The Mobile Classroom

The Mobile Classroom

Ron Jewer

Introduction

A few years ago, I met Elliott Masie, a quirky educational visionary. In one of his presentations, he mentioned something that blew my mind: just-enough and just-in-time. Once students leave the classroom, how do they learn? I am constantly contrasting the difference between what I consider to be artificial learning and authentic learning: learning required for a diploma or job advancement and learning the things we want or need to know to survive and thrive. What are some of the things you want to know or be able to do to survive or thrive? How do you learn? My guess is few of us register for classes and go to school. Most of us lean over to talk to a co-worker, call a friend or seek out (in some form) expert advice. Many go to Google or YouTube. In other words, we go to mentors and peers--and we do it when the need arises.

In its purest sense, m-learning turns traditional learning on its ear. Devices are designed to fit into pockets, to be used with a single finger and to connect the user when needed. The recent release of the BlackBerry 10 was designed specifically with that way of thinking in mind. Their slogan: keep moving. A teacher's slogan: sit still. For example, the BlackBerry 10 is intended to, "flow" in such a way that users can easily utilize apps or communicate with peers and then simply, "peek" at incoming messages in a unified messaging, "hub" with the slight movement of a single thumb  and then either ignore the notification or pop in and deal with it. In a classroom, students are to do what they're told and nothing else and to stay on task. A mobile device is an ADHD kid's dream come true: do a million things--all at once. The entire design and function of a mobile device is the antithesis of traditional schooling. In other words, mobile devices seek to dispense with the brick and mortar of buildings  and the roles of teachers and students. Actually, mobile devices have no such agenda; they're content to simply allow traditional schooling to become extinct. In a world of m-learning, schools and teachers disappear.  Perhaps we will revert to the ancient mentor model of learning and teaching with the most modern gadgets to facilitate. It is no wonder teachers feel threatened by technology; an enormous industry is facing the way of the dinosaur. Once in the workforce, mobile devices are essential for communicating, sharing and learning. "School" is seen as a necessary evil, a gateway to, "the real world." And once in that "real world," people only go back to school when they have to--to acquire the necessary credentials to advance further in the, "real world." But there is a growing mutiny. There is an unprecedented rise in the number of university students who are skipping the classroom in favour of distance learning--often with a mobile device as the key tool to make that happen. Even in schools, teachers know they're fighting a losing battle to keep students from, "playing with their phones." And that's not really fair since the jobs they're likely to have someday will most likely be directly or indirectly related to the very technologies teachers try to suppress. Outside of the classroom, mobile devices are ubiquitous, making teachers oblivious to the reality of the world and their own imminent extinction.

I am arguing, in part, that it is not only futile to suppress mobile devices in the classroom; it is also useless to integrate them into the classroom because the very idea of a classroom, a school and the roles of professional teachers and students is on the verge of collapse. But there is hope for those willing to evolve. Many school boards are, wisely, hiring instructional designers, web developers, e-learning instructors and other technology specialists as they adapt to a new reality: students will learn when and where it is convenient for them. Schools , in many cases, may become labs and drop-in centres. "Learning" will take place on the bus--a student on one and the teacher on another. Teachers don't need to integrate technology; our entire system of education needs to face an impending paradigm shift.

Don't look so shocked. Those of you in this course have never met each other or our instructor--and we probably never will. Many of us are using mobile devices (including phones and tablets) to watch the videos, to read our articles, to write our blogs, to edit our Wiki pages, to e-mail each other, and so on. It's not about integrating technology into the classroom; the future of education is about integrating teachers into a new reality of mobile, just-enough, just-in-time learning.

Case Study: The Water Heater

When my water heater failed, I knew I had to drain and replace it. Here are the steps I took:

Steps to Learning

1.       I went to YouTube on my mobile phone to learn how to drain the tank. I had no idea I had to open the taps in the upstairs bathroom before opening the tap on the water heater.

2.       I called my friend to help me because he knew what to do.

3.       We had to get parts at a store. I didn't need a map, but there was a fully functioning GPS on my phone if I needed directions on how to get there. I also had the option to use my camera to take pictures to show to the store's plumbing expert.

4.       I talked in person to the store's plumbing expert to get the right parts. I was also prepared to get my friend in on a call if I needed a three-way conversation. Not just a voice conversation; if necessary, we could have done screen sharing so that my friend could show the situation to the plumbing expert in real time. I didn't use it but I could have used my phone to also scan a bar code or QR code to check inventory on products and get more product info. I could have also peeked at forums and blogs to get opinions on the best brand and model. If the plumbing expert had more information on his device, he could have tapped my device and, through NFC technology, transferred his information to my mobile device.

