Mobile+Devices+and+Ministry+-+Cell+Phone+Podcasting

Assignment #3 **Mobile Devices and Ministry - Cell Phone Podcasting, Voicemail, Conferencing and Mobile Notes** Expected time to complete the written part of this assignment: 15 minutes. Please allow extra time for reading chapter 3 in Toys to Tools.

Religious education and ministry have not kept up with the educational technology options that you will find used in other subject areas. However, what we do have are best practices in these areas that can be easily adapted to fit your situation. There are many projects in chapter 3 that could be easily adapted to use in your parish. Take time to read through chapter 3 (Pages 23-70). Find one project that you would like to adapt to fit your audience and ministry.

Once you have found a best practice that you want to adapt, very simply describe what you are planning to do in the table below.

Steuart ||  || I like the idea of being able to mass text my parents for last minute changes that may happen and KIKutext looks promising. We are currently redoing our parish library and hopuing to put a link to our website that all can access to find a book. There are just two many ideas to consider at present for all areas of the parish. will have to think about this when there is more time. || Something else I would like to try out is the use of the text messaging as a reflective tool. Each catechist, who would like to participate, could have an email assign to their own cell phone using Wiffiti, and could ask the students to text her their 100-character reflection based on what they have learned during class. It could be something in the line of "one thing they learned (they did not known)", "one thing they really liked", "one thing they would like to learn more about".... One last project I would like to implement is the use of Flickr for the students to cream photo albums of the churches they visit when they go on vacation, visit a family out of town ... etc ... they could include the name of the church, location, website if available, and a brief note about their experience visiting that church. || Return to assignment page
 * sue sharlow ||  || Once again, I have come across a digital version of something I already do the old fashioned way, but now I can do it much more efficiently. I use surveys for everything: Sacramental prep, RCIA, Faith Formation for kids and adults... Polltogo is a great way to do this electronically, saving time and "connecting" us at the same time. ||
 * Ann Ferguson ||  || I'm not actually teaching but work in administration and support to teachers, however, I am very involved with the communities and families. Until we find out how prolific the phones are with the students, I'd say we'd probably look to do some podcasting and I can envision several different projects from a history or cultural interview of our various students, their families with some background as to where they come from Haiti, Mexico, Guatemala and tie the commonality between the cultures in love of God and Jesus. Also, I keep thinking about doing something with the different Saints from the Americas, perhaps a project for the confirmation students. Not sure which tool to use yet. ||
 * EXAMPLE ||  || I am adapting the Murmur Project, Page 24, for HS youth. I will create a learning plan where you go over the project, assist them in how to do a good interview, determine who will create the web site, where you will upload the podcast files and more... ||
 * Kevin Hansut ||  || I will be using the Murmur Project Page 24 as an example for my Confirmation Prep group. I will assist them in mapping the church, including the sacrististy, altar, vestment room, narthex, tabernacle, baptismal, font, reflection chapel, music minstry, and readers room. We will then create dots with podcasts including pictures from each area. Prior to the podcasts, we will research the historical backround and current use of each with our goal to be a history and tour of liturgy. ||
 * Mary Miller ||  || Utilizing SCVNGR (from the website, I don't have the book), I would like to adapt the Scavanger Hunt for families during an intergenerational family faith day. I think it would be a great way to not only learn what and where various things are in the church (vessels, oils, liturgical books, etc), but would help people to "connect the dots" e.g. between the baptismal font and baptism, the chalice and Eucharist, the confessionals and reconciliation. We have such a need to educate our parents as well, I think this would be a non-threatening and fun way for them to learn along with their children. ||
 * Barbara Eretto ||  || I am adapting the Local Landmarks Photoblog.... Page Unknown (in digital copy their are no page numbers...) for Middle School Youth (8th graders...) I will have studennts create a route of historical landmarks in downtown St. Augustine, assisting them as needed to be sure they visit those landmarks that will connect them to their faith. Then send students on their hunt and have take photos of each landmark. After they complete the journey I will have them create and upload their pictures to the class blog with their comments on what they found and 1 interesting fact of each landmark. ||
 * Janet Mitchell ||  || In doing updates concerning the construction of our new church I have begun using my cell phone to record specific events, placing of the glulams, metal trusses, etc. I then upload them to facebook and also to our website. ||
 * Ginny Nolan ||  || I like the idea of mapping the church and explaining liturgical items – not only for RCIA or religious education classes – but it could also be an educational tool to be placed on the website for those just browsing or church shopping. Could add links from our E-News or FB page. So many uses! So little time!! ||
