Book Review of Teaching Generation Text by Lisa Neilsen and Willyn Webb

For those who lead children and youth in activities and education, cell phones have become the bane of their existence. As hard as schools try, they continue to have cell phones distract their students. So, Neilson and Webb challenge teachers to stop fighting students and start working within the "texting" culture, using cell phones as an ally instead of an enemy.

This book is very through, although if I were to use it I would really have to do some deeper research om how to use my cell phone more effectively. The book includes ideas on how to develop lesson plans with wireless technology, and how to advocate for a text-friendly educational plan in your classroom, school,and district. The authors provide studies of this model of education to bolster their advocacy of the use of text messaging in schools. It is a really well laid out argument in favor of cell phones, especially smart phones, in a classroom environment.

I do think, however, that the authors are a little overly optimistic about how smoothly this model of education will integrate into an educational environment. I don't have any evidence of this however, just the gut instinct of someone who worked with adolescents for over a decade.