Dr David Parsons

davidparsons.ac.nz

Category: Mobile Learning

Mobile Learning

Ignatia Webs blog post – the future of mobile learning

Feb 25, 2014 by daveparsonsnz

Ignatia Webs blog post – the future of mobile learning

I was very pleased to see this positive blog post review of a chapter I recently published in an open access book on mobile learning, which the blogger, Inge De Ward, also tweeted. Inge’s blog and Twitter feed must be quite popular, judging by the large number re-tweets that ensued. Please take a look at the blog post, and also the article (the blog contains a link to it)

Mobile Learning

Mobile devices in teaching and learning – Top 20 uses

Aug 9, 2013 #mobile devices by daveparsonsnz

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)

Mobile Learning

Learning with one-to-one devices

Mar 16, 2013 by daveparsonsnz

I’ve just attended the ‘through the Looking glass’ conference at Orewa College, which is in the second year using of student owned one-to-one digital devices in all classes. Some interesting themes are emerging, including:

  • use of one-to-one devices is becoming ‘normal’
  • teachers are becoming familiar with the boundaries between use of digital devices, and situations where more traditional tools and materials are still more appropriate (e.g. music manuscript books)
  • There is a point where the students have had enough use of digital devices and just want to get on with the activity.
  • on-line videos of instruction (preferably made by the students and teachers) are enabling not only ‘flipped classrooms’ but a more fluid model of teaching where no teacher to class presentations are required. Teaching becomes one to one
  • some teachers are embracing public tools from the students’ own lives like Facebook. others have reservations about this approach. Choice of tools is an ongoing debate and exploration.

Overall, the process involves finding out how one-to-one devices can be made to work in all subjects for all types of student. The staff and students at Orewa are making good progress on that journey.