Mobile Learning Lab

When completing the mobile learning lab I joined the classroom 2.0 website and began reading the discussions in the cell phones in the classroom forum. I responded to one woman's post about teachers using iphones in the classroom. I personally have not, but my coworker who teaches middle school and high school computer courses uses his iphone as a remote for his smartboard. He can add text and navigate on his computer from anywhere in the classroom, he really enjoys the fact that he can walk freely around his room and not be stuck at the board during his lessons.
As for students go, we have a very strict cell phone and hand held device policy. Students are not allowed to have any cell phones, mp3 players etc, from the start of school to the end of school. The students can not even use these devices between class or at lunch. I think it would be very difficult to get any sort of lift on the policy to use these devices in my room. I have inquired before, so that students could listen to music while doing their art but they want the policies to be uniform in every classroom.
I can see how a lot of good could come from using these technologies. When creating my poll, I text  a response and instantly saw the results on my laptop. There are clickers for interactive whiteboards that would do the same, but those are not free. I teach in a very poor district, and most of my ms/hs students have ipods (the kids text from ipods with a texting app) or cell phones. It would be great to get immediate feedback on whether students have understand the lesson.

I also believe there could be some set backs. Cell phones give students access to a lot of information. If implementing these into the classroom, students would need to be taught when and where they are appropriate. It would also be hard to keep kids off facebook or other social networks, as well as texting with friends. I am still unsure of how I feel about cell phones in the classroom.