5.       When I got home, I showed my friend how we could join pipes without soldering. He was astonished at the new technology I held in my hands. We saved a tremendous amount of time using this new technology.

6.       Success. In a single evening, we replaced a water heater--something I had never done before.

I didn't have time to take a course at a community college. I needed to learn NOW, at home, on the spot. My mobile device was indispensable in that process. It was instrumental at virtually every step: YouTube, the phone (to call my friend), the camera, GPS, screen sharing (if I needed it), the scanner,  NFC data sharing, Google, consumer reviews, etc. A couple of years ago, this story would have dropped jaws. I hope that as you read it, you simply nodded your head and said, "Ya, so? I do stuff like that all the time." If so, you've just proven that we DO live in an era of just-in-time, just-enough learning. And mobile devices play a pivotal role in that process.

The Growth of Mobile

A couple of years ago, this video came out and shocked us into realizing just how important mobile devices are becoming. Watch this and think about how, in just three years, this video is so very out of date.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aUQLIPdtg8

Finished? Impressive, huh? Let's move on, then, to talk about m-learning in the classroom.

What is Mobile Learning?

Maybe, just maybe, mobile learning is both old and new. Watch this and let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEFXZomXs-o&list=PLkNQB8fOSJx4ENBDPMdC7Ubv8jPCC_BI4

Why NOT Mobile Learning?

If smart phones could talk about their use in schools, what would they say? Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uYbXSQxC8c&list=PLkNQB8fOSJx4ENBDPMdC7Ubv8jPCC_BI4

Toolbox: ­­­­­­How We Can Teachers and Students Use Smart Phones?

As we transition from a static to a dynamic, mobile educational model, there are countless ways students and teachers can use smart phones. Your job is to add to this list. You can add to existing items or you can add new items. Here are just a few to get you startedToolbox:

1.     Network

·         Share thoughts with a global community:

o   Use Twitter to Talk to International Space Station:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/01/05/ns-space-station-talk-bedford.html

·         Blog

o   manage a blog using an app: e.g. https://posterous.com/ (Post via e-mail.)

§  e.g. Have English students blog their literature journals and have people comment

2.     Calendar

·         Schedule assignments and tests with alerts

3.     Calculator

·         use standard or scientific calculators

·         use conversion tool

·         use tip tool

4.     Screen Share

·         Participate in a collaborative meeting with peers or mentors anywhere. Share what's on your screen or camera in real time.

o   As a geography teacher in Deep River, Ontario, my students didn't understand much about anything but the granite of the Canadian Shield and the monotony of coniferous trees. Wouldn't it be interesting to take a walk in real time with students in a classroom along the Niagara Escarpment to see geography in real time?

5.     Phone

·         "Call a friend" for answers to problems.

o   No, really. Why not have a pool of mentors or peers who could help you RIGHT NOW?

6.     Text

·         Text peers and mentors to ask and answer questions.

o   See above. This might also be useful for those who don't want to look dumb in class. Here's an example of how texting in class can be a good thing:

o   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kDNKa3a5AM&list=PLkNQB8fOSJx4ENBDPMdC7Ubv8jPCC_BI4

7.     E-Reader

·         Textbooks: current and interactive (and cheaper!)

·         Novels: Access literature, collaborate on stories

o   This would save a lot of money! Besides, I often ran out of books in my room. Why not just use an e-reader?

8.     Docs to Go

·         Create/edit Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint Presentations

o   Powerful stuff. Students can read, write and edit their homework on the school bus and present in class right from their phones.

9.     Browser

·         Read, watch, share

o   Think Google and Wikipedia. The days of memorizing are virtually gone. But why NOT use the Internet to find things?

10.                         NFC

·         Tap to share group work (pictures, text, etc.)

o   Handing in your homework has a whole new meaning. But students working on projects can easily share too--all with the tap of their devices.

11.                         Code Scanning

·         Read barcodes and QR codes

o   e.g. Have students e-mail or post their QR codes for assignments (can be physically posted and students can scan). I've used QR codes for scavenger hunts.

