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.
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.
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.
Why NOT Mobile Learning?
If smart phones could talk about their use in schools, what
would they say? Watch this:
Toolbox: How We Can Teachers and
Students Use Smart Phones?
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:
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:
·
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:
o
Wikitude: point your phone to see what--and
who--is around you, and then interact (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bmqN3DZC5c)
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:
·
Countless task-specific tools, such as:
§
ask questions/share ideas,
"anonymously"
o
Foursquare
Extra Stuff
Should Phones be Allowed in Schools?
Mobile Phone Classroom Management:
Examples of Mobile Devices in the Classroom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Jovm_L5ec&list=PLkNQB8fOSJx4ENBDPMdC7Ubv8jPCC_BI4
How Teachers See Cell Phones Today:
How teacher Claire uses Mobile Devices:
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.
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.
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.
