3 Key Considerations of Mobile Learning
Before designing and implementing a Mobile Learning (ML) initiative or curriculum, it is critical to the sustainability and success of any project to thoroughly examine the context that currently exists in the intended classroom, school, and/or school district, and to make the necessary preparations to the educational context to be one that is supportive of innovative pedagogy.
The 3 key considerations below must be discussed prior to ML curriculum development to inform and empower implementation:
The 3 key considerations below must be discussed prior to ML curriculum development to inform and empower implementation:
- Pedagogy
- School Culture and Professional Development
- ICTs and Infrastructure
Pedagogy
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The successful implementation of ML will require sound pedagogical practices and goals. When designing and implementing a ML initiative in a face-to-face classroom, I believe that Blended Learning (BL) Pedagogy is foundational, particularly when discussing the changing roles of the student and teacher in the context of B.C’s New Curriculum.
BL is an emerging pedagogy, but one that was found to help create a culture that gave educators and students more control and flexibility in educational innovation and shift the school and classroom toward a more personalized learning environment (Blended Learning Universe, 2017). BL puts the student in the driver’s seat of the learning process, making learning experiences more relevant and authentic. |
Landmark research in BL Pedagogy found that it was essential to begin the instructional design process with student motivation as the “guiding star” (Horn & Staker, 2014, p. 139). When educators were able to design a learning experience that incorporated the things that mattered to their students, they came to school motivated and eager to learn (Horn & Staker, 2014, p. 138). A BL Pedagogy provided student-centered, differentiated learning experiences that addressed the two main educational goals of students: to feel successful and to have fun with friends (Horn & Staker, 2014, p. 143).
Figure 2. Blended Learning vs. Traditional Teacher Roles (The New Teacher Project, 2014, p. 2).
The Role of the Student
BL gives students the ability to control the pace and path of their learning. In a 1:1 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) or Mobile Device initiative, students were able to use their personal or school provided mobile devices, adaptive software programs, and online tools and applications, to pause, review, and proceed forward depending on how quickly they were mastering their learning tasks and activities, learning at their own pace. Students are also able to choose a path toward achieving and optimizing their learning goals and engage with course content, peers, teachers, and experts via differentiated learning modalities, forming positive relationships and a community of learners.
BL gives students the ability to control the pace and path of their learning. In a 1:1 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) or Mobile Device initiative, students were able to use their personal or school provided mobile devices, adaptive software programs, and online tools and applications, to pause, review, and proceed forward depending on how quickly they were mastering their learning tasks and activities, learning at their own pace. Students are also able to choose a path toward achieving and optimizing their learning goals and engage with course content, peers, teachers, and experts via differentiated learning modalities, forming positive relationships and a community of learners.
The Role of the Teacher
Skillful teachers are also a key component to enact BL Pedagogy and necessary to support the effective use of ICTs in the classroom (Staley, 2004). In a BL program, a teacher’s role is more fluid and often divided up into several more targeted roles. Gone is the lone teacher doing it all; a BL teacher becomes part of a team of educators, face-to-face or online, that assume the roles of “Researcher & Developer, Integrator, and Guide” (The New Teacher Project, 2014, p. 2). Displayed in Figure 2 is the continuum of these three roles working independently, or overlapping, which create a teaching role that enables educators’ considerable creativity in how their classroom is designed and managed.
Skillful teachers are also a key component to enact BL Pedagogy and necessary to support the effective use of ICTs in the classroom (Staley, 2004). In a BL program, a teacher’s role is more fluid and often divided up into several more targeted roles. Gone is the lone teacher doing it all; a BL teacher becomes part of a team of educators, face-to-face or online, that assume the roles of “Researcher & Developer, Integrator, and Guide” (The New Teacher Project, 2014, p. 2). Displayed in Figure 2 is the continuum of these three roles working independently, or overlapping, which create a teaching role that enables educators’ considerable creativity in how their classroom is designed and managed.
School Culture and Professional Development
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Introducing ML tools and technology doesn’t replace good teaching, it demands it. Laptops, tablets, Smartphones, and the associated online tools and applications alone are not going to change the traditional classroom (Mindshift, 2015). To reimagine the current traditional model of education, first there needs to be a school and classroom culture that will facilitate and support technological and pedagogical innovation (Horn, 2017).
