When I was in high school and participating in field type assignments, there were a few necessary components you would need to perform in order to complete the assignment. Many of these components included field notes of your observations, an artistic depiction or sketch of what you were studying, and if it was something you could hold (rock, leaf or an animal) you took measurements that you would later need to convert to other units. Well thanks to new technology becoming available almost everyday, taking field data has become exponentially easier due to ... the cell phone.
In this case more specifically, the smart phone such as iPhone and Android. Smart phones can allow students to explore the world around them with the aid of a plethora of knowledge to answer their questions right at their fingertips. And using cell phones in the classroom
The answer lies in the apps. Phones can be loaded with apps for language, games, and even ways of socializing. So it isn't much of a stretch to make the jump from using apps on phone to be useful in other areas of students lives. Here is a list of some possible apps for Android and iPhones that can be useful when performing field science.
* Huffling, L., Tomasek, T., Matthews, C., Benavides, A., Carlone, H., & Hegedus, T. (2014). Using Mobile Devices in Field Science. The Science Teacher Sci. Teacher., 081(06).
Now, what is the benefit of using phones/ mobile devices in science, and does it really help students. One of the major benefits is that it incorporates a timeless subject, science in any form, and a more modern invention, the cell phone, in a way that is helpful to students. When you teach students, in order for everyone to be on the same page with the learning, we as teachers need to incorporate components that are meaningful to them in their own lives. Thus making it more relate able to the students, and more accessible to boot. Lastly, this gives students the tools to begin exploring on their own, outside of the classroom. If they learn how to use these apps, and many others, they will begin to become more and more interested and curious about the world around them.