Texting in class is not usually something that educators encourage their students to do, but at South Louisiana Community College's Gulf area campus that's what instructors in one adult education program wants their students to do.

Adult Education Program Director Melinda Bynog is offering this program to adult education students thanks to a grant from the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.

Bynog will purchase 30 Kindle eReaders for classroom use by the students with grant money.  Bynog is hoping by using the texting component it will help students with their reading and writing skills.

Bynog says,  "Students text every day outside of the classroom. I thought, let's give them something constructive to do with texting."

The instructor is putting together several software applications for use on the devices that she says will help improve math, reading and writing skills.

Bynog explains, "Students will be able to work out math problems on the eReaders with these apps. Students will also be able to access library resources with the devices. I selected the Kindle because it can be a multi-purpose tool."

The class will also be encouraged to use Twitter in the classroom as she says she is hoping it will motivate shy students in the class to participate in discussions, "Why not use Twitter if students don't want to ask a question out loud? This app will give them a voice."

SLCC's Adult Education program has more than 500 students and more than 100 people have now earned their high school equivalency diploma.

Bynog says the grant was in the amount of $7,000, and she will likely have her first app for students by next month.

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