Communicating by Text Tool for Teachers

I am currently enrolled in a class about teaching online in adult education and did an interview with an online adult basic education teacher.  She shared information about a free online tool she uses to communicate with her students (who choose to opt-in).  She sets up all the deadlines and messages for the entire class prior to the start and it automatically sends the messages to her students at the appointed time. Here is the link to the website remind101.com It's a safe way to text message students and stay in touch and it's free.

Comments

Your information on text tool is very interesting.  I invite you and all others reading this to join our annual conference on integrating technology into the teaching of literacy.   The conference "TLC at the Beach 2013" in held in Myrtle Beach, SC from Marcy 13-16, 2013.   Excellent pre conference and keynote speakers and presenters from 19 states and Canada.   You can register by going to www.edtheturtle.com and look for the registration information.

I have learned so much at this conference from some of the best practitioners around.

Remind101 does seem like an interesting tool and people can choose to get the messages as text messages or emails or both. Since it's the site that actually sends the messages, the teacher's contact information remains hidden which may make some teachers more comfortable trying electronic messaging with adult learners. I can see lots of uses such as reminders about homework (for those who were in class as well as those who missed it), notices about classes being cancelled because of bad weather, reminders to bring specific materials to class, etc. It might be another avenue for instruction such as sending out a daily new word with its definition to ESL students, sending a math problem to solve for the next class, or just a way to share good news with people who are more likely to have cell phones than computers. Downside is that it's one-way communication but that may be a plus for some. Anyone else using this or see other ways to use it?

Yes, we use it in our ABE/GED program.  We have a log in for learners to sign up for text alerts.  We post things like orientation dates, testing dates, reminders about upcoming events, cancellations due to weather or illness, it is a great way to stay connect to the learners and the best part is that they choose to do it.  Learners use it to ask questions about math assignments or to find out when I will be in my office to assist them.  I also use it with my on-line math learners.  They like being reminded of upcoming due dates.  As adults, we forget things...this is a quit 160 character little reminder and I can set it to alert them months in advance.  I could technically set-up my alerts for an entire year.  Oh one cool feature, if you text too early on in the morning...you will receive a cute message that says..."isn't it a little to early to be sending a text".  So it reminds me the instructor that not everyone is awake when I am.

Best,

Brooke Istas
Cowley College Adult Education and College Preparation Program
istasb@cowley.edu

The Remind101.com doesn't allow for learners to message back to their instructor.  It is a one way text tool...from teacher to students.  If you want your learners to be able to text back, another option is to create a google voice number.  Google Voice creates a number that learners text or call which will then ring to whatever location you specify.  I used it for my cell number because I don’t want learners to have my “real” cell number.  This allows them to call me…via google voice or text, too.  Then I have the app on my smart phone that I can use to text back or I can log into my google voice at work and I can text them from my computer.  The best part...you can create your own number, mine is 777-MATH! 

Brooke Istas
 

We don't always know who we are reaching through postings on this listserv, so I thought I'd share the following along with my thanks to Michelle and Brook for the tip. After reading about the tool Remind101, ProLiteracy decided to use it to alert staff about building closings and other important events, etc. We also have an email alert system and a special number that staff can call that will provide a recorded message. But we thought that adding a text message alert component would help ensure the message got to everyone.

As I was writing the above, Jennifer, our HR Director, told me she had shared the tip with her mother who runs a day care center with several classes and who is going to be using it also to send alerts to parents. Her mom’s "not too tech savvy" and Jennifer thought this was a perfect way to show her an easy practical use of technology to meet a real need. See the impact you can have when you share!?

By the way, Jennifer, who will be responsible for sending out ProLiteracy's text alerts, warned staff that the messages would all come from "Mrs. Thornton" since the program was originally designed to send messages to young people in K-12 and their parents.

Linda Church

ProLiteracy

lchurch@proliteracy.org

I have been using Google Voice for about 6 months now. It is a great tool. I can easily and quickly send messages without needing to call each individual student. I also found that when I was calling, it was usually during the hours that students were working, so I was leaving messages. I quickly learned that my students didn't tend to check voicemail messages and would show up for classes that had been cancelled, or forget to bring materials. With Google Voice, I text students and have close to a 100% response rate. I love it!