A couple of weeks ago, someone, somewhere noted the interesting phenomenon of schools finally catching on to the 1-1 laptop initiative just when cell phones are starting to come into their own as the heir apparent in computing devices. I wish I could remember the link, because a couple of stories have really made me start thinking hard about where things are going to go from here. Predicting is a waste of time, I know, but consider these couple of outtakes…
First, the amount of content that’s going to be created for phones is going to explode:
According to new research released this week by UK-based Juniper Research, a boom in mobile content is expected to take place over the next five years, with estimations that the global mobile entertainment market, currently valued at $17.3 billion, will reach $76.9 billion by that time.
This large upswing in content will come along with a shift in the types of mobile entertainment people are consuming over the next five years, their report estimates. While, for now, the majority of mobile content focuses on music, and principally on ringtones (More than 80 percent of mobile music revenues are for ringtones, according to Ben Macklin with eMarketer.), the shift will come with revenue from mobile television and mobile games, which they estimate will exceed the money generated by mobile music by that time……”The mobile phone has quickly moved beyond being just a convenient communication device. For many people, carrying a mobile phone means being connected to a wider community, and the device has become the very linchpin of one’s social life. The entanglement of humans and electronic devices will only become deeper in the years ahead, and the mobile phone will be at the forefront of that process.”
The second article goes more into the phone as a true computing device:
One thing that is clear is that phones will pack a lot more computing power in future, and will be able to do more and more of the things that PCs are used for today—and more besides. Mats Lindoff, the chief technology officer at Sony Ericsson, a leading handset-maker, points out that the processing power of mobile phones lags behind that of laptop computers by around five years. Furthermore, studies show that people read around ten megabytes (MB) worth of material a day; hear 400MB a day, and see one MB of information every second. In a decade’s time a typical phone will have enough storage capacity to be able to video its user’s entire life, says Mr Lindoff. Tom MacTavish, a researcher at Motorola Labs, predicts that such “life recorders” will be used for everything from security to settling accident claims with insurance firms.
And on a more personal note, a couple of weeks ago a gentleman came up to me after one of my presentations and told me that he’s been doing everything he can to get poor, inner city students the computers they need to learn. He’s got corporations to donate them, give them away, yet they hardly ever get used. I asked him two questions: Do the kids have access at home? He shook his head no. Do the kids have cell phones? He said “Of course.”
There is nothing inherently wrong with 1-1 laptop initiatives, but I’m wondering if they are money well spent at this point. Many of us, myself included, look at laptops and wonder what we would ever do without them, kind of how kids feel about their phones. And the important piece to this is that it’s about culture, not about technology. It’s being mobile, being fast, being connected.
Now I can hear the pushback. How can they be taught to read and write with a phone? What about all those applications that we use? The Web content that won’t fit on a phone? I don’t have those answers, and who knows how phones will evolve based on what the users demand. (Cameras on phones are a perfect example…) All I’m saying is there may be a different way of looking at this. We’re not teaching our kids to leverage their phones right now, in large measure, no doubt, because we don’t really know how to leverage them ourselves. And what we don’t know, we are scared of, hence we outlaw them from our buildings.
If the above is any indication, we might want to rethink that strategy…
(Photo “Phon-ey Call” by Makelessnoise.)
technorati tags:cell_phones, learning, education, school20
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Will Said: And what we don’t know, we are scared of, hence we outlaw them from our buildings.
I couldn’t agree more. These antiquated school boards spend so much time, sitting on their bloated salaries, trying to find ways to get the cell phones out of school. What these suit and ties need to start thinking about are ways to start embracing these technologies instead of chastising them.
Phones are not computers. They are phones.
They may even be phones with extra features. If all school (and the power of computing) is about is communication, then phones might do the trick.
I expect more.
