http://www.mlearning-conf.org/cfp.aspe

A case study in a public school in the state of Sao Paulo / BrazilHigh School Students

THE USE OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY AS AN AID IN THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

This work was presented at the Conference entitled

This article is part of the master’s degree dissertation of the course of Art and Cultural History at Mackenzie Presbyterian University

Sponsor: Mackenzie Research Fund

ADRIANE SILVA HIGUCHIADRIANE SILVA HIGUCHI

Fugleman: Dr. Jane de OliveiraDr. Jane de Oliveira

Song’s lyrics …

Something happens in my heart

Only when it crosses Ipiranga and São João Avenue (two streets in the city)

When I first got here I could understand nothing about …

The concrete poetry of its street corners

The discreet inelegance of its girls

I didn't even know who Rita Lee was (a famous country singer)

And her most thorough interpretation

Something happens in my heart

Only when it crosses Ipiranga and São João Avenue

Song:Sampaby Caetano Veloso - Composer: Caetano Veloso

When we were face to face I didn't recognized myself

I called what I saw bad taste, bad taste, bad taste

Because Narcissus thinks it is ugly what is not a mirror

And what is not yet old scares the mind

Nothing of what it was before when we are not mutants (Mutants was the name of Rita Lee's band)

And it was a difficult beginning

I get away from what I don't know

And those who sell a different dream of a happy city

Soon learn to call it all reality

Because it is the other side of the other side of the other side of the other side …

Available at: Images: http://www.google.com.br/imgres and My cell phone – Adriane

Brazil

In 2011, there is a number of 104.7 cell phones for every group of 100 inhabitants, which means more than one cell per capita1;

The great majority (82%) have contracted the prepaid system service2;

The country is considered to be the 5th largest world market2.

Some studies have placed Brazil among the countries with the highest prices of cell phone service in the world.3

1Teleco – Inteligência em Telecomunicações. Relatórios 2010. http://www.teleco.com.br/estatis.asp2Dados da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações – Anatel / 20093Bernstein Research . Jan/ 2010. http://blogs.forumpcs.com.br/noticias/2010/01/29/telefonia-movel-no-brasil-e-a-2o-mais-cara-do-mundo/4Available at: http://citybrazil.uol.com.br/index.php

Brazil has4:183 million inhabitants;

89 million of men and 94 million of women;153 million live in urban areas and 30 million live in rural area.

Issue

How can mobile digital technologies, mainly the

cell phone, assist the teaching-learning process in

formal education?

HISTORY

Digital Generation1; Is born, grows, learns and lives connected to a digital reality;

Coverage – Cell Phone; Multifunction Device;

Lansen3 suggests that the cell phone can be considered an extension of the youngsters’ bodies. Some authors call it “transparent technology”.

Portability and Mobility;

Availability of access - Anytime, anywhere

1 TAPSCOTT, Don.1999. Geração Digital: A Crescente e Irreversível Ascenção da Geração Net. 2 Dados da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações – Anatel / 2009 3 Lansen 2002, 2004 apud SACCOL, Amarolinda Zanela; REINHARD, Nicolau . 2004. Processo de adoção e decorrências da utilização de tecnologias de informação móveis e sem fio no contexto organizacional. In UNIEDUCAR.

FOCUS

Through a case study, think about how formal education has used mobile

technologies in the teaching-learning process.

I have chosen this case study because it breaks a huge paradigm existing

within schools in Brazil, where the student generally plays a passive role in

the educational process.

In this case, the teacher prepared the activity and allowed the students to

interact with her teaching and, the cell phone was an important resource

in this interaction.

Case Study

Audience: 15 students and 01 teacher in the 2nd year of High School Public School / Mogi das Cruzes / São Paulo / Brazil

Time Length: Between the months of June and October 2010

Age: From 16 to 19 years old – (5 female and 10 male teenagers)

50-year-old female teacher who has held the profession for 22 years.

Extra Data: The students surveyed belong to low-income families Only 1 of the students does not have a cell phone and most of them make use of the pre paid system service.

Data Collection: Interviews (Formal and Informal) and Questionnaires (Open and closed questions)

Dynamics of a class where the cell phone was used

In an attempt to attract the attention of the class for the theme on the religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, which was the class scheduled for that day, the teacher had the idea of presenting the class a video clip on the song Sunday, Bloody, Sunday by Irish band U2. As she was not able to download the song from the Youtube website, she decided to take only the lyrics and its translation into the classroom;

During class, students said they were willing to listen to the song. “At that moment, she says, I decided to ask if any of them could download music on a cell phone”.

This activity also included a survey carried out in the computer lab where students use each computer in pairs or trios, due to reduced number of computers. After finishing the survey, students returned to the classroom for discussing the information they had surveyed and debating the points they had raised.

Findings

1. Even lacking the ability to deal with electronics, the teacher states that she tries to use them in educational activities;

2. The cell phone is a device that is available for a significant number of students and is taken to all places, no matter if its use is prohibited or not;

3. The teacher says that she did not have problems in returning to the regular classroom activity. There was no dispersion of the group;

4. We notice the "interactive and mediator role” of the teacher willing to experience "new" pedagogical situations. During the interviews, she shows to be pleased with her profession, as she concludes she is "driven by challenges and she tries to use what she has at hand.“

5. The teacher keeps using the cell phone in other educational activities, such as in the Dengue Fever Prevention Project, in which the students walked around the neighborhood in order to find and photograph possible risky spots and then save the images for later classroom work.

The survey is under examination and interpretation of data, but so far it is observed that:

Some advantages It is a device that has become part of the culture for the great majority of young Brazilians;

It is causing a revolution in the way people learn, consume, communicate, play and interact among themselves;

It is usually at hand at the time and place needed;

When used within the classroom, it allows different applications in teaching and learning activities, and encourages interaction and dialogue between students and teachers.

Mobility – Portability - AnyWhere / AnyTime - Flexibility - Interactivity - Collaborative

CHALLENGE

We must expand and motivate new experiences.

This is the challenge …

To develop new methodologies so that the mobile device can be used as an aid in the construction of

knowledge.

I will be pleased with your contact!

I hope to have been clear in my presentation and I will be pleased and happy to answer your questions by e-mail as well as your suggestions to improve my work.

Thank you very much indeed!

adriane@cetes.com.br

Acknowledgements / Credits IADIS International Conference;

Mackenzie Fund of Research;

Dr. Jane de Oliveira – Fugleman

Maria Inês Martin Trevisan (principal) and her school team at the surveyed school

Maria Salete dos S. Nani – History Teacher in this case study

Márcia Silva – Revisor

Benedito Ap. Ribeiro – Translation

All those who directly or indirectly have contributed to this work

Bibliography Anatel- Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações. Available at http://www.anatel.gov.br/Portal/exibirPortalInternet.do.

Acessado em 19/05/2010

SACCOL, Amarolinda Zanela; REINHARD, Nicolau. 2004. Processo de adoção e decorrências da utilização de tecnologias de informação móveis e sem fio no contexto organizacional. In UNIEDUCAR. Available at http://www.unieducar.org.br/biblioteca/Processo%20de%20Adoo%20e%20Decorrncias%20da%20Utilizao%20de%20Tecnologias%20de%20informaao%20Moveis%20e%20sem%20Fio%20no%20.pdf. Accessed 20/09/2010. Brasil.

SÃO PAULO. Lei no. nº 12.730, de 11/10/2007. Dispõe sobre a proibição do uso do telefone celular nos estabelecimentos de ensino durante o horário de aula. Publicado na Assessoria Técnico-Legislativa, 11/10/2007. Available at http://www.al.sp.gov.br/legislacao/norma.do?id=74333. Accessed 20/06/2010. Brasil.

TAPSCOTT, Don.1999. Geração Digital: A Crescente e Irreversível Ascenção da Geração Net. Tradução Ruth Gabriela Bahr.

São Paulo: Makron Books. Brasil.

