try the tool (and to make sure my voice was not horrific to listen to!).




Blog Talk Radio has made significant improvements since I last posted about it. While I am not currently opting in to share in advertising revenue, anyone who sets up a show is able to do this. In addition, Blog Talk Radio added live chat as well as a call-in number so anyone can call in and add their opinion to the show! Of course it is all cell phone friendly! Therefore students (like Tracy's) can create their own live radio shows via their cell phone (Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace, at Any pace)!

I hope to broadcast at least once a week around 2:00 (Eastern Standard Time). I am going to start with 15 minute broadcasts focusing on one "cell phone in education" topic. I am also borrowing the idea from Bob, Cheryl, and Alice at Seedlings to include one "Cell2.0" site of the week. Where I will highlight a new favorite website that integrates cell phone use, and has the potential for connecting to classroom learning.

Blog Talk Radio...EASY cell phone Podcasting

Thanks to a twitter forward from Adam Sutcliffe, I have been playing with a new cell phone podcasting tool called (CINCH) Blog Talk Radio. This is probably the easiest podcasting tool that I have ever used. You do not even have to create an account before doing a podcast from your cell phone! You simply call the international number of 1-646-200-0000 (so easy to remember), and you just say your podcast after the tone. When finished, you can hang up, and the podcast will immediately post the feed and downloadable MP3 to the Internet at:
http://cinch.blogtalkradio.com/yourcellphonenumber



Let's discuss the pros and cons....
The positive

1. It is so easy to use.
2. No accounts.
3. No login and passwords.
4. No embedding files.
5. International callers might have a better chance at using this than Gabcast or Gcast.
6. No Website maintenance.
7. Can focus on the content and not the technology.

The Negative

1. It is not a toll free call, so students could use a landline if they do not have a cell phone, but they would have to pay for it (students with cell phones should not have a problem).
2. The subscription code includes your (or your students) real cell phone numbers...this could be a privacy issue if students want to give out their subscription feed to others. Of course students could just use this as a data recording device for interviews, note-taking, and narrative recordings where they can download the MP3 and use it to edit with in iMovie or another application.
3. Only one cell phone or landline per channel (so it would be hard to have a "class podcast" because everyone would have to podcast from the same phone).

Learning Applications
There are some obvious learning connections with this resource. First since teenagers never leaver home without their cell phone, they can document interviews, field trip notes, brainstorming, or even original poetry or story ideas on the go! They do not have to have an account to post their feed. They can be mobile citizen journalists and report on local events as they happen.