Phones at present are not computers but it won’t take long before that five year gap in processing power is closed, and the mobile phone has computing powers built in. Will, one of the most passionate advocates for the concept of mobile phones in learning, Alex Hayes has long been passionate about this concept and been advocating moblogging, the leveraging of the non-phone and multi-media features of a mobile phone. Check out mapplications for more of his mobile-specific commentary (I’ve even contributed a few vague ideas there) and if you really want to delve deeper into the potential of mobile phones in education then you must read Leonard Low. I point you in these directions because these people have important things to say and especially in a country (Australia) where 1:1 laptop programs are the domain of exclusive private schools only, a mobile phone solution as a communication for learning device has merit worth exploring. I’ll finish this comment with a quote from Alex to give you an idea of his thinking:
“The always on classroom. Human computing is here to stay and somehow we need to get our heads around how to embrace it.”
Recently Microsoft held its Innovative Educators World Conference in Philadelphia. A friend of mine attended and she told me of an educator in Europe who purchased cell phones for all his students. Not sure how he used it but considering costs of textbooks and other materials, seems like a worthwhile endeavour. All of our work in one to one computing is much more about helping teachers understand the new learning environment that it is about helping kids learn. They are already doing that on their own.
Will — Thank you for asking the question! And for beginning to challenge the cellphone issue in schools in a way that re-focused the issue. I wrote a longer post at “think:lab” this morning: http://thinklab.typepad.com/think_lab/2006/12/cellphones_vs_c.html
*****
Here is a nippet:
“…phones with extra features”? We’re not talking about the $50 rebate flip phone you’ve just upgraded to or the pink Moto your kiddo is craving for the holidays. We’re not talking about “talking” being the ultimate point. And we’re not suggesting that all school is about is “communication”, although it might be a better premise than worksheets in the coming decades. We’re talking about an entire industry — an entire culture — shifting from “phone” to “computing agent” (with phone capabilities, if you like, or Skype if you prefer). Walk into your local Cingular store. Read the marketing language. Phone is often the “extra feature”. And marketing gimmicks aside — “Go places, Google things” (Cingular billboard on I-35 from Dallas to Austin) — the digital horsepower and storage and connectivity embedded in the rising generation of handheld (phone) computers is something we MUST begin to consider when we write both curriculum and district/student handbooks.
Had the commentor written “as of today, phones are not computers, but I can see that being very different in a year or three,” I’d have smiled and nodded my head. But there seems to be a very limited view of what Will was talking about in terms of re-thinking what we mean by the cell phone. The phone is just the gateway. Just a tool. But man, that tool is evolving fast, while our schools continue to build moats and raised drawbridges and defensive ramparts to keep that “phone” from entering our sacred halls. Even if it turns out to not be a phone afterall.
Will, you said it best: “And the important piece to this is that it’s about culture, not about technology. It’s being mobile, being fast, being connected.” Sadly, it is this “being fast, being connected” part that may be even more off-putting to schools than the acceptance of phonesascomputers in the future. But I hope not.
*****
Again, I truly appreciate you elevating the cellphone conversation, Will. A small step forward, but vital! And as Graham said in a comment above, the cellphone may not YET be a computer, but soon that will be a moot point. Hopefully our handbooks and pedagogical instincts will be ready when the shift is ever-present.
Cheers,
Christian
http://thinklab.typepad.com
My son is a “mobile game tester” for a start-up company that makes games to be played on cell phones.
Obviously, “phones” have potential to be used for much more than communications.
This is the startup company that is engaged in testing games for a wide variety of cellphones. I don’t mean this as a commercial plug. A quick view shows that interactive gaming is already moving into cell phone territory. Educational uses? Probably coming soon to a creative startup company near you….
