Mobile phones, Smartphones and Apps
The introduction of the digital mobile phone network (e.g. in Germany in 1990) led to a reduction of battery power. With the advancement of technology, the mobile phones became smaller and "smarter".
The first mobile phones were used for phone calls and later for creating, receiving and sending SMS messages. Today's mobile phones, so called "Smartphones", can do much more. They are portable mini-computers equipped with at least a camera and several games. Some of them contain an MP3-player, tools for navigation or voice control. Further applications (short form: apps) can be added at any time.
As I mentioned before (see 1. Media-Kids and Low-Tech Teachers), most of the pupils and the teachers own a mobile phone today. Additionally, 25 % of all pupils and 42 % of all teachers interviewed said that they are in possession of a smartphone. If developements continue like this and smartphones become cheaper and the technology more sophisticated, then the number of smartphone owners will increase in the future.
There are numerous applications for teachers and pupils, but not all of them are useful. In the following I will present some of the applications I liked and which I (as a future teacher) would use.
There are numerous applications for teachers and pupils, but not all of them are useful. In the following I will present some of the applications I liked and which I (as a future teacher) would use.