M3U5A1- Mobile Learning - Pei Yi Liu

Why should a teacher be prepared to allow or require students to use mobile devices to achieve learning objectives?

Mobile learning is important for the 21st century learner.  We live in a world that has information available to everyone at all times.  We can look up facts and figures in a very short time.  Therefore, what is the value of learning skills related to memorising facts and figures?  We need to go deeper.  We don't even need to be sitting down to get this kind of information now.  

Think about the mobile game "Pokemon Go".  People of all ages were running around and meeting other people who liked Pokemon.  The most common criticism of video games is that they make people lazy and its an anti-social hobby.  Pokemon Go required people to use their GPS and run around to catch the Pokemon.  It's also a highly social activity where you can meet a lot of new people. One of my sister is a big fan of this game. She loved it a lot. I played it a bit when I went to Taiwan.  Even though it's a video game, it's very, very different from what people usually think of when they think of video games.  

Similarly, we can revolutionise the classroom and get students out of their desks and chairs, and moving around.  It's the same principal as the scavenger hunt, which is by no means new.  In Asia there is a similar game called "the Golden Bell".  I remember playing it when I was a kid in our school, and I'm almost 40!  What's special about mobile learning  we can do things that are very ambitious very easily.  With the Golden Bell activity, the teachers  had to hide a bunch of stuff around the school for the students to find.  Using mobile devices, you just have to print off a QR code.  So, that is a good analogy for my thoughts on mobile learning: Mobile learning isn't really anything new, but we are using technology to assist with our lessons to make them more interesting.  The key word there is assist.  Teachers can't just hand middle school students an ipad and say, "go look blah blah blah up" and expect the students to NOT immediately start playing video games. There needs to be rules in place for using mobile devices effectively.  Let's look at some guiding principals:

1. The teacher is still the teacher, the ipad is still a tool: Teachers cannot just hand out technology and sit back and relax.  There is still a job to be done.  The teacher has to, absolutely has to, monitor the students during their time using these devices.  Effective policies for monitoring device usage has to be in place in order to guarantee the devices are used appropriately.    

2.  Teachers need time and collaboration to prepare lessons that totally take advantage of mobile devices: PD's are necessary; teachers don't know how to use ipads for learning.  Word of mouth helps a lot, but teachers still will require proper instruction on how to use or find apps.   

3.  There are new apps coming out all the time; don't give up or get too attached:  Teacher have to be willing to explore a little when they are designing their lessons around mobile devices.  On the other hand, just because there isn't an app directly related to your subject, doesn't mean mobile learning can't work for your subject.  The 21st century demands creative solutions not just from students, but teachers as well!

4.  Ipads are not laptops:  Students should ideally have one of each.  While laptops can be used for mobile learning, they are not designed for it and it will be awkward and unfair to the student.  Similarly, it's unreasonable to expect a student with an ipad be able to type as quickly on their device as someone on a laptop.  Both are useful and can be used for similar purposes, but they are different. When lesson planning, identify which device you want them to use for the activity.  Have it prepared and ready. 

5. Have a non-technology based backup plan:  There's a lot of reasons why, but be ready to have a backup plan in case the devices required aren't available.   

So, what are some examples of good use of apps for mobile learning?  Lets' go over a few:

Golden Bell: The same as a scavenger hunt.  What's different here is the teacher can use QR codes instead of actual items.  The QR codes could lead to anything.  Doing a murder mystery with your grade 4 class?  Give them clues.  Doing a math problem?  The QR code reveals a different part of the math problem.   A short story?  Different paragraphs for each QR code, then the students have to rearrange the story from start to finish using what they know about exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. 

GPS tracker:  This has a lot of math applications.  They could use it to calculate their speed on foot while walking, running, and then on a bike.  They just need to know the distance from point A to point B and record how long it takes them to get from point A to point B using a stopwatch.

(not mobile learning but still a good use of an app): translation apps.  Anyone who teaches at an international school knows that while there should never be any students in your class who have absolute zero English, it can happen and it happens often.  Translation apps give that student a chance to complete content along side their peers.  All they have to do is point their device at the text and it will recreate the words in their own language.  This is not an ideal way for students to learn, but we do not live in an ideal world.  

References: 

Daccord, T. (2012, September 27). 5 Critical Mistakes Schools Make With iPads (And How To Correct Them). Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/5-critical-mistakes-schools-ipads-and-correct-them/

Dunn, Jeff. (2013, February 4). The TEacher's Quick Guide to Scavenger Hunts. Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/the-teachers-quick-guide-to-digital-scavenger-hunts/