Mobile phone assignment
Did you know …• there are over 22 million mobile phone subscribers in Australia • 90%+ of a mobile phone can be recycled
• they can cause environmental harm if not disposed of correctly • they are the most common cause of bankruptcy for young adults • they are replaced every 18-24 months on average
• the World Bank predicts there will be 4 billion subscribers by 2010 • increasingly, people are connecting to the web via their mobile phone.
1.1 Survey your friends and family to find out what features of a mobile phone they regard as the most important. Work out appropriate categories for their responses.
1.2 The average Australian keeps their mobile phone for 18-24 months. If this trend continues, how many phones will you own by the time you are 25? Calculate and present on a graph how many phones your class will have owned by that time. Calculate how many phones students in your school will have owned by that time. Link this information with the need to recycle mobile phones. 1.3 Use Excel to prepare a cost benefit analysis comparing mobile phones with a land line and VOP.
Make a recommendation about which is the ‘best’ choice.
1.4 Prepare a table comparing the costs of calls, text messages, premium services and voting for competitions for a prepaid phone and a fixed term service contract.
2.1 Draw a map of the world and show the countries with:
• the highest usage of mobile phones • the largest growth rates
• the largest growth markets
• a country/countries without any mobile phone usage.
Remember to include all ‘map’ features.
2.2 A significant number of people in the world still do not have regular, effective access to computers. By the end of 2010 it is expected almost 4 billion people worldwide will have access to a mobile phone. (Source: World Bank). Explain how mobile phones can play a vital role in providing greater access to digital resources.
2.3 Draw a map of Australia and Victoria showing mobile phone coverage. Explain the significant features of this pattern for the Australian community.
2.4 Research how many phones Australia imports. What countries do the phones come from? How has this changed over the past five years?
3.1 Identify the major components in a mobile phone. List substances used in the construction of a mobile phone. Identify the materials that can be reused and the potentially hazardous substances. Explain what could happen if these are not treated appropriately.
3.2 Investigate a phone manufacturer to find out what environmental initiatives they are undertaking in designing new mobile phones. These may include:
• material efficiency
• environmentally sound materials • disassembly
4.1 Organise a debate with two speakers on each side to consider the question: ‘Have mobile phones made the world a better place?’
4.2 Examine an advertisement for a mobile phone. Consider how the elements of the advertisement – the graphics and the language – have been chosen to encourage a potential consumer to choose this phone. Prepare an annotated ‘version’ of the advertisement explaining these features to your classmates.
4.3 Explain to a friend the meaning of the term ‘contract’. Explain what a contract requires you to do. Investigate a specific mobile phone service contract and list the main features of the contract. Explain what one of the clauses means in your own words. List five things the contract requires a consumer to do.
4.4 Prepare a brochure for to help young adults make the best choice when getting a mobile phone. You need to explain the following aspects: the different type of plans; usage patterns; call rates; the importance of an individual’s budget; features they need/want in the handset.
5.1 ‘I’ve been scammed!!!’ Develop a presentation to your class showing them what scams are, the common types of scams and how people can avoid being scammed.
5.2 Your parents have said they will buy you a mobile phone if you can convince them you understand the set-up and running costs, and that you could keep within their set limits. Use an online budget tool, or Excel, to prepare a realistic budget to show your parents you can meet their requirements.
5.2 Naomi’s mother signed the phone contract for her mobile because Naomi is under 18. She has been receiving a number of premium text messages which have really increased her monthly bill. Naomi claims she never signed up for these premium messages, but her mobile provider does not want to know. Investigate the role of the telecommunications industry ombudsman in resolving this type of dispute.
6.1 You are a reporter for a TV current affairs show. You have been given the story of following a mobile phone for the day. The focus of your story is to help viewers understand how important mobile phones are in encouraging communication between family and friends.
6.2 A letter to your local newspaper has alleged bullying has taken place in your school by students using mobile phones. Investigate the issue of cyber bullying/phone bullying. What
recommendations would you make to a someone suffering from this type of bullying? What recommendations would you make to your school community to prevent bullying of students? 7.1 Design and sketch your ideal mobile phone. Outline eight of the main features you included.
Justify why you included them.
7.2 Research how mobile phones can be used to access the internet. Explain why this is important to:
• people in countries where computers/and computer access is too expensive for most people • people dependent on 24/7 access to information.
Predict future trends in this area. Present the main features of your research to your class.
Some elements of an integrated assignment on mobile phones are provided below. Aspects covered include:
• suggested questions/content • possible formats
• links to the National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework
• elements of general capabilities (Australian Curriculum) and quality teaching • website resources
• suggestions for reflection and assessment.
1.
Content
The questions listed above were developed as part of a thematic, whole year-level activity. Each box contains questions related to one specific subject area: Maths, Science, English, Geography, Technology, Humanities/Social Science and Health. Students working in groups were given about 700 minutes to research and prepare about 200 minutes for presentation to their year level.
The activity could be undertaken in a number of ways.
• Students could work individually and select a specific number of questions. These could be all
questions from one box, or one from each of three boxes.
• Students could work in pairs to complete a set of questions – one from each box/four boxes. • Students could be placed in a small group and set a number of questions – one box or one question
from each box.
• Individual and small group work could be combined. Students could answer a certain number of
questions individually and then work on one question in a pair or small group
• A group of students could research one question and present the results to their class.
2.
Possible formats for group work
Students could present their results to the class. Students would take one aspect of mobile phones, investigate it and devise an effective way to communicate their learning to other teenagers. Groups plan, draft and edit their work before presenting to the whole class. They could use a combination of the following formats.
