The concept of the most popular LMS’s having a smartphone app is not new. However, as online and remote learning has increased in popularity (by choice or not), companies that design LMS’s like Canvas or Brightspace have advanced the design of their mobile applications as well. Many are now marketing their apps to support learning on the go. As a student I do see the benefit of having my LMS apps on my phone, but as I said in a previous post, the interaction I have with them is usually one way and is more about “checking” and reading than it is contributing. With that said, it is still important to have these technologies to support learning. A study published in the EDUCASE Review that looked at mobile technology ownership and learning practices shows that students strongly agree that LMS mobile apps improve access to coursework, improve communication with other students and their instructor, increase their knowledge in their field and increase their motivation to complete course work (Chen et al, 2014). And while it can be challenging to write an essay on a mobile device, it is still possible to capture and share other forms of media like images, sounds, video, and even ideas/thoughts.
At McGill, we recently launched our first fully online program with the School of Nursing. I supported some of the design and development of the program where a high priority was to ensure that everything included in the program, whether it be in a course or as a part of the student services support, was mobile-friendly. The program was built under the assumption that students would only be accessing the materials/quizzes/assignments on the go. It was challenging but I think that it just requires a paradigm shift in thinking. In the same way that using education technologies should enhance and redefine a teaching and learning experience rather than just replace… mobile learning should be viewed in the same way. I think the further we go with the design of mobile LMS apps, the more we will understand how we can use mobile learning in a way that services teaching and learning in the 21st century.
Baiyun Chen, Ryan Seilhamer, Luke Bennett, and Sue Bauer. (2014). Students’ Mobile Learning Practices in Higher Education: A Multi-Year Study. EDUCAUSE Review. Retrieved from: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/6/students-mobile-learning-practices-in-higher-education-a-multiyear-study
De Paul. Mobile Learning. Retrieved from: https://resources.depaul.edu/teaching-commons/teaching-guides/technology/Pages/mobile-learning.aspx
Interesting topic Jasmine. Do you think it is possible to develop an LMS that functions seamlessly across mobile, tablet and desktop? Often each option has subtle differences whether for the designer or user.
Based on the analytics I see for my faculty’s website, the majority of users use mobile and tablets while we develop and design on desktops. While I can see an simulated version what the site looks like including functionality with my desktop, the experience isn’t exactly the same.
Jasmine, thanks for sharing. I would love to see how this has come to life. Like you, I tend to use my CANVAS app for checking in or catching up. I find responding more daunting due to the size of the keyboard and the ease of reviewing and revising my entry along the way. The intrigue I have in these programs is the support they provide in sending reminders about due dates, the ability to collaborate with classmates and the ability to access teachers where everything with one subject can be housed together for easy reference down the road.
Did the program you develop include any assistive learning technology for students with learning disabilities? Dyslexia (difficulty in reading), Dysgraphia (difficulty in writing) and Dyscalculia (difficulty in solving problems) are some of the common LDs that students, as they progress through school, learn how to manage to succeed. At high-level education and once working, LDs are not often discussed. What as educators should we be contemplating in designing fully online programs? Perhaps the better question is, “what reasonable accommodations do we need to consider and include in designing mobile education programs?”