Well, I (Cathy) changed mobile phone brands. I was an avid iphone user, but my son-in-law convinced me to switch to an android. I’m delighted to say the switch over has been pretty smooth. In truth, I see very little difference. Both use apps. Both are user friendly. Both take great pictures. My messaging and contacts all remained the same. Mind you, I couldn’t answer my phone the first time it rang because I kept tapping the icon when I should have been sliding, and I didn’t set the alarm correctly the first time it used it and slept in. But other than that, the learning curve has been quite minimal. My favourite function of my new android is the slide pattern security code. So much easier than tapping numbers. Interestingly, I showed my new phone to an old friend the other day and she was horrified by the idea of not only switching phones, she wont give up her flip top. She said the new phones overwhelm her. I’m relieved I have not been overwhelmed, in fact I am invigorated. I’d like to try to use mobile phones more in my literacy class. Yesterday, I discovered our university does not have a class set of clickers for class feedback. But on Google I discovered I can use an app called Poll Everywhere for free with my class.
The video assures me any mobile phone will work, even flip phones! Next week, its use your cell phone in class day. Just hope I set the alarm correctly and don’t sleep in!
Literacy Teaching and Teacher Education 