Today’s world can be said to be a more connected than ever before. With communication technologies constantly evolving people have more opportunities to reach out to each other in different ways. The educational practice of today is not immune to this change and is afforded new options for curriculum delivery.
Topic #1: Given the disruptive potential of emerging mobile technologies, what might the learning contexts of the future look like?
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I’m going to take this question a bit of a different way… I entered this program in 2020 and had a widely different view of mobile technologies in the classroom than I do now. I used to trust students with their mobile devices in class and encouraged the use of them and could see how mobile technology could change learning contexts for the better. However, post-COVID, I am seeing something scary with students and their devices. I think we need to think critically about mobile devices in the classroom and realize that they could change learning contexts for the worst. Considering mobile technologies in the future of education requires a critical lens due to potential drawbacks. While they promise personalized, accessible learning, they may exacerbate the digital divide, leaving students from low-income or rural areas behind. Over-reliance on technology could diminish human interaction and critical thinking, with the depth of learning suffering as a result. Moreover, prolonged device use can lead to screen addiction and mental health issues, undermining social skill development. I am already seeing this with my students. As of this year I have removed all devices from the classroom and rarely use any technology in my classroom. Instead I turn to board games and books. Consequently, I have seen a huge improvement in my students’ social skills, collaboration and critical thinking skills. My classroom environment has also vastly improved. Does anyone see a more pessimistic view of the future in regards to mobile technology and learning?
Hey Olivia,
I resonate with your post. I’ve started in MET since 2021 and have seen seen a change in the way that I perceive technology and how to effectively use edtech tools in the classroom. Also the potential to make assignments more interesting. I’ve really liked picking apart the functions of Office365. The templates offered and OneDrive has been the foundation for students to learn more about their students accounts. And then working with different apps for various projects are helpful as students learn how to use them for future classes. For the past 4 years, I’ve seen drastic change in the need for universal supports, dictation, etc. for student needs so technology is a big part of education, communication, and expression.
Given the disruptive potential of emerging mobile technologies, the future of learning contexts will inevitably be much more agile technologically and much more personalized pedagogically. That said, it will ultimately depend on who will continue to be the primary financial funders of public education. The traditional brick-and-mortar classroom will be replaced with gamified microlearning internships throughout a Smart City connected with the Internet of Things (IoT). As has already been cited in this week’s materials, teachers will continue in formal education as mentors, students as workers, and technology as record keepers and instructors. It will be likely that students will also have personalized AI assistants with AR/VR/MR affordances in highly empowered, global communities of practice (CoP.) Students will have more voice and choice as their agency will be aligned with real world issues as a form of continuous assessment in equitable, diverse, inclusive, decolonist, and anti-racist (EDIDA) contexts with more focus on socioemotional learning (SEL) and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects than skill-based knowledge acquisition. There will be more spontaneity and teachable moments when mobile devices can be used in real time to create and/or corroborate educational events.
Hi Kirsten, in your opinion, could there be any negative consequences of the change you have mentioned?
Olivia,
Every single one of the situations listed above has the potential to provide both positive experiences and negative consequences for learners, teachers, and future society at large. The issue will be with lack of standardization, endemic digital divide and ecological constraints so powerful that free internet and endless social media reams and reels may become remnants of a distant, ignorant past.
Looking at the current context, emerging mobile technologies are breaking down barriers to accessing educational resources. Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are almost ubiquitous. This means that learners from diverse backgrounds, regardless of their geographic location or economic status, can easily access educational content and resources.
So mobile technology opens up new possibilities for inclusive education, especially for people with disabilities. Mobile devices offer a wide range of assistive technologies, such as screen readers, voice recognition and alternative input methods. These tools enable people with disabilities to fully participate in educational activities. Content creators, educators, and software developers are increasingly recognizing the importance of creating easily accessible learning materials. Formats suitable for mobile devices, multimedia alternatives and hidden captioning ensure that educational content is inclusive. Another point that comes to mind is about collaborative learning for people with disabilities, where mobile devices enable students to work together on projects and assignments regardless of their physical location. That is, people with disabilities are becoming less and less differentiated from regular learners when it comes to learning. This collaborative aspect is especially valuable for learners with disabilities who may face mobility barriers. Given the disruptive potential of emerging mobile technologies, I personally believe that the future of learning contexts for people with disabilities will be even more idealized, especially with the development of VR and AR and their use in education.
I am not sure that better connectivity can be considered a good feature for all students. For example, as an introvert, as soon as I fully understand the task, I strongly prefer to study on my own and often consider “reaching out” a distraction. At the same time, for other personalities, the presence of another human being is a must for their educational success. So, let us agree that improved connectivity is a thing that can be beneficial for everyone from time to time.
I agree about connectivity being beneficial from time to time, but I think one aspect that should be considered here is the affordance better connectivity gives us in how we reach out. I resonate with the preference of working on tasks or studying alone, but at the same time I appreciate that if I need to connect with a classmate or colleague, the options I have are based upon my own preference. If I prefer texting or instant messaging, I have that option. If I prefer a voice or video call, I have that option as well and I appreciate this flexibility.
One aspect of my role as a corporate trainer is facilitating a session on writing etiquette for new employees onboarding to our organization. In that session, I am sometimes asked about the use of communication platforms (Microsoft Teams) and emails outside of working hours and if it’s appropriate. I often refer them to the strategy of considering the person you are reaching out to; if you were in their shoes, would you want a phone call or email late at night? The answer is probably going to be no. Even though we have this level of connectivity, I agree it should come with the consideration of other preferences and respecting how individuals prefer to communicate.
Hi Richard,
I think having the connectivity available is key. I think we should be teaching others, especially teachers, that emails are not urgent after 4pm and anything can wait until the next working day. With this rule, anyone is permitted to reach out but not expect an immediate response.
What do you think about this type of work around?
Jazz
Hi Rich and Jazz,
In addition to teaching etiquette, it is also important to teach boundaries and reasonable expectations. Which I feel Jazz has alluded to. As a night owl and someone who needs to respond when I get emails in fear of forgetting about them, I have learned to schedule send correspondences in the evenings and on weekends for the next business day. This is for two reasons, I am able to do some work when I feel the most productive but I do not reinforce any expectations that I am available outside a certain timeline. Just because I am working late, doesn’t mean I am available or expect a response from someone who may not share my preferred working timeline. I agree with Jazz, anyone is permitted to reach out to me, but they can’t expect an immediate response.
With that said, communication of said boundaries or expectations is important. I once had a parent say to me, “we’ll get the presentation over to you so you can check it on Sunday for Monday.” I quickly let him know that I wouldn’t be doing that and responded with, “I have made the commitment to myself to work on my work/life balance, and checking emails on a Sunday will not honour that commitment. Thank you for understanding.” He was very quick to agree and apologize. Being able to communicate my boundaries and my availability was empowering but also eye-opening as I moved forward with my expectations of others.
With the rise of AI and mobile technology use, the way students perceive learning and content is drastically altering. With the ability to search up and find answers on mobile devices, students see no significance in carrying this information in their brain. For example, in the past people would memorize answers to common trivia questions, but these facts have now lost its value, because today the answer to the radio quiz question is in everyone’s hands. This readily available information has decreased the priority of learning facts for students, and I believe emerging technology will continue to diminish the value of facts but increase the experiential learning aspect. Instructors will change learning requirements to accommodate the new technology by creating learning experiences and evaluations that engage the students in the learning/teaching process.
I have to disagree with the idea that we no longer need to know facts because we can look things up.
I agree with Daisy Christodolou (https://daisychristodoulou.com/2013/06/myth-one-facts-prevent-understanding/) who says “Facts are not opposed to understanding; they enable understanding. This is because of the way that our minds work. Our long-term memories are capable of storing a great deal of information whereas our working memories are limited. Therefore, it is very important that we do commit facts to long-term memory, as this allows us to ‘cheat’ the limitations of working memory. The facts we’ve committed to memory help us to understand the world and to solve problems.”
I have to agree with Andrew, I would say there are almost too many facts. With how easy it is to access misleading, or incorrect information, holding some general knowledge on a specific topic, could help someone think more critically about the topic at hand. Add to the fact that new knowledge is often built on prior knowledge, some factual knowledge or understanding must be present. We may not need to know the exact date that the First World War started, but we should know things like what political tensions led to it’s build-up, and how the world stage changed after the war. Simple facts like dates we don’t necessarily need to memorize, but knowing some facts is necessary for an analysis.
I can understand the perspective you’re trying to take, Vithu. With technology and internet widely available to learners, emphasis on rote memorization skills have become lesser over the past few years, rather with emphasis being applied to experiential learning. I agree that experiential learning can provide a more meaningful experience for learners, but I have to agree with Andrew that brains build understanding through creating connections between information. I believe that learner understanding of concepts and real-world application of these concepts to be the most valuable learning experience, as they are continually building on previous knowledge. One application of rote memorization that I have noticed is when working with students on writing. Those who rely on the provision of digital editing tools struggle to have the same output and ability to express themselves as those who have learned and chosen to apply their understanding of parts of speech. While there are many mobile technologies that can support student expression, there is still an overwhelming abundance of handwritten work asked of students.
I agree with Vithu in that, with the development of mobile technology and AI, students are learning differently. For example, previously it is almost required for anyone to remember some trivial and factual information as this information is necessary for daily tasks. However, since students are now equipped with mobile tech and other technology that can provide an answer instantly, many students may lose interest in learning or memorizing these facts, and rely on the quick and easy way to simply look it up. Therefore experiential learning is important in our current world, as our teaching and learning must adapt with the changing times, and though technology has greatly improved our lives and education, it is important to recognize these changes and help students learn or “memorize” facts and knowledge in new, more efficient ways.
I think it is also important to note that mobile technology leads to as much misinformation as it does information. For example, in health there are more people promoting content that is not based in fact about how to be healthy than that which is rooted in research. The future of mobile education is in determining correct versus misleading information and critically thinking about resources and content. How to find correct information is more important that memorization, however, we are now seeing a reverse in any kind of knowledge retention. Because students can always find information, they have little interest in learning it and are therefore susceptible in making grave mistakes in the application of knowledge in everyday life becuase they rely on viral trends rather than academic processes. Therefore, education needs to adapt to work within mobile technology in order to teach how to use it properly rather than rely on its convenience.
How Do Emerging Mobile Technologies Change Learning Contexts?
Emerging mobile technologies change society and all contexts. For example, mobile technology has allowed for micro learning in that people can get answers that they need at their fingertips (Tapscott, 2009). Tapscott (2009) called the current youths Net-Gens in that they are able too multitask in a range of technologies and are able to quickly search and obtain an answer to an inquiry question that they have. So how does this change learning contexts? It seems that learning contexts need to be more stimulating to match the current lifestyle and generation that we live in. Students are constantly exposed to high stimuli such as videos and games, so much of the learning experience may need to adapt to include educational mobile videos and games. Not only in the sense of delivery, but also in giving students opportunities to create their own.
This week’s content mentioned that current theory sometimes must be thought of as 5 years behind. Much of the current Early Childhood research is still arguing that student learn best from hands on manipulative such as loose materials (buttons, acorns, rocks, etc), where they can problem solve and learn about they world around them. However, from my experience in a Kindergarten Class, what the theory in ECE does not mention is the hands on learning and problem solving that technology can bring. As mobile technology has made it possible, I have included mobile games that teach numbers, phonics and reading in my classroom. In a class of 15 students and 1 teacher, I cannot get around to scaffold every student in a day to work with them in numbers, phonics and reading. So one of my learning centres are set up with mobile games that allow them to explore these concepts independently. I’ve seen in my own children and that of students that some students learn better with the stimuli. So learning contexts have change to not only incorporate my mobile technology, but also embed them into the everyday curriculum.
Reference:
Tapscott, D. (2009). Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World. New York: McGraw-Hill
I resonate with this statement as a primary school educator. There is a huge difference between using hands-on manipulatives, compared to the learning and problem solving that technology brings. The exploratory nature of learning in the prior is not necessarily as scaffolded as the human-built program or technology that focuses on specific objectives.
I think the issue that comes into play is still the feedback loops that sometimes technology is both consciously designed in or unconsciously teaching students to do. Often times I find that a large bundle of my students struggle to be metacognitive in how they interact with technology, in which then they become reliant on the technology to feel the accomplishment they would get after completing a level, or being rewarded points in such virtual environments. The confining nature techology can have on the way we think can be quite concerning, especially when technology is left unregulated in the classroom.
Hi Alan,
When I taught Grade 2/3 online, I was so surprised at how technologically literate they were.
They could use digital manipulatives, create documents on Canva, and even beg me to put together a Padlet for them to answer.
With this said, when I had students make their own physical counters and fractions out of paper (they created cookies/pies/cakes) their learning and understanding grew exponentially. While technology is so prominent in our lives, we shouldn’t forget about the physical elements that can also increase learning capabilities.
Jazz
I imagine heightened student agency will lead to students continuing to have a voice and choice in their learning. Pairing voice and choice with mobile technologies, I envision it will be more common for students to select which curricula outcomes they wish to work on at that moment in time. Teachers can co-plan the learning experiences for students. Mobile technologies will allow the learning environment to be virtually anywhere, offer multiple pathways to learn, and deepen student learning experiences.
The potential of mobile technology that we have now and what might become in the future would change the roles in the educational ecosystem; decision-making and responsibilities would shift from a smaller group of people to learners and that would give them the opportunity to be active participants in their own learning process. Learning would also happen in a nonlinear process honoring different types of learners. Mobile technologies would also facilitate frequent feedback at all levels to continually improve. The future is unpredictable in education, however, I am very thrilled that we are in the process of changing a system that has been a hindrance to effective learning and teaching.
Hi Maria, I liked your post as I feel it kind of reinforced some of the feelings I’ve had since starting the MET program. In my last teaching position (also my first), I must admit I felt a little bit frustrated and hopeless at times. It’s not really like me to feel that way in general, but in the world of education, I’ve always looked at the possibilities in a very positive way. I think that, as a new teacher in the school where I was at, I felt that things were stagnant and quite a few people were opposed to any big changes to the classroom structure, pedagogical approaches, student support, etc. My choice to come and study in this program flipped me back to my previous mindset. Although there are challenges, namely time, money, access, etc., there is so much potential and it is so exciting. It’s pretty great to see how, whenever a problem arises, someone somewhere is working towards solving it. As you said, the future is unpredictable in education, but it is pretty encouraging!
Before delving into the discussion of the future educational contexts. I’d like to pause and ask this question, when and why did education become publically available? Before the first Industrial Revolution, education was scarce, expensive, and restricted to males in most parts of the world, eg. British, ancient China. It was until 1902 when British created the ‘Education Act’ and then made secondary schools available for children. All to say, one of the major reasons why public education became available was to train the next generation for industrial jobs. More than a century later in 2022, people have been feeling the tension of how advanced technologies have taken away their jobs, replacing the workforce with machines, thus less human force is needed. Now the question remains where are technologies leading us to the next phase of education.
I assume it’s a future dominated by data in all areas of life, not just within education. Statista predicts by 2025, there are 18.22 billion mobile devices operating worldwide. What does that mean to data scientists is an enormous amount of data will be collected, analyzed, and used for various purposes, hopefully in good deeds. When it comes to education, I am looking forward to seeing Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality being applied in educational contexts. For instance, involve learners in an immersive virtual environment to raise awareness for environmental protection, and to stir up their interest in certain subjects eg. physics, outer space, biology etc.
Thanks for sharing these interesting ideas, Vera. I think we are so accustomed to the educational system that we forget how relatively new it is and how it’s founded on the industrial revolution economy. This is why some argue that the traditional educational system is problematic, as it looks to shape individuals in ways that are no longer relevant to our present-day economy. Of course, this changing with new innovative teaching and learning methodologies, and the educational system is adapting to our modern world and help students develop 21st Century Skills. Technology plays a big role in this story, as it transforms our society and led us out of the industrial revolution. It is interesting to see how through technology many learning innovations are made possible, although it is not solely centred on technology, but pedagogy too. I share your excitement about using augmented reality in education in the future. I think we will definitely see this alongside learning analytics!
