Columbia, SC (WLTX) - An internationally known technology expert says smart phones will one day replace computers inside classrooms.
It's a message he shared Monday evening to teachers, parents and kids in Richland School District One. He also showed them how products like smart phones and iPads can be used in education.
"Schools are struggling so often with buying computers, but they're making kids turn off their computers or leave them at home. Their computers being cell phones," said former teacher and mobile technology expert Tony Vincent.
Before his presentation, Vincent showed News19 several apps that are good examples of how the phones can be used for educational purposes. One was a game that dealt with fractions and another can recognize your voice, turn it into written english, translate it into another language, and then say it back to you.
Vincent also likes to point out many of the apps can be downloaded for free on smart phones. "You can find quality apps on the Android store and 67% of them are free."
"It sounds really cool. I thought they were really expensive but it sounds really good we can have all this stuff at our fingertips for so cheap," said 14-year-old student Perry Kate.
Kate says it all makes perfect sense to him and his peers. "We were just talking about it in class today. Imagine if everybody had secondhand iPhones instead of four or five text books."
Because of the negative ways students use cell phones in class, like cheating or texting, some teachers say they're wary of the idea. Vincent says the benefits will outweigh those concerns.
"School should reflect real life and real life tools; people are now using are the mobile tools," said Vincent.
Vincent will spend the next few days visiting with teachers and students throughout the district. He has done presentations all over the world and currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona.