Please follow the link to the website Amy and I made describing the examples and possibilities of DIY Learning through mobile technology.
https://sites.google.com/view/diylearningetec523?usp=sharing
Please do take a look at the discussion section where you can add your own experiences on the DIY apps you have used. Here on the blog we would also like to pose the following question: How does DIY Learning work within the contexts of mobile technology? How is it enhanced or hindered?
Thank you
I just wanted to thank everyone for participating in the discussion and looking at our presentation. It is really cool to see that so many people participate in DIY learning. It seems next time we may need to find some more obscure options that are less commonly explored. I think in terms of future movement we could talk about developing mobile technology and AI. phones are always getting bigger and faster, and access to data everywhere (and the prevalence of free wifi) is always expanding. It could be in ten years that most people have folding phones that essentially become tablets. Finally, while we did not discuss the potential of AI’s in DIY, there is no doubt that people are starting to ask AI’s about information, steps to learn skills, and how to accomplish goals. Perhaps another group in the future will tackle the topic in more detail.
Thanks Rylan and Amy for your informative content. One comment I would make is that sometimes the DIY apps work better as part of a blended approach – i.e. in combination with other ways to learn the content. So Duolingo might work well as extra formative practice as part of a more ‘traditional’ language course. As the *only* way to learn a language I’d argue that it’s lacking. Salman Khan recognized the same thing – he was initially quite upbeat about the ways Khan Academy was going to ‘disrupt’ education, but later revised his view to something less ambitious – Khan Academy videos as extra homework exercises.
Hi Andrew,
You are right about the blended approach sometimes being more effective in achieving learning goals. That is why I often use some DIY learning apps with my students in class. Under my guidance, students can stay on track, ask questions, and get the most out of the learning app we are using. Plus, I can provide students feedback on their learning progress.
Thanks, Rylan and Amy, for creating and sharing a great site. It is informative and well-organized, which makes it very easy to navigate.
All of the DIY learning methods listed on your website are something that I use not only for daily activities but also for work. Short-form videos, such as TikTok, Instagram reels, or YouTube Shorts, are all the different apps I use to get ideas from other teachers for lessons. In addition, I would often use YouTube videos with our students to make different art projects, such as folding origami paper during our free-play time. These activities help with fine motor skills, and learning from books is often challenging due to its complicated steps. I keep in mind when using these DIY learning methods to always verify them before using them with students and to support the process.
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for responding and sharing your insights on DIY learning. I also enjoy using YouTube videos for arts and crafts. My students particularly enjoy the Art for Kids Hub How to Draw videos (https://artforkidshub.com/how-to-draw/). These videos are not only helpful for art drawing lessons but also provide my early finishers with something to do on their own. You made a valid point about verifying the videos beforehand for various reasons. One of the most significant reasons why I verify some of these videos is to ensure that the content aligns with the curriculum and learning objectives while also being a reliable teaching resource.
Hi Ryan and Amy, thank you for your wonderful work on DIY learning, it is very resourceful. There are many benefits to DIY learning, including flexibility, accessibility, and microlearning as mentioned by classmates. I personally think I’ve learnt more information on YouTube than from my teachers and parents in terms of solving my everyday problems. Never have I thought I’d be able to fix my own washing machine… I am grateful we live in an age where technology is advanced enough for us to access these information globally, and flexible enough that we can access them in the palm of our hands.
While I do learn many things on social media and the internet in general, these are information I am either interested in, or I need to learn in order to function in my day. If DIY learning is introduced to students in a formal curriculum, I would also be concerned about the accuracy of their learning and distraction from their devices. Some of the otherconcerns would how would we structure the learning? How would students know how and when to learn something? Would there be enough guidance provided? Furthermore, how are they receiving feedback, and track the progress of their learning?
Hello Jennie,
I really appreciate how you pinpoint some of the negatives of internet learning. Misinformation is a massive issue in modern society, and there are many tutorials fabricated just for views and likes. Health and work out information is a particularly tricky area. In terms of formal education, I would say teaching about critical thinking in regards to DIY/tutorials is important so students develop skills around determining accurate information before they start using it to try and solve problems or change their lifestyles.
