Emerging Educational Emerging Educational Approaches: teaching 21Approaches: teaching 21stst century skills using mobile century skills using mobile

phones phones

Dick Ng’ambiDick Ng’ambi

Centre for Educational TechnologyCentre for Educational Technology

University of Cape TownUniversity of Cape Town

Lecture on mobile learning & educational implications in Africa, Cape Town, 10th June 2010

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OutlineOutlineEmployers and “HEI” consultation?Employers and “HEI” consultation?2121stst Century Skills Century SkillsPotential of Mobile LearningPotential of Mobile Learning

Mobile ‘Vortals’Mobile ‘Vortals’ ““Nuts and Bolts” of a mobile tool used at Nuts and Bolts” of a mobile tool used at

UCTUCTConclusionConclusion

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Who employers talk toWho employers talk to

“In many countries, both access to and the content of training are outcome of social

dialogue between trade unions and employers’ organisations, with or without

the presence of government.”

(Blenk 2005).

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HEI reaction cycleHEI reaction cycle

“The traditional higher education system is constrained by its inability to change

direction quickly. When there is a strong demand for new courses and combinations

of courses, the development and accreditation of these courses can take up

to three years.” (Blenk 2005).

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2121stst century graduates century graduates

Will have 21st century skills and proficiencies to fill innovative jobs for which skills acquired at varsity may not have prepared them for.

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New economy skills?New economy skills?

“We are living in a new economy – powered by technology, fueled by information, and driven by knowledge. The influence of technology will go

beyond new equipment and faster communications, as work and skills will be

redefined and reorganised.” U.S. Department of Labour

How much redefining and reorganising of teaching and learning is happening

at HEIs?

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Digital-Age

LiteracyInventive Thinking

Effective Communication

High Productivity

Technological Literacy

Teaming and Collaboration

Adaptability and Managing Complexity

Effective Use of Real-World Tools

21st Century Skills21st Century Skills

(Burkhardt et al. 2003)

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Technological Technological LiteracyLiteracy

Is knowledge about what Is knowledge about what technology is, how it works, technology is, how it works, what purposes it serve, and what purposes it serve, and how it can be used efficiently how it can be used efficiently and effectively to achieve and effectively to achieve specific goalsspecific goals..

Digital-Age Literacy Inventive Thinking

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Adaptability and Managing Adaptability and Managing ComplexityComplexity

Ability to modify one’s thinking, Ability to modify one’s thinking, attitude, or behaviour to be better attitude, or behaviour to be better suited to current or future suited to current or future environments; and the ability to environments; and the ability to handle multiple goals, tasks, and handle multiple goals, tasks, and inputs, while inputs, while understanding and understanding and adhering to constraints of time, adhering to constraints of time, resources, and systemsresources, and systems..

Inventive ThinkingDigital-Age

Literacy

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Teaming and Teaming and CollaborationCollaboration

Cooperative interaction Cooperative interaction between two or more between two or more individuals working individuals working together to solve together to solve problemsproblems, create novel , create novel products, or learn and products, or learn and master content.master content.

Effective Communication High Productivity

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Effective Use of Real-Effective Use of Real-World ToolsWorld Tools

The ability to use real-world The ability to use real-world tools – the hardware, tools – the hardware, software, networking, and software, networking, and peripheral devices used by peripheral devices used by workers to workers to accomplish 21accomplish 21stst century workcentury work – to – to communicate, collaborate, communicate, collaborate, solve problems, and solve problems, and accomplish tasks.accomplish tasks.

High ProductivityEffective Communication

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Potential of Mobile LearningPotential of Mobile Learning Exploiting existing technological literacy (Digital-Age Exploiting existing technological literacy (Digital-Age

Literacy) Literacy) Using existing tools to manage complexity and Using existing tools to manage complexity and

constraints of time, space and distance (Inventive constraints of time, space and distance (Inventive thinking)thinking)

Facilitating knowledge sharing and consultation Facilitating knowledge sharing and consultation (collaboration) using vortals (Effective Communication)(collaboration) using vortals (Effective Communication)

Effectively using real-world tools, the mobile phones Effectively using real-world tools, the mobile phones (High-Productivity)(High-Productivity)

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Mobile Vortals Mobile Vortals

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Anonymous ConsultationAnonymous Consultation

A shy student anonymously posts a question to a course vortal

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““Nuts and Bolts” of a mobile Nuts and Bolts” of a mobile tool (DFAQ) tool (DFAQ)

Edn5023-news University Leader’s Forum 19-21 Nov 2006, Cape Town.

NB: News can only be posted from authorized cell numbers.

To post a course announcement SMS

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SMS newsSMS news

Edn5023-news

To read latest course news, SMS

DFAQ responds with message: University Leaders Forum 19-21 Nov 2006, Cape Town.

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Asking questionsAsking questions

To use SMS to post a question, prefix To use SMS to post a question, prefix question with course code followed by a question with course code followed by a questionquestion

Edn5023 term marks r givn 2 us on da fam websit, how much den does ow xam mark

influence/changE ow term mrk?

To ask a question, SMS

Every question is assigned a reference number. E.g. 25

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Collaborative QuestioningCollaborative Questioning

Prefix message with course code and Prefix message with course code and question refno, put a + (sign) and type question refno, put a + (sign) and type new question.new question.

Edn5023-25 + suppose I fail do I write a sup exam?

To add to question 25, SMS

New Question 25: term marks r givn 2 us on da fam websit, how much den does ow xam mark influence/changE ow term mrk? + suppose I fail do I write

a sup exam?

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2424

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Using SMS to read responsesUsing SMS to read responses

Edn5023-25

DFAQ responds with an SMS: Official response: The exam counts 25% of your final mark - thus you

calculate your term mark as counting 75%.

To get official response to question 25, SMS

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ConclusionConclusion

Not providing students with opportunities to develop 21st century skills and proficiencies will create a disjuncture between the innovative jobs being created and the skills of the workforce (Burkhardt et al. 2003)

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Thank youThank you