What is Mobile Learning?

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1 Mar 201905:10

Summary

TLDRThe video explains the concept and value of mobile learning, highlighting its ability to transform education through flexible, personalized, and collaborative learning via mobile devices. It emphasizes that the learner, not the technology, is mobile, and how mobile learning supports a pedagogy-first approach. By fostering blended learning environments, mobile learning helps students control their pace and path, making learning more authentic. It encourages student-centered learning, differentiated experiences, and greater educator creativity, yet acknowledges ongoing resistance in some schools to adopt this technology fully.

Takeaways

📱 Mobile learning is defined as learning through mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and wearable technologies, providing on-demand access to the Internet.
🌍 It offers anywhere, anytime learning that is flexible, personalized, and collaborative, focusing on the mobility of the learner rather than the technology.
🎓 Mobile learning supports a shift from traditional direct instruction pedagogy to more inquiry-oriented, project-based, and blended learning approaches.
🔄 A blended learning pedagogy, which combines online and in-person education, is crucial for the effective use of mobile technologies in classrooms.
🚀 Mobile learning improves the quality of education by offering more personalized, student-centered, and differentiated learning experiences.
⏳ It allows students to control the pace and path of their learning, using adaptive software and online tools to learn at their own speed.
👩‍🏫 Teachers play a key role in blended learning, taking on new, more fluid roles as researchers, developers, integrators, and guides.
👥 Mobile learning fosters a culture of collaboration and agency, giving both educators and students more flexibility and creativity in the learning process.
🎯 The aim of mobile learning is to make learning experiences more relevant and authentic, motivating students by incorporating topics that matter to them.
🚧 Despite the benefits, many schools and districts are still resistant or slow to adopt mobile learning technologies and pedagogy.

Q & A

What is mobile learning according to the speaker?
-Mobile learning is defined as learning through mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable technologies like smartwatches. It is characterized by anywhere, anytime learning, enabled by instant on-demand access to the Internet.
How does mobile learning go beyond just using technology?
-Mobile learning is not just about the technology; it is about the learner being mobile. The focus is on the learning experience and opportunities enabled by educational technologies rather than the devices themselves.
What role does pedagogy play in mobile learning?
-A pedagogy-first approach is crucial in mobile learning. The point of using mobile devices in education is to support best practices in teaching, ensuring that the technology complements effective pedagogy, such as inquiry-based or project-based learning models.
Why is blended learning important for mobile learning?
-Blended learning, which combines traditional teaching methods with digital tools, is essential for the successful implementation of mobile learning. It allows teachers to integrate mobile technologies in ways that enhance both in-person and online learning experiences.
How has the focus of mobile learning discussions evolved since 2013?
-In 2013, the focus was primarily on what devices and apps should be used in classrooms. Now, the conversation has shifted to how mobile technology can support continuous, everywhere learning and improve teaching practices.
How does mobile learning support differentiated learning?
-Mobile learning enables educators to create more student-centered, differentiated learning experiences. Students can control the pace and path of their learning, making the process more personalized and tailored to individual needs.
What are the potential benefits of mobile learning for student motivation?
-Mobile learning can make learning experiences more relevant and authentic, aligning them with the students' interests. When students see that the content is meaningful to them, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their learning.
How does mobile learning impact the role of teachers in the classroom?
-In mobile and blended learning environments, the role of teachers becomes more dynamic. Teachers act as researchers, developers, integrators, and guides, collaborating with others to create innovative and flexible learning environments.
What challenges remain in the adoption of mobile learning in schools?
-Despite its potential, mobile learning has not been widely adopted in schools. Many schools and districts remain resistant to these technologies, possibly due to lack of resources, training, or a cultural shift in educational practices.
What is the key message regarding mobile learning's impact on teaching and learning?
-The key message is that mobile learning offers an opportunity to rethink how teaching and learning are done. It empowers students to take control of their learning, while also requiring skilled, creative educators to effectively integrate technology into pedagogy.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Introduction to Mobile Learning

The speaker, Laura Dee Scientist, introduces the concept of mobile learning, defining it as learning facilitated through mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable technologies. Mobile learning enables anytime, anywhere learning via on-demand internet access. It is flexible, personalized, and collaborative. The speaker emphasizes that mobile learning is centered around the learner's mobility, not just the technology. It involves leveraging educational technologies to enhance learning experiences.

🎯 The Purpose of Mobile Learning

Mobile learning's value lies in its ability to support effective pedagogy. Teachers can use mobile technologies to enhance inquiry-oriented or project-based learning models, rather than relying solely on traditional direct instruction methods. The speaker advocates for blended learning approaches, where mobile devices are integrated to foster personalized and adaptive learning experiences, tailored to individual student needs.

🚀 The Evolution of Mobile Learning in Education

Since 2013, the conversation around mobile learning has shifted from focusing on devices and apps to exploring how mobile technologies can support 'anytime, everywhere' learning. This shift has significant pedagogical implications, elevating educational standards and practices. Mobile learning, integrated with online and blended learning models, helps educators create more personalized and differentiated learning environments, empowering both teachers and students.