Hi Jennie,
Thank you for your response and the great questions. I share the same concern as you when it comes to allowing young students to learn freely from various social media platforms. Even outside of a formal education setting, students are constantly exposed to media. As an educator, it is crucial to teach critical media literacy skills so that our students can identify and recognize reliable learning resources online. Additionally, they should be able to use critical thinking skills to distinguish misinformation and disinformation from factual information. I found MediaSmarts (https://mediasmarts.ca/) to be very helpful in teaching media literacy to my students. The website is very resourceful and easy to navigate.
Good google site and contribution to this week’s movable feast.
I’ve definitely tried all the DIY modalities you’ve presented on your site. Some other type of tools I’ve used to learn include audio book apps like audible and blinkist as well as using zoom (comm platform) to attend seminars, conferences, presentations etc. Out of all these choices, I’m a huge fan of podcasts as I can learn while I drive, run, hike, walk, cook, clean etc.
What are some disadvantages of DIY learning?
– quality concerns (reliability, accuracy) of online resources
– isolation
– limited/no feedback from teachers
– not everyone has equal access to mobile tech, internet, and DIY learning resources
Sebastian, thank you for your response and for sharing your thoughts on DIY learning. I completely agree with the disadvantages you have listed. For me, the biggest drawback would be the limited or no feedback from instructors. Constructive feedback can provide learners with insights into areas they need to improve upon. Depending on the topic or skill being learned, without regular feedback and guidance from instructors, it might be challenging to measure one’s progress accurately.
Hi Rylan and Amy!
Almost everyone has access to a smartphone nowadays. The fact that we can access this in a small device is a major factor. It’s amazing to think the number of resources available to us. My mom always says “You really have no excuse not to learn something”. DIY learning is great but it does have its limitations. If it’s a skill that can practiced alone, it definitely is ok. However, if a person is learning a language, speaking is an integral part of it. This person can learn the grammar through DIY learning but for productive skills they need an actual person to practice it with.
One thing that I liked in your website was the section about TikTok learning. This also reminds me of microlearning. This allows learners to just focus on what needs to be learned. It cuts out the fluff. I also think instructors and instructional designers can learn a thing or two with how to engage their audience with TikTok learning.
Hi Bianca,
I agree with your mom’s statement that there is no excuse for not learning something these days. You made a valid point about the limitations of DIY language learning, especially when it comes to spoken language practice which is an important component of language learning. I am learning French on Duolingo, which does offer a speaking feature but it is limited to repeating or reading out loud. It does not provide opportunities to communicate with others in the language. Like you, I like how efficient and quick it is to learn on TikTok. I feel like I am learning something new every day from TikTok.
Hey Bianca,
TikTok videos and Facebook reels are great examples of micro-learning.
When I was looking to buy my house, I was targeted by many realtor reels, and I must admit I learned a few things from these short-to-the-point videos. I think that these videos are great for encouraging life-long learning and for reinforcing skills, one is learning in school or elsewhere.
Elvio
Mobile technology has revolutionized how people access and engage in educational content. Mobile technology allows learners to access a variety of material anywhere, anytime. The interactivity possibilities can help create engaging educational environments accessible by a large diverse group of people. We can see that mobile technology has changed DIY learning in positive and negative ways. Some ways that mobile tech has improved DIY include things like interactive and personalized learning for users, using things like algorithms and technology that facilitate interactive learning experiences can help focus and engage learners. Some hindrances I can see may include outside distractions that are present with things like cell phones as well as screen size limitations that could limit interaction and effectiveness of the tool.
Meagan, you brought up a good point about screen size limitations that could limit or reduce interactivity and effectiveness of the learning tool. I think it can be one of the disadvantage of mobile learning using smartphones. Mobilie learning tool designers should consider several factors to ensure that their tools are still engaging and effective on small screens.