Good post, Will.
http://www.digitalchocolate.com/about/
Will — Great post. Thank you for addressing the potential evolution of the ‘cell phone’ in the educational process, as well as the building itself. The following snippet comes from a post I wrote this morning after reading your entry. Link: http://thinklab.typepad.com/think_lab/2006/12/cellphones_vs_c.html
*****
“…phones with extra features”? We’re not talking about the $50 rebate flip phone you’ve just upgraded to or the pink Moto your kiddo is craving for the holidays. We’re not talking about “talking” being the ultimate point. And we’re not suggesting that all school is about is “communication”, although it might be a better premise than worksheets in the coming decades. We’re talking about an entire industry — an entire culture — shifting from “phone” to “computing agent” (with phone capabilities, if you like, or Skype if you prefer). Walk into your local Cingular store. Read the marketing language. Phone is often the “extra feature”. And marketing gimmicks aside — “Go places, Google things” (Cingular billboard on I-35 from Dallas to Austin) — the digital horsepower and storage and connectivity embedded in the rising generation of handheld (phone) computers is something we MUST begin to consider when we write both curriculum and district/student handbooks.
Had the commentor written “as of today, phones are not computers, but I can see that being very different in a year or three,” I’d have smiled and nodded my head. But there seems to be a very limited view of what Will was talking about in terms of re-thinking what we mean by the cell phone. The phone is just the gateway. Just a tool. But man, that tool is evolving fast, while our schools continue to build moats and raised drawbridges and defensive ramparts to keep that “phone” from entering our sacred halls. Even if it turns out to not be a phone afterall.
Will, you said it best: “And the important piece to this is that it’s about culture, not about technology. It’s being mobile, being fast, being connected.” Sadly, it is this “being fast, being connected” part that may be even more off-putting to schools than the acceptance of phonesascomputers in the future. But I hope not.
[…] I know, I know. I’ve been over this countless times. And hey, I really did let it go for a good while, you have to admit. But I can’t help it. As a recent commenter said about another subject, I expect more… Technorati Tags: blogging, education learning […]
Here is a link to an article - “What Will Replace The Laptop?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16042808/
[…] Administrators need to become aware of the new technologies and support/encourage their use. As an administrator, I am fully aware of the usefulness of these tools for enhancing the learning of students. And given the rapidly advancing landscape of technology where the phone may soon become the device of choice, we had better be aware of what we are asking teachers to do and where we are asking teachers to invest their time. I’m not yet at the point where my blog is read by large numbers, but I am learning quickly and applying what I learn to my own classes. Therefore, as we go along, not only will it be a discussion of what might but I will address that “what is” as it takes place in my class. […]
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[…] Weblogg-ed » One Phone Per Child (?) (tags: mobile cellphone) […]
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I think you’re right on the money with this post. It won’t be long before phones as we know them become far more than that. They are nearly ubiquitous and even in poor neighborhoods and in remote areas that traditionally have very poor phone service. Negroponte, in “Being Digital” said a number of years ago that “what is in the ground will be in the air,” and we’re already there. Already phones have cameras, mp3 players, text and email capability, gps and a host of other value adds. It isn’t too hard to imagine what another 5 or 10 years will bring.
[…] Will Richardson posted this last week (yup, I’m catching up quickly… only a week behind… still…) about how one phone per child may be more reasonable than one laptop. Microsoft certainly seems to think that this is the way, and several others, including Christian at think:lab, agree. […]
Having only recently experienced a Palm handheld that could browse the web wirelessly, has a 1 gig storage card & can handle MS Office docs, I can now imagine that I would really like a Palm that is also a phone/phone that is also a Palm. Small, cheaper than a laptop, and multipurpose. I think I’d rather send my kids to school with one of these than a laptop. It has its limitations of course - but you can actually do a lot with it, and then use the school machines or a desktop at home to do things that need a full screen and more computing power like video editing . . .
[…] Arguably, this post by Will on cell phones vs. laptops is speculating on whether or not the cell phone also disrupts the market for conventional 1-to-1 laptops. […]
I’ve been exploring ways to demystify what promises to be one of the most pervasive, ubiquitous, networked , wearable human computing device in our short ICT history.
Technology capacity aside - imagine educational settings where answering to calls, messaging and browsing become as commonplace as lifting a pencil….provided you can find one. An architectural setting without walls and with little timetabling, where learners digest and generate digital data seamlessly.
I’m building things in a million places at once but this seems to be the most popular - http://del.icio.us/mlearning
Great post - 1 per child ? why not five ?