12.                         Still Camera

·         Capture and share experiences, problems and solutions

o   Share a picture of the most exciting moment of a game. Share it on a blog, using it as the focal point of a story

13.                         Video Camera

·         Capture and share experiences, problems and solutions

o   Have students record their presentations instead of doing them live: gives them a chance to edit and to avoid the embarrassment of standing in front of a class

14.                         Micro HDMI/DLNA

·         Share/present your ideas through a projector or TV

o   Individual or group projects

15.                         Audio Tools

·         create or listen to podcasts and mash-ups

o   Sample English Class Using Podscasts for Vocabulary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7PoWsFlsKU        

·         Broadcast live on the Internet via a phone:

o   Ipadio: http://www.ipadio.com

o   broadcast a school concert or game

o   hold a "talk radio" program (e.g. "Should voting be extended to 16-year-olds?")

·         Talk to anyone, anywhere

o   Google Voice: http://www.google.com/voice (demo at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cOZU7BOeQ5)

16.                         GPS/Accelerometer       

·         Geography in a Whole New Light

o   Geo-tagging games:

§  http://www.geocaching.com/

o   Wikitude: point your phone to see what--and who--is around you, and then interact (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bmqN3DZC5c)

o   SCVNGR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZLFxEm8wsQ

17.                         Project Management

·         bring content--pictures, videos, files, appointments--into one place

o   e.g. BlackBerry Remember: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTALA85lRtw

·         Create e-learning content: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jroevVv9M8

18.                         Apps

·         An Introduction:

·         http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6mCkbrYKQyI

·         Countless task-specific tools, such as:

o   Twitter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WPVWDkF7U8&feature=player_embedded

§  ask questions/share ideas, "anonymously"

o   Foursquare

Extra Stuff

Should Phones be Allowed in Schools?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXt_de2-HBE

Mobile Phone Classroom Management:

http://www.techlearning.com/default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=351

Examples of Mobile Devices in the Classroom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Jovm_L5ec&list=PLkNQB8fOSJx4ENBDPMdC7Ubv8jPCC_BI4

How Teachers See Cell Phones Today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hut3VRL5XRE

How teacher Claire uses Mobile Devices:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzPket7eSTE

References

Just-in-Time Education: Learning in the Global Information Age. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from  http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=236

Grant, Michael M.. In Using Mobile Devices for Teaching a Learning Retrieved February 13, 2013, from  http://www.slideshare.net/msquareg/using-mobile-devices-with-teaching-learning.

http://cybraryman.com/cellphones.html

Peachy, Nik. "English Language Teachers Connect To Mobile Learning" Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/sep/14/teachers-mobile-learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRTNnpV_79Y&playnext=1&list=PLkNQB8fOSJx4ENBDPMdC7Ubv8jPCC_BI4&feature=results_main

http://ischoolinitiative.org

Sample Mobile Learning Lesson

Subject:                 Geography (Grade 10)

Topic:                       Glacial Effects

Objective:          By the end of this exercise, students will demonstrate their understanding of a single effect of glaciers by producing an artifact of glacial effects in their own neighbourhood.

Time:                        1 hour

Due:                          March 14, 2013

Activity:

The example below uses the BlackBerry 10 mobile phone.

1.       Prepare an electronic folder to store your project elements (pictures, videos, web pages, docs, etc.) BlackBerry® Remember is a project tool that allows users to gather web pages, notes, pictures, videos, e-mails and more into a single folder. Items can have due dates, linked to a calendar.
2.       Using your mobile device, find a glacial effect in your city. Use a browser search to find and learn more about one of the features identified in class. Use the BlackBerry Browser  to search for a specific item (e.g. kettles). Put your artifact research into your electronic folder. Use the mobile browser to "research" the topic.
3.       Using a voice recorder or video, identify the feature and explain, in your own words, why this feature shows characteristics of the identified glacial effect. Tap here to add more elements to the project, such as a voice note or a video
4.       Use the mobile device to capture photos and videos. In this case,  this can be done from within the the Remember app. Take at least two pictures of the glacial feature from different angles. Include yourself in the picture.
5.       Identify the location on a map. Take a screen shot of the map. Use a mapping app to locate the subject. In this case, the glacial kettle. ­­­­
6.       Put your project together in a small presentation. The app, "Story Maker" allows users to pull pictures and videos together in minutes and share with sites such as YouTube.                                                                                                         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8tCV5_-SM4

How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century

Comments on How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century By Claudia Wallis

I found the title misleading. I thought this article would talk about a, "how" but it seemed to be more about a, "should." Perhaps the title should have been, "Will  Schools and Teachers Become Irrelevant in the 21st Century?" I say that because Wallis seems bitter about all that is old: chalkboards, lectures, etc. She also has as much emphasis on multilingual/multicultural education as she does technology. Not saying either focus is bad--just a misleading title. But it's not just the title I find a little skewed; it's her arguments as well.

