A Case for Using Mobile Devices

Mobile Learning is emerging as one of the solutions to the challenges faced by education. With a variety of tools and resources always available, mobile learning provides increased options for personalization of learning. Mobile learning in classrooms often has students working interdependently, in groups, or individually to solve problems, to work on projects, to meet individual needs, and to allow for student voice and choice. With access to so much content anytime and anywhere, there are plenty of opportunities for learning, both inside and outside the classroom.

From my interviews with some students, they say that it is easier to use their mobile device to improve their access to information. Students are confident that with their mobile devices, they will be able to find anything they want to find, right at the time they need, it helps them achieve general information on the internet or it's information related to their course faster. Students can read their course materials on their smartphones which are more lightweight than books and PCs, rather than have to go to the computer labs. That means that technology provides a whole new opportunity for doing things in a different way.

As teachers we must plan for the creative use of these technologies in the classroom, we should keep in our mind some questions regarding using the standards and the learning objectives to creatively integrate mobile learning to allow for deeper students learning and enhance student-centered learning and reinforce the targeted learning outcomes. When we make lesson plans, we should plan ahead and critically think about ways to integrate this type of mobile learning into the curriculum, so that it would not distract or result in missing those learning opportunities or goals. It is important to implement formative assessments or creatively assessing students acquisition of the content and to keep in mind what is the students' prior knowledge of this digital age content, what specific preparation that needs to be done before the lesson like polling students in the class before about specific application and their familiarity with it. By knowing student's ability beforehand, we could properly integrate the mobile technology during the lesson to use class time efficiently.

Another thing that every teacher can do is to brainstorm and research for new apps and methods to achieve the objective of the lesson. If students need to spend too much time familiarizing themselves with the software or application we should take a step back and double check the use of mobile in this lesson considering what we want for students to deepen their knowledge and develop 21st century skills. In some cases, skills could be developed more effectively by using low-tech methods, sometimes meaningful group discussion would work more. That is why a teacher should be prepared to allow or require students to use mobile devices to achieve learning objectives.

Science students are expected to support their learning and do what they need to do with mobile phones, handheld devices and other wireless equipment like using images and video captured on mobile phones cameras for experimental observations and document each step in their experimental procedure with digital images to include in their lab reports that provide a chance for both teachers and students to retrieve the material and to reflect on the evidence captured over time. students could upload the images onto their laptops and post them onto their e-portfolio.

Mobile devices could support the delivery of instructions on how to do a scientific experiment by sending students a video showing them step-by-step the instructions how to carry out the scientific experiment. By viewing it students can understand the procedure clearly rather than understanding by listening to verbal instructions or reading a worksheet. At the same time, teacher can assess students by viewing their videoed observation what they had recorded and provide the necessary feedback to them further instructions if necessary and ask students to reflect on what they had recorded using an audio recorder so they could identify their errors and correct them immediately. We do not forget that during any scientific experiment/activity, using a stopwatch, timer, and calculator are essential every cell phone has them they are simple but effective when completing some activities.

Using mobile device's camera, image storage and Bluetooth would support teachers planning and students in their science lessons by bringing the outside world into the classroom which I believe that would enhance students' science understanding and engagement.

During my clinical practice I was able to implement some technologies to get my students engaged and have fun with their mobile devices and/or tablets using concept review game to flush out any misconception students might have at the beginning of each lesson and they were able to take notes with their devices, passing them during class and send them directly by email or submit onto learning management system that we use to save time. Some issues might arise because not every student has a cell phone. The easiest way to work around this is to have students working in groups, collaborating and solving problems together, we might only need one mobile device to report out group work. I always try to have a backup plan in case things do not go as planned or something goes wrong with the technology.

In addition to what have mentioned above about some best practices to offer learners an enriching learning experience focusing on pedagogical aspects, here are other best practices for mobile devices: 

1. Creating an outline of the mobile learning content which includes the primary learning objectives and goals reviewing the material for that lesson with having the mobile device in your mind.
2. It is essential for mobile learning content to be brief because the display screen on mobiles and tablets is smaller than a laptop. In case the topic is detailed we could break the information down that would facilitate learners to understand the information quickly.
3. All the mobile learning content should be engaging, promoting, facilitating interactions and collaborations between students.
4. When creating the mobile learning, we ensure that it can be accessed on all platforms and devices.
5. Evaluate the mobile learning content on various mobile devices to confirm and ensure its readability to be used in the lesson and always reflect after implementing new idea with the students.

As a new teacher, I plan to create a list of guiding questions in the future to help guide my implementation of mobile technology into the classroom. I look forward to using mobile devices in my future science middle or high school classrooms. As I mentioned in some of my reflections that mobile learning is evolving, and with more research and resources, I can implement this strategy to help develop 21st century skills while addressing the required standards and content.

by viewing it students can understand the

procedure clearly rather than understanding by listening to verbal instructions or

reading a worksheet.

by viewing it students can understand the

procedure clearly rather than understanding by listening to verbal instructions or

reading a worksheet.

by viewing it students can understand the

procedure clearly rather than understanding by listening to verbal instructions or

reading a worksheet.

by viewing it students can understand the

procedure clearly rather than understanding by listening to verbal instructions or

reading a worksheet.

by viewing it students can understand the

procedure clearly rather than understanding by listening to verbal instructions or

reading a workshee

References:

1. 5 Effective Uses of Mobile Technology in the Classroom. Retrieved from  https://elearningindustry.com/5-uses-mobile-technology-in-the-classroom on June 25, 2017.

2. How to Use Cell Phones as Learning Tools. Retrieved from http://www.teachhub.com/how-use-cell-phones-learning-tools on June 25, 2017.

3. 33 Interesting Ways to Use Mobile Phones in Classroom. Retrieved from https://xyofeinstein.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/33_interesting_ways_to_use_mobile_phones_in_th.pdf on June 25, 2017.  

4. Mobile phone images and video in science teaching and learning. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263764480_Mobile_phone_images_and_video_in_science_teaching_and_learning on June 25, 2017.