Safe and Private Texting Between Students and Teachers

Normally before dedicating an entire blog post to a single web tool, I spend some time playing around with it in my classroom to see how my students will respond. But earlier today a colleague forwarded me a link to a brand new service that is just so cool I couldn't wait to share it with the world.

ClassParrot.com describes itself as a safe and hassle-free way for teachers and students to communicate via text message. Conversations are managed through the ClassParrot teacher interface, but all student cell numbers are hidden, thus protecting their privacy and the liability of the teacher. Cellphone use in school is a hotly debated topic (of which I've weighed in on either side both here and here), so some may question why ClassParrot is even needed in the first place. After all, can't teachers use social networking sites like Ning and Edmodo, classroom blogs, or even traditional email correspondence to keep students informed? Technically yes. But ClassParrot leads off its FAQ page with a pretty powerful statistic – Open rate for email is 22%; open rate for text messages is 98%. A similar caveat is true about blogs and social spaces – they're only effective when students decide to visit them.

Pros of ClassParrot

• Students can be instantly notified of upcoming assignments, dates, events, etc. in a way that is natural to them but also safe and private. Teachers even have the option to schedule texts to be sent out automatically.
• All correspondence between the teacher and students in logged on site. This electronic paper trail is a nice CYA feature for teachers concerned about contact with students beyond the classroom walls.
• ClassParrot also include a polling feature. Technically, the service could be used as a long distance student response system in reverse.

Cons of ClassParrot

• If a student does not have a cell phone or a plan that allows text messaging, you're kind of out of luck. There is no way for a student to retrieve messages via the website. This may be an equity issue depending on the number of students without access and how the service is used by the teacher.
• Students have the ability to reply back to messages. If this was an option that could be toggled more teachers might be willing to give ClassParrot a try.
• The free account of ClassParrot only comes with 500 texts. This may seem like a lot on first glance, but every recipient counts as a credit; if you have a group of 100 students you can only text five messages before the free trial runs out. Plus, each returning student message counts against the 500 total as well. With that said, the plan with unlimited messages is only 9 bucks a month.

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3 Ways to Use Cell phones in the Classroom

Last May I wrote a somewhat satirical post expressing my disdain for the idea of using cell phones in the classroom. Reflecting back, maybe my thinking was a bit myopic. I wrote that post while sitting at my teacher desk, envisioning the inevitable chaos that would ensue from allowing a group of 7th graders to run wild with their cell phones. While I still agree that the idea isn't suitable for middle level students, I decided that I should at least admit some merit to the practice of integrating cell phones into upper level classes. If I were teaching at the high school or higher ed level, this is how I would use cell phones.


Audience Response System (aka clickers)

You don't have to abandon the idea of using personal clickers in your class when your school isn't willing to shell out more than $1200 for an audience response system. Text The Mob allows a user to create multiple choice questions, polls, and open-ended questions that can be answered by SMS. All the teacher needs to do is set it up on a projector. The responses show up in real time and are identified by the last 4 digits of the students' cell number. This allows students who normally don't participate to interact anonymously. Teachers can also record these numbers before hand and use them to assess individual performance. Since it's the incomplete cell number teachers won't have to worry about accusations of keeping students' personal phone numbers.

Dictionaries

Did you know Google is accessible by text message? Try it out – send this text right now to 466453 (google):

Define disdain

In moments you will receive a text back with a list of definitions matching the word disdain. I know because I did just that at the start of this post when I wanted to make sure I was using the word correctly in the first sentence. Think of the possibilities if all of your students had a comprehensive dictionary available at their fingertips. Need an example? Next time you take a class trip to the zoo, have students define the animals' scientific names that are displayed in front of each exhibit. A later discussion on these names could be a great way to explore species and taxonomy. Other Google SMS tricks are available here.

Verbal Response/Fluency Practice

The easiest way to have a student self-edit a piece of writing is to have him/her read it out loud. Errors in punctuation, usage, and transitions become evident as the student stumbles through them. The reason why this editing strategy is rarely used is a matter of logistics. A teacher can't ask 25 kids to read out loud at once in class, and there's no guarantee they'll do it at home if assigned as homework. Unless, of course, they can be held accountable. That's where Google Voice comes in. This beta service proves the user (presumably the teacher) with a free phone number that comes with voice mail that is automatically transcribed and emailed. This is ideal for several reasons. First, the phone number does not have to be connected to a working phone (so students have no direct way to call the teacher). Second, the teacher has two ways of assessing student work – aurally and by reading the transcript. The only downside – Google Voice has yet to go public. To get on the list for an invite code, sign up here. There are other pay services (Jott, Gabcast, Gcast) that work in a similar way, but hands down, Google Voice is the best option.

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Don't Ban Guns in School!

There seems to be a lot of “negative publicity” lately as to the allowance of weapons in schools. Admittedly, they can sometimes cause harm, whether purposely or by accident, and can also be used with ill-intent. But I am progressive, and have the ability to see beyond these minor inconveniences.

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Guns can be used to enhance curriculum. Wouldn't your lesson on Civil War combat be even better if students could take turns firing a time-period replica Gatling gun? Or how about a re-enactment of the Valentine's Day Massacre (students would shoot blanks at each other, of course)?

Guns empower students. Some of their biggest heroes (Rambo, Davy Crockett, or Walker: Texas Ranger, for example) are often seen toting guns, so this connection will help insecure students feel like part of a group.

Guns are part of the real world! Students in rural and urban areas alike will probably come into contact with guns at some point after graduation. Your school mission statement undoubtedly states that your goal is to prepare students for the real world. Let's face it – guns are here to stay. Instead of ignore them, let's teach kids how to use them effectively!

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Are you shaking your fists at me yet? Are you calling for my teaching certificate to be burned?

Before you gather your friends and arm yourself with pitchforks, realise that I was being a bit satirical. Even though guns may have some good, they are clearly not meant for school use.

Did you notice that all the same arguments have been made for using cell phones in schools? Now you tell me – is cell phone use in school a good idea?

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