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Joint Information Systems Committee
Innovative Practice with Mobile and Wireless Technologies
Sarah Knight, JISC e-Learning Programme
Joint Information Systems Committee Supporting education and research
Joint Information Systems Committee
e-Learning Programme
The JISC Learning and Teaching committee is funding the Innovation Strand of the e-Learning Programme, which is exploring how innovative technologies can be harnessed to support learning.
The Innovation Strand has three key themes:
– Mobile and wireless learning
– Effective design of physical learning spaces for technology
– Gaming for learning
– For more info - www.jisc.ac.uk/elearning_innovation.html
e-Learning is pedagogically sound, learner-focused and accessible
Joint Information Systems Committee
A quick survey
Used by practitioners for
teaching and assessing?
Used by students for learning and assessment?
Joint Information Systems Committee
Mobile and wireless learning – A definition
Mobile and wireless learning can extend beyond the educational use of small screen mobile and wireless devices to include any application of technology that enables learning and its associated support to be flexible and location-free
– Laptops
– Tablet PCs
– PDAs
– Mobile phones/Smartphones
– Electronic voting systems
– USB storage devices
Joint Information Systems Committee
Based on the review of current and emerging practice with mobile and wireless learning in the post-16 and HE sectors – John Traxler, Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and Diane Evans
Available online at www.elearning.ac.uk/innoprac
Innovative Practice with e-Learning
Joint Information Systems Committee
A good practice guide to embedding mobile and wireless technologies
How are mobile devices being used in teaching and learning in a context known to you?
Why have they been used?
Who by?
Have mobile and wireless technologies changed, modified or extended current pedagogies?
What is the relationship between mobile and wireless learning and current forms of e-learning?
Joint Information Systems Committee
The choices and the challenges
The reasons for adoption of these technologies reflect their:
– Wide availability
– Ability to support a range of functions
– Closeness to, or use alongside, desktop functionality
– Ease of use by most learners
– Acceptance by learners as a device for learning
– Potential to support specific institutional and pedagogical aims
But the embedding of mobile technologies can be affected by:
– a lack of familiarity with the functions of the device, the instability of software, and difficulties in reformatting or creating resources to fit a small screen (and accessibility)
– Alongside these issues are the emotional factors which can affect the acceptance of any technology
– There may also be institutional factors hindering adoption of the more sophisticated mobile devices
Joint Information Systems Committee
A good practice guide to embedding mobile and wireless technologies
Evidence from the case studies suggests that smaller devices have found a niche in offering support for active learning approaches e.g. capture of data on location or on-the-move contact with mentors, tutors or other learners
Ideal for delivering bite-sized e-learning resources to basic skills learners, mobile devices can equally support the acquisition of higher order skills e.g. evaluating alternatives, solving problems and drawing conclusions
Use of mobile devices within a wireless network can substantially increase the range and immediacy of learning-related activities and assist institutions in achieving more efficient management of learning
Institutional perspective
Practitioner’s perspective
Learner’s perspective
Joint Information Systems Committee
An example - The learner’s perspective
Any time, any place learning
Multimedia learning with mobile phones
City College Southampton (p18)
“Questions we set to be answered on locations, for example in local museums, introduced [learners] subtly to more complex grammatical constructs. Even when the technology went wrong, it still generated opportunities to practise new vocabulary!” Jo Dixon-Trifonov, ESOL tutor, City College Southampton.
Joint Information Systems Committee
An example – The practitioner’s perspective
Empowering learners
Mobile learning and teaching with PDAs
Dewsbury College, Thomas Danby College and Bishop
Burton College (p 30)
Video clip from ‘Innovative Practice with e-Learning’, JISC (2005)
Joint Information Systems Committee
An example - The institutional perspective
Supporting learners
Designing flexible learning spaces Northumbria University (p 40)
"The ratio of computers to students can offer a false representation of the type and quality of provision. What is important is the whole student learning experience.” Jane Core, Director of Learning Resources, Northumbria University
Joint Information Systems Committee
The next steps
‘Each institution is at a different stage in a journey towards embedding aspects of technology-mediated learning into practice. Mobile and wireless technologies represent a further stage on that journey.’
Joint Information Systems Committee
Embedding innovative practice
Joint Information Systems Committee
Next steps activity
Reflecting on these three case studies, record one action point for you to address on your return to your institution in terms of the embedding mobile and wireless learning in a specific context.
A series of planning tools are available on the CD-ROM to assist you with the embedding of mobile and wireless learning.
Joint Information Systems Committee
To conclude…
Mobile devices can extend the reach of e-learning and open up a greater variety of learning activities
Mobile and wireless learning can mean e-learning on the move
Embedded use of both e-learning and mobile and wireless technologies can enable an institution to become a wireless hub of learning
Learning can be made more personal to the individual learner with effective use of e-learning and mobile and wireless technologies
Joint Information Systems Committee
To conclude…
But when designing activities for mobile and wireless learning, consider whether:
The activity and use of technology within it will support personal routes to learning goals
Practitioners have understanding of learner-centred pedagogies
Practice based on mobile technologies can be adequately supported
Staff development in technical and pedagogical skills is available
Joint Information Systems Committee
Further information
Email:
Web: e-Learning and Innovation - www.jisc.ac.uk/elearning_innovation.html
Innovative Practice with e-Learning – www.jisc.ac.uk/eli_practice.html
Innovative Practice with e-Learning CD-ROM – www.elearning.ac.uk/innoprac
e-Learning Programme - www.jisc.ac.uk/elearningfocus
Pedagogy and Innovation mailing list - [email protected]
