On Mobile Learning...

After completing the lab on Mobile Learning (using mobile technologies in the classroom), here is my feedback:

Regarding the "Tools I Tried" and "How I might Integrate Mobile Tech into MY classroom":
I have been part of a class that involved cell phones, specifically a Pollseverywhere.com survey.  It was fun and I loved being able to bust out my phone in class as a TOOL rather than as a guilty habit. :)  The teacher was able to show us our texted poll results instantaneously and it was a really technologically forward way to get us involved.

I have also been fortunate to work in a classroom that had a class set of student laptops (with wireless Internet), digital camera access, a class set of iPods we could check out, and clickers to go with our Promethean board.  All of these items were fantastic to incorporate into our learning process.  Students who previously were "checked-out" would gain interest in using the tool and, in turn, embrace the course content.  If I had access to tools like these again, I would definitely be tapping into them to help make Spanish not only come "to life" more, but also to increase student motivation.

Challenges:
My current district has incredibly stringent limits on our web access.  Since they are so conservative in that area, I do not see how some of these tools (especially cell phones in classes!) could be approved for use by our school board.  This shift is one that would have to come very gradually and most likely include extensive beta-testing and showing PROOF that these tools can be more than just digital distractions.  I would hope that, in seeing what students can do and the new heights of learning they might achieve by being allowed these tools, some day our district might be INSPIRED to move beyond our current limits and policies.