I was recently asked to present some information to a committee about mobile devices in the future of teaching and learning. I made this into a ‘top 20’ list of things that mobile devices can be used for in education, starting with the more obvious and working towards the more interesting.

1. As a mobile web device for access to information

2. As a 24/7 anywhere any time learning device

3. As a support device for organising learning tasks and schedules

4. As a multimedia presentation device

5. As a data capture/ recording device for classroom, homework and field work

6. As a classroom memory (store files, photos of whiteboards, videos of talks etc.)

7. As a sharing device for showing and distributing work

8. As a creative device for capturing, editing and transforming digital material

9. As a host for specific apps for different subject areas

10. As a communications device for collaborative learning (e.g. Twitter, Google Drive)

11. As a feedback device (e.g. live classroom polling)

12. As a support device (task support in situ)

13. As an assessment device (questioning, submitting work, creating assignments)

14. As a tool with sensors (location, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, weather, luminance etc.)

15. As a scanning device (RFID, bar codes)

16. As a guidance device (geocaching, geotagging)

17. As a testing device for student created apps

18. As a contextual device (location and content aware – learning content tailored to place)

19. As an augmentation device (augmented reality)

20. As an appropriated device (ownership, personalisation)