Mobile learning in the classroom (sound file attached)

Mobile learning becomes popular in terms of the technological shifts occurred in the society. With the help of mobile learning, students are able to access information whenever and wherever they are. At the same time mobile learning also brings challenges to us as educators on how can we make the best use of technology instead of students overuse it for non-education purpose in the classroom. In doing so, educators have to build up a pedagogy that associates technology and learning environment in order to improve class efficiency.

Mobile learning is elearning through mobile computational devices, they can be Palms, Windows CE machines or even your digital cell phone (Quinn, 2000). By study mobile learning, people will be able to understand technology can contribute to new knowledge, skills and experience for mobility learners (Sharples, Arnedillo-S’anchez, Milrad & Vavoula, 2009).

However, parents and schools are worried because the use of mobile technology in classroom might cause problem as some students are not using it in an educational aspect. Therefore, some schools have banned mobile devices in class. On my personal perspective, mobile devices can be an engaging tool for students instead of entertainment. It is a challenge but teachers should teach students how to use mobile technology properly and educationally in order to use technology as a helpful tool as well as encourage life-long learning. At the same time, teachers should inform the parents about the essentiality of using mobile technology in class and how it can be use for educational purpose. I believe mobile technology in class link students in real and virtual world which create learning communities between students. However, it requires educators to incorporate proper use of mobile technologies in educational purpose which can eventually be beneficial to the class with these devices.

Ipod, as popular device that is socially acceptable amongst youth of today can be used in the classroom to enhance student’s learning. Dale and Pymm (2009) introduce using ipod as a learning technology in classroom promotes a new culture of learning personally and socially. Skills such as performing skills, creative powers of interpretation, research and exploration, assimilation and synthesis of complex information and theoretical concepts etc have been demonstrated to students by ipod. With the help of ipod as a mobile technology, students are able to develop flexible, creative, sensory, personalized, collaborative learning which make a difference to a traditional classroom (Dale & Pymm, 2009).

As one of the examples of mobile technologies, the use of ipod in classroom allows students to gain knowledge within and beyond the classroom and improves the efficiency of teaching. Similar with other mobile devices, they can be used to help teaching within an appropriate curriculum. Collaboration between students and teachers will happen at anytime and anywhere with the help of mobile learning. There is a sound file here indicating how students and educators think about mobile learning which can be helpful for our future teaching with mobile technologies. 

(Click the image for sound file)

As a future educator, I would use mobile technologies in my classroom because it provides multimedia such as audio, image, text technologies and other different media which are helpful for both student’s learning and enhancement of the content. Additionally, I would also build an appropriate theory of education for mobile learning in order to promote my teaching pedagogy as well as prevent inefficient use of mobile devices in classroom. 

References 

Dale, C. & Pymm, J. M. (2009). Podagogy: The iPod as a learning technology. Active Learning in Higher Education,10(1), 84 -96. Retrieved from http://alh.sagepub.com/content/10/1/84

Quinn, C. (2000). mLearning: Mobile, wireless, in your pocket learning. Retrieved from http://www.linezine.com/2.1/features/cqmmwiyp.htm

Sharples, M., Arnedillo-S’anchez, Milrad, M., & Vavoula, G. (2009). Mobile learning small devices, big issues. In Balacheff et al. (Eds.), Technology-Enhanced Learning (pp. 233-249). doi: 10.1007/978-1-4020-9827-7 14 

For the images

http://edudemic.com/tag/mobile-learning/

http://www.districtadministration.com/article/mobile-devices-drive-creative-instruction

http://armstrongcarledm310.blogspot.com.au/

http://www.iconfinder.com/icondetails/79627/128/sound_icon