ABSTRACT

The use of mobile technology has caused changes in all segments of society. Taking part in people’s daily life, the digital mobile devices have caused a revolution in the way people communicate, interact, work, purchase, have fun and learn among themselves. In search for greater flexibility, convenience and mobility, society increasingly makes use of the digital language, thus printing new features to the transceiver-receiver, consumer-supplier, employee-employer, media-reader, and even in citizen-state relationships. Within this context, education is not immune to the effects of technology as well. The so-called digital generation is born, grows, learns and lives connected and immersed into a virtual/digital reality. Unlike the past generations, today’s one shows skills that are compatible to the speed of information. It is able to browse and move through the pieces of information within multiple channels and vehicles - all while moving around.

How does the absorption of these pieces of information occur? How does the traditional education system perceive and cope with this new reality? This survey starts up a speculation in the search for answers to these questions. With focus on the mobile phone device, we herein seek to consider whether and how the school environment incorporates the mobile technology into the education process. The following article presents a case study accomplished in a public school in the city of Mogi das Cruzes, located in the metropolitan area in the state of Sao Paolo, with high-school level students, who make use of the mobile device as an aid in teaching activities developed by the history teacher. The method used for gathering data was the use of questionnaires and interviews.

IntroductionThis research aims to study the way youngsters take control of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), mainly

the mobile technology, in the process of learning. Unlike past-generation individuals, who often face difficulty to concentrate on reading in noise-polluted environment, the digital generation has developed an ability to deal information from multiple channels and numerous communication medium, all at the same time and while moving around.

In the information speed age, the new digital generation – also called “thumb generation” (Rheingold apud MOURA, 2009), – is able to write a text while listening to music, download a video, follow what is on TV and, at the same time, communicate with many people, who can be side-by-side with him/her, in another state or even across the planet.

According to Don Tapscott’s evaluation (1999), the new generation, born and raised within the digital environment, is revolutionizing the reality around us and imposing us a new culture, thus reshaping the way society and individuals interact.

With increasing and rapid development of mobile devices like smart phones and tablets, combined with expansion of wireless networks, youngsters have available at their hands - at the moment and time they need - resources that were previously only possible throughout desktop computers (LEMOS, 2005, 2007; SCANLON et.al, 2005; SACCOL; REINHARD, 2004). Due to their lightweight and portable layout, the mobile devices that can easily be transported in the palm of the hand, pocket or purse of the user, have favored and broadened access and information exchange. (LIVINGSTON, 2004 apud ANDERSON; BLACKWOOD, 2004; SACCOL; REINHARD, 2004)

By taking control of the mobile technologies - mainly cell phones - the digital generation develops a warm, customized and close relationship with technology - as pointed out by Lasen (2002, 2004 apud SACCOL; REINHARD, 2004) - a close relationship of affection and customization. According to Lasen, this occurs because of the close connection between technology and human communication, and because these devices have now practically become an extension of their own bodies.

When researching the psychological impact caused by the use of cell phones among young Brazilians in the state of Rio de Janeiro - Brazil, Costa (2004) notes that it is already possible to identify some psychological changes, such as the increase in the sense of privacy, freedom and security. The author points out that, youngsters are used to always place their cell phone devices around and on 24 hours because they want to be always available, and that gives them the feeling of not being alone.

So, if the cell phone is already considered an extension of their own bodies by the digital generation individuals, what impact would this discovery cause in the education field? How does traditional education deal with this new behavior pattern - its peculiarities, languages, the overload/exchange/speed of information? What are the methodological changes required?

