Mobile Learning: Handheld Education?

There are many different trends that appear in the educational world.  Some come and go, others evolve in stability, and still others raise controversy.  Recently, these trends have centered around technology and its utilization in, or in conjunction with, the formal classroom.  Educators are, for the most part, on board with tech integration.  The reason for such optimism in this ever expanding resource is that technology opens new doors into instruction that would otherwise be closed.  As David Lassner, Vice President for Information Technology at the University of Hawaii said, “The real power of interactive technologies is that they let us learn in ways that aren’t otherwise possible or practical.”  Technology is evolving instruction in many ways; one increasingly popular method is that of Mobile Learning.  I want to quickly look at the prevalence of mobile use and mobile instruction within the classroom and the corporate world, the benefits and negatives of using this expanding tool, and the ways we can implement Mobile Learning into our classrooms today.

First of all, is Mobile Learning really out there?  Are people truly using their mobile devices for more than games, planning events, and trolling people on the internet?  Pew Research Center states over 60% of adults in the United States have some form of smart phone and over 40% have a tablet.  They also state that over 70% of teenagers have smart phones capable of mobile learning and only 12% have no phone at all (Lenhart, 2015).  We can see that mobile use is prevalent in adults and children.  Total Maturity conducted a study of over 1,600 participants and found that 74% of the smart phone owners used their devices to aid in their job responsibilities.  And companies are responding to this desire.  67% of organizations now offer some sort of Mobile Learning for their employees in the form of online trainings, refreshers, LMS, or collaboration (Phillips, 2016).  This is proof that our culture is moving towards Mobile Learning as a normal and accepted form of remote education and instruction.  These practices don’t just work within a corporate setting, they also translate very well into an educational setting.

PEW Research Table: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/pi_2015-04-09_teensandtech_06/

Just like any new tool or practice, Mobile Learning has some good aspects and some questionable aspects.  The biggest controversy behind any device driven instruction for students is that it can take away from face to face interaction and physical manipulatives.  The fear here is that students will not collaborate or communicate.  Without a physical location or tangible resources, the discussion and group work will suffer.  And while this may be the case in earlier years - elementary education - I do believe those developing students need to learn how to behave around others and develop fine motor skills, the higher grades have been found to benefit and thrive in their online communities.  Aicha Blehch Amry, PhD from Taibah University stated, “Learning is becoming more personal and is becoming increasingly based on online social interactions that enable collaborative, networked and portable processes. Learning is becoming ubiquitous, durable and increasingly at odds with formal education. Increasingly, different types of learning happen outside of the classroom through social cooperation and collaboration between students to improve construction and knowledge sharing. (Amry, 2014)”  Students can create an online community that works well together and extends learning and collaboration outside of the school building if directed properly.  There are also many positives to Mobile Learning in an education setting.  Mobile Learning allows for more student centered learning.  Accessing the many multiple intelligences is often a missed opportunity.  It is much easier for educators to create a single assignment that can only be completed in one way.  This makes grading simpler and keeping track of student assignments more streamlined.  The problem is, this method can also limit students and does not create an environment where the learner can express their creativity in problem solving and their ability to portray information in a unique way.  As teachers, we want to encourage thinking outside of the box and allowing students to problem solve in order to demonstrate mastery.  Mobile Learning can allow students more creative expression.  Their mastery may take the form of a video, or a photo collection, a Google Slide presentation, or even a recording like a podcast or screencast (Krueger, 2014).  Our students have already bought into the device driven life, we as educators can re-direct this drive away from time wasting videos, to an expression of understanding through mediums they respect and relate to.  It reminds me of a story told by Aaron Sams and Jonathan Bergmann in their book, Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day, where a student they had created a video game that he and other students could play to demonstrate he had acquired mastery of a given content area (Bergmann & Sams, 2012).  This was not an ordinary form of assessment, but it allowed the student to display mastery in a unique and effective method.  Mobile Learning is also, as the name implies, mobile.  This resource allows for remote collaboration wherever there is data or WiFi.  Students can access their projects and assignments anywhere and work with their classmates on their own time.  This is a great way to promote learning outside of the classroom and in an environment that they are comfortable in.  Mobile Learning also helps students take ownership of their learning by encouraging and developing time management skills.  Many Mobile Learning applications or instruction can be re-visited by students to truly grasp what was discussed.  This allows for greater comprehension and retention.  The learning becomes personal as they work through it at their own pace and in their own way (Krueger, 2014).  Relation to information is in direct correlation to their assimilation of new content.  When Mobile Learning is done correctly, our learning culture is not limited to the brick and mortar of the school building, but it is applied to our lives in a much more organic and comprehensive manner.

For Complete Infograph: http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/How-Technology-in-the-Classroom-is-Affecting-Education-Infographic

So how can we incorporate Mobile Learning into our classroom?  There are many options available for educators of all different school budgets, but there is one thing we must always keep in mind.  Technology is just another tool in our educational tool chest, and it must be used appropriately.  We as educators have a responsibility to only use technology when it enhances learning.  We should not use it just for the sake of checking off our educational technology quota for the day.  There are times and places for Mobile Learning just like any other instructional resource.  That being said, one of the best uses for Mobile Learning is the application of online collaboration.  This can be done with many different Web 2.0 tools and applications - click here to see a list of my favorites - but the most accessible tool is the line of Google Apps.  Google Drive is full of applications that students can access on their mobile devices for collaborative purposes.  Google Docs allows for groups notes, Google Slides can create team presentations, and Google Hangouts can help facilitate group study sessions.  Online collaboration is a great way to get your students working together outside of the traditional classroom setting.  Learning Management Systems - or LMS - are also an effective way to connect with your students remotely.  These online classroom portals can create a stable and controlled environment where students can interact, read up on assignments, and post papers or projects.  Most LMS are mobile compatible and can help give students a sense of control and ownership of their assignments and responsibilities.  The last Mobile Learning option I’d like to mention is the idea of “gamification".  This is when concepts or skills are incorporated into a game format where students participate and compete on pre-determined levels to reach mastery of a given topic.  This format creates a safe place to “fail” and learn from mistakes (Kochattil, 2016).  Many times students who are afraid of failure or “trying the wrong way” find comfort in a game setting and can learn in a much more healthy atmosphere.

Mobile Learning is evolving within our instructional system.  It is permeating our corporate culture and working its way into our schools.  Students are already wrapped up in their mobile devices and many time-wasting applications are vying for their attention.  Are we as educators going to change and adapt with technology to better facilitate our learners?  Are we going to take advantage of the tools at our disposal and do our best to create an open atmosphere for creative discovery and learning?  Or will we stay comfortable in our tried and true educational practices that are slowly becoming outdated.  I hope we choose to do our best to keep up with the ever evolving state of educational technology and create learners who are not afraid to problem solve and express their creativity.