School Culture
To begin a culture change, it is vital that school faculty have a shared vision or a set of guiding principles. To create a shared school vision, a possible first step would be an Appreciative Inquiry among the faculty at the school. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is defined as a systematic, “strengths-based approach to organizational planning and change” (Horan, 2018, p. 20). Through the use of generative questioning, AI examines the best of what exists in experiences, people, and organizations (Horan, 2018). Highlighted by Figure 3, using the 5 D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry (AI Commons, n.d.) as a guideline, the values and learning goals revealed in the ‘Discover’ stage would be the foundation of a shared school vision or ‘Dream,’ through which any ML implementation, or ‘Design,’ would be filtered. A ML initiative having long-term success in the ‘Delivery’ stage, would be greatly improved by a shared vision and school goals driving discussion and planning (Senge, 1999).
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The cyclical process of critical reflection and evaluation inherent to AI would be integral to the success of a ML initiative within the face-to-face classroom or school. It is essential that a shared school vision be revisited many times so that educators will not get discouraged during the implementation process. A cohesive, aligned message will help educators understand how their day-to-day activities contribute to long-term goals, strengthen their practice, and most importantly, make a difference for kids in the classroom. For example, regular meetings, faculty email, status reports, and assessment summaries, are all effective strategies that keep faculty up-to-date on the action plan and ongoing efforts, while at the same time provide an opportunity to “discuss and reflect on their current practices and their eventual transformations” (Cerratto Pargman, Nouri, & Milrad, 2018, p. 230), share concerns, and generate ideas to better implement ML Pedagogy.
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Figure 3. 5 D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry (Stuart, G., 2017).
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Professional Development
Paramount to the success of ML in face-to-face classrooms is support for teachers from administrators and colleagues. Supportive “leadership must be present in a school setting in order for mobile learning to succeed” (Richards, 2013, Mobile Learning Theory section, para. 4). Professional development that fostered an environment where teachers believe they can successfully implement innovative pedagogies in their classrooms are particularly valuable, and implementations of new curricular and classroom initiatives, such as 1:1 BYOD, were most successful with engaged teachers (Schechter, Kazakoff, Bundschuh, Prescott, & Macaruso, 2017). The moving away from traditional teaching practices required a larger school community investment to overcome potential challenges.
“Despite the widespread agreement on the importance of digital competence, training in the digital-supported teaching methods is still too uncommon in teacher education” (NMC Horizon Report, 2015, p. 24). Unfortunately, on-the-job training often focuses on how to operate equipment rather than demonstrate how to incorporate new ICTs into instruction.
Research suggested that effective ML occurred when there was continual and sustained professional development and support (Kolk, 2019). Professional development opportunities within the connected spheres of BL and ML Pedagogy, would allow for a ‘cutting-edge’ teaching profession to emerge. Motivated educators would have a career path that elevated their practice by creating a supportive environment for them to build new skills and advance their careers (The New Teacher Project, 2014).
A common theme in the literature was that school districts should provide more training opportunities within curricular and technical support in order for teachers to develop the “confidence to use these new tools and move on from the downsides of mobiles” (Rubin, 2016, para. 24). Successful change occurred when educators were engaged, believed in what they were doing, and modelled the behaviours they were expecting of others. In turn, ML has the potential to foster a professional culture that reinforces and requires collaboration, opportunities to lead, frequent feedback, and meaningful work, allowing educators to find places to “achieve, gain recognition, and exercise responsibility” (Horn & Staker, 2014, p. 178).
Paramount to the success of ML in face-to-face classrooms is support for teachers from administrators and colleagues. Supportive “leadership must be present in a school setting in order for mobile learning to succeed” (Richards, 2013, Mobile Learning Theory section, para. 4). Professional development that fostered an environment where teachers believe they can successfully implement innovative pedagogies in their classrooms are particularly valuable, and implementations of new curricular and classroom initiatives, such as 1:1 BYOD, were most successful with engaged teachers (Schechter, Kazakoff, Bundschuh, Prescott, & Macaruso, 2017). The moving away from traditional teaching practices required a larger school community investment to overcome potential challenges.
“Despite the widespread agreement on the importance of digital competence, training in the digital-supported teaching methods is still too uncommon in teacher education” (NMC Horizon Report, 2015, p. 24). Unfortunately, on-the-job training often focuses on how to operate equipment rather than demonstrate how to incorporate new ICTs into instruction.
Research suggested that effective ML occurred when there was continual and sustained professional development and support (Kolk, 2019). Professional development opportunities within the connected spheres of BL and ML Pedagogy, would allow for a ‘cutting-edge’ teaching profession to emerge. Motivated educators would have a career path that elevated their practice by creating a supportive environment for them to build new skills and advance their careers (The New Teacher Project, 2014).