 * Sherry Foecking ||  || Since I am working with the adult ladies of our parish, I see two possibilites. The older members of our guild have such wonderful memories of our Guild and parish that being interviewed by younger members would be perfect. The younger or newer members could contribute what drew them to our parish or comments on what keeps them there. We do a November meeting remembering past members in a collabrative service, which would be great to do through phones. Often our members are homebound and unable to attend our meetings. How nice if they could share through technology. Many of our ladies have traveled widely to many of the shrines of the world. This phone interview technique would be great to virtual travel to places most of us have not been. ||
 * Ruth E Manlandro ||  || I would like to adapt the Photoblog for RCIA children that are in the Year 2 class. I think that this would be a great way for them to get to know the historical landmarks and how they are significant to the Catholic Church in Florida and the United States. I would like them to post their pictures on the wiki that is being developed and why they chose the picture and it's significance. ||
 * Rachele Deering ||  || One tool I would want to bring to the classroom is the QRcodes poll. When doing a lesson in class, questions are always asked regarding their current day enviornment based on our lesson. This would be a great way to get feedback, especially on topics that the students don't always wish to share. ||
 * Amy Acker Mobley ||  || I love the idea of polls using the QR codes and I am also a fan of the photoblog and can see both of those as useful to our ministry. when I was a kid we would do a scavenger hunt with disposable cameras how cool it that we can now do that with Cell Phones and texting. ||
 * Mary Jane Spirk ||  || I am really going to focus on the etiquette and usage issues. I am going to spend some time duirng our first session with my families on the use of texting and helping their children to understand and how to respond to unwanted and unsavory texts. ||
 * Kathleen Kirkpatrick ||  || My mind is whirring with ideas. I like the idea of having a virtual guest speaker using FreeConferencePro(p.34). I have students in my class who don't like to read or write (that is why they are in my "reading" class). The idea of using a cell phone to brainstorm ideas(p.35) and answer questions would be a welcome relief to these students not to mention a relief for me. I also like the idea of using cell phones for assessments (p.35). Students could use their phones to practice answering interview questions. A YouMail account would allow a student to respond only to the teacher and not to other students. I had students who refused to respond in class in front of their peers. Jott would be an excellent way to record research (36). Jott would also be beneficial to students with visual impairments(p.36). I definitely need to learn how to podcast(p.38). The idea of radio theatre is very appealing. The lesson plans (pp. 39-70) were packed with ideas. ||
 * Susan Ajoc ||  || I like the Oral History Project but I would modify it for RCIA (adults) to Faith Oral History using their cellphones record and document their faith journey. I could provide some questions to help them identify conversion moments. I would need to take baby steps and perhaps have the students then send them to be compiled for sharing in a classroom setting before asking them to post to a blog. (There may be some reluctance; sometimes it takes time for the students to share their faith stories and to ask them to post to a "public" setting may be intimidating. ||
 * Karen Heaphy ||  || Oral History Projects sound interesting. I like Susan's idea of helping those undertaking the journey but would also like to seek out those who have been on the journey and have them look back to reflect on how the completion of the Sacraments of Initiation changed their lives. Recording witness talks of those who have been through the experience could be helpful to those undergoing the inquiry period in particular. ||
 * Dale Brown ||  || As we are working with young adults, it would be good for them to hear about the heritage of black Catholics in this country. here are currently two African Americans whose cause for canonization have been presented to the Vatican. Unfortunately many are not aware and people need to be educated. So I am thinking something on the lines of the oral history project would be a great tool. ||
 * Sybil
 * Ana Munoz ||  || I think I would like to adapt the Murmur project for the stations of the cross! Every year we assign a different station to each class in our Faith Formation Program, they have to create a poster about the station with its theological meaning, and another one where they apply that meaning to our present situations (social justice, political situations, human rights ....). If we integrate the use of a pre-recorded description by our own kids (as it is available in some museums), kids and their families (all the parishioners) could visit the stations any time, call the number to hear the description of that stations, which was recorded by our own kids ... I think it would be very cool!!!
 * Lori crawford ||  || KIKutext is my newest find. With the prevalence of cellphones out there I think at least some of the folks in the "kids" program will appreciate texts reminding them about upcoming Faith Formation things. I like it! ||
 * Kelli Bonner ||  || I, too, am looking to use mass text as another form of communication with the students and their families. I tried out MailBliss, but that's not quite what I'm looking for. I passed over KIKutext because I didn't want to pester the parents into signing up. Really, though, that's the surest way to get pernission. I'll have to go back to that one, hoping there is an easy-to-use "invite" feature for those who are not present when a group joins. It's those folks, after all, who need the most reminders. ||

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