Hi Vera, that’s an interesting and important point. There definitely has been fear that AI and robots will eventually takeover many jobs (some of which are inevitable). I did some research for another project and interestingly enough, it’s career paths and jobs which require more EQ than IQ that are at lower risk of being replaced. AI/Robots might have faster processing speed and memory capabilities but in terms of emotions and social interaction, humans still have the edge (for now). Education in this context needs to evolve as you mentioned. Not only should it impart knowledge but also other aspects such as soft skills, emotional control and how to socially interact with other people. With the help of technology, learning should be refined and include not only cognitive enrichment but also mental wellbeing for students. The world is moving so fast, at times it’s easy to neglect our physical and mental health in the pursue of knowledge.
Some interesting thoughts here, worth a comment. In my classrooms, we often discuss the purpose and structure of education, its connection to the Industrial Revolution, and so forth. I agree with you that data is a driving force in the next stages of education. What I always find interesting about such discussions is our tendency to view changes for the better. Often this is true – I’m grateful that our current mindset is that education is for everybody and that perhaps education does not simply need to prepare students for the workforce. Perhaps education can be a little bit more! We can help people become innovators, leaders, and better individuals. So I’m curious how the next learning contexts will go, and how long we think they are pretty great until the next big thing comes along. And will that next great thing actually be a reflection of the wisdom of the past or something entirely new? I remember having a student teacher in my class last year who kept referring to “20th Century Learning” as the latest and greatest – I struggled not to remind her that we are a quarter of the way through the 20th century and that many of her 20th-century learning ideas hearkened back to classical and pre-industrial revolution methods.
Anyway, I do share some of your excitement about the technological potential and its impact on educational environments. I hope that we solve many of the problems of the world and that technology becomes a positive and integrated aspect of our lives – much like in Star Trek.
I think the future of mobile learning may revolve around microlearning and self-learning. The user experience for mobile content consumption is great when done in bite-sized chunks (e.g. commuting, waiting in a grocery store line, waiting for a friend that has gone to the bathroom, occupying said bathroom, etc.). This user experience has also contributed to shortening our attention spans over the last decade (apparently down to 8 seconds). That said, I think it will still be a while until public institutions fully embrace the potential of mobile learning.
Hello Aaron. Yes, I think we will definitely see these trends developing in the near future, particularly in the informal learning landscape. It will be interesting to see if these somehow incorporate micro-credentials or any type of certification because that’s when it will become a challenge to traditional institutions (which usually resist learning innovation or incorporate it very slowly) and might force them to change their culture and functioning.
Micro-credentials are a pivotal strategy for developing a trained healthcare workforce in the North, tailored specifically for northern communities. During a recent planning meeting with a major post-secondary college, the focus was on designing and delivering essential courses that allow students to remain in their communities, maintaining their family and job commitments. These courses emphasize mobility and are structured to enable students to progress towards higher-level degrees seamlessly.
As this strategy evolves, it’s likely that AR and VRtechnologies will play a significant role in required practicum and hands-on training scenarios. This integration will enhance experiential learning opportunities, making advanced training more accessible and effective for students in remote areas and help to quicky build a work force.
Hi Aaron:
I feel that micro learning and self-learning has already occurred, maybe not so mainstream but independently. For example, my 7 year old, when he’s playing Marvel Lego on the Nintendo Switch, and he gets stuck, he quickly searches a YouTube walkthrough of the game to figure out how to move on past this stage. I tutored Grade 9 students who were looking to create a Demo of a house using cardboard boxes, fairy lights for light switches, etc. They also did some micro learning or self learning through their own searching of content. The accessibility of different content has made it easy for them to self-learn.
I do agree that maybe, down the road, this is the direction that institutions are moving towards. However, I am curious, one of the challenges we have in schools are the different needs and behaviours of students. Can students be self-motivated enough to self-learn? I don’t think this means that teachers are out of a job either. It means that the teacher will need to be reinvented.
Hi Aaron, I can definitely relate to the bathroom situation haha. Ubiquitous learning is definitely here to stay as more people are gaining knowledge through social learning and watching how other people do things via Youtube or social media. It’s funny as from experience, people’s attention span tend to be much better when bite sized chunks are provided (almost like a free food sampler) as they’ll find more incentive to explore and learn out of their own interest. In contrast, the moment you give them a phonebook sized reading/textbook, their attention span drops after the first page. It would be great if learning can fit into the multitasking nature of our schedules while providing more hassle free ways to learn. Maybe in the future taking out a smartphone is considered to be too much effort…
The rise in remote working options and increase in mobile phone ownership may have an unintended effect on course delivery in the public school system of the future. It is conceivable that some schools will offer online synchronous and asynchronous course options, as an alternative to the homeschooling system. As their parents moved or travelled, students could remain connected. Parents would want to provide other social development opportunities to make up for the loss of in-person peer interactions. I don’t think mobile technology would make brick-and-mortar schools redundant, but rather extend their reach and provide stability in an increasing mobile world.
I’m commenting on the K-12 system in the post above.
Tamaka,
There are a few distinctions I want to be clear about. The Ministry of Education and Child Care has changed the definition of online schooling. Online schooling was formally called distributed learning and was completed using BC certified teachers to support families, learners and deliver curriculum using remote learning options. Homeschooling is where a student is registered with a school as per the School Act, and then the parent is responsible for the delivery of learning and can choose their own curriculum and style of learning. An online learning student either with a public school option or a private independent school has the opportunity to graduate with a Dogwood Diploma. A homeschooled student does not. We have an opportunity with the shift in thinking the pandemic has given us, is to explore both hybrid and blended learning models of teaching and learning that were never before even considered because no one was familiar with them. It allows parents to move and work remotely, and have their children at home learning while they work. It allows opportunities for us to grasp that were never before thought possible.
Thanks for explaining the difference in eligibility. This explains why families may opt to send their previously home-schooled children to a high school to complete their education.
Hi Tamaka:
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to teach online for a Grade 1/2 split class. Though I see the convenience of online learning, but worry for the optimal learning that may be missed. I see value in learning remotely, but also see what is missed without in-person interactions and learning. For example, social-emotional development, social conflict resolution, the hand-over-hand to help students develop their fine-motor, just to name a few.
I guess what I am curious to know is:
Do you think that Online Learning can replace in-class learning for K-12 students? Or what do you think is the best combination?
As you report, I don’t think online learning can replace in-person education for elementary school students regarding social-emotional development, conflict resolution, and fine motor skills. Students benefit from the smile on a teacher’s face, kind words of encouragement, individual support for students who may be struggling, and timely feedback in the classroom. Online and hybrid learning provide different opportunities for students and families that are, for whatever reason, not able to have their children come to school regularly.
Hi Tamaka. Good points. I remember working in our district that our online teaching had quotas to reach for teachers. For example, we had to make sure we had two synchronous learning opportunities a week. Many teachers used it as an opportunity to talk to students in person and to provide that smile and kind words. Although virtual, I guess that can make up for some of that in-person interaction
I have been teaching sculpture classes to home school students this year, and feel the need to weigh in here. Most of the families that I have been working with are part of a large network of home schooled students, K-12. The parents have built in lots of social activities and, due to less age segregation, I see great collaboration between wider age ranges than I did teaching at the local high school. My students also seemed to have better social skills with grown ups and a huge range of unique interests. Many participate in on-line classes, but then are more active during other parts of the day. In short, I have been very impressed and applaud these parents (usually moms) who are so involved in educating their children.
Yes, this is likely to happen after we’ve experienced some of the unique affordances of online learning. Most likely we will see a blend of the various online methods of online learning (asynchronous and synchronous) and face-to-face learning. I can imagine hybrid learning designs will be more popular as students progress in the K-12 system, and eventually find more of it in post-secondary education, particularly in graduate and post-graduate studies. I taught at a university for 9 years and after the pandemic, I understand that hybrid options are being considered something permanent.
I agree with you, Eduardo! I too think we will see more hybrid methods of learning. I have a few students who are competitive gymnasts. These students leave every day after lunch. I struggled with how much school they were missing and occasionally find it frustrating when I have to re-teach a couple of important lessons. I think hybrid learning programs or asynchronous learning programs would be a great fit for students like these. They are able to get the social aspect through their coaches and fellow athletes, all while being 100% involved in school. Therefore, activities such as group projects can be supported without students who stay at school feeling as though they are doing all the work.
II want to add that connectivity affordance is an essential benefit of mobile devices, even more so than just for travelling. Synchronous virtual classes are bounded by space and time, yet not all students have the privilege of sitting in front of an ethernet-connected device. WiFi access allows students without internet connections, data plans, or ample living space to still benefit from an educational experience. As for instructors, few deliver their courses via mobile, although most have one as a backup in case of a power outage or ethernet failure.
Given the disruptive potential of emerging mobile technologies, future learning contexts may allow for more significant differentiation based on the mobile devices of students rather than the instructional design of educators. A few of the posts in this discussion reflect on the integration of AI to help with differentiation, but mobile devices are already making subtle shifts in support for students. For example, students can tailor their font size and screen colour to be visible or utilize built-in features like voice-overs to understand texts. Students can tailor their education automatically to their learning needs simply by accessing their learning through their personalized mobile devices. If educators start to incorporate applications or AI that give immediate, individualized feedback, then mobile devices may become a necessity to participate in the classroom environment or even begin to erode the need for an educator as the differentiation of knowledge/learning.
I think you are right and that differentiation is what enables learning for all types of learners. I have several pedagogical strategies of pedagogical differentiation, but what is more difficult is systematic individualized feedback. If an app with integrated AI is able to do it for me, super! I am also leaning towards a hybrid mode as several have explained in this forum. However, concentration is already so difficult for students. Sometimes I have to almost dance in front of the class to wake them up on a Monday morning or after lunch break. I then ask myself the following question: although an app is able to offer personalized feedback to my students, would an app be sensitive enough to react when the student clicks on the “next” tab without really listening to it? As a sensitive human teacher, if a student is not in the mood, I will make sure to capture their attention and support them. Could an app do the same, have this sensitivity?
Good observation, Sebastian. Perhaps the effectiveness of an app to capture attention would also depend on how well it is designed. For example, one could be feeling distracted or disengaged but if presented with great material the mental/emotional condition can change. Of course, here we’re talking about something subtler, as thinking about a more engaging app is different than, for instance, a more engaging video. I think it still is possible as in my experience I’ve notice that app design does have an effect on user experience. Another thought that came to my mind was that perhaps the app could assess the mental/emotional state of the student and adjust somehow to adjust to that. For example, if laziness was identified, the app could arrange content in such a way that is very easy to assimilate and less overwhelming. The question now is how could an app assess emotional states? I’m not exactly sure about this but remember reading often that mobiles will be able to identify our moods in the future.
As others have mentioned, I think that in the future hybrid learning will become a popular method used in schools, universities, and workplaces. The pandemic forced us into doing our activities remotely and, even though it was challenging at the beginning (and it is still not ideal in some regards), we have seen many benefits that will change our learning strategies and designs. I think we have discovered affordances that are unique to online learning and we can use those in conjunction with the affordances of face-to-face learning to maximize learning. Of course, this is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Many factors have to be taken into consideration, such as subject matter, course design, and demographics. However, I would imagine that almost any course could benefit from adding an online dimension to it, hence we can expect to see more hybrid learning in the future.
Eduardo, you offer some great insight into the use of hybrid learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many schools immediately shifted to virtual learning, and the majority of teachers were exposed to some aspect of virtual learning. This allowed the majority of teachers to sample, or fully implement instruction virtually. Having the experience of virtual teaching, gave teachers the capacity to select new instructional delivery methods they may have not considered or attempted before, to use for future teaching experiences.
Thanks for sharing, Agnes. Yes, the change of face-to-face to virtual forced everyone into a realm of discovering new learning methods and possibilities. I remember feeling a little bit unsure of how online learning was going to work for the music production courses I was teaching in my previous role. To my surprise, I discovered many affordances that are unique to online learning, and it was the same for many of my colleagues. Now, as we return back to normal I think we must ask questions about how we can combine the unique affordances of online learning and face-to-face learning to provide the best learning experience to our students.
Topic #1: Given the disruptive potential of emerging mobile technologies, what might the learning contexts of the future look like?
When I was looking for a Master’s program I was looking for one completely online. There were two main reasons, one was my geographic displacement. To attend UBC campus I either have to drive for 9 hours West, or 3 hours East and take a plane. Sometimes the time is the same. This summer, I chose not to take an in-person summer institute for the cost prohibitive issues and chose to take this course specifically because when done right, I could complete it using my iPad or iPhone and increase my data package to compensate. No more ‘hotspotting’ off my phone to complete a summer course while spending time with my family. With this in mind, and after reading the Feb 7, 2021 post by Michael Meroniuk, I too wonder about the money that mobile culture and learning contexts of the future can save. At it’s heart, mobile education is a constructivist approach to learning. Many students can find or download an app for just about any technology we use. Our school is Microsoft and students download Teams and OneNote to their phones so they can log in and see what course material they might have missed or something that might be useful to them. The students are finding ways to contextualize their mobile learning capabilities, and we need to get out of the way because although our school district has a 2:1 ratio of laptops to students they virtually have a 1:1 ratio of phones to students.
I think that learning contexts in the future will be incredibly varied and I think that can be a good thing. For centuries, effectively, the only way we have been able to learn is within 4 walls and by someone who is speaking to us. Yes, if the educators are good and work to make class engaging, that could make a difference but testing remains the same and the way we measure academic success has also essential, remained the same but with the addition of virtual and hybrid learning as well as the introduction of various tools and technologies there is potential for many more learning styles to be met. Even with the simple introduction of digital portfolios as opposed to traditional report cards has changed how we view measuring student success.
I see the prevalence of mobile technologies allowing education to shift to a hybrid setting (much like the movement in office settings that has been accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic). I see this happening in two scenarios: 1 – imagine a teacher sets a weekly ‘practice’ period that can be done from home while the teacher is available via mobile technology (like a Zoom meeting room, for example), and 2 – the teacher gives a lesson in front of a camera that is accessible to a student via a mobile technology so the student can choose to attend the in-person class or attend from wherever they happen to be. I see this working with high school students and older (I cannot imagine a scenario where a student in grade 1 attends a mobile lesson without supervision).
Michael,
You would be surprised how much a grade 1 student can attend a mobile session and lesson without direct parental supervision. Both of these scenarios sounds interesting, and is a concept that is used in the ‘flipped’ classroom. If you haven’t heard about it, feel free to check it out.
Hi Michael, I can see these becoming more common as well. Interestingly, during the lockdowns I had four different classes, the youngest of whom were four years old. Granted, this pre-school age needed support in gaining access to the online classroom, however, I noticed a stark difference between the students who were left with their mobile device alone in their bedroom and those whose parents stayed by them in the lesson. Of course, there could be a variety of factors, but in time they all were very comfortable being on their ‘own’ attending our lessons. I would include, however, that the younger classes definitely needed to stick to shorter lesson times whereas the older students could stay focused for much longer.
The value of in-person learning contexts are valuable, but I think emerging mobile technology fields could make hybrid learning more possible. In another sense, I also think hybrid teaching could become more viable, with a teacher instructing an in-person class remotely from somewhere else. There are already VR/AR classrooms where players enter a virtual classroom with other players to learn content; I imagine that can be an interesting scenario to explore.