A common theme in the literature was that school districts should provide more training opportunities within curricular and technical support in order for teachers to develop the “confidence to use these new tools and move on from the downsides of mobiles” (Rubin, 2016, para. 24). Successful change occurred when educators were engaged, believed in what they were doing, and modelled the behaviours they were expecting of others. In turn, ML has the potential to foster a professional culture that reinforces and requires collaboration, opportunities to lead, frequent feedback, and meaningful work, allowing educators to find places to “achieve, gain recognition, and exercise responsibility” (Horn & Staker, 2014, p. 178).
ICTs and Infrastructure
Information and communications technologies (ICTs)
Mobile devices are the wave of the foreseeable future in educational technology (Nee Chee, Yahaya, Ibrahim, & Hasan, 2017). In 1:1 Mobile Device initiatives, schools typically purchase classroom sets of devices, such as iPads or Chromebooks, and lend them out to students (Steckner, 2017). But there has been a recent trend towards 1:1 BYOD initiatives or a combination of both, due to school or district budget constraints, particularly in large or economically diverse districts (Steckner, 2017). The goal of these initiatives is to ensure that all students had access to computing devices. “If mobile tech is embedded in learning, then everyone needs equal access to devices and connectivity” (Rubin, 2016, para. 24). The digital divide persists in every country in the world and educators need to take this into account when planning ML projects.
Mobile devices are the wave of the foreseeable future in educational technology (Nee Chee, Yahaya, Ibrahim, & Hasan, 2017). In 1:1 Mobile Device initiatives, schools typically purchase classroom sets of devices, such as iPads or Chromebooks, and lend them out to students (Steckner, 2017). But there has been a recent trend towards 1:1 BYOD initiatives or a combination of both, due to school or district budget constraints, particularly in large or economically diverse districts (Steckner, 2017). The goal of these initiatives is to ensure that all students had access to computing devices. “If mobile tech is embedded in learning, then everyone needs equal access to devices and connectivity” (Rubin, 2016, para. 24). The digital divide persists in every country in the world and educators need to take this into account when planning ML projects.
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Infrastructure
Additionally, schools beginning a 1:1 BYOD or 1:1 Mobile Device initiative must have a wireless network that is reliable, efficient, and capable of supporting the broadband connection and bandwidth necessary to implement a large-scale technology deployment (Steckner, 2017). Maintenance of these school networks is another area that ML, specifically 1:1 BYOD assisted with because as students began to bring more devices to the classroom, they often updated the systems and applications they used much faster than the technology refreshes districts could do (Raths, 2013). But with any ICT initiative there were still “realities and limitations of existing education and ICT infrastructures” (Shuler, West, & Winters, 2013, p. 31), that were challenging for ML programs and initiatives to overcome in a face-to-face classroom and school context.
In order to support project sustainability over time, a supportive ICT department was a crucial component in any technology initiative (Shuler et al., 2013). An ICT department that promoted faculty digital literacy skills and emerging pedagogies, as well as focused on student learning was necessary for the success of ML initiatives. An effective ICT department consisted of at least one, possibly two, Technology Integration Specialists (TIS) who were responsible for technology instruction, computer resources, program management, and technical support. They were the partners that teachers would work with to effectively use technology and integrate it into the curriculum (Kolk, 2019). Ideally these positions would be supported by an additional one or two technology support staff that would troubleshoot technological devices and programs, so that the TIS could focus on changing instructional practice and helping teachers and students meet curriculum objectives and learning goals.
Additionally, schools beginning a 1:1 BYOD or 1:1 Mobile Device initiative must have a wireless network that is reliable, efficient, and capable of supporting the broadband connection and bandwidth necessary to implement a large-scale technology deployment (Steckner, 2017). Maintenance of these school networks is another area that ML, specifically 1:1 BYOD assisted with because as students began to bring more devices to the classroom, they often updated the systems and applications they used much faster than the technology refreshes districts could do (Raths, 2013). But with any ICT initiative there were still “realities and limitations of existing education and ICT infrastructures” (Shuler, West, & Winters, 2013, p. 31), that were challenging for ML programs and initiatives to overcome in a face-to-face classroom and school context.
In order to support project sustainability over time, a supportive ICT department was a crucial component in any technology initiative (Shuler et al., 2013). An ICT department that promoted faculty digital literacy skills and emerging pedagogies, as well as focused on student learning was necessary for the success of ML initiatives. An effective ICT department consisted of at least one, possibly two, Technology Integration Specialists (TIS) who were responsible for technology instruction, computer resources, program management, and technical support. They were the partners that teachers would work with to effectively use technology and integrate it into the curriculum (Kolk, 2019). Ideally these positions would be supported by an additional one or two technology support staff that would troubleshoot technological devices and programs, so that the TIS could focus on changing instructional practice and helping teachers and students meet curriculum objectives and learning goals.
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