So, for K12, why is mobile technology different than any other technology?

Elliot: The April 29th, 2010 Live Webinar hosted by District Administration on “Mobile Learning using Smartphones: Why and How” is now available for viewing.
Cathie: So, if you weren’t able to attend or you were locked out due to the webinar hitting its maximum allowable logins, here‘is your opportunity to listen to three district leaders in mobile learning …
Elliot: …with Cathie and me adding color commentary…
Cathie: … describe key experiences their districts have had in rolling out mobile learning devices for 1:1, 24/7 use.
Elliot: !! Jargon watch-Jargon watch!!  A mobile learning device – or MLD – is a smartphone that has had its texting and voice functionalities turned off. In a previous blog posting, we called such devices “cellphone computers.”
Cathie: We have heard from educators that they prefer to use MLD rather than cellphone computer since the latter raises flags in some parents’ minds.
Elliot:  ARGH! Parents just don’t trust the kids!
Cathie: Careful, careful… “some” parents...  And, by the same token, some parents …
Elliot : … and some educators …
Cathie: … don’t trust the school and the educators!
Elliot: The title - “You Gave Them What!?” – of Tom Phillips’ webinar presentation echoes that concern. Cathie: Tom is Superintendent of Watkins Glen schools in NY. There are about 200 MLDs in play in 5th and 7th grade in Tom’s district.
Elliot: The two other panelists were Kyle Menchoffer, Technology Coordinator in St. Marys, Ohio schools where almost 700 MLDs are in daily use…
Cathie:…and Lenny Schad, CIO of Katy, TX schools where about 160 MLDs are in use at Cimarron Elementary School. 
Elliot: The webinar conversation was rich with concrete examples from the educators on how MLDs were being integrated into their daily curriculum and what impact the devices were having on teaching and learning. You did a great job kicking the conversation off by providing a rationale for why MLDs are having such a powerful impact on learners in K12.
Cathie: But the last question you posed to the panel – “why is mobile technology different than other technologies? – really went to core of mobile learning.
Elliot: I wish I could take credit for the question – it was a perfect way to wrap things up. But that question was sent in by an anonymous webinar listener – I wish I could personally thank her or him for sending in such a pithy and succinctly-worded question!  As a teaser for the whole broadcast, in what follows we will report on the panelists’ responses to that last question. I transcribed the panelists responses…
Cathie: .. word for word, exactly?
Elliot: … well, not exactly…
Cathie: … oh gosh..
Elliot: … it’s close enough…
Cathie: … so you say…
Elliot: Ok, when you are right… you are right.
Cathie: Oy!
Elliot: I will just summarize the points they made rather than give a semi-verbatim transcript.
Cathie: There is no such thing as “semi-verbatim” – it is verbatim or it is not verbatim.
Elliot: <Hands clapped around ears>  I can’t hear you.
Cathie: <deep sigh, raised eyebrows, roll of the eyes> Ok, do give us the semi-verbatim report.
Elliot: Portability. That’s the first key. If a student can take their device with them, 24/7, and if it is instant on, then it is easy to relate  what they learn in school to what they do outside of school through the use of pictures, video, audio, textual recordings. And, the student can bring those outside-of-school experiences back inside school to share with their peers and their teachers. Can’t do that with paper-and-pencil; can’t even do that with a laptop.  The second key is motivation –  in using the mobile technology, the students are motivated to make an extra effort in doing their school work.
Cathie: You definitely captured the spirit of Tom, Kyle, and Lenny’s responses. But I urge our readers: listen to this recording; besides the actual detail in their words, the energy and the passion behind their responses is palpable…
Elliot: … and infectious! Really, folks, listening to this webinar is an hour well spent.
Cathie: Here’s how to listen to the webinar:
1. Go to: http://www.districtadministration.com/webseminars/webseminararchive.aspx#40
2. You will see a paragraph under: Using smartphones in K12 classrooms today: From why to how
3. Click on “Watch Now” at the bottom of the paragraph.
4. You will need to register with District Administration to access the webinar. That registration page will pop up and you will need to fill it out.
5. There is a wizard you need to run to make sure your computer can handle “Wimba”  functionality (e.g., audio output, Java runtime).
6. Windows will pop open, just be patient.
7. A dialogue box will open; it looks like a login/password request but it isn’t. You may type your name into the lower box. Or your dog’s name.
8. More action will ensue on your screen; you are ever so close now. Make sure your speakers are on or your headphones are on.
9. And Bingo! The Webinar will start. You can skip around using the navigation bar on the right, going back to hear a particularly pithy passage, for example.
Elliot: Please, folks, after listening to the webinar, feel free to add your thoughts to this blog posting!