Hybrid learning is already the norm in many educational settings, especially in the case of teaching languages. I started teaching English online before the pandemic (in 2016). When I used to tell people what I did for a living, they were amazed and had so many questions about how we make that possible, but nowadays it has become the norm, no one is shocked anymore. I hope we move to a new phase of online learning, like VR/AR classrooms as you mentioned, so I start shocking people again! 🙂
Our mobile phones offer unique on-the-go learning. Last fall I transplanted a variety of shrubs (e.g., forsythia, rosebud) from my mother’s garden to my garden. In the summer, the plants looked different and new shrubs had emerged; I wasn’t sure what I had. I took pictures of the shrubs and sent them to my mother whom was able to identify each of them for me. My mother is a subject matter expert when it comes to all things related to the garden.
Viewing, creating and sharing images are a great way to learn especially on-the-fly. Many learning apps have emerged leveraging the capabilities of the camera phone. LeafSnap is a mobile field guide that helps identify the trees based on the shape of their leaves. Word Lens is another app. that is used by pointing your camera at a sign and the message of the sign will be translated into your desired language. And of course there is the use of QR codes scanning that seems to have gained momentum during the COVID-19 time.
My ‘why’ and answer to such questions is almost always about accessibility and what mobile learning and technology can do for vulnerable learners. Accessibility features allow for educators to honour the multiple ways learners demonstrate understanding. In my opinion, this is what can leverage the use of mobile devices and digital literacy in educational spaces. When an educator empowers learners to use their devices to make learning accessible for them, we are inviting them into the learning process, whereas our traditional spaces, those that were born out of the industrial and post war era, haven’t had the tools, curriculum, or assessment practices needed to truly create accessible learning. Through mobile learning and the power of digital literacy skills, learners are able and to manage their time and activities, multitask and, choose apps that work best for them. However (…a big, however) without an educator that is competent in planning to meet the needs of all learners (Universal Designs for Learning), I argue the efficacy and the true power of the tool is lost.
I like to envision future classrooms kind of like that of Ms. Frizzle’s and The Magic School Bus’, where kids and classes can get whisked off to places unknown through their devices. Ideally rather than the AR / holographic images of places being visited coming into the classroom, the class could be transported to that place virtually, where a real time guide awaits the class to guide them first hand. While some of these places could be places that you could visit in real life, like the pyramids of Egypt, others would be places that you can only visit in your imagination, like shrinking and travelling through the digestive system.
In the not so distant future, I also like the idea of Augmented Reality experiences allowing for physical, olfactory, and taste immersive experiences, as well as audio and visual.
Given the disruptive potential of emerging mobile technologies, what might the learning contexts of the future look like?
The future learning contexts may involve many gamification with mobile technologies. Mobile learning games could increase future learning design because many learners enjoy the engagement and interaction within the gamification learning environment. Mobile learning games are also great tools for educators to bring an immersive learning environment. It is possible that educators could enhance the efficiency of learning through gamification mobile learning. Learners are willing to participate in the games learning environment, so delivering knowledge could be effective if all the learning material and content are design through game approaches.
These is already happening. If you want a tease to one of the nexts here, go to https://www.panivox.com/creatives and ask them if you can get an experimental account.
That should have read ‘this’ as oppose to ‘these’.
Something that excites me is the disruptive potential of digital technology for boosting skills and training in late-developing parts of the world. According to GeoPoll, mobile penetration in sub-Saharan Africa is about 50% and an additional 25% have a SIM card, which means three-quarters of the population can potentially make use of mobile learning. This rates are going up fast. At the same time, gross tertiary enrolment is the lowest in the world at less than 10% on average. This looks like a huge opportunity and although it’s normal to see these mobile learning technologies from within our own local context, the really transformative synergies might come from Africa and other developing areas where populations can leapfrog mistakes and dead-ends made elsewhere. Of course, there is still an infrastructure deficit with bandwidth, coverage, power availability and other problems as well as the digital divide between rural and urban areas to contend with, but cities like Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg are buzzing hubs for new app development. A great example of a locally developed app is iCow, https://www.icow.co.ke, which provides best practices on breeding, gestation, grazing fodder, and milking for dairy farmers in Kenya.
A lot of learning technology for social good is being designed as mobile first for this reason.
I hadn’t considered this, Gary. This is an opportunity that needs to be looked at more. Layered with the affordances of the tools, I agree mobile education becomes even more relevant in such contexts. I think who designs and establishes the learning needs to be explored in terms of content and delivery to ensure it aligns with the culture and geographical region it’s being delivered too. We’ve come a long way to go back to developing countries being the ‘knowers, holders, and disseminators of knowledge.
That is an excellent point about leapfrogging over the dead-end of focusing solely on being wired.
I’ve taught for eleven years with displaced individuals from SubSahara and other world hot spots. One of the primary tasks besides teaching English was developing technology literacy. The students were surrounded by digital technology: computer labs, smartboards and tablets. They used the LMS daily. However, when the provincial government closed the educational institute, the face-to-face turned to a virtual format on a dime. The LMS and Zoom were a bust. So the students hacked a mobile-friendly solution: WhatsApp and Kahoot! It was invaluable five months of learning. Smartphones were their technology; these devices had always been the tools for learning in their hands, I had just failed to see.
There is something to be said for keeping things simple. Far too often when we consider technology, we think about complexity rather than simplicity. Shouldn’t emerging mobile technologies make learning easier? What is the mobile technology equivalent of a paper and pen? The learning contexts of the future will hopefully incorporate the ideals of simplicity. As Professor Vogt mentions at the beginning of this thread, it is important to connect the educational theories and practices with technologies (devices) to make them work. The balancing of providing too much and/or too little within the delivery of a topic has always been a challenge. Simple doesn’t need to be super high-level, but it does need to be succinct and intuitive.
Here is a fun article about keeping it simple: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/kiss-keep-it-simple-stupid-a-design-principle
Thanks for sharing the article, Sam. I agree with the KISS principle, particularly when designing training or educational programs. The more difficult something is to use, the less likely students (children or adults) are likely to continue to use. This is how workarounds are found and processes and procedures begin to fall apart. I also believe that it is worth having someone on the team that does not have a vested interest in the outcome of the program design who can objectively look at development or put themselves in the role of the student to determine the likeliness of success and adoption.
We also have another variation in education; Keep It Simple Student. It’s usually really hard to get students to follow through on this though. Simple can come across as not having to put in much effort and producing low quality. Keeping things simple but effective is a fine line and a skill that needs to be practiced.
As for mobile apps, the ones that do a single thing well are usually the best, and most popular. Apps that try and be many things become confusing and difficult to navigate. There was a shift from facebook to Instagram which was simpler and a more streamlined experience. The education sector is guilty of many apps that try to do too many things. Bundling assessments, photo galleries, parent communication, information a class curation all under one application is a common one that requires a learning curve that reduces buy-in.
Moving forward, mobile technologies that can “KISS” the best will be the leaders. If this is true, do you think there will be implications like a loss of continuity, innovation or some key components being left by the wayside?
KISS is a great for all designers and developers of content – particularly user interface design.
Users don’t want to learn how to use an app. or an e-learning program. They also want to access information quickly, preferably within a couple of clicks. Sticking to the performance objective of the device and eliminating anything that does not support it is one way of applying KISS.
This ties to one of my earlier posts titled “the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) on Education” quite nicely. The emerging mobile technologies enable teachers and students to explore concepts in contexts that were impossible before. For example, where it is difficult or impossible to represent concepts in a physical or a 2D model, the augmented reality become extremely relevant. AR provides that 3-dimensional modeling that is so powerful that would enable the users to create and replicate anything; from the basic objects to the most complex designs that one could imagine.
The traditional model of education has remained essentially unchanged since the 19th century, a model consisting of people divided by age, learning some sort of standardized curriculum that has been divided into subjects and students being evaluated through some form of testing or exam. While mobile technology has revised and even expanded this model, the structure has remained largely intact. However, as more of the global population gains access to broadband internet services and as mobile technology becomes more widespread and satellite internet services continue to grow, we will witness a seismic shift away from the traditional education model. The first factor will be the massive growth in access to the internet from new users from countries in Africa, South America and Oceania.
Along with the continued growth of users in Asia, these users will drive a significant change in online behaviour and the education environment. Stories, events, histories and trends from outside Europe and North America that are more representative of the global population will alter the subject matter, manifest in new pedagogy and change the role of educators and students. Massive open online course curriculums will be devised by global communities of educators. They will be much more personalized rather than standardized, and learners will unlock the opportunity to move forward in their education by fulfilling requirements rather than by fulfilling standardized evaluations. AI and the Internet of Things will play significant roles in constructive education as bots and virtual teachers direct students to resources to discover the answers they are looking for, rather than providing the knowledge firsthand. Finally, the shifting nature of life and work in the future will be reflected in the kinds of tasks students perform. Far more focus will be placed on robotics, coding, complex machinery, space travel, renewable energy, blockchains and creating virtual environments. Compartmentalized study about traditional subjects like math, science, language, literature, and social studies will occur through more blended learning activities that cut across these traditional boundaries.
Hi Graham,
I agree that the greater participation in online spaces will shift final geopolitical discourses and ultimately make education much more personalized. I’m curious; what do you see as the role of teachers in an AI-enhanced school context?
Cheers,
Brendan
Hi Brendan, I firmly believe that currently and for the foreseeable future, no technology has the capacity to replicate or supplant the many skills and qualities of a great educator and perhaps the educators that are replaced by such technology should be. I think the role of the teacher will still revolve around delivering engaging content; however, it will be more focused on immersive educational experiences. Furthermore, more emphasis will be placed on build personalized learning for each student. Though AI, data analytics, and machine learning teachers will have more time to complete such tasks, these technologies will save educators time traditionally required to understand student progress, such as pinpointing learning gaps and challenges.
I agree with your observation regarding personalized learning and the freeing-up of educators’ time. I think mobile technologies will allow competency-based training environments to pinpoint competency gaps, and better address remediation. In other words, more personalized education will allow organizations and regulatory bodies to ‘catch’ competency gaps earlier, and deal with these gaps more efficiently and effectively.
Hi Graham,
You bring up many good points in your post and it raised some questions for me. Particularly in relation to the ownership of intellectual property and the ease with which resources are shared. You say that “Massive open online course curriculums will be devised by global communities of educators” which I think would be a fantastic and hopefully realizable goal, but I wonder about the ownership issues of the resources (unit plans, lesson plans etc.) being used in the teaching process. A lot of teachers build their resources collaboratively which could raise issues with an individual sharing the resources or further to that a lot of companies (if private education) stipulate the ownership of any intellectual property created while under contract. So you see this as an issue as well or do you feel it will only be of minor significance?
I think you raise a critical question. Currently, the top four MOOC providers are from the US or UK and include Coursera, edX, Udacity and FutureLearn. The fifth is XutangX from China. However, many new regional or country-specific MOOCs have been developed and are growing. Really all the current MOOCs are country-specific; however, the ones from the US and UK are generally termed as global because they use English as the primary language (perhaps a sign of the current power structures at play.) Currently, and in the foreseeable future, I think ownership and intellectual property rights will undoubtedly play a significant role in any sort of global community of educators coming together to develop a more globally representative form of education. However, I think the economic and social development of countries in the regions I discussed, along with the rise of mobile users in such areas, could see a conglomeration of companies coming together. Perhaps in the future, the market could be controlled by 3 or 4 multinational corporations. While maybe this seems a bit scary, it might also provide a large enough umbrella to encompass a few massive global communities of educators, which might allow for the sort of globalized curriculum development. There might still be some ownership issues between these few companies; however, it would be much different than the neo-colonial nature of MOOCs and educational ownership we witness currently.
Graham, you have raised a great point and the ensuing discussion is quite interesting. As a society, I agree that we need to relook at our education model. There are subjects that you require to be successful in life and there are subjects that you may never refer back to again. Is the fact that subjects you do not refer back to are of less interest because of a personal perspective and a different way of learning and incorporating mobile technology and the ability to connect globally improve interest? If I use a personal example, history is not a subject that I was a fan of and only took the single required course in high school, yet I love museums and learning about the history of places when I travel. Had the opportunity to utilize mobile technology been available when I was in school, would my interest in the subject be different? Perhaps changing the model we currently use would lead students not just to focus on areas of interest but also to learn from others so they see society, cultures etc. differently.
Given the insane development of mobile technologies, I speculate that the second decade of the 21st century will witness a dramatic influence of smartphones on education and training, and here is why. First, there is a huge shift to BYOD in study and workplaces which will enable the learners to use one versatile tool for learning, depending on cloud-based services that will facilitate a one-device learning approach. Secondly, the 5G technology and Internet of Things will bring about unprecedented connectivity speed and linkage to other devices and services using one device too, and that would be our smartphones. Learning will be immediate and fun: immediate owing to 5G, and fun because the human attention span will be super short, and that’s the only way to provide an effective learning experience. Therefore, we will see more Game-based Learning GBL and bite-size courses on almost every topic. In addition, we have seen how the pandemic forced a radical shift to online spaces, which can easily be accessed through our mobile devices via emerging apps that provide almost the same features available on laptops and tablets. Microlearning and ubiquity are trending, and free courses are becoming more available online for all learners anywhere, which will allow opportunities for better-contexualized learning experiences. Moreover, mobile technologies provide the essential facet of customization and personalization of education. This is where mobiles are taking us: the world of self-directed learning where constructionism is at its best. The ‘new learner’ is a key participant in the building of the learning experience by adding meaning to it through the collective knowledge and data clouds available via their mobile phones. I think our avatars will present us in the world of mobile learning, and we will not need to be physically there. With the advanced technologies of hologram and power projection, in addition to the expected ‘no screen size limit’ devices, the new norm will be to use our mobiles. The future of mobile technologies is the gradual replacing of everything that computers are offering today, the same way laptops have taken over desktops in the 21st century.
We are seeing a massive shift towards mobile technology within our working environments. Alongside this is research that supports increased engagement, efficiency and collaboration within mobile working environments. Utilising mobile technologies allows the user to take advantage of the flexibility, to work and learn wherever wifi permits, allowing individuals to manage their individual lives and commitments. Further, mobile technology creates learning spaces that include a diversity of learning technologies and media. Information is now diversified within training programs and education to include podcasts, video, gamification, presentations and conferencing capabilities which act to add multimedia dimension to learning. This undoubtedly increases engagement. However, mobile technology is not without negatives. Staring at small screens for hours can strain eyes, neck and back. Screen use has been linked to disruptions in one’s circadian rhythm preventing restful sleep. Another factor is that the rapid increase in mobile phone use for training and education has simply added more screen time into our lives. This can have an impact on our ability to engage in our outside world in ways that we could have in the past. Another area of uncertainty is regarding our data privacy in a world that is increasingly moving online.
It is clear that use of mobile technology is our future and with this will bring incredible opportunities. However, I think it is important to note the negative aspects of mobile technologies within the wider context. Yes, mobile technologies will grow to take increasing space without our training and educational spaces. The question for me is, should it replace it entirely?
I think sometimes we forget how amazing the invention of the smartphone truly is. For example, you can take learners on a field trip and they in turn can use their phones for a plethora of activities like taking and sharing photos, taking notes (both written and oral), post and share their learnings with a group online, make and share a short video, look up information online, do calculations, record data and the list goes on (Sophonhiranrak, 2021). In the past you would need a backpack full of gear to complete these tasks and you wouldn’t even be able to complete most of these tasks on site. Mobile technology really opens the door on what can be accomplished both in the classroom and out in the world. It truly changes learning from content based to context based, from taking in information to producing content. Another big impact mobile technology has had on learning contexts is that it supports informal and self-directed learning. You no longer have to connect with an expert or a professor to learn something. You can decide for yourself what you want to learn and how you are going to achieve your learning goals. Again, this takes learning out of the class and into your lifeworld. Mobile technologies make learning more authentic and applicable to the real world. Reference: Sophonhiranrak, S. (2021). Features, barriers, and influencing factors of mobile learning in higher education: A systematic review. Heliyon, 7(4), e06696-e06696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06696
I agree – smartphones are truly amazing. I remember in high school, we went to an amusement park for a physics field trip and the aquarium for a biology field trip. For both of these field trips, I remember packing my backpack with a clipboard, pencil/pen, activity papers, water bottle, lunch, etc. I thought it was an absurd thought to bring a backpack full of supplies to an amusement park! One of the activities was to go on a ride. These field trips would be much more fun and care free if we only had to bring our phones. The same type of activity could be done on a smart phone and on paper.
