Focus on mobile phones...To ban or not to ban?

I had to put in this video from youtube. Not only was it interesting, backed by research and thorough it also had bits from a Simpson's episode in it! If you have the time it is worth watching, one of the better videos I viewed on why phones are being banned and how and why schools should embrace them in their curriculum.

I also found an article relevant to the Australian educational context on schools rethinking bans on mobile devices: Teachers urged to rethink mobile phone ban.
It states that schools banning devices are failing to provide children with a 21st century education. It also highlights how they are being perceived showing that a turn aorund in attitude towards their potential is required,

"We haven't really sat down and really thought about, `Is this an important tool?' A lot of us are still thinking this is just a mobile phone and a mobile phone is for talking and this should not be in class."

Who pays? The cost of mobile learning

One issue I came across is that of cost. Whilst the Australian Government through the Digital Education Revolution, is providing $2.2 billion dollars over 6 years to provide equipment, training and access to broadband internet. Mobile devices may be overlooked, this is indicated by the recent initiative within Canberra where secondary schools are being provided with smartboards, computers and internet with no mention of mobile devices. So the question must be asked...Just who will pay for these devices for mobile learning to take place?

For educators to expect students to buy and own the tools is unrealistic. Not only due socioeconomic differences within schools but also what device should be bought? Yes students mays own phones, but not necessarily the same ones making teachers job of designing digital learning experiences difficult.

I found an article, 'Pre-paid literacy: Negotiating the Cost of Adolescent Mobile technology Use', (Taylor, 2009). While phones are popular this article shows that mobile learning may be a challenge due to adolescents having limited financial resources and has management issues of costs. Taylor uses research into youth mobile literacy practices, as well as talking to students to illustrate the relations between cost and use.

One thing that became obvious is that with the use of mobile in particular there are on-going costs. You do not just pay a start up fee, rather money is paid on a continuous basis for maintaining plans, sms and call costs and updating devices to stay current. If phones are used to facilitate learning in schools then is it the responsibility of the school to pay for these costs? or is it up to the students? This factor of cost and the debate of who is to pay may be a major barrier in preventing mobile learning to be implemented on a large scale.

Disadvanatges...Stopping use or an excuse?

I came across many sites online that list benefits and disadvantages to mobile learning. While some were significant points I began to get the feeling that people are hiding behind the disadvantages so they will not have to implement mobile learning into their practice. Is it fear of not knowing how to use the technology that is really hindering full usage?

Here are a few links to some blogs that show the benefits and disadvantages to mobile learning:

• Wiki on Disadvantages to mobile learning
• E-learning resources site on benefits and disadvantages

Some disadvantages include:

• Small screens of mobile phones and PDAs: hard to read and limits amount of info that can be displayed
  
• Limited storage capacities in PDAs
• Battery life/charge
• Lack of common operating system
• Lack of common hardware platform make it difficult to develop content for all.
• Limited potential for expansion with some devices
• Devices can become out of date quickly
• Wireless bandwidth is limited and may degrade with a larger number of users
• Difficulties with printing, unless connected to a network
• Language used by students is often jargonistic, which is unhelpful for people with dyslexia and other learning difficulties
• Cost
• Cheating in assessments
• Untrained teachers may not implement the devices effectively
• Distraction from 'proper' learning
• Cyber-bullying
  

These disadvantages need to be considered by schools that implement mobile learning. Most of the disadvantages can be overcome but some are still prominent in hindering the full usage of mobile devices.

Mobile Learning Resources

Having grasped an understanding of what mobile learning is and how mobile learning devices cater to current students learning styles I investigated some resources for teachers. These resources are readily available and are catered for teachers who wish to encompass a mobile learning pedagogical approach.

I took a look at MiLK...

Designing Events Using MiLK (Mobile Learning Kit)

MiLK 'connects students and teachers through simple and effective technology and pushes the boundaries of the teaching and learning beyond the classroom into the other environments students inhabit both now and in the future.'

Learning activities for phones are designed by the teacher and aim to engage the students in educational experiences like discussion and excursions.
Students also have active participation which is key for full engagement. They can create their own learning profiles, hold discussions on ideas and thoughts, post photos and comments and design. An element I found to be of interest was the use of a reflective journal built in. It provides an opportunity for student's to assess how they carried out an event and enables discussion on what they learnt giving a social and thoughtful dimension to the resource.

An example of effective use of this resource is on an excursion. An event can be designed by the teacher with checkpoints with each checkpoint consisting of questions for the students to answer through SMS before moving onto the next point. It turns the experience into an educational and interactive game. No longer are they passively viewing or focused on the thought that excursions means going to McDonalds for lunch!


I also checked out the Apple Education webpage for ipods, iphones and mac books seeing as these devices are becoming the most common for students to own. They are familiar tools that students use outside of the classroom, enabling an engagement with learning inside the classroom. Apple Education is using their technology of computers, movile devices, software and prgrams to make mobile learning a reality.

For example, they have developed educational applications for iphones. They have also developed iTunes U which is a collection of over 200, 000 free educational media available for teachers to distribute digital lessons to students mobile devices. Whilst this aim of generating widespread use of mobile learning they may actually be excluding learners that don't have their products. This may result in teachers not implementing what is on offer due to an awareness of cost.
I also found a fantastic blog that reviews, critiques and reflects on new developments in mobile learning. It is kept up to date and highly informative, check it out: An Online Reflective Journal on Mobile Learning Practice

Also check out this site that shows how mobile learning can be used to engage learners. Provides examples of practical use, videos, books, tutorial guides and more: Mobile Learning

Interaction: Social Context A Must!

I discovered an interesting youtube video that I think could be quite useful to teachers who want to use mobile learning. It outlines the different types of interaction that take place in schools. These include:

• Learner + Content
• Learner + Expert
• Learner + Learner

The speaker introduces a new interaction, that of Learner + Context. He proposes that the context of learners needs to be considered by educators to determine what forms of interaction are going to be the most effective for learning to take place.

At the present moment from my observations at my practical placement, there seems to be a focus on Learner/Content. Even when technological devices are used, such as smartboards, they are used as delivery systems for content without much student involvement taking place. The students sit at their desks and don't fully engage.

The video promotes the importance of learning in social contexts with a focus on Learner/Expert and Learner/Learner approaches. For instance when usign mobile learning don't just deliver content, it is the same as doing it in traditional methods just on a smaller screen. There needs to be other elements such as interactive games, discussion forums in blogs, sms quizzes, research through wireless internet rather then providing answers and surveys.

What is Mobile Learning?

Mobile learning is exponentially developing as new technologies emerge. So how can mobile learning be defined? It is important for educators to have an understanding of what mobile learning is to be able to effectively and successfully implement them into their curriculum.

Mobile Learning has been defined as learning that takes place using wireless devices such as mobiles, personal digital assistants (PDAs), ipods, iphones, smart phones and laptops.

My research so far has shown this to be a frequently used definition. However, it seems to be a bit general. The technological devices used are the focal point when the type of learning they enable should be encompassed as well. I found a definition that takes this perspective. The authors (O'Malley et al) of the Guidelines for learning in a mobile environment , 2003 believe the definition of mobile learning can be perceived broader sense of:

Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies.

This is an important notion to realize as it shows how beneficial to learning mobile devices can be and aids in the promotion of them being implemented in schools. AS educators, we have to understand that learning does not occur purely within the four walls of the classroom. By using these mobile devices, learning can occur in different settings effectively, such as revising on the bus to school, teachers updating notes to students at home and engaging work on excursions.

Mobile Learning: An observation

My professional experience placement at Caroline Chisholm has influenced my next research area. During the five rolling days I observed that the majority of students had a mobile or music device, such as an ipod, on them at all times. Some students even brought in their own laptops to work on. It is accepted now that most students will have an IT device on them while at school, with the age lowering to include those in Primary schools. What I found interesting was how the school as a whole and individual teachers were battling with students use of them. Rules at Caroline Chisholm state a no phone use policy in class. When students would use their phones, warnings would be issued and detentions given if they re offend. This battle between student and teacher over phone use disrupted the flow of the lesson and turned into behavioral classroom management. From these incidents in class, I realized that as a pre-service teacher I need to know what is available in the area of mobile learning. I also need to know how to use these devices in a positive way that is beneficial to the students learning.

My research will focus on:

• What is mobile learning?
  
• What is available?
  
• How can mobile learning be used successfully in the educational setting?