The teacher who uses mobile phones in his lessons

A SPORT lecturer from South Nottingham College who introduced mobile phones to his lessons has been short-listed for a national award. Steve Pritchard encouraged students on the NVQ course in Activity Leadership and Coaching to use their phones to record evidence of their work and share files through Bluetooth technology.

He has also applied for funding for students who do not have compatible mobiles.

Mr Pritchard said: "I decided that the easiest way to stop the students' mobile phones being a hindrance or distraction in the classroom was to incorporate them in the work I do in the classroom.

"It's an easy way for them to gather evidence of their competence.

"They can use them for general things like timetables or as a stop watch, to record videos, tape conversations or take still photos, which reduce the need for as much written evidence of their work and is easier to authenticate.

"Students cannot always access computers in their work placements, from where they gain most of their evidence."

The college lecturer's nomination comes a month after academics at the University of Nottingham published research that found benefits in using mobile phones in the classroom.

Mr Pritchard, who has held presentations at the Mobile Learning Network National Conference, was nominated by the college's e-learning co-ordinator, Adele Cushing.

She said: "Steve has championed e-learning at the college for several years now and is not afraid to try new methods of teaching using handheld technology.

"He shares his innovative ideas with other staff and has been instrumental in the College's take-up of mobile-learning."

Mr Pritchard will travel to London for the Handheld Learning Awards on Monday, October 13.

Voting via text will decide the winner. To vote for Steve text STEVEPRITCHARD to 07786 203 140 by midnight on Thursday. Standard network rates apply.

For more information visit www.handheldlearning2008.com/awards.