In thinking about how mobile technologies change learning I think an area that I’d like to see addressed is skill level. In managing my own school during the lockdown and handing out technology to students, there was no baseline for knowing what skill set students had other than previous exposure to a notebook or Ipad. There are often assumptions that younger students benefit from Ipads as they are easier to navigate through touch screens and visual images but that’s not always the case. I would like to see an app in the future that can quickly measure a student’s aptitude and skill level on devices and then recommend what best suits their needs – something similar to how we understand the concept of multiple intelligences but digitally. I see huge differences in students’ abilities in using mobile technologies especially after lockdowns and online learning. Some students are able to navigate multiple learning platforms, apps, websites, have their own youtube channels where they live stream, are proficient at typing, using a variety of software and networking online. Other students still are learning the basic functions and what I did observe when students used mobile technologies in schools was this discrepancy when they would work together. Often, one or two students ‘taking over’ the technology piece of the assignment and others not having that time to continue to develop their skills or contribute in a way that was equitable. If we had a better understanding of ‘how’ students are using mobile technology for learning, their aptitudess, prior knowledge and strengths we would be able to make more informed decisions about the mobile technology we were offering them in learning environments. We often talk about ‘point of entry’ in education and starting where students are in our teaching but this is not applied to the use of technolgy at all, students are often handed whatever device is available in schools and shown a specific way to use it for a task which is an antiquated approach. If we had a means to quickly assess their abilities and then offer a mobile device that met their needs, imagine the possibilities of learning.
Hi Asha, your post encouraged me to do a quick search online for an app or some sort of mobile resource that specializes in digital literacy for adults as that is the demographic I work with. Surprisingly, I could not find a reliable resource for this problem. There are many articles that talk about the importance of digital literacy but there isn’t an all-in-one resource that could teach adults about the basics of using a computer, surfing the web, using common tools and application, and recognizing symbols like the hamburger menu or gear icon. There is definitely a gap here and an opportunity to build a universal digital literacy tool.
That’s very interesting, I think it does present an opportunity but I also think it would be incredibly complex to create however just as we can create baselines for people in every other area of life like fitness, cooking knowledge, math skills etc…I do think it is possible, I’m definitely intrigued as to how one can be created and will do some more research into this – thx!
I have attended and presented at many Apple Pro-d sessions for educators and they’ve created a tool they use at the beginning of certain sessions to ‘read’ the room. They have a bank of questions and depending on the audience and the perceived level of literacy they choose which ones to use. You can work in pairs and ask others and while this is going on the facilitators ‘read ‘the room. The questions of tasks are things such as set an alarm to go off in 20 min, find an article on the web and save it to your reading list, get your screen to read to you, make a note using voice to text … and on and on. At first it’s intimidating, but almost always people are working together by the end and the facilitators are able to navigate where to start and what the room might benefit from learning.
Within a Secondary School educational context, emerging Mobile Technologies have changed learning to provide students with extra help in their academics and offer other enriching learning opportunities. One example of an emerging Mobile Technology that has changed school dynamics for the benefit of the students at my high school is the FLEX app. This app was created with the goal of managing the newly introduced FLEX block. What is a FLEX block? At my school, a FLEX block is a flexible time period, in our case a one-hour block of time, two days per week, where students have the opportunity to take learning into their own hands. The FLEX block has been added to my school’s bell schedule as an intervention strategy, to systematically allow teachers and students the opportunity to revisit concepts that have not yet been mastered, time to do make up assignments, tests or projects, or to do extension activities, known as electives, that interest them (only and only if they are caught up in their schoolwork). We know that students learn in different ways and at different rates, therefore this time allows students to better customize their learning according to their specific needs. I believe more and more districts are starting to introduce this new schedule into their education systems.
I believe the FLEX app is a technology that has positively changed the educational learning context by helping the students select their choice in a modern efficient way and helps the school maintain control and order. Before the app, students would just go to their desired place which often resulted in chaos. Some students wouldn’t go to any session and skipped the block to do their own thing. Some classes would get over filled and teachers would redirect the students to find another block, which often resulted in students wandering the halls aimlessly. There was no way of keeping track of students and keeping them accountable for participating in a FLEX session. The creation of the app and emerging Mobile Technologies, where most students now own a cellphone, immediately fixed all the issues. With their phones, students would access their app, look through the options (with descriptions and requirements), pick one, and register in the attendance system for the chosen session. To keep students accountable, the FLEX block was treated as a real course that could affect the student’s GPA. If a student shows up to their session and is marked present, the app will give them a score for the day. If the teacher marks the student absent, the app will keep a record of this and not give them a mark, which consequently led to detention, contacting parents, and affecting their grades. The app is connected to the attendance record keeping system so that in case a student is excused-absence then the app wouldn’t deduct points. The app has been evolving over the years to facilitate the process, provide more learning opportunities and objectives, and ensure organization and student responsibility throughout the week.
To learn more about the FLEX block click on the link below:
https://www.enrichingstudents.com/5-reasons-your-school-should-have-flex-block/
Thank you Miguel for sharing your experience and thoughts on FLEX block. I think it is highly beneficial for scaffolding learners and addressing their academic needs in a personalized manner. I wonder if there is a comparative analysis or survey that reveals the learners’ feedback or attitude to learning after the implementation of FELX block. Any change in academic performance or engagement in class?
I would really like to see the data on this too. It has great potential.
Absolutely! There is always a “setting goals and expectations” questionnaire at the beginning of the year to complete on the app, and a survey and reflection at the end. There results have always been positive and have led to the conclusion to keep implementing this new system. As a school we’re always modifying and improving the FLEX system for optimal success.
Thank you for sharing information about the FLEX block. Times have definitely changed since when I had a spare block in high school. I agree that implementing a FLEX block gives makes a school day more purposeful.
I wonder how students feel as more and more applications on their phones are used for school. Speaking as a working professional who’s workplace that requires us to install apps on our personal phones, sometimes I feel like I need some personal space. Where I just need that barrier between out of work life and work life. Work has already said they are not providing work phones, so we are forced to install these apps. Do students feel the same way? Or are they at an age where they think it is “cool” that they get to use their phones at school?
Based on my experience so far, no student has ever had an issue with downloading the app. However, to fix that, students are able to login online as well on a website. The app is simply a simplified version of the website. A lot of developers convert websites into apps so that it’s more user friendly and convenient.
Covid 19 has perpetuated a educational reform of sorts – our idea of space and time in education. It made educators think about not needing to be in a classroom setting to teach students at a particular time and space. But with this insight, are teachers comfortable making the shift permanent. Some educators are tired of remote learning since they see it as more work. Others are excited about the ability to teach anytime and anywhere. Can the issues of remote learning be solved by mobile technology? Is it frustrating to educators only because the tech is not there yet? We are stuck to our desktops and not truly mobile as we teach from our screen, cameras and powerful processors. I have yet to meet a educstor that teaches exclusively from a mobile phone. So what are the issues of mobile learning tech now?
Can the mobile solve the following issues:
“Student Engagement. How do I maintain student engagement in learning from a distance?
Teacher and Parent Engagement. How can I best support teachers and parents to engage with students from a distance?
Assessment. How do I know if learning is happening and how do I address learning gaps?
Data Infrastructure. What investments should I make to ensure broader access to digital resources and interoperability of data?”(World Bank Blogs 2020)
Education has been reimagined. Should we move with this shift and work together to improve accessibility for students ubiquitously? Or do we still need this idea of a tangible space to educate and learn?
https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/blending-space-and-time-during-covid-19
Hi Andrea, I can’t speak on most of your questions because I am not a teacher, but I’ve hired many employees who are parents. I think with mobile learning, you there might be an increase in Teacher and Parent Engagement. The reason being that most parents are working and it can be challenging for them to take time out of their day to attend Parent Teacher Conferences. There are many jobs that do not have a flexible work day, such as healthcare, food operations, hospitality sector, etc because it the work is in a timed operation. So by having an engagement piece online, they are able to check the progress of their child any time that they can spare. What are your thoughts on this?
I think that there is some myopia when it comes to mobile technology. I feel there is still a large equity problem when it comes to mobile technology. A lot of proponents of mobile in the classroom look at the ubiquity of mobile devices in higher education and instantly apply that to K-12 but the population of must higher education institutions is inherently more affluent than average. I feel the biggest challenge to incorporating mobile technology in education will be in how to ensure equal opportunity and access for all. School boards around the world are struggling to make electronic devices available to everyone in their schools. Home access to devices is extremely varied and often shared amongst many, the pandemic is bringing that to the forefront. Until access to mobile devices is fair and equitable, it will be hard for public institutions to dependably leverage the technology.
I totally agree that devices are not as ubiquitous as one might expect, especially in high school. Grade 8’s are often seen as still too young for devices by their parents, and at least 1/3 of my class could be lacking a device at any given time. Senior students are different, in that at least 95% would have devices by then, which made things easier, but then there was another problem.
One of the main issues I ran into with remote learning last year was the different ages and capabilities of devices. My school handed out Ipads to everyone who needed a device for remote learning, but others opted to use their own, and then when they tried to access lessons, the processor or software was so outdated that it couldn’t run the simplest things anymore. Our district was encouraging us to promote a BYOD model for our classes stating that maintaining and updating school devices was getting too costly, but if everyone has a different device with different capabilities, then the complications are frustrating. One spends more time on tech-support than teaching.
If the trend is towards incorporating more technology to prepare students for a digital world, they must have access to modern technology that is capable of keeping up to the tasks required.
It is interesting to see there is a large equity problem when it comes to mobile devices. I believe it is the North American economy that makes these unaffordable to many. Cellphone carries monopolized the economy to make it seem that in order to purchase a smart device you have to pay monthly to afford one. Where I am, I have no issues from grades 7- 12 not having a cellphone since parents know that we are using this technology in class. Cellphones are available in abundance ranging from the $30 dollar smartphone or tablet to ones that are thousands. This lack of access is one I do understand but it needs to be more affordable to all – more options need to be available.
With the popularity of wearables, I believe the potential for learning contexts in the future may include augmented reality, and learning using tools like Google Glass. On the Google Glass site, they advertise a customer quote “Glass really gives our operators the ability to do their jobs faster, smarter, and safer” (Erickson). “Augmented Reality technology is not new, it’s potential in education is just beginning to be explored” (2002. Billinghurst. p.5). Therefore, given the potential for augmented reality is entering our job markets, the potential for them to be used in our classrooms are increasing as well. To explore many practical hands-on processes with ‘another set of eyes,’ so to speak.
Works Cited:
Billinghurst, M. (2002). Augmented reality in education. New horizons for learning, 12(5), 1-5.
I agree that the advent of see through screens, wearable glasses, and motion controllers will allow for augmented and less distracted learning but these technologies will be out of the reach of lower income families and many public school districts. True investment in technology and training in technology for education are the only ways these advances will make a true impact in the classroom.
Wearable technology has the drawback of being somewhat unwieldy and uncomfortable at the present time. 3D televisions didn’t fare well due partly to the cost and limited material available, but also due to the discomfort of the glasses.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/3d-tv-movies-rise-and-fall-samsung-lg-vizio-cameron-avatar/
When shopping for a new car, we tested one model that had the dashboard information (speedometer, etc) projected in front on the windshield which we found very distracting and uncomfortable.
VR headsets are hanging on by a thread, again limited by their price, bulk and discomfort, although for short experiences, games and videos, they seem to have some value.
Wearable tech has some potential benefits, but the technology needs to be more seamless and unobtrusive for it to become more mainstream. And as Stephen mentioned, it needs to be accessible to all segments of society.
Mobile technology has the potential to drastically alter the state of education as we know it and it’s already happening. Mobile learning facilitates equal opportunities for all by allowing learning to be accessible across time zones, thus making location and distance irrelevant to the learner. With the location being irrelevant I believe we will slowly see many university buildings/facilities decrease in size, retrofitted to be apartments, or sold off due to a large amount of money associated with upkeep involved. A physical space for learning has a large number of associated costs that inflate tuition, with the advancement of mobile technology, I think there will a massive surge in online courses (especially post COVID). Mobile learning will make tuition more competitive and naturally lower the price like what we are starting to see with MOOC. I’ve very curious to see how much profit UBC makes from an online course like our MET program vs the MET offered on campus once you remove the facility and cost of upkeep, building, and land purchase. Honestly, and a big reason I chose this MET program vs the on-campus one was the fact that it drastically saved travel time and the exorbitant UBC parking rates. Money talks and mobile learning presents the opportunity for equal asses to education and ultimately cheaper costs.
Hi Mike, these are great points! I think your right, by increasing the accessibility and availability of education, we are driving the market price down (hopefully). I hope you are right! I was an instructional designer when the pandemic hit in 2020, and during that year our learners soared in our LMS. Because the pilots we provided for were grounded, and had time to complete their recommended trainings. I am sure this case is true in many other fields as well!
I think there will always be a need for physical class space as human beings are social creatures that need interaction that cannot be replicated in a virtual sense. Specifically there is a need for lab space in order to do practical applied classes such as science labs or medical practices which cannot be replicated online.
That being said, lecture halls will probably be phased out and replaced virtually with the space being converted to facilitate more co-operative and interactive learning. There will always be a need to maintain and upgrade these spaces, so I think a reduction in tuition (at least for on-campus courses) would be unlikely.
H Mike, I agree that the trends you’ve mentioned are coming but I’ll play the Devil’s Advocate for a minute. You mention you chose the MET program at least partly for the savings in time and money and I’ll bet the same is true for us all. But I have met colleagues who sniff at the idea of a program that is wholly online and I get the impression they might be thinking of it as less useful, serious or valuable than conventional onsite classes. Not sure why, could be a legacy of early programs that really were a bit “Mickey Mouse” or could be envy that a legitimate Master’s can now be earned without all the hassle and expense that they had to go through. I see this prejudice as maybe extending to mobile and micro-learning and it’s related to the tendency to credentialize learning as a tool for gate-keepers.
Mike, you’ve made some great points. Similar to looking at the cost to upkeep university buildings, companies are looking at their need for office space. Unlike universities where students would be responsible for their devices especially laptops/tablets, companies tend to provide a consistent technology that allows the ability to design training or knowledge sharing capabilities. If there is a reduction in university campus size, could there be an opportunity to remove discrepancies between devices by including those within the cost of the programs? For students from lower-income families, this could improve their opportunities to learn and remove inequalities.
Mobile technologies alone cannot be lauded for (or blamed for?) the growth in online and blended learning contexts over the last two decades — right now that’s being driven primarily by a little virus! — but they undeniably did their part to help take learning out of the classroom or lecture hall and into the home, the bus stop or the Starbucks. Currently (and particularly over the last year) schools, colleges and universities have overcome some of their reluctance to explore and exploit technology mediated education and the outcomes seem favourable.
Having been the most serious challenge to the traditional “sage on the stage” pedagogical model of knowledge delivery, and breaking the hegemony of the physical classroom, mobile technologies may be in a good position to start dismantling more of the Academy by facilitating a new learning context in which a learner is not only not bound to a classroom, but also not bound to one particular school.
We’ve already seen the disruptive impact of MOOCs and other open learning resources (e.g. Khan Academy) on how we learn, and it’s never been more evident that knowledge does not belong to any one school. For the most part we can learn what we want to learn, whether for free or no, from a marketplace of knowledge vendors, and anecdotally at least, it seems to work. What’s missing (and, I think, why open learning and other non-traditional learning hasn’t yet overtaken the secondary/post-secondary system) is an adequate system of validation and credentials. We’re all studying at UBC, online, and we seem to be learning that way, but we’re also expecting that when we’re done, UBC will vouch for our having learned. Otherwise, why, if I can take a UBC course while living in Toronto, couldn’t I also take a course at Dal, a course at McMaster, a course at Concordia and a course at UVic and have them add up to a certificate?
