Mobile Learning
Why should a teacher
be prepared to allow or require students to use mobile devices to achieve
learning objectives?
By incorporating
mobile devices into the classroom, teachers can capitalize on a piece of
technology with which students are already intimately familiar. Students use
their phones for just about everything outside of school, so it seems like a
very natural next step to find ways to effectively use this technology in the
classroom. Students have access to nearly unlimited information at their
fingertips. Why create a learning environment that discourages using all of the
resources that students have at their disposal? Additionally, by allowing
students to use mobile devices for classroom activities, teachers can help
students learn how to find sources that are reliable, a skill that will serve
students well beyond their school years. Another important thing to consider
when it comes to information access is how quickly information becomes
out-dated. As a recent college graduate, I can attest to how quickly we are
learning new things. During my four years as an undergraduate, some textbooks
used in my classes went through as many as four editions. Schools do not have
the funding to buy new textbooks every year, and mobile learning offers a tidy
solution to this problem.
Creating an
environment where students cannot use their resources is a slippery slope. Outside
of school, students will rarely not be allowed to use resources at their
disposal. While I was an undergraduate, I worked as a teaching assistant for a
Research Methods and Design class in the Psychology department. This was a
class where there was meant to be a lot of interaction between students and
students were often encouraged to use their cell phones to find more information.
Every semester during our first workshop, students would start out working
silently and alone. The professor and I would look at each other after a couple
of minutes, and one of us would say something to the effect of “You know you
can talk to each other, right?” The students would always look confused, and
the professor would have to explain that she expected students to use all of
their resources, including their classmates, their textbooks, and their cell
phones. It always made me a little sad that these college sophomores and
juniors had to be told that it was okay to use their resources. This is
something that should be taught much earlier to students, and I think that
mobile learning is of the best ways teachers can do that.
All of that being said, I think it is
important to note that using technology in the classroom, whether it is mobile
learning, the use of computers, or even the up-and-coming virtual reality
glasses, is not always a positive thing. Adding technology does not inherently
make you a 21st century teacher, and not using technology does not
necessarily make you behind the times. It is all about using your resources
effectively to create a true 21st century learning environment. To
help guide my own use of mobile learning in the classroom, I have created a
list of questions to answer when I am considering adding a mobile learning
component to lessons.
1) Is the mobile device I am considering
incorporating age-level appropriate?
2) Do my students know how to care for
the device?
3) Are my students able to effectively
use the device on their own?
4) Will any of my students need
accommodations in order to be able to use this technology?
5) Does using mobile learning actually
make sense with this activity? What does this technology bring that was not
achieved by the lesson prior to its incorporation?
6) Does this activity teach 21st
century skills? Does the mobile learning aspect of the activity enhance those
skills?
7) Is the technology readily available?
Am I sure I will have the access I need when I need it?
8) What is my back-up plan if the
technology fails?
Examples of Mobile Activities
1.
During a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird, students do
research on one topic relevant to the 1930’s (politics, economy, entertainment,
race relations, etc.) and create a visual presentation on their topic to share
with the class. This activity gives students the freedom to explore a topic
that is of interest to them that is relevant to the material they are studying.
Students will have the opportunity to teach each other, thus expanding their
knowledge and really allowing them to end up with a comprehensive knowledge of
1930’s culture. The incorporation of mobile learning enhances students’
research opportunities and skills and allows them to become more proficient at
creating presentations.
2.
During a unit on
different cultures around the world, students conduct short interviews with
family members that they record in order to learn about their own culture. Once
the family interviews have been conducted, students conduct interviews with
other students to learn what the differences and similarities are between their
families. The unit will end with students writing a reflection on what they
learned. This activity allows students to incorporate their own personal
stories into the classroom, which allows students to connect more deeply with
the material. The recording of the interviews will allow students to go back
and view the videos again so they can focus on the interview itself rather than
on taking notes while conducting the interview.
Conclusion
When used effectively, mobile learning
can be a great tool for teachers and students. It is important to consider
whether incorporating technology will be beneficial to students and to the
lesson before just diving in. Mobile learning allows students to use the
resources that they have, which is an important skill to develop early on.
Students should be given opportunities to use technology in ways that enhance
their learning. Mobile learning is a great tool, although it definitely will
take some practice for me to learn to effectively incorporate into lessons. I
definitely have a better handle on it than I did prior to this module, and I am
looking forward to using what I learned in my own classroom.
References
Dabbs,
L. (2012, October 10). Mobile Learning
Support for New Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/mobile-learning-support-new-teachers-lisa-dabbs
ICT
in Education. (n.d.). UNESCO.
Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/themes/icts/m4ed/
Persaud,
R. (2014, December 12). Smartphone: From
Toy to Tool. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/smartphones-from-toy-to-tool-ramona-persaud
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