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New educational uses of cellphones are challenging the "turned off and out of sight" rules that many districts have adopted for student cellphones on campus.

A growing number of teachers, carefully navigating district policies and addressing their own concerns, are having students use their personal cellphones to make podcasts, take field notes, and organize their schedules and homework

"In our district, especially at high school, students have a cellphone on them at all times, just like a pencil—it's an underused too

Researchers at the Pew Internet and American Life Project polled Internet users and found that 11 percent are using Twitter and similar short-form online message services or status updates.

Profiling the Twitter set, Pew found that they are prone to mobile computing, frequently dashing off status updates from their smartphones or laptops using a wireless connection.

Roughly 20 percent of online adults between the ages of 18 and 34 said they use status-update services, compared with four percent of adults between the ages of 55 and 64, and just four percent of those 65 and older.

In the past two+ years, I've read and bookmarked almost 3,500 websites that I wanted to keep. I've also highlighted the interesting passages on them, and written margin-notes about those highlights - all without printing the pages

I've also put all 3,500 websites in a file cabinet - without printing them out - that I can access anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.

And I've placed each bookmarked site in multiple folders with individual labels, so I can see everything I've saved about, say, NCLB, or Creationism, or the Cold War, or stuff that made me laugh, on one online page.

1. Give, like, creative and real compliments.

2. Don’t let other people take up all your time or space or eat all your steak.

3. Put your connections to work for others so they get sweet stuff, too.

The ' C 'GenerationConnect, Communicate, Colloborate, CreateLearning is Fun with Images

The weaknesses of using a tool like Gabcast are few.  First, the recording quality that you'll get from a cell phone or a landline doesn't match the recording quality that you'll get from a microphone and a program like Audacity.  What's more, while it is possible to edit a Gabcast recording----by downloading the file, working with it on your computer, and then uploading it back to Gabcast----it's not easy!  That means your recordings will lack the "bells and whistles" that more polished podcast programs have

The solution:  Begin your podcasting efforts using a free podcasting service like Gabcast.  What makes services like Gabcast so valuable is that student recording is done over the phone----whether that be a cellphone, landline or computer-based connection.  Users dial a 1-800 number, enter a specific code that identifies their podcast program and then begin recording.  It's as simple as that!   What's even better is that your recordings are automatically posted on a Gabcast webpage, where listeners can access new content and comment on the recordings that you've added.  Teachers who start with Gabcasting essentially get an all-in-one home for their podcasting efforts---no special tools or skills required (other than a telephone----and if you don't have one of those, ask your students.  I guarantee you that there's a cell phone or two in a locker on your hallway right now!)

But for me, the weaknesses are nothing when compared to the benefits of Gabcast.  With little trouble, my students can record on any topic from anywhere.  If we're on a field trip and they want to record their reflections, it's no sweat.  All they have to do is dial a 1-800 number from their cellphones.  If we're in the classroom and I want small groups of children to comment on a topic that we're studying in class, it's done.  "Kids, go get your cell phones and working with a partner...."    (Needless to say, that's one of their favorite parts of our day.)   What Gabcast offers is immediacy.  Students and teachers using Gabcast to record can begin podcasting today without having to take any continuing education classes or begging for resources to buy new digital tools.  That kind of flexibility is what literally defines the work of the 21st Century----and it is the kind of work that teachers should be emphasizing in their classrooms.    (If Gabcast is blocked by your school district's firewall, consider checking out Gcast or Podomatic.  Both are similar services that may be of value to you in your efforts to get plugged in.)

Even if you have a 21st Century classroom (flexible and adaptable); even if you are a 21st century teacher ; (an adaptor, a communicator, a leader and a learner, a visionary and a model, a collaborator and risk taker) even if your curriculum reflects the new paradigm and  you have the facilities and resources that could enable 21st century learning - you will only be a 21st century teacher if how you teach changes as well. Your pedagogy must also chang