For what it’s worth, I don’t think that mobile technology or online learning alone could impose such a change to the way we learn, but if the Academy saw merit in it then the challenges would be primarily administrative (and possibly cultural!) if we can take learning out of the physical classroom, why can’t we take it away from the campus as well?
Learning contexts might be extremely different in the future. Currently, we have teachers and students, and typically one teacher per x amount of students. With mobile technology, entire learning communities will be able to connect with each other, on a scale that we would not be able to predict. Therefore, there is a real possibility future learning will focus on social and connectivity. Potentially instead of having one teacher and x amount of students, there might be a class that an entire school is taking at the same time, with multiple teachers being able to guide the students along. Usage of videos and MOOC would allow more interactions between students and teachers, and change the fundamental structure of classrooms as we know it.
Hi Wynn,
I liked the way you have explained one of the many different ways the future learning would take place in schools and universities. With the 5G network and growing trend of crowdsourcing, students, teachers and subject matter experts will be able to contribute to this social learning easily and seamlessly. This type of learning will be more engaging as it will give the opportunity to the students to contribute and be part of the learning context.
Hi Wynn! That’s a great idea, especially by focusing on the collaboration of the whole school within one class.
However, class sizes has often been a part of the conversation, to ensure successful learning for students. Classroom sizes have increased over the past 10 years. A 2019 article stated that the increase in class sizes will result in 10,000 fewer Ontario teacher jobs in the next 5 years (Jeffords). This is very sad to think about, but it seems more and more, the world is trying to do more with less. Although I like the idea of having a whole school collaborating on one class, I worry that students will feel left out, not heard, or not seen.
Works Cited:
https://globalnews.ca/news/5954159/ontario-class-size-changes-fewer-teachers-five-years-fao/
Definitely. I think that definitely there are a lot of political issues here. Hopefully technology ends up giving teachers a flexible way to communicate with students rather than being a way to replace teachers.
Learning contexts may involve more subject matter experts or, simply, individuals than they do now.
Imagine learning about ancient Rome from an architect or actual Roman who has access to the colosseum.
Imagine a student who is a person of colour learning from a POC who is working in the field they aspire to.
Accessibility to more teachers and knowledge providers could expand a lot of horizons and possibly managed by a central facilitator/teacher.
I think you have hit on an important point here Lyndsay. Because of the accessibility of mobile learning, students are going to have the potential to learn from experts in basically any field that they are interested in. I think that this is going to be especially important with the continued evolution of education, and specifically inquiry-based learning. With ease of access to experts and experienced individuals in so many fields, mobile learning is allowing inquiry-based learning to take off. And like you said, this can allow teachers to take on a “facilitator” role to guide the students through the necessary skills to research and explore these individual topics of interest.
This is perhaps more of an aside than an academic comment, but have you seen any ads for “MasterClass”? Learn to cook with Gordon Ramsay? Learn comedy from Steve Martin, or photography from Annie Leibovitz? That’s this taken to a logical extreme. I wonder if the classes are interactive in any way, or just a collection of videos? Could they have any instructional design merit or is the pop culture “master” the only draw?
This is a good point Lyndsay! When designing lessons for workplace learning, subject matter experts are always consulted, as they have a deeper view into different industries and technical knowledge. I feel that this is a great way to supplement elementary ‘generalist’ knowledge and to make content come to life.
Mobile technology gives learners freedom.
I am free to take my students outside to explore with mobile technology.
My students are free to connect with their peers and teacher, complete their assignments and seek clarification on topics from anywhere that has a signal.
Families are free to check in on how their children are performing in school, view completed assignments or contribute to a child’s learning.
An issue to point out is that mobile technology itself is not free and for many families and schools it is unattainable. I see this issue already creating divides in schools where a student cannot communicate with their group because they are the only one in the group that did not have a cell phone to use a messaging app. A school I once worked at had two ipad carts and a population of roughly 800 students (If you didn’t book a cart weeks in advance you would never get to use them). If the future of learning for everyone lies in mobile technology it definitely needs to be more obtainable.
I understand your concern about accessibility to mobile learning. It opens up wonderful opportunities for those who have the tools and connections, but there are many who lack these things. As the mobile world continues to grow, I find myself asking, “What are we, as a society, doing to improve access for all?”.
This year, during at-home learning, I have been able to connect with less than half of my students, in spite of working hard to loan out Chromebooks and coach families on how to use them. The biggest issues are access to reliable connections and support at home. How do we fix this?
Hi Neill,
I agree that it’s accessibility that’s a huge concern. We are doing better at my high school by encouraging students to BYODevice. That frees up the school chromebooks for those students that don’t have a device to bring. But that doesn’t solve the issues at home. During COVID last spring we gave a few of the old laptops from the school to students who needed them for learning at home.
I love the fact that parents are able to access snapshots of their child’s learning at home, I just wish that more parents would do it! I am finding more success with emailing parents to ask their kids to log in to the Classroom and have the kids show off their work. This way parents can see everything and have a meaningful conversation about their learning.
Hi Meg,
I have also had troubles in the past getting parents to access their child’s learning from home, but I am always amazed at how capable the students are with technology and their ability to show their parents their learning from home. I was actually struggling with this just this week, so I taught my students how to log into their e-portfolios and gave them the task of going home and showing off their learning to their parents. That same day I had almost every family in my class access their child’s e-portfolios and the students were so excited to engage in that important conversation with their parents.
Hi Neill,
I think you are making an important point here. I happen to work for a school district who has a very high device to student ratio (20,000 devices for 24,000 students). But even within this district, we have a lot of inequities with technology amongst different schools. Because of this, our district is reimagining their model for technology distribution. Previously, schools would go through a “technology refresh” every 4 years, and the schools would be allotted a certain amount of money to spend on technology on a per capita basis. This model of “fair is equal” had been around for a while, but the issue the district was running into in terms of equity was that some schools with very involved and invested PACs (Parent Advisory Councils), were buying technology using fundraised money. Because of this, some schools in our district have more than a one-to-one device to student ratio, and some schools have a one-to-five device to student ratio (this is the current situation at the school I am at). This is obviously creating technology inequities in our schools. The district’s new technology refresh plan is focused on technology equity. Schools will be refreshed on a shorter cycle (every 2 years), but they will only be refreshed on a “needs” basis. So a school with a higher need for technology will get more than a school with less need for technology.
I think that technology inequities is an important conversation to be having in the education world. If we are going to continue to evolve education with the use of technology, we need to ensure that accessibility is also evolving.
I see emerging mobile technologies continuing to drastically change my teachable, technology education, for the foreseeable future. It is very common for a high school metal shops to have one or two machinist lathes from the 80’s sitting in the corner and not in proper working order. How can you run class projects through these machines and introduce kids to the possibility of becoming a machinist when they grow up (and probably make a lot of money) ? Instead, maker spaces are becoming more common. Laptops and 3D printers on wheels replace the old shop machinery and “old” environment. Or as I like to say, the “original maker space.” To be clear, I am all for new tech but not at the cost of replacing old machinery that is still used in trades. To me, it is not a secret as to why this is happening. New tech is more affordable then traditional machinery, and sometimes it is not even close. Simply put, machinery can be extremely expensive. As different teachers take over the classroom, there is a better chance they can pick up the skills of new tech in maker spaces versus running heavy machinery, and it is often more safer. The 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and robotic kits can often sync to you phone through Bluetooth, while those old machinist lathes, although still relevant, don’t seem to fit as easily into education anymore. Oh yeah, did I mention the cost difference. I think that plays a role in public education.
Hey Michael – I feel similar impacts in my Foods classroom. I have students tell me that they don’t really need to cook much because their family usually orders from a meal kit delivery (like Good Food Box) or use Skip the Dishes to get dinner delivered. These newer technologies that are replacing “traditional” skills and trades, although convenient, make it seem like cooking and trades are no longer relevant. We know that this isn’t the case. There is still a huge need for people to have a decent knowledge of how to cook and how to fix things. I can’t get over how expensive these things are!
I think we need to find a balance of recognizing these convenient advances and seeing how they blend well with traditional knowledge.
Hey Michael, I feel the same impact starting to happen with music, instruments cost especially for traditional band instruments is quite high so many, admin or school boards are encouraging us to teach music via an Ipad vs a traditional instrument. There is an importance in the tactile and learning how to produce the sound or id (if you cant engage with music without technology are you really engaging with it). I guess this would be similar to students learning how to design the part they need with a 3D printer but not have the ability to alter/modify fix the issue they might encounter in the workplace.
Speaking as an amateur musician, your post makes me very sad. Synthesized music doesn’t even come close to the quality and purity of sound that you get from well played live instruments. However, with costs being cut wherever possible, live music is becoming more and more expensive, and if the relatively same results can be produced synthetically, that seems to be the way of the future. How many people have a live band at a function anymore? Perhaps music theory and notation can be taught digitally, but the real essence and talent of music production can only come from authentic instruments.
How do mobile technologies affect learning contexts?
Here is a definition I found for mobile learning: “learning by means of a mobile device across multiple contexts.”
This is the picture I have in my head:
A student at home asks, “Siri, create a learning experience for me that challenges me to design a solution to a global problem.”
A learning facilitator appears on screen and helps guide student and home facilitator with the content information to pre-load the learning excursion that is about to happen.
Student and home facilitator are now ready to walk to their local beach, with mobile phone in hand. Siri directs student to the learning experience at the beach. Once there, an AR experience begins, giving an AR lesson on overfishing and best fishing practices. The student then has a design opportunity on the screen to apply their learning to design a more eco-friendly fishing experience.
Student then uploads work to cloud based portfolio for feedback from peers and learning facilitator.
The multiple contexts of learning were:
learning facilitator via video chat pre-loads the student at home for the situation based learning experience
student receives learning content from online source via mobile phone while at home
student synthesizes info with home facilitator before leaving home
student receives situation based learning in the community via AR learning experience on mobile phone
student applies information to solve a problem in an authentic context of practice while out in real world using mobile phone
student receives feedback from peers who use the platform and the students learning facilitator
I can tell as you type this Toby that you are thinking about our group project. You may want to take a screenshot of this post and thread as evidence of your learning for Assignment 4.
Hi Toby, I really like your description, but as a teacher, I am also deeply worrying about my career in the future. It looks like that AI facilitators can take over all the work that an instructor does. Several years ago, as soon as I projected my PPT in my classroom, some students started searching the keywords on their notebook. I was proud that the content I prepared was not what a search engine could have provided them. But I was wondering that I had to wrestle with the search engine in my classroom?
Emerging technologies like Artifical Intelligence will play a major role in learning contexts. AI will bring advancement in personalized decision making. Since it is the information age and with humongous information available students will need some aid to take the informed decision tailored to their needs. AI will bridge that gap for learners which arises when there is a large quantity of information and lack of analysis. Furthermore, with complex parameters in place the machine learning and AI will help in tutoring and mastering a skill. AI will create smart content for learners which will summarize, customize and provide a simulated environment for learners. The virtual tutors using ‘touchless technology’ and ‘gesture recognition technology’ will understand the learner’s facial expressions. Also, with AR technology the virtual tutors will be in the form of characters which will understand and respond to both verbal and non-verbal gestures of learners. Learning analytics and deep learning will help immensely the educators and the learners in analyzing and customizing the content for the learners.
Hi there,
I agree with you. I made a post on Personal Assistance technologies’ impact on education and I think these tools can help provide differentiation and support for students that need more accommodations set in place. The idea of customizing learning with an AI has a lot of potential.
Yes, definitely Seo. There are apps with AI technology like Kidsense which recognize the speech of children with developing language skills and provide them help in their early childhood education.
Differentiation and personalized learning is a promising area for AI technology. In a class of 30 students at varying levels of competency, it is nigh on impossible for one teacher to meet all their individual needs. However with progressive analytics being able to assess student progress and produce appropriate learning materials at their level, it will be easier for students to gain mastery over the curriculum. I look forward to the time when the software will be capable of analyzing longer written answers and providing individualized feedback to the student based on criteria entered by the teacher.
As a teacher of advanced and gifted learners, I saw how mundane a normal classroom environment was to them and how many of them ended up spending all of the extra time in class waiting for other students to catch up, distracted in some adventure of their own. I’ve also seen the other end of the spectrum where there are students who are so far behind that the entire class is waiting for them to learn or grasp a concept so the class can move forwards. With the presence of mobile technologies and applications that are constantly being innovated and distributed, the question becomes for me: How can these mobile technologies individualize mandatory learning outcomes?
When I start to think about this question, I start wondering about the purpose and context of the traditional classroom. Having been through normal classroom settings, private schools, and even homeschooled, I have had the opportunity to take a look at different perspectives on the purpose of education. From my own experience, I found that the classroom time was wasted on classroom management, but that these social skills were crucial to our upbringing and capacity for collaboration and peer-to-peer interactions.
What if our educational platform took a dramatic shift? As in utilizing mobile technologies to individualize learning outcomes with teacher support, so the class isn’t waiting on any particular student and no student feels ashamed for where they are at in their learning, and then using the additional classroom time to build social and personal skills through teamwork and collaboration? It still baffles me to this day that grades are based on an age and that many places around the world have removed the ability to fail a student. Are we really helping our students become stronger individuals by doing this? Our current system is dramatically flawed in my opinion and adapting our learning contexts to utilize mobile technologies can help to create a new balance where students can feel supported for the level they are at, regardless of their peers.
Hi Elixa,
Thanks for sharing this. This is such a challenging topic. I can’t agree more about not able to fail a student. If students never have to face consequences, we are almost enabling them to be irresponsible and allowing them to not take any ownership or be accountable for their own learning. I’m sure there are people that would disagree with this idea and there are definitely special circumstances, but this is not what the real world is like!
Also, when there are standardized tests and schools are getting evaluated based on these test scores, how can teachers explore new and innovative instructional practices? These two objectives don’t really align in my opinion.
Your idea of individualized learning outcomes is interesting and I think that is something that would be impossible to achieve without mobile technologies!
Hi Elixa,
Academic streaming would partially solve the problems coming from such a polarized class, as would smaller class sizes. I think these two things would be needed in addition to mobile technology to really address the problem. It also boggles my mind why our culture refuses to fail students. I understand that staying back a year causes socioemotional trauma, but is that more important to consider than the academic snowball that inevitably builds from pushing a student through? Instead of debating which is worse, our focus should be on dismantling the stigma around failure and our notion that learning outcomes are tied to age.
Regarding building teamwork and collaboration skills, is it better to pair a weak student with someone at their own level or with someone who is above? This is something I struggle with constantly. Though our hope is that by pairing a weak student with a strong student, the strong student teaches the weak student, often the result is that the strong student does most of the work. The strong student becomes impatient, feels jaded that they have to do more than their fair share, and quickly realizes that they would get a better grade if they just go solo.
Hi Elixa:
Another point I will add is the importance of “self- regulation”. Mobile learning environments can be very powerful in the classroom as long as the students can independently stay on task. Teaching in adult ESL I have founds students that were unable to complete a full grade 12 education struggle with these skills, therefore the instructor needs to teach adult students how to develop self – regulation skills. It is much harder for adults to do this vs children, which is why it is so important for students to learn self- regulation in elementary and high- school. I have no issues helping adults in ESL change their habits to learn self – regulation, but it is very hard for them to correct and is emotionally exhausting for them.
Choices!
I think this is the number one change we are seeing, and will continue to see, with regard to learning contexts. Over the past year, the option of K-12 schooling being done out of the school has become a necessary norm for many, and as schools have reopened, often the option has remained for students to continue learning from home. Some hybrid programs are running, where students attend school some days, and learn from home on others. Many choices in distance learning and online education have opened up, and continue to grow.