👩‍🏫 Personalized Learning and Student Agency

Mobile learning allows for greater student-centered learning experiences, aligning with Benjamin Bloom's idea that not all students need the same amount of time to meet learning objectives. The use of mobile devices helps educators design differentiated lessons and enables students to take control of their learning by setting their own pace and paths. This promotes a more personalized, engaging, and relevant learning environment.

💻 Mobile Learning: Rethinking Teaching

Mobile learning doesn’t replace traditional teaching methods but demands skilled educators who can implement blended learning approaches effectively. In this model, the teacher’s role becomes more dynamic, shifting between researcher, developer, and guide. These roles enable educators to design creative learning experiences, offering more flexibility in how classrooms are structured and managed.

🏫 Challenges of Adopting Mobile Learning

Despite the promise of mobile learning, schools have been slow to adopt these technologies. Although the focus on 21st-century skills and the new curriculum aligns with mobile learning's potential, resistance to change in schools and districts remains a significant hurdle.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Mobile Learning

Mobile learning refers to education through mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and wearable technologies. It allows for learning to happen anywhere and anytime, thanks to the ability to access the internet on-demand. In the video, mobile learning is seen as a flexible, personalized, and collaborative approach that emphasizes the mobility of the learner rather than just the technology.

💡Blended Learning

Blended learning combines traditional classroom teaching with digital learning tools and platforms. In the context of mobile learning, blended learning is a pedagogical approach that integrates mobile technologies to support inquiry-based and project-based learning. The video stresses the importance of this method in modern education, where mobile devices can help in transitioning from direct instruction to more student-centered learning models.

💡Personalized Learning

Personalized learning refers to tailoring the educational experience to the individual needs, abilities, and interests of each student. The video discusses how mobile learning enables personalized learning by allowing students to control the pace and path of their education, providing a more relevant and authentic learning experience.

💡Pedagogy

Pedagogy is the method and practice of teaching. The video emphasizes a 'pedagogy-first' approach when using mobile devices in education, meaning the focus should be on effective teaching practices rather than the technology itself. Mobile learning can enhance and transform pedagogy by supporting new teaching models like blended learning.

💡21st Century Skills

21st century skills include critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and digital literacy. The video highlights the role of mobile learning in developing these skills, as it provides students with the tools and opportunities to engage in modern, technology-driven educational environments. These skills are crucial in today’s curriculum and workforce.

💡Student-Centered Learning

Student-centered learning focuses on the needs, abilities, interests, and learning styles of the student, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. In the video, mobile learning supports this by giving students greater control over their learning experience, allowing them to engage with course content at their own pace and in ways that are meaningful to them.

💡Differentiated Learning

Differentiated learning involves creating different paths or approaches for students based on their individual learning needs. Mobile learning tools help in providing differentiated instruction by offering adaptive software programs that allow students to learn and progress at their own pace. The video links this concept with the ability of students to control their learning goals and engage in a variety of modalities.

💡Educational Innovation

Educational innovation refers to new and creative ways of improving teaching and learning. The video positions mobile learning as a key driver of innovation in education by providing flexible, technology-enhanced opportunities for personalized and student-centered learning, fostering a culture of innovation in classrooms and schools.

💡Adaptive Software Programs

Adaptive software programs adjust the level of difficulty or content based on the learner’s progress and needs. In the video, mobile learning is seen as a way for students to access these programs, allowing them to pause, review, or move forward in their learning journey depending on how quickly they are mastering the content.

💡Inquiry-Oriented Learning

Inquiry-oriented learning encourages students to ask questions, explore, and engage in problem-solving. The video describes how mobile learning supports this approach by fostering a blended learning pedagogy that focuses on inquiry and student engagement, making education more dynamic and interactive.

Highlights

Mobile learning is learning through mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable technologies like smartwatches.

It enables anywhere, anytime learning through instant on-demand access to the Internet, offering flexibility, personalization, and collaboration.

A key point in mobile learning theory is that it is the learner, not the technology, that is mobile.

Mobile learning goes beyond the technology to offer experiences and opportunities through the evolution of educational technologies.

The big idea in mobile learning is enhancing learning practices with technology that engages students and helps them learn effectively.

Mobile devices in K-12 education can be powerful when shifting from direct instruction to inquiry-oriented or project-based learning.

Blended learning pedagogy is necessary for the long-term implementation of mobile technologies in schools.

In recent years, the focus has shifted from which technologies to use to how to support learning everywhere and all the time.

Mobile learning has significant pedagogical implications, transforming and elevating best practices.

It allows for more student-centered and differentiated learning experiences.

Emerging pedagogies with mobile learning give students and educators more agency and flexibility in innovation.

Mobile learning puts students in control of the pace and path of their learning, enhancing personalization and motivation.

Students can use mobile devices to access adaptive programs and online tools to learn at their own pace and engage with peers and teachers.

Teachers' roles shift in blended learning pedagogy, becoming more fluid and collaborative within teams.

Despite the potential of mobile learning, schools remain somewhat resistant to adopting these technologies.