Dialling it down, and up.

Cell phones. What miracles! I LOVE my phone. Can't live without it. When I can't get onto FB* via my computer, I can at least still get some access via my beautiful, wonderful phone. I can tweet from my phone. (OH! How do I love thee, Twitter... let me count the ways...) I can blog from my phone. I can listen to FM radio on my phone (but not CapeTalk... darn it! I need an AM radio phone too). I can chat to my students on MXit and give them help after hours. I can email from my phone. I can even, oh yes - now I remember why I bought it! - take photos and videos with my phone. I love my phone.

For the longest time, I've been trying to convince our principal to remove the ban on phones by trying to convince him of their educational value. (While he agrees they MAY have value educationally, we're agreed that the safety of our kids is of greater importance. At the start of this year a girl was mugged at gun point right outside the school gates for her phone. This is not an isolated incident... it happens with astonishing regularity - at least once or twice a year, if not once a term.) Phones can be used to create podcasts, or video clips. They can be used to check out things on Google Earth. They can be used to inspire and capture a disenfranchised 'audience' through creating competitions. They can be used for research/ data capture purposes (sms 5 people you think might know the answer - how many actually did?) They can be used to access special cell phone applications, like the SA designed Maths help programme (real time help and support via MXit). They can be used to help kids summarise information and check learning (can you explain this concept to me in one sms?). The list is only as long as your ability to be innovative and creative. From a school perspective, phones can be fantastic.

Have I mentioned recently how much I love cell phones?

(I will be the first to admit that all things are good in moderation. Cell phones in live performances or movies - NOT good. Cell phones in libraries - NOT good. Cell phones used for bullying purposes at school - definitely NOT good.)

So imagine my joy to discover that phones are also helping to dial down the cost of food! I kid you not. Having a cell phone reduces the cost of your food. Don't believe me? Then check this out... Go on. I'll wait while you read it and come back here. Seriously. Go read it.

Now doesn't that just make the most incredible sense? I LOVE my phone! (as long as it's working!)

And how did I find out about this? Twitter**, of course. (Where else would I get all my news from these days? I certainly don't have time to sit and watch TV when I'm so busy blogging, etc!) Dial it up!
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* FB = FaceBook

**People say that Twitter is just a fad, or that they don't see the point of Twitter. For me this is just one of countless examples of how twitter is revolutionising the world we live in. I don't have time to read all the (decent) newspapers out there. I don't have time to keep up to date with local, national and international news, let alone keep up with the research in my field or in the other fields I'm interested in, or even with the recreational stuff like the latest movies. (Some great person once said: of the making of books there will be no end, and much study wearies the body. Hmm... could that be from the Bible?!?!?! OMW, I just think it could be!) The way I do it, is through Twitter. Twitter gives me one-liners about all of those things. I can then read them all in about 1 min, and choose which ones to read more about. That way, I know a little about everything, and everything about a few things. (Ja, I'm wending my way to wisdom and greatness!)