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) points to a path when he says that knowledge is a continuous, essentially active building, in which the man and the world are analyzed together. For Piaget (apud MIZUKAMI, 1986), knowledge is the result of the product of the interaction between subject and object. "Talking about a right to education is, therefore, first, recognizing the indispensable role of social factors in shaping the individual.” (PIAGET, 2002, p. 29)

IntroductionSome authors such as Graziola Junior (2009) also highlight the importance

of the interactive and collaborative profile of mobile technology for allowing the student to access, exchange, make mixings, and finally work in an environment that encourages dialogue. For Sharples (2000 apud REINHARD et.al., 2005), mobile technologies provide an individualized learning, in other words, it allows to focus the student's needs, expand their capabilities, respect the different forms of learning. This feature is also seen by Thomas (2005 apud SCHLEMMER et.al., 2007), who emphasizes the student's opportunity to learn within the context in which he construed as meaningful and relevant. Lemos (2005) reinforces that mobile technology enables questions to be solved at the same time they arise, which prints more dynamism to the process of knowledge. Finally, Edwards (2005 apud REINHARD et.al., 2005), points out that one of the advantages of mobile technology is to broaden opportunities for learning, in other words, through them, the information can be accessed at the exact moment and place where necessary.

Given the irreversible impact that technology brings to all areas, including education, the challenge can no longer be ignored: How can the mobile digital technology aid the teaching-learning process in an effective and more comprehensive manner?

Research

The survey was accomplished between June and October 2010 in a public school in the city of Mogi das Cruzes, located in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected through interviews (formal/informal and focused) and questionnaires (with open and closed questions), to identify if and how the use of the mobile device can motivate and support learning in teaching activities.

The survey, which is now going through the phase of data analysis and interpretation, was done in a classroom with 15 students in the 2nd year of high school, aged between 16 and 19 years old, concerning 5 female and 10 male youngsters.

The teenagers belong to low-income families. Only one student out of the group of 15 students surveyed did not have a cell phone and most of them use the pre-paid system. Almost the whole group reported to leave the phone on 24 hours and to take the device to all places (prohibited or not).

The 50-year old teacher has taught History for 22 years and confesses her lack of skills to deal with computers or electronics. However, she states that, in order to attract the attention of the class to the topic of religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland - topic she had prepared for that day - had the idea of giving the room a clip of the song “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” by Irish rock band U2. As she was unable to download the video from the “Youtube” website, she decided to take only the lyrics and its translation into the classroom.

During class, students expressed their curiosity to listen to the music. "At that moment, I decided to ask whether any of them could download music on a cell phone," recalls the teacher. "And the quality of the class was surprisingly better," she says.

In the scenario, the most curious point for the educator was to realize that the student, who had had serious problems of indiscipline until then, was the very one who had the initiative to collaborate with the class by making his cell phone available, so that the class could listen to the song.

The teacher reported that, right after they had listened to the song, the cell phone was turned off and all of them turned into a discussion regarding the influence of reality on artistic productions and the issues that led to that conflict.

Research

Based on the positive result from this experience, the teacher states that she started to adopt the cell phone in other educational activities – pictures of students' everyday lives, video recordings for illustrating the pedagogical work and recordings of songs composed by students themselves. In order to make use of mobile device in the classroom, the teacher emphasizes that she needed to get the approval of the school board. There is a current law since October 2007 in the State of Sao Paolo which prohibits the use of cell phones during classes.

While endorsed, the mere fact of inserting new technology into the classroom cannot assure to keep a student motivated for a long time. Bartolomé (2010) warns that we must place this technology within a context, with specific objectives and methodology, aimed to assist and promote the construction of knowledge.

Perhaps this is the great new challenge for education. For the author, it is necessary that technology be used not only to foster easy access to information, but also for encouraging learning and developing mutual respect, exchanging information and points of view, as well as cooperation, collaborative work, dialogue and interaction.

Conclusion

With the rapid development of mobile technology and its impact on different sectors of society, a range of possible applications, including in education, is opened.

This study aimed to identify how the mobile device can be adopted in teaching practices within the school environment and in what way this appropriation takes place.

Despite of being in the process of analysis and interpretation of data, this study has shed light on some possibilities of using the mobile phone in pedagogical practices.

Far from replacing the teacher, mobile devices can become allies in the construction of knowledge to a generation born immersed in the 2.0 environment, which ends up taking the technological tools as an extension of their own body.

The challenge is to get to know how we can develop these new methodologies. In the age of information speed there are no long distances anymore, but we must deepen the dialogue without fear or prejudice. And the teacher's role, once again, will be influential in this discovery.