Role-play
PowerPoint presentation
YouTube clip
Website
Radio jingle/program
Brochure/pamphlet/fact sheets
Song/rap message
Fact sheet
Newspaper/magazine article
3.
Teaching hints
Students could be presented with Thinking Frames (graphic organisers) to provide a structure for their research and preparation. For ideas about appropriate frames, look at ‘What kind of consumer are you?’ Stage 4 English teaching program developed by NSW DEET.
4.
Links to the National Consumer and Financial Literacy
Understand the value of setting financial goals and issues relating to impulse buying and the benefits of a budget
Competence
Justify selection of a range of goods and services, eg compare costs when purchasing, evaluate and recommend value for money purchases
Use critical literacy and numeracy skills to assess the accuracy and appropriateness of advertising Resolve consumer disputes, eg apply a process of consumer redress such as completing a consumer complaint form
Develop simple budgets and financial records.
Responsibility
Develop ethical behaviours, eg determine which goods and services are environmentally friendly , consider socially acceptable ways of spending
Recognise impulse buying behaviour might limit future choices.
Demonstrate informed and assertive buying behaviours/buyer resistance strategies and examine the terms of sales including contracts and other documents.
5.
C&FL and elements of general capabilities, cross-curriculum
perspectives and quality teaching
General capabilities
Literacy Contracts, story writing, survey, preparing for debate Numeracy Budgets, calculations of costs, totals
ITC Online calculators, web page construction, presentations, research, mobile phones and internet
Ethical behaviour Scams, phone bullying, environmental considerations of recycling Thinking skills Use of Thinking frames, suggested research strategies
Creativity Variety in student presentations Self-management Managing time
Teamwork Working together to research and produce communication, prepare debate Social competence Debating
Cross-curriculum perspectives
Sustainable patterns ofliving
Environmental considerations of recycling
Relating to Asia Mobile phones use, mobile phone access to the internet, where phones are made and exported to Australia
Curriculum connections to quality teaching
Cultural knowledge Sustainable and ethical consumerism Deep knowledge Follow processes for preventing scams
Deep understanding Use websites to select relevant data for specific purposes Connectedness Rights and responsibilities of consumers
Engagement Use ICT skills in a variety of ways to research, present, and educate Explicit criteria Maps, surveys, selection from websites
Higher order thinking Justify decision making and prioritising of data Problematic knowledge Effective and purposeful web navigation Significance Understanding role of consumers
Social support Working in groups, educate fellow classmates, debates Student self regulation Students present ideas in their selected format
6. Resources
Topic
Source
Extensive material on almost all issues
www.amta.org.au
Bullying www.amta.org.au
Types of phone plans/contracts www.understandingmoney.gov.au click on Buying a mobile phone
www.phonechoice.com.au – selecting a mobile and plan
www.accc.gov.au – information on buying a phone
History, world coverage http.//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile-phones Connecting with the internet http.//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile-phones
Recycling www.mobilemuster.com.au Also includes a video ‘Where do the old mobiles go?’ which looks at how the phones are collected and recycled. The video can be viewed in the download section
Advertisements Some interesting material can be found at www.spendwell.gov.au Go to Buying then Marketing to find interactive activities on advertising and impluse buying
Environmental initiatives in phone design
Visit the websites of the major phone manufacturers –LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, NEC, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp and Sony Ericsson. Dispute resolution
www.tio.com.au Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman – check
out Sort it for great examples and outcomes.
7.
Assessment
7.1 Self assessment
Student reflection
Teachers could select from the following suggestions to encourage student reflection on the learning which occurred as a result of undertaking the mobile phone unit.
• Graphic organiser
Students create a concept map to link the different activities from the unit. When completed, students could reflect on their learning in each sequence.
(Perhaps they could symbols and colours to indicate different aspects of the learning).
• Quiz
Students comment and self assess on some questions covering specific learning outcomes and/or content.
• Reflection
Explain to students how learning is built over time. Students could complete sentences such as: 1. Before starting this assignment, I thought …
2. I want to know more about ... 3. I felt …
4. Since researching about phones I understand … 5. I would like to teach someone else about … 6. The best part of this assignment was …
7. Because of what I learned from this assignment I … 8. In the future I will ...
7.2 Consumer and financial literacy outcomes Suggestions for summative assessment
Student Notes
Unit outcomes These are the assessed statements
for reports The student
Indicators
Demonstration of these indicates achievement of an outcome
Work samples The evidence from this assignment which supports the
outcomes
• creates and uses a budget in
response to a specific goal •
could complete budget
• could adapt to changes and
make recommendation
• budget task
• identifies how buying choices
can be influenced •
identifies and can use factors to influence buyers
• can distinguish between scams and discounts
• advert analysis • consumer surveys • scams task
• presentation • justifies recommended phone
choices •
selection of data
• prioritising of features • comparing costs with benefits
• report on recommendations • cost/benefit comparison • understands consumer rights,
responsibilities and how they are protected
• can identify consumer issues
and where to seek help
• identifies different types of
potential disputes, and suggests solutions
• scams task
• premium call dispute
• develops ethical behaviours • can recommend actions which
are environmentally friendly, eg phone recycling
• report on mobile phones as
web connection
• responses about recycling/
phone dangers (EMF) and phone design
• debate
• recommendations to
prevent bullying
• uses skill to assess the
accuracy and appropriateness of advertising
• analysis of advertisement
• works collaboratively in
discussions and group tasks, justifying opinions with evidence
• valued contributions to group
discussions
• can negotiate and operate
with group
• group tasks