I am getting a little tired of what are becoming clichés: schools are archaic and technology is the answer. The answer to what? Many teachers (young ones in particular) are moaning about the lack of technology in their schools, complaining about how awful it is to chalk and talk. But if someone comes along and says we should shut down brick and mortar schools because they are, by their very nature, outdated, teachers would be in an uproar; who wants to lose a good job? There's a lot of hypocrisy in my mind. We want gadgets AND classrooms. We want to embrace new technologies and teaching methodologies but we don't want to lose our jobs! But if, as the author implies, we can find most of our knowledge on the Internet, why not abandon schools? Can't have your cake and eat it too. Oh, I see: teachers are facilitators that teach problem solving and communication? Really? I'm no scholar but what makes teachers such great problem solvers? Communicators? Nuh uh. Bad grammar is nearly ubiquitous among teachers. And what makes them experts? In other words, teachers themselves are often only a step ahead of their students in terms of the knowledge and skills of their students. In fact, only a few years after adulthood, teachers often run to their former students to fix their cars, operate on their gallbladders or renovate their houses--skills those students didn't likely acquire from their teachers. Let's think about that for a minute. How do those who are not teachers become proficient--and stay proficient--in their fields of occupation? On the job, in most cases. So, really, employers are the REAL schools where people actually learn the skills to survive and thrive (maybe with some help from some from college or specialized university programs).

But here's the real kicker. Ironically, the technologies teachers so desperately want in their classrooms  were developed by school or college drop-outs (think Facebook). Yes, take a good, hard look at the companies that drive our economy and see if the people behind them are successful BECAUSE of what they learned in school. No. Frightening thought, isn't it? Don't believe me? Don't ask a teacher because he won't know; check out biographies on Wikipedia.

The answer to educational reform is not in replacing chalkboards with Smart boards or English teachers with foreign language teachers, as Wallis suggests (though, in our global economy, it's a step in the right direction). Authentic problems and projects, alluded to in the article, are a good start. In my opinion, the answer is in kindergarten teachers and mentors who apprentice and mentor protégés. Early education, the good old 3 R's, are essential building blocks. And technology should be a subtle, not overt, part of that (because it's a tool--and it's constantly changing). In the, "old days," a grade 8 education is all one needed. Odds are good that's still true as far as public school is concerned. With or without technology, we all need the foundational knowledge and skills up to that point: reading and writing skills, computational mathematics, a general knowledge of history and geography. Beyond that, real learning in the world of work and survival is, "just enough," and "just in time," facilitated through collaboration. And that's where technology is really useful. Even a tool as small and as common as a mobile phone can offer endless opportunities. The camera, screen share, NFC, gyroscope, compass, GPS, Internet access  and countless apps are all tools that assist in the creation, modification and collaboration of projects and problems in real time, beyond the bounds of space or time.­

Equipping schools or even connecting schools is a panacea for a deeper educational crisis--if there is one. Truth is, the world is changing and there is little schools can do to, "catch-up." There is no such thing as catching up or keeping up. Families are shrinking. Schools are closing. Technology can't fix that. But teachers and schools can move into a new century by doing what their students should do: collaborate and communicate, problem-solve and create. As technology continues to advance at unprecedented rates, it only serves to assist in that endeavour.

That doesn't mean we throw out the old to usher in the new. The Socratic method is as relevant as it ever was. While technology changes, people don't. Keep chalkboards. Use all technology--old and new--wisely. When I shared Shakespeare's, "Taming of the Shrew," with 16-year-olds, I had a budding artist in our class sketch caricatures of the characters on the board, based on the classes insights into those characters. The grade 10's who had to study, "Lord of the Flies" hardly understood a word. Heck, neither did I. But they loved to hear a good story. So, for twenty minutes a day, they'd put their heads down while I read. Who doesn't like to hear a good story? When someone in the story tried to light a fire with Piggy's glasses, we went outside and tried to do the same. A good teacher doesn't have to have the latest and greatest technology; he uses well and wisely what he has. Ushering in a new century doesn't mean throwing out the one before. A wise teacher, a wise school, uses technology as a tool, not a crutch. It's not just students who get caught up in fads; teachers do too. Beware the technology fad! Where teachers are master craftsmen with the tools they have, they will never be, "outdated." They may teach or mentor via a video chat from space but their expertise, their manner of shaping minds and hands, will always be relevant, regardless of how technology changes.

