John Martin has an interesting post entitled The Future of Computer Interaction (and how will this affect learning?) over his EdVentures in Technology blog. He discusses recent developments in human-computer interface design and the idea of ‘kinaesthetic data’ and its impact on knowledge. Interesting!
Disclaimer: I have received this unit from Hill & Knowlton, LG’s communications agency for evaluation purposes. In no way was my being given the phone dependent upon me reviewing it – in a positive way or otherwise. I have decided to review it for the benefit of those in the edtech community and those seeking more information before it is released in the UK in early February 2007. See the LG Shine blog for more information.
Part 1 – Details
The LG KE970, also known as the ‘Shine’ is the update to the extremely popular LG Chocolate mobile phone. is a new release in the same ‘Black Label’ range as the popular LG Chocolate mobile phone. It is my intention in this review to provide as much information as possible to those interested in device, but also (and perhaps more importantly) to look at ways such mobile communication devices can be used in teaching and learning situations.
First of all, for the impatient, here are the specs of the evaluation unit:
| Dimensions: | 94 x 51 x 14 mm | |
| Weight: | 115 grams | |
| Standby Time: | 3 Days | |
| Talk Time: | 3 Hours | |
| Band (in MHZ): | GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900 | |
| Data Standards: | GSM, GPRS, 3G | |
| Screen: | 240 x 320 (262,144 colours) | |
| Camera: | 2 MP | |
| Extras: | Video, Flash, MP3 | |
| Internet: | 3G (EV-DO),HTML Browser, POP3/SMTP Mail | |
| Memory: | 1GB, MicroSD | |
| Ringtones: | Polyphonic (64 tone) or MP3 | |
| Vibrate Mode: | Yes | |
| Messaging: | SMS, EMS, MMS, E-Mail | |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth, USB, Serial (RS232) | |
| Additional Info: | Image Editor |
Click here for the photo album of photos I have taken of the LG Shine KE970
Having received the LG Shine yesterday without manuals or documentation I am still figuring out some of its features. However, I have successfully managed so far to:
More information, although in Korean(!) at the LG CYON website (which is what it’s known as over there – interestingly the headphones on my evaluation model has this printed on them)
Part 2 – Applications for Teaching & Learning
Given the popularity of the LG Chocolate in my current school, it’s fair to say that it’s successor – and mobile phones like it – will become fairly ubiquitous within the next year or so. Unfortunately, my school is like most in western education in that mobile phones are pretty much banned. They’re allowed to be used as MP3 players at break and lunch, but apart from that they’re expected to be switched off and be put out of sight in students’ bags.
I think this is a shame, and not only that, rather short-sighted. Although students could in fact do more if they were given a PDA or Smartphone, the capabilities of the mobile phones they are likely to buy (such as the LG Shine) are great enough for them to be used as bona fide learning tools. One such application springs instantly to mind. I’ve just transferred some images I took using the 2-megapixel camera on the phone to my Macbook using Bluetooth. This was straightforward and quick. The pictures are of good quality and there are as many, if not more, options regarding the picture settings as there were on my first digital camera (also a 2-megapixel model). Students could take pictures of their work, video performances, use the voice recorder functions to take part in interviews, plays, re-enactments and the like and then transfer these via Bluetooth to the teacher’s laptop. I can imagine the situation where at the start of the lesson I ask students to get their mobile phones out and I say, “Please Bluetooth me your homework” 🙂
In addition, the screen is large enough, bright enough, and the GPRS speeds fast enough, to read the mobile version of my learning.mrbelshaw.co.uk blog. This, along with the fact that the email inbox sits right next to the text message inbox on the ‘messages’ screen means that students have the option of emailing me for help and advice no matter where they are. Even if they are round at a friend’s house doing their homework and have no access to a computer, with devices such as the LG Shine they can visit my blog, remind themselves of the homework, and email me with any questions. As the phone can also store documents, in the future (given a better keyboard/method of data entry) they could do their homework on the device and then send it straight to me.
At the end of the day, learning is all about relationships and communication. In the 21st century we as educators need to explore 21st century ways of communicating with our students. Schools are now 24 hour places, whether we like it or not. We need to embrace the opportunities presented to us through mobile devices such as the one above and start using them to inspire, motivate and encourage students to learn to the best of their ability.
A school in Quebec has banned the use of all personal electronic devices after a video of a teacher shouting at students was posted on YouTube. This is going to happen more and more as the culture of teenagers, who are growing up ‘digitally connected’ clashes with the traditional, 20th-century approaches of educational institutions.
Vicki Davis has an interesting post on this over at the Cool Cat Teacher Blog, entitled Spies Like Us in which she suggests the following methods of dealing with the growing number of situations like this occurring in western education systems:
Vicki ends her post with the following:
Values and ethics are vital. You cannot control whether students CAN do these things. They can.
You CAN control what you teach students! Discuss and teach ethics as a weekly practice. You should have a forum (usually technology class) where you can talk about topics as they emerge or you will constantly be playing catch up. You should protect yourself and your teachers with policies that consider any media filmed at school (And remember that many accommodations REQUIRE you to allow special needs students the ability to record anyway.)
Schools who ignore technology and ignore instilling values in their students could be reaping the negative consequences for those walking their halls right now for the next 100 years.
Vicki teaches in a school that uses the Socratic method, meaning a lot of discussion and questioning. She has taken the step of recording all her classes and posting these on the Internet, putting her in editorial control. A bold step, but the type of one which will increasingly have to be taken by educational institutions.
