Wilkinson, who teaches science, said teachers have to make sure they focus on the lesson, and not the app.

“Kids treat it like a game, and it keeps their interest,” he said. “It’s up to the teacher to keep them focused.”

Horner said using the smartphones have given students the freedom to explore and challenge themselves beyond the lesson.

“It’s really an empowerment for them,” Horner said as she showed slides of photography projects, and instant quizzes she has used with her eighth-graders as part of a pilot project. She said students got parental permission to bring their phones to school, and a special wireless router was installed in her classroom to get Internet.

Absecon technology coordinator Scott Sarraiocco said online access is still limited by the district’s filtering software.

“There is an issue about how to set this up and still filter the content,” he said. Teachers also must use programs accessible to all, since students may have different brands of phones.

“This does give students more personal responsibility,” he said. “But it is also great for being able to differentiate instruction for each child.”