We also have myriad choices for free, independent, self-guided learning, such as MOOCs, YouTube, and an endless list of other apps and websites that continues to grow.
In the future I believe we will see new learning contexts, where AR and VR play a more prominent role, and where AI technology offers new options, and thanks to 5G networks, all of these choices will be able to work smoothly in most places.
My big concern about these choices is that they will not be available to all. One of the goals of 5G technology is to have coverage everywhere, for everyone, but we are many years away from that, if it happens at all. Students in remote areas will continue to miss out on these choices, and those who cannot afford the hardware required will also miss out. As the future of mobile learning continues to evolve, we need to find ways to make choice in learning contexts available to all.
Hi Wendy,
I really agree with your statement about “choice”. I hope that this moment in time allows for an abundance of choice in education to flourish.
I hope that DL programs gain a foothold as a mainstream and viable option for many more families. As a DL teacher this year, I have seen so many students shine and achieve at their potential, who weren’t in the traditional setting.
I hope that this moment in time, combined with mobile tools, will allow for new contexts of learning. You and I have discussed the possibility of “family learning” or learning outside the walls of brick and mortar.
I think the new context will be choice and personalization as you mention in your post.
This is a really good post Wendy. I can see that you have thought carefully about our group project. You might want to snap a screen shot of this post and its threads. It’s a great artifact for Assignment 4.
Something that I believe mobile technology in education is the potential for increased learning opportunities and accountability for students on extended absences from school. I am sure that we have all had a student (probably every year!) that leaves for several months, who returns to school having missed significant amounts of content and has now fallen behind, and more often than not, it is the students who cannot afford to miss school. With technology becoming more and more mobile, I think it would be very feasible to have these students completing engaging with the content being taught in class to some capacity.
Google Classroom is a great way for these students to stay connected with their teacher an classmates while they are away and act as a total where they can find the current units being studied and complete some assignments to keep them accountable for their learning.
This of course would not work for everyone or every situation, and has the unfortunate potential to create extra work for the teacher, but I think it is a viable option to keep students somewhat informed and engaged.
Erin,
This is an excellent point! Related to this, I think in addition to supporting absent students, it can also increase interpersonal engagement between students. While absent students could benefit the most by not taking long breaks from content, it could also allow students in class to interact with the missing student, maintaining “working” relationships, and also promote a sense of community even while members are “gone”.
When I was in grade 10 my friend got spinal surgery to correct scoliosis, and was in the hospital for quite a while. Even once he was released he was on bed rest at home for another month or so. I would go visit him to say hello and to catch him up on the comings and goings at school that he missed out on. Never a very physically affectionate type, it shocked me that any time I visited him he would always hug me. We talked one day and he lamented that the hardest part of his surgery and recovery wasn’t the pain or staying up to speed on school lesson– the lack of human connection was the biggest difficulty. At that point in time Facebook was around, but video calls and mobile collaboration sites weren’t commonly used. I wonder if they had been if it would have made it easier for him to learn the educational material as well as better handle the limited human connection he could have while recovering.
What are your thoughts?
Absolutely Dana, that is a really good perspective.
Once someone is absent for an extensive period of time, especially in this case when that reason is not something they want to be doing (like going on vacation), it can be really difficult to reintegrate into the school and classroom community again because other friendships have progressed in their absence. This could be a great way to use technology to help students not only keep up academically, but also socially. I am teaching from home this year and I have also found that I am missing out on connecting with my co-workers at the school, so things like google meet and staying connected virtually have really helped me feel like I am still part of the group.
Great observation Dana. Emotional connection is an important component of participation, especially in online classrooms. Synchronous and asynchronous environments use the emotional connection differently. The more students participate, the more they can build on emotional connections with their peers.
Hi Erin,
I think you bring up a really good point in terms of student accountability. Students are now not in a passive role of the receiver of information, but they can actively search for information anytime, anywhere they want. They cannot say that something is not covered in the textbook, because the internet is becoming the new textbook. Anything that they think is not explained well by the teacher or the textbook, they can search for online.
Exactly, especially students who are in jr and sr high. This would have the added benefit of allowing them the opportunity to take charge of their own learning and ease them into what it will be like in post-secondary and real life where they have to take some initiative, and not just be a passive learner.
Do you find that your students are always benefitting from jumping out of the course content (online module or textbook) and onto the internet? I find that often my students will answer questions in my Biology 30 course using the internet because it is easier to Google the answer than to review back over the course. This sometimes takes them into content that is way beyond the depth covered by the curriculum and can sometimes lead to confusion and incorrect answers.
This actually reminds me of an experience I had over the summer teaching online. I noticed over the course of a few zoom classes that one of my students was always sitting in a car. If inquiring, the class and I found out that her family actually went camping and her dad would drive her to the nearest coffeeshop to attend class for 2 hours a day (it also explained why she was always drinking frappuccinos). I think mobile technology does indeed hold students more accountable but we should always keep in mind that not all students have the luxury of mobile technology, and in some cases not even a computer or internet services.
Absolutely. I think it opens up the possibility for some students who are away to continue their learning and stay connected, but it would not be feasible for every situation and should not become mandatory.
Hey Erin!
I agree – I love Google Classroom. It is so nice to be able to let kids know that it’s all posted there, so if they are away they won’t fall behind. An issue I have (probably because I teach Foods and it’s not an academic course), is that kids don’t refer to it while in class. I’ve used Classroom for the past 4 years and love it, but many kids still don’t use it to the full potential.
Also, I hate the parent view — it doesn’t show parents everything that they are doing or all of the posts I’ve made. My work around for that is to encourage parents to ask their kids to log in to the classroom with their parents to show them everything they’ve been doing. This way they can see the info I’ve posted and the pictures/reflection their kid has posted. I’ve found this is the best way for parents to see everything and I hope it encourages some conversation around their school work!
It’s a good point about the parent view – it’s been abysmal since launch and though I would hope it’s much better now, I wouldn’t know as I do the same as you and encourage students to show their parents our google classroom for them to see and know what we are working on in class. When I speak to parents in person, on the phone, or in email, I always refer to it, and as such, parents start to refer to it as well. I love how it has made “parent management” so much more straightforward because everything is right there in google classroom, open and transparent. Because of this always open nature of the classroom, I expect learning contexts to evolve in the home in how students complete school work while not in school, while also providing the ability for parents to be much more informed about their child’s schoolwork than in ages past.
I have used Microsoft Teams even before Covid, but not extensively, just to upload lesson notes and to keep track of my course materials, but now I am fully on board to Teams to teach hybrid courses. Students in our school know that they are responsible for making up their missed work and know where to go to find the course material when they need to be away and learn remotely. I think that the current situation we are in is teaching our students to be active, independent and also collaborative in their learning process and allow them to become more involved in forming their own education.
For the most part in language classrooms the current technology used such as audio recording and video recordings has been greatly focused on memorization. Memorization for certain language components is indeed important, but it misses the important component of the natural environments that are required for any human to become fluent in a their non-native language, which is socialization. The hope is that with the inclusion of mobile apps that this context of intense memorization can be broken with the inclusion of social media apps, language learning apps, and games with social interactions to native speakers of a language. One of the goals that many language teachers have is for their student to feel comfortable enough to take the target language out of the classroom. What mobile apps do, is allow the student to do so at their own pace, and at different times, which the student can determine when is best. With so many tools offered, the student has the freedom to choose which language they want to learn and have access to it where ever they go. In this subject matter of language learning, I think that mobile will be more promising.
Hi Brittany,
I agree with you in that language learning often falls into the trap of vocabulary memorization. With mobile learning I feel that that is easier to do, completing more vocabulary development tasks, or filling in the blanks to form grammatically correct sentences etc. Language learners lack the natural environment where they can use what they learned in regular conversation. I think this is where a teacher in the classroom is still very important. For language learners, teachers can create a classroom environment where learners can apply the knowledge they learned maybe on their mobile devices. For example, learners might learn about lots of vocabulary words and sentences, when they come to the classroom, maybe the teacher can facilitate language application through designing role play activities. I think the future holds bright for learners if teachers can incorporate mobile learning well in their classroom.
No question about this Emily, the teacher plays a vital role in the classroom environment for language learning. At the same time, I found many of the teachers I worked with were hesitant to use technology especially mobile devices. The policies enacted by the institution in fact forbid it without considering the educational value packed into such a small powerful piece of equipment. With policy changes and IT modification, it is possible to include mobile learning into the ESL classroom, however, convincing administrators is another story.
This is a big question. I’m going to consider just two specific contexts.
Math
We have seen the curriculum focus on the mechanics with children being asked to do drills and to memorize the multiplication table, trig identities, etc. Then handheld scientific calculators and graphing calculators came along and the curriculum included how to use a calculator. Now, everyone has a computer in their pocket. Though curriculum changes are slow, I do believe that less emphasis will be placed on the mechanics, and more will be placed on the creation of programs to solve our problems. In the future, coding will be a core subject, like math, English, and the sciences, and it will percolate into other subjects as well. Of course, understanding the mechanics and being able to do them is essential, but I anticipate that tool creation will become a larger focus in the coming years. I do wonder what this means for our current education system. Is it realistic for us to expect that in 12 years, a person will be a competent member of society? The average Canadian life span is around 80 years, but our minimum expectation for formal schooling is just 18.
Languages
No one questions the importance of writing, but it does seem like the practice is on its way to becoming a rare art, beginning with when the curriculum decided to abolish handwriting lessons in elementary schools. Students prefer to type notes now, even though research says that the act of physically writing something down is more effective for learning. I do wonder, though, if this research will change if the test subjects were those who are born today, those who are growing up typing/texting more than they are writing. We are seeing the disruption of mobile technologies in our students’ inability to spell, to write in formal styles, or even to write in complete sentences. We are saddened by this because we are coming from a generation that values and are good at these skills. We have to ask the question, will these skills become less relevant in the future as spellcheck/grammar check/ and voice-to-text programs become smarter, as they will inevitably become? I see language classes placing more emphasis on thought development and effective communication strategies. I also see that perhaps for some languages, writing will become a lost art, particularly the languages that take much longer to master and much longer to physically write or type (i.e. Chinese).
Hi Ying,
I liked the way you have penned down your thoughts on emerging mobile technologies.The sheer purpose of using the tools for the task is to ease off the burden. The ever-evolving mobile technologies are still at it’s dawn of providing the learner with the experience which will change exponentially in the coming years. I personally believe that the learner’s formal initial education years plays the foundational role and with the presence of emerging technologies the learner’s quest of knowledge seeking and sharing will grow significantly.The social media sites and other networking collaborative tools can provide the breeding ground for a knowledge base which can help the learners with life long learning experience irrespective of their age and formal training. So even if the formal education is for 18 years, with the technology booming the students will pursue learning whether formally or informally.
As far as writing is concerned, in future it will become an art to master writing skills. However, sketching digitally with precision using a stylus will be a skillful fine motor skill which might be in demand in future. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi Loveleen,
That is insightful, that sketching digitally will become a foundation skill in future. I certainly do see the increase in digital art after the iPad and Surface Pro were released. Isn’t it funny that they also have styluses that mimic real art tools, like brushes? As we go from one medium to another in our communication and acts of self expression, features of the old medium are always retained. Do you think digital medium will replace traditional art forms (charcoal, paint, etc.) like how the computer has replaced the printing press?
Hi Ying,
As you mentioned the styluses mimicking real art tools, the art whether using digital tools or traditional ways will have the same value. However, due to the present and future job requirement which demands the use of technology even in art, artists and creative people are bound to learn and integrate digital skills in their creative work along with the traditional form.
We are “connected” more than ever before but I am not sure if it can ever replicate or replace how we typically connect – that is face to face in a physical space. I am not convinced that evolution and rise of (mobile) technology will make our current schools obsolete – the relationship that students and teachers build (in the physical space) simply cannot be replicated by technology.
I am curious how dominant mobile education technology will become as we navigate COVID-19 and the impact on the learning environment. I am sure more teachers and students might be encouraged to go outside (where more physical distancing is possible) and mobile technology may be leveraged by teachers to support students with their learning outdoors.
I whole heartedly agree, Jungwhan. When I ask my “at home” learners what they miss the most about school the response always relates to spending time with their friends. It is not hard to see the toll that isolation is having on students/teachers and it really shows that no matter how efficient or amazing technology becomes it will never be able to fully replicate the social interactions that make us who we are. Physical schools are not just focused on covering curricular goals, they also give children a chance to connect, the support of adults when in need and in many cases a safe place to be.
Advanced technology in education and mobile learning are great; however, we should not forget about the importance of teaching, learning, and building relationships with peers and teachers in person. Currently, I am teaching a senior math course in hybrid mode where the first half of the class attends in-person instructions while the other half is learning online, alternating days. Even though I deliver the same contents of the course both in-person and online and facilitate discussions and conversations on our cloud-based platform, Teams, I notice that most of my students are always excited to be in classroom learning and connecting with their teacher and peers in person.
Ever-changing and fast-growing technology has greatly expanded access to education and gave students more opportunities to explore; however, I absolutely agree with you that “the relationship that students and teachers build (in the physical space) simply cannot be replicated by technology.”
It’s really great that countless mobile technologies are emerging to support the learning process. With the influx of new applications, we are in a time where educators must be as flexible as ever. The learning context has shifted significantly with new technology-based resources that can be used to support children. When I am feeling stuck, access to technology makes it so easy to find resources that can help improve my teaching techniques and practices. In my experience, technology has the potential to create an engaging and immersive learning environment for students. That being said, I think that it’s also very important for us to remember to use technology in purposeful ways. It shouldn’t encompass the learning process rather it should act as a supplement.
Check out the following mobile technology resources that have supported me during remote teaching over the last few months:
BrainPOP: https://www.brainpop.com/
Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.ca/
Discovery Education: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/
Raz-Kids: https://www.raz-kids.com/
IXL: https://ca.ixl.com/
The way mobile technology is changing classrooms begins at a young age and feels it is becoming more instrumental in the way we learn daily. As a Grade Two teacher during the remote learning of 2020, I quickly found that these students (if given the resources) were able to navigate websites, PDF files, links and also post their own work with ease. This was an exciting realisation but also came with a few concerning thoughts..
The students whose parents were also able to access technology were like to be the students who could do the same, either through modelling, observing or explicit teaching.
These parents who have these skills are more likely to be educated and working.
Only some families have access to functioning devices. This also includes a family with 4 children and only two iPads. That may have seemed quite reasonable before the pandemic but during, it made it very difficult for these families
The above points made me worry the use of mobile technology and remote learning can create a ‘assessment of privilege.’ The gap between students at different socio-economic levels seemed to quickly widen in this short time. (Not to the point of huge concern for the few months) but I do wonder what would happen if we adopted this system for a long time. Would this gap continue due to the cost of devices and access?
Hi Lindsay, I also teach grade twos and found the same thing. The students were able to do this on their own and the ones who I was worried about, once they were supported by their parents they were also able to get online and use the tools provided. I found this surprising as in my district we have started getting rid of the regular computer labs and replacing them with tablets which are shared. Having to share technology with everyone in the school sometimes meant that younger students wouldnt get the same amount of learning time on them as the older students. So I was surprised how well the students adjusted to online learning.
Hello Lindsay. What you have observed is a typical case of the “digital divide.” The implementation of technologies, including mobile technologies, into formal education, is at risk of widening rather than closing the divide between the privileged and low-socioeconomic status families. Just like what you have mentioned, not only the opportunity to access to the technologies but also the way the children and their parents use these devices matter. Those parents who have insufficient technological skills may also lack knowledge to support their kids to use technologies productively and educationally. Many of them may afford some technologies, but they prefer to use it for entertainment, which has a strong influence on the way how their kids use these technologies. I have read research from Wartella, O’Keefe and Scantlin (2000) about the “digital divide” many years ago. They examed this idea, and their conclusion is still valid nowadays.