Reflection on Training Is Not a One-Time Event

This blog is a reflection on: Training Is Not a One-Time Event by Kelly Meeker

While this blog is in reference to a corporate training environment, it has tremendous relevance to traditional schooling. Meeker argues, and rightly so, that computer technologies facilitate and encourage perpetual learning. Students often take, "Computers" as a course, just like a Math or Geography class. Technology advocates, however, believe technology ought to be integrated--interwoven--into all courses and classrooms. We don't have a course on, "Pencils and Paper." We simply use the tools as a means to an end and not a "credit" unto itself. More to the blog. Meeker's point is more about a journey than a destination. The challenge to educators is to use the medium AND the message beyond a timed event, to make the tools and the content meaningful beyond a finite learning event. Hear, hear! 

When she says, " Training needs to be a comprehensive approach to personal development that includes mentorship, connection to training content, opportunities to share and discuss the material with colleagues, and resources for self-directed learning," Meeker gives us an intriguing list.

Mentorship

Mentoring is, bar-none, the best way to acquire skills (driving a car, heart surgery, plumbing , etc.). Technology can be used in countless ways as an integral part of mentoring.  When I needed to change a water heater in my basement--something I've never done before--I turned to YouTube for ideas. The world was my mentor, instantly accessible, exceptionally brief and perfectly pragmatic. When I ran into a plumbing problem in my bathroom, I took pictures with my phone and sent them, via e-mail, to my Dad for help, who then called me on the same device to talk me through what I needed to do. When I want to know how to use a software program, I often find insight in grassroots online communities and Twitter feeds. Everyone can mentor and be mentored thanks to technology.  But teachers, generally, are ineffective in "teaching" technology. Instead, we are experiencing a paradigm shift. Teachers are no longer experts, pouring knowledge into empty vessels. Instead, they now often act as logistical facilitators, coordinating the tools and conversations that facilitate micro and macro collaboration, where there is an ever-shifting flow of communication and where all participants are constantly switching between the roles of mentor and student.

Connection to Training Content

Online collaboration is the new norm. Text books are now collaborative and dynamic wikis, tweets, e-mails, phone calls, texts, videos, pictures, etc. I used to think the only place for static content was a novel. But even that is changing as authors now encourage readers to write their own endings. Britannica gave up on a printed version of their encyclopedia years ago. University students have shifted from buying textbooks to renting them online. Content is no longer found in a single, static source.

Opportunities to Share

Educators today recognize that teachers can learn from their students and students  can learn from each other. They also recognize that their classrooms are no longer bound by walls. Tools such as Twitter, Skype, Flickr and YouTube encourage communication and collaboration.

Resources for Learning

Woven throughout the above comments we see the implied suggestion that resources  now go far beyond books and teachers. The challenge now is to learn how to effectively glean from and contribute to the plethora of resources available to students and teachers. Education used to be an island called school or a classroom. Now, it is field, extending beyond the horizons of space or time. But it is also a constantly shifting field of sand. The scope of knowledge and the dizzying pace of change can be overwhelming. "Resource" is an antiquated noun in a new world of verbs. 

There is a growing disparity between school and the world for which students are being prepared. Employers are increasingly skeptical of the static symbol of knowledge: the transcript/report card. Instead, they turn to Facebook to evaluate character and Linkedin to assess accomplishments. The validity of the traditional institution of learning is being questioned. Schools have the challenge of focusing on the need to build character and life-long skills such as problem solving and adaptability. Knowledge can be, "looked up" in an instant. The world is looking for passionate, creative innovators who are driven to succeed. Employers are now skeptical and want to see direct proof in the form of accomplishments instead of symbolic proof in the form of a transcript. But even the concept of, "employer" is becoming antiquated. We now see an unprecedented pace in the rise of self-employment and career-shifting. We live in a wireless world that has disintegrated a world of walls. The institutions of schools and work that were once walls, structure and sequential paths are now fluid, dynamic and, seemingly anarchistic chaos. Teaching and learning are becoming processes instead of events. Schools are becoming experiences instead of places. Teachers and students are becoming  peers. Technology is becoming a driver of cooperation and collaboration. Educators have always known that seeing is better than telling and that doing is better than seeing; technology is becoming a facilitator of all three faster and more effectively than ever.

Ron Jewer