Reference:
Wartella, E., O’Keefe, B., & Scantlin, R. (2000). Children and interactive media. A Compendium of Current Research and Directions for the Future, Markle Foundation.
Hi Lindsay,
I would like to add from a senior years perspective that I experienced the same thing. The socio-economic gap was made more evident when it came to remote learning as they were the students who lacked the technology or the time to complete the assignments. May of my students who struggled got full time jobs as their parents were laid off and McDonalds and Sobeys was open (where many of my students work). Next year our school is supposed to be going BYOD and I am concerned about our families abilities to fulfill a device for their child at this time considering many didn’t have a device to begin with.
This digital divide is so real and so challenging. My students all live on a reservation, where internet access is spotty, and numerous socio-economic difficulties exist. Each time we have had to move to at-home learning, my school has tried to loan out Chromebooks to all who need them, and all the teachers have spent much time phoning, texting, and emailing families to help with logistics and support. Sadly, less than half of our population has engaged regularly with at-home learning, for a host of reasons. I don’t see how we can close this divide, and I believe in-person schooling needs to remain an option for our technologically disadvantaged students.
I’m curious what everyone thinks about whether mobile technologies have made certain “non-education” contexts more educational – like parties, for example. Now that anyone can pull their phone our mid-conversation and look something up, does that make casual social environments more educational? Or are there ways that this mobile knowledge access makes casual conversation less educational?
In the context of a conversation at a party, using your mobile device to fact check or find more information in the middle of a conversation could promote more discussion or hinder it. A quick Google search and scan of information can be used to validate information or answer a question that has stalled the conversation as people go back and forth to search their brains for that information. Other times, people just want to prove someone wrong, and it’s not fair to challenge someone’s ideas based on the quick Google search and scan of information. I think it’s educational when we can show another person something we’re trying to explain to provide a model for understanding, as well as when we use our phones to connect people to resources.
Hi Anne, this was a very interesting thought. I think back to my mother pulling out her phone to “fact check” as Mel said everything I was telling her. I think that phones have made more social events educational. Not only can they “fact check” instantly they can play trivia games with friends who are sitting with them, So phones have changed the way we have socialized. Instead of watching a movie, or having a conversation we can simply sit together and play games on our phones or tablets. These games are educational as long as they continue to learn from them.
I guess one could argue that social interactions are more educational now that you can pull out your phone and get fast facts, but I also think that a fact or two doesn’t necessarily add too much value or content to a social setting. People come with their own knowledge to share and that’s what makes social settings engaging. If everyone is always on their phone googling, interacting with others via text, it takes away from the presence of that person at the social setting.
It depends on how we define “educational”. If we believe that to be educational is to embrace cultural diversity, mobile technologies can make the conversation more or less educational depends on how people use it. One group of people can use it to access various information sources and exchange ideas from a different perspective. Another group may organize their conversation within a loop of rumour and prototypes. I believe the first group’s conversation is more educational than that of the second one. On the other hand, if searching for information and ideas interrupt people from expressing and exchanging their own ideas, I will understand it as less educational because I believe the authentic education emerges from the creation of original ideas rather than delivery information.
I think this conversation leads to another interesting question, which is whether immediate fact-checking with a mobile device actually does facilitate learning, and if it does, what has to happen for fact-checking behaviour to actually result in learning? If I’m talking to someone about Canadian history, for example, and I google what year women got the vote, will I remember that fact later? Did looking up that fact make the experience more educational or am I just going to forget it again because I know it’s safely stored in the knowledge of the web?
The other question I had when reading your replies was this: Does our mobile connectivity influence towards having more educational conversations? Or would we have the same amount of educational conversations with or without mobile culture? It’s possible to have an educational conversation about Canadian history without a mobile device around for fact-checking, and without seeing something on social media that prompted it.
I had a similar thought to you Anne – is fact-checking actually learning? Is there any retention of knowledge gained from checking something online or is it more likely that spur of the moment information finding is to be forgotten? In addition to this, and with Bloom’s Taxonomy in mind, recalling facts and basic concepts is at the bottom of the learning objectives and that’s if it is retained. How much knowledge is really being gained through fact-checking our phones during a conversation?
This made me think of the saying, “well, you learn something new every day.” But is learning simple facts, in fact, knowledge? From my experience with ETEC 530, there is a strong connection between learning and knowledge, but they are not to be considered the same thing. For us to view someone to be knowledgeable, do they just have a collection of facts to share? What really is knowledge? Some could say that the education system is just teaching students to memorize facts and not teaching them how to learn. How do we change that? How can we incorporate mobile technologies without promoting social media learning that is taking place?
Very interesting discussions here! I’m not sure I could answer this question, but here are some of my initial thoughts.
I think immediate fact-checking with a mobile device facilitates learning in a way that it frees our minds for other things, such as more analytical, original, or abstract thought. This practice requires educators to encourage critical thinking skills among students. We become more critical readers and question what we read. On the other hand, knowing that we can quickly look things up on our phones makes us store fewer and fewer things in our brain. Whether it really weakens our memory or not still remains unanswered now.
As some have already brought up, this emerging mobile technology has given empowerment to all learners. There is the ability to access information, anywhere, anytime and through multiple different formats. I think in the future, the possibilities will become even more vast. Even more of what learners do on their laptops will be able to be synced seamlessly through apps on mobile handheld devices. I think we will even more easily be able to move between handheld mobile devices and our laptops so that there is very little difference between the two, productivity wise.
I think that over the last couple months we have been afforded the opportunity to try and use more technology tools in our online learning in order to engage students and hopefully provide deeper learning. I wonder, when we eventually get back to “normal” learning in the classroom, whether we will forget what we’ve learned and have been using with technology and simply revert back to our old habits. Or will we continue to embrace and utilize the technology that we have at our fingertips?
I think once you’ve moved into the habit of cloud-based productivity, it’s really hard to go back, so for any student or educator who’s moved into syncing documents between mobile devices and desktop computers will probably keep doing that once things go back to face-to-face learning. It’s just too frustrating to go back to having a static document limited to one device – let alone anything on an actual piece of paper, ugh! 🙂
I agree! I don’t see myself going back to pre-pandemic “normal” (and I did use quite a bit of tech then, too!), let alone the students. The only thing I want to get back to doing are hands-on lab experiments! Simulations and virtual labs are good, but there are some skills that need to be built with hands-on experimentation. I wonder if that will become obsolete??
Hi Binal, I feel exactly the same way as you do. Although virtual labs and simulations are great, the hands-on skills acquired in a physical lab just cannot be accomplished in the digital realm as yet. I don’t think that physical labs will be replaced anytime soon and for it to do so would require the very nature of lab work to change in science. Perhaps remote lab access and experimentation is in our future but I think there will still be plenty of in-lab presence required (even if its for supervision or trouble-shooting of some kind) and with that will have to come experience of working in a lab.
Hi Carla, my college has recently purchased some VR tech to address the lab issue in some of the more hands-on programs like welding or auto work so students can practice hands-on skills virtually – the COVID crisis is definitely pushing us all a lot more quickly into advanced tech that can replace physical labs. Our jewellery department, however, is a good example of a lab environment that can never be replaced simply because you need to actually make a physical product (unless of course we all end up living in a virtual world together 24/7 and wear virtual jewellery – much more eco-friendly! No resources needed from the earth!)
Moving to even more remote teaching during the pandemic has allowed me to develop a more streamlined approach to teaching online. I have been able to engage my students online through their phones. They have increased their comfortability with me through regular video conferences on their Teams app, that they regularly video chat their questions instead of using email as they have in the past. Because students are feeling more isolated, they have searched for those connections, and I am grateful to have had these experiences with them. The pandemic has helped mobile learning for me to move from text and email to real-time conversations. I hope that doesn’t change in September.
I think that our current situation has led a lot of teachers to experiment more with different programs and apps to help facilitate learning that they would not have had the opportunity or inclination to do before. Like most trials, I’m sure there are certain things teachers will continue to use in class (synching documents, apps to demonstrate understanding…), and others that they will be happy to return to like hands on experience based learning that fosters in person, real-time conversations.
I am not sure if we will ever go back to normal. Those who are old-school might go back to their usual ways, or even be willing to incorporate some mobile technology in their class. And then, you have those who will embrace it and encourage students to use mobile devices for educational purposes. I am just curious how well will students take it if we go back to normal? Will they prefer to keep on doing everything online or go back to the traditional way? So far, high school students prefer going back to school because the online workload is more than the one they were given at school. This situation has also given other students to express themselves using online chats or posts. I see that those who are more introverted take advantage of the online classes to participate more in a discussion. What will happen to them when we go back to normal?
I think we’ll see more and more spontaneity, thanks to smartphone notifications (and their connectivity of course).
Mobile can facilitate smaller — but possibly also more relevant tasks — to be easily distributed and administered. Not everything needs to be a formal assignment anymore! Homework can actually be quick and meaningful “activities”, rather than something students need to sit down for and focus entirely on.
The same can be said for information, which can be shared and engaged with in real time. Consider the scenario where a teacher might something relevant to their course on a weekend — they can instantly share text, multimedia, and even location.
Writing this, I found myself thinking a lot about Google Classroom. For anyone who has seen this platform, the main “stream” is basically a chronological feed. Everything from an announcement to an assignment becomes its own box — courses are literally built up by both teachers and learners! Everything is of course integrated with your Google Account as well, meaning that the tools many people are familiar with in their everyday lives (Gmail, Docs, Drive, etc.) are what they will be using to learn as well.
My hope is that learning becomes more “natural” if that makes sense — if we can somehow continue to enhance learning experiences so that they’re not restricted to rigid timetables or processes.
Lyon – I totally get it! and agree with your points. Learning/teaching does not have to take place within the walls of the school and people have been acknowledging that with place-based learning and moving classrooms outside. But with mobile technology, we can go even beyond and make connections that are not so “institutionalized” (if that makes sense). Of course, keeping privacy and professionalism intact along the way.
I think the privacy and professionalism piece is absolutely something that needs to be maintained. I like the idea of the flexibility with mobile learning, but you do need to realize that students need structure, but so do teachers. Since working from home, it was hard to maintain a work/life balance. You needed to keep a schedule, or it would be 9 pm before you knew it, and you were still running your school day. The same habit can easily be formed with mobile learning. You are excited about something, and you share it on the weekend. However, this may cause frustration and stress for students because it is outside the school day and their learning time. If in September, B.C. does adopt a hybrid model or a remote learning Friday, it will be tough to stay within the structure of a traditional workweek. The lines of privacy and professionalism must be upheld from both the teachers and the students.
I firmly believe and agree with what I am reading that we should be prepared to teach in classrooms where the students will have their smartphones with them and they cannot be disentangled from their smartphones. There is even a name for smartphone addiction; it is called “no mobile phone phobia” or nomophobia and my expectation is that it will be added to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in the future. Smartphones are causing behavioral changes in young people and we generally agree that mobile devices will change education and learning contexts. It is naive to believe otherwise. One point to note is that there are still many educators who were born before the Internet and mobile era while most students these days were born into this Internet and mobile technology era. We see very young children these days with mobile devices in their hands. While many educators may prefer a ban on smartphones from the classroom it would be difficult to implement and enforce as students would find ways to subvert the rules with the net result that the problem would be hidden instead. It is therefore essential that teachers need to be educated on the issues around smartphone use in the classroom and evolve their teaching methods to teach in classrooms where the students will have access to their smartphones. One area is tests and exams; it is effectively possible to “bring a buddy” in the exam and it becomes increasingly difficult to police this. For example, the Apple Smart Watch can be configured to look like an innocent watch but in fact it can connect to the Internet and run apps so you can have a buddy at the end of a chat app in the exam. While students have access to their smartphones, the smartphones also have access to the students. Companies, Facebook, Google, friends and family and social and political groups can get access to the student in the classroom. As such, events, ideas and provocations outside the realm of education flow into the classroom via the students smartphones. Therefore, teachers need to evolve their teaching style and have teaching strategies for teaching in contexts where the students are distracted on their smartphones with activities unrelated to schoolwork in class.
Ram, I totally get the frustration, because sometimes no matter how hard teachers work to relate lessons to students, the real world, and their interests, some students will always be distracted by their own realities, unmotivated, or disengaged, and mobile devices are their escape pods. We do have to think about how to make our curriculum and lessons more meaningful, relevant, and engaging, at the same time we help students build self-regulation strategies.
The popularity of mobile devices and the advance of eLearning delivery methods, such as microlearning, has dramatically change the context of learning in community learning programs and vocational training courses. Not long ago if you wanted to get your boating safety license or chainsaw operators license (as everyone does) you would likely call a local community centre or recreational club to sign up for evening or weekend classes. Today these certificate and many other can be obtained online on your mobile device. The advantages of convenience seem to have quieted concerns about the efficacy of online learning.
Here are just a few. Some might surprise you:
First Aid – https://www.sja.ca/English/Courses-and-Training/Pages/Course%20Descriptions/Online-Courses.aspx
Food Safety – https://www.foodsafety.ca/
Chainsaw Safety – https://www.trainanddevelop.ca/courses/chainsaw-safety/
Boater Safety https://www.boaterexam.com/canada/
Massage Therapy Online Course – http://www.rmtedu.com/blog/moocs-for-massage-therapists
Ladder Safety – https://www.safetyfirsttraining.ca/course/onsite-training/ladder-safety-training-course-ontario/
Beer Appreciation – https://www.ecornell.com/courses/hospitality-and-foodservice-management/beer-appreciation/
Psychic Certification Total Training – https://imaginespirit.com/psychic-clairvoyance-training/
Cell Phone Repair Technician – https://cellularrepairschool.com/cell-phone-repair-training-online/
Thanks for sharing these resources Jamie. When I think of online certifications for some reason I often question that reliability and authenticity. This may be because I haven’t had enough exposure or knowledge of online certifications or maybe it’s because you can get anything online these days that a certificate could easily be illegitimate. It definitely requires me to do research into online certifications, be more open to the idea and use my critical thinking skills when browsing for online certification.
Jamie, you’re right…some of these sure do surprise me! I remember years ago I took my boat license online and as Katlyn states, she questions the authenticity of these course online. I have to agree with that as it was very easy to have more than one browser open if need be. Are you really learning the content? Don’t get me wrong, I am all for online education and the convenience of it, but I wonder what precautionary measures these certifications are taking to ensure learning is actually occurring.
Jamie, these are great resources for online learning, that I honestly didn’t think to look for in an online format. I remember having to get a First Aid Certificate, and trying to fit it with my schedule. Now that it is offered as a blended course, it definitely facilitates the learning. I agree that there are some concerns about the learning online, and we need to be cautions as to using reputable sources. For example, all the sources that Jamie included look reputable, I personally have used SJA before for first aid. In terms of questioning whether or not people are learning the concepts, I believe that this types of certificates are required in order to do a job, or volunteer somewhere, or practice an actual skill. I would assume that the person who is taking the course is indeed invested in the learning, so that they can actually perform the tasks requested.
One way that I think emerging mobile technologies change learning is the fact that the teacher in the classroom is not the only teacher anymore. There are so many apps that fill that role. In my previous post, I posted about an app called Brilliant that has over 60 math and science courses at a variety of levels. There are many others that are very similar. No longer does a student need to rely on what they get from their teachers, they can just download an app, watch a video, or take another online course on the go to learn the same content.
I find that if I am not understanding a concept through one learning platform I can easily Google it or watch another Youtube video to gain a better understanding. I like to recommend Khan Academy to my students for alternative explanations. Sometimes that is all it takes, is for someone else to explain it in different words.
Hi Kylie,
Khan academy was precisely what came to my mind. I really like the additional resources for further explanations. I also think that students look to their teachers not only for delivery, but to gain advice and have discussions. I do think Natalie is right, the teacher’s role will change. I don’t think they will be replaced by apps and video tutorials because I believe students still crave the guidance and attention from someone who they consider knowledgeable. Perhaps with the transitions to mobile education, you will see more flipped classroom approaches. Teachers will divert to the videos for content delivery and utilize their class time for critical thinking and discussions.
A theme running through several of the comments already posted here is that teachers will transition away from being dispensers of knowledge into roles as facilitators of that knowledge. With that transition, I immediately start thinking about job opportunities (or lack thereof) in a new model where the demands on teachers may be drastically different than they are now. While I think that the main delineation point between education models will likely be positioned far enough into the future that I’ll be retired and living in a villa on the Croatian coast, I think that in the meantime there will be a wealth of opportunities for skilled educators to benefit financially by stepping in and providing services that ease the growing pains of such a transition. As more school districts offer expanded catalogs of online courses, which come with a lack of access to full-time teaching, there’s not doubt that private tutors will see an increased client base. What other opportunities arise remains to be seen, though I think it’s safe to say that the competition to design the future of tech-enabled education will be impressive to watch and very profitable for those who end up leading the way.
Hello James, With the country under quarantine only very few of us are allowed to go outside. My friend who has a beauty salon has not been working for months. She told me: you are lucky because what you do can be done through the internet. I felt lucky. Reading your post worries me because I think that with the technology may be teachers might also be out of a job sooner or later. I do not think we will be completely replaced but our job might change. Should an AI teacher be introduced… How can we keep up with them? Natalie mentions the apps that can be download and videos can be watched so they can learn at their own pace. What if the content or the way that is explained is not understood by the student? Where would he turn to for questions? Should there be an Ask Questions service, what is the turn around time? I think this might be the only time that having an onsite real instructor might exceed technology.
Hi Silvia, I found your post quite interesting, as I just had my students read “The Fun They Had” which is about students having a robot teacher at home and the learning was very individualized. It was quite an interesting concept, and the students had a fun time connecting it to their own learning. I did ask the students if they believed that author was correct in his predictions, which was written in the 1950s. It was interesting how many students thought the robot teacher was wrong, and that teachers would be needed for teaching. Personally, I think students will continue to need and want teachers until the computers can demonstrate empathy.
Your point about empathy really resonates with me. Yes teachers are facilitators of learning, but they also provide social and emotional guidance. That aspect of the job would be challenging to replace. Building relationships and creating positive learning environments facilitate the growth of the whole child. Teachers are not just responsible for intellectual development of students but in multiple aspects.
Hello Michael and Julia, That would be super interesting. A machine that can demonstrate empathy or even additional feelings. All of sudden I am thinking of Data (android) from Start Trek The Next Generation. He is an android with no emotions and finds it difficult to understand human behavior. At one point he decides to have his “emotion chip” installed but later would want it removed because it interfered (his new emotions) in his work. I know this is science fiction but creating an almost human-like machine, then what would we teachers be doing then? Should children be completely taught by AI teachers, would they develop differently? Maybe less human or even more machine-like?
Mobile technology facilitates learning in some way. These days learning and studying are no longer just through books. Students can search through their mobile devices to learn more about the subjects, there are videos, websites, VR/AR, and maybe even online quizzes that can assist in learning. Learning is more interactive than ever. These are tools that provide a more dynamic method for students to learn. However, can this be reached by the student himself? Although mobile technology might have changed the learning context more dramatically, there is still the need for an instructor to act as a guide. It brings up the questions if one of these days mobile technology will be able to replace actual human teachers. With the evolution on the go, will AI-assisted learning be the same as having an instructor? I am sure that will reach this point one of these days. However, doesn’t emotional support also play a part in learning? By this I mean, the teacher facilitates learning but it also provides emotional support to those who are struggling. Can technology also replace that?
Also, what about personal experience. Yes, HD videos and VR/AR can give you a better view of things, but it is the same as being there? Do you remember going to field trips as a kid? Having a different experience from the usual school life is exciting. Would the level of excitement be the same if kids just knew that they would be watching a video or wearing VR equipment?
Silvia, the more I am given lengthy texts to read in online courses, the more I seek out alternative methods to learn or at least introduce myself to some of the material: through videos, audio, and visual representations. I’d like AI to be able to do some of the legwork for me. When I open a PDF on my phone or upload to Speechify, I’m given an estimated time it will take me to read or listen. But what if AI crawled YouTube or the web and found a few video or visual alternatives for some of the sections? I would be inclined to save myself some time and view the videos. Right now, we rely on our instructors to find these alternatives to text, and we know with the massive amount of content that exists online it can be difficult to find what we are looking for. When mobile learning gives us the opportunity to be engaged with dynamic methods of interacting with material actively vs. passive interactions, the better off we will be as learners. As teachers, we must move beyond using text as the main mode of content delivery whenever possible and be more discriminate about selecting multimedia, and AI should certainly be able to assist.
This idea of providing more dynamic alternatives to simply text reminds me of the videos that I made last week for my grade 8 students. I’ve been providing them with short “quizzes” through Google Classroom as a way to check whether or not they are reading and understanding the textbook readings. After looking over one particular section in the textbook, I had concerns over how well my students would retain the information due to the number of tables and diagrams. It wasn’t an overly complex topic, and it was explained quite well (more on that later), but I think most of us have all been in the place where we look at a science of math textbook and feel overwhelmed before even getting started, and in some cases that barrier can be big enough to prevent the learning from ever starting. To help, I decided to create a video where I read through the textbook for them, adding in supplemental pieces where I felt that expanding upon the text would be helpful.
I haven’t received feedback on the video yet, but I’m curious as to how many utilized it, and how useful it was compared with straight text.
As for how well the textbook explained the material…I mentioned to a colleague that I’d made the video to help better explain the particular section, to which he informed me that he actually wrote that section of text. Whoops! (It honestly was well-written though, I just thought they might still need some help)
I try to use different tools and media in my classes. Maybe it also depends on how we’re brought up. Just yesterday, a 40-year-old student told me that he was not used to using all the different media tools in class, he literally said: “I like being structured and I like learning from the book.” Everyone has their own way of learning. I would definitely prefer a video rather than ready a big chunk of text. However, I sometimes prefer reading because I can process what I have read. When I read, I highlight some passages, so it helps me remember. Maybe, complement it with a video will help me understand better. I wonder if, shortly, new technology will affect the reading. Jason, please do share your students’ comments on your video.
Originally Posted by Carri-Ann Scott on 26 Jan 2019
I’m going to throw something out here that might seem completely out of place in the context of this course, but it is my serious consideration with regard to this week’s topic. Some of you might remember that I teach Kindergarten. This gives me a different perspective on the traditional education system than what many might think of when we say the word “school”. I don’t have rows of desks, packages of worksheets, or prescribed and standardized assessments. At 3 and 4 years old, most of my students have explored mobile technology, but they lack the essential skills necessary to use it as an education tool. That is to say, they cannot read. Reading any language is a difficult (or impossible) skill to acquire through osmosis. I do use mobile technology (apps) to augment the explicit lessons introducing reading concepts. The gamification of such apps often hooks the reluctant learner or the tech-obsessed student. Yet the apps that I am aware of are not able to evaluate and provide targeted instruction to my youngsters that captures their zone of proximal development to take them to the next step in their learning and reading continuum. I feel that there is also a benefit to having a group of similarly aged children in a room, learning to interact and solve problems with each other (which is essentially what PLAY is). The question is, should we be putting an age/stage consideration on our mobile education expectations and practices? Are there some elements of social relationships that can only be taught in a group setting through experience? What are we giving up if we attempt to design a model of mobile education inclusive of K-12 students? And, more importantly, what are we aiming to gain?
Originally Posted by Matt on 25 Jan 2019
On a beach somewhere!! Or better yet, on a mountain!! I love the potential of mobile technologies have to break the stranglehold of the factory classroom system. A science classroom camping in a mountain meadow studying the local biome: students are all using wearable tech combined with voice assistants. They look at a flower with their tech-glasses and ask the cloud to determine its name. Over a 5G network, they receive this information instantly. They take it all in in it’s natural surroundings. The same situation happens while snorkeling. But the images are not as clear, so an assigned subject-expert is connected remotely with the student while they’re swimming and they discuss what they’re seeing and are able to ask questions directly. I envision a world with and Uber-like education. All students are “home-educated” and design their own curriculum. They use apps to connect with subject experts (local or remote) that will help them meet their educational objectives. Subject experts are paid “per use” and build up ratings etc. Teachers are motivated to excel and students are motivated to educate themselves.
As interesting as this would be (and I imagine that certain aspects within this envisioned model may be realized), this home-educated model seems too far-fetched. So long as K-12 education remains a form of mass childcare (which I believe is the case, and has been highlighted by this current crisis), there will be a need for the physical presence of adults. Whether these adults are the same as those teaching the students, or as we move closer towards Matt’s envisioned Uber-like education model, less skilled/knowledgeable educational “facilitators” more akin to babysitters, remains to be seen.
I think how mobile technology helps to break the traditional (or physical?) classroom settings but one thing I think would have to be changed is also how we approach learning. We used to think that learning, especially the formal ones happen in an actual classroom and that would be the preferred method to learning. It is hard to change that mentality when we have been programmed like this for so long so it is important for learners to see that remote learning is simply another way, and not an alternative way to learn.
Originally Posted by Galina Culpechina on 31 Jan 2019
It is obvious that learning is moving outside of the classroom, and there is also a tendency for learners to manage their own learning. Mobile devices allow learners to easily capture and record events in their life, share their experiences and collaborate with others. Mobile devices can be used as true learning tools, where content is learner-generated (collected and created by learners rather than for learners). Teachers will need to ensure that learning is truly learner-centered, which means it is highly personalized to the needs of the learner, authentic, collaborative, adaptive, done on-the-fly, situated (happening in the same context in which it is applied). More and more attention is given to peer feedback. The role of teachers is changing from those who own and transmit knowledge to those who guide learners to learning resources; help them to explore ways in which mobile technologies can support, facilitate, and enhance their learning; empower them to be investigators. In the suggested reading, I loved the comparison of mobile technology to a very great volume of water. Keeping mobile technology out of the classroom is impossible, so the best approach teachers can take is to build channels to direct mobile technology usage in constructive directions.
This was very evident when we shifted to online learning this year. In primary students had access to their own technology at home. Parents set up their children to make sure they could connect daily with me even if that meant giving them their own technology. Many of my students were aware of how to do things I never knew they were able to do. Being a primary teacher in a district where our computer labs are being taken apart and used as more classroom space we never had much time working with tech, so I was quite surprised to learn these younger kids knew how to do things without me teaching them. This made things much easier when we switched over. It will also remind me not to just jump to conclusions and think that technology is too difficult for little ones.
Originally Posted by Kirsten on 26 Jan 2019
In our world of pedagogical plenty, anyone with a mobile device can learn anything, anywhere, anytime. Ubiquitous learning opportunities on the Internet challenge the traditional notion that learning should happen in a specific school or university, for a certain number of hours a week, and a certain number of semesters during the year. Envisioning the learning context of the future, Lewis Perelman presented an intriguing and provocative notion in his 1992 book, “School’s Out: Hyperlearning, the New Technology and the End of Education”. He argues that modern information technologies have rendered schools obsolete since there is now much more information available outside the classroom than inside it. He envisions a future where learners have the power to determine the time, place and form of learning by using “microvouchers” (public funds) to purchase learning services and products from commercially competitive vendors in “intellectual food courts”. Considering the impact of mobile technologies in liberating learning, are his ideas totally bizarre? I’m just playing the devil’s advocate by putting these ideas out there for the sake of further exploration.
Originally Posted by rstpierre on 29 Jan 2019
It has been mentioned a few times in these posts that mobile technology may erode or make the “bricks and mortar” school obsolete. Was this possibility brought up when most families began to have desktop computers and Internet connections in the home? I don’t think so. We viewed computers (in part) as support tools for education. Mobile technology does not threaten the existence of schools, but will be another tool to support what is happening in the classroom. Furthermore, as mentioned, schools play a wider role than simply learning in the academic sense. Social interaction with peers is extremely important as well. Clubs and sports teams give students opportunities to grow in other ways. If mobile technology made schools obsolete, what would young people be doing during the day? Saying goodbye as Mom and Dad go off to work and then pulling out a Smartphone to study for the rest of the day in an empty house? Tanilong brought up adaptive learning – here is where mobile technology will shine. As a teacher, I recognize the importance of differentiation, but find it very difficult to implement. I usually deliver the same lesson and give the same activities to the entire group. Inevitably, some students will finish quicker, some will take much more time, and perhaps a handful really didn’t need the practice at all. A learning system accessible from a mobile device that responds dynamically to provide students with appropriate challenges to individuals students will be a much more effective way to teach. The teacher will play the role of facilitator and help students individually or in small groups.
“If mobile technology made schools obsolete, what would young people be doing during the day? Saying goodbye as Mom and Dad go off to work and then pulling out a Smartphone to study for the rest of the day in an empty house?” What a prediction!
Schools are not obsolete today but closed now due to the pandemic. We have come across so many problems already: increased screen time, lack of physical activity, sense of isolation, procrastination … My students say, “I just want to see my friends!” Our school is delivering classes online using Zoom, so the students are actually able to see their teachers and classmates on the web camera. Although they are just physically isolated, not socially isolated, the students feel the need to interact with their peers in person. I agree with you that “mobile technology does not threaten the existence of schools, but will be another tool to support what is happening in the classroom.” School is not just about academics, it is also about friendship, community and sense of belonging.
Originally Posted by Chris on 29 Jan 2019
I agree that school provides a social aspect to learning but I also think that statements alluding to schools becoming less important or obsolete as information is readily and easily available do not understand what education truly is. While information is important to learning knowing what to do with information is far more important. As educators we will need to help students to be critical about information but also synthesize information. Any statement linking only knowledge to learning is shortsighted. Chris
Originally Posted by Sally on 27 Jan 2019
As educators we need to take a little back step. The power and utility of mobile technologies are without question, and as an industry we have embraced the mobile world with an enormous hug. Lets put this in perspective, the initial ‘smart’ phone was announced in June 2007 (the iPhone), then the tablet first came into existence in 2010 (iPad). Never before has the educational system been so fast to adapt and integrate a new way of delivering information. How many schools and universities now use mobile devices on a daily basis and in some cases provide them for students. The tablet is less than 5 years old and the mobile phone is only 8 yet their disruptive powers, relatively low cost and ubiquity have made their educational power enormous.
But this article (http://www.wired.com/2015/01/ipad-went-massive-meh-5-short-years/) talks a little about how the tablet might be a little bit of a fad and interest in the iPad is plateauing. The smaller mobile phone devices are winning out validating the adage that we really didnt need another device between a laptop and a phone we just wanted one cause it was cool. Backed up by the iPhone sales currently being on the increase and beating Wall Street estimates.
We have to be careful and act in a mature way here in the educational sphere. It is not beneficial to launch into the latest gadget. Here is an infographic that outlines 30 ways which google glass can be used in education (http://elearninginfographics.com/google-glass-in-education-infographic/). One of our colleagues already posted about the culling of the glass project by the search engine giant, before they were even on sale to the general public. It is important not to get caught in media hype of the latest gadget and ask how we can use this for educational purposes.
It is more important to look to the educational theories and practices we already have and make them available on these new devices. Its a subtle difference but an important one. In terms of future learning contexts I feel that we could be in danger of dumbing down the subject matter to suit the mobile technologies. Can small bites of information that cover a topic that suits the transient, modern learner, ever be enough to really delve into a topic comprehensively? Are we possibly in danger of creating a future learning context where mobile technology delivers the ‘wikipedia’ overview of a topic or subject and never be taken seriously enough to be used as a tool for in depth study. But that may just be the future for mobile education, is that something we can embrace?