Pedagogy of Mobile Learning
Notes from Workshop One: Principles and Practices
Keynote Speaker: Mike Sharples "Supporting Inquiry Science Learning across Formal and Informal Settings"
This presentation was based on pedagogy underpinning the ESRC funded Personal Inquiry project.
Students are using Netbooks running a scripted inquiry toolkit (activity guide) to support a personal investigation. Topic themes include Myself, My Environment, My Community with investigations into personal diet and fitness and local the environment e.g. microclimates.
Discussion: Jocelyn Wishart "Art (or is it science?) of teaching through mobile devices"
Opening remarks:
Focusing on pedagogical content knowledge i.e. knowing how your subject can best be taught. With respect to mobile devices what are the most effective ways forward, where is it that there a niche where a mobile device or phone can afford good, effective teaching. If we don’t get that right then we are going to end up with a load of disaffected students and teachers. We need to look at the curricular subjects and the activities within those subjects for example.
We mustn’t focus only on content what about the pedagogical process.
Yes, pedagogical content knowledge includes pedagogical processes and the interesting thing about mobile devices is that such content isn’t static it changes with context and so we need to be thinking about order in our pedagogy.
Dimensions:
Different dimensions of a Pedagogy for mobile learning appeared regularly in our discussions.
- Individual < – > Group < – > Class
- Situated < – > Bridging contexts
- Subject centred < – > Cross curricular learning (PLTS)
- Top down (delivery device) < - > Bottom up (capture device)
- Everyday 50 min lessons / projects spanning lessons
- Content vs process
What about the learners?
- Encourage constructivism
- Consider challenge, curiosity and complexity
- Promote confidence
Finally, what about class or group management?
Be aware of barriers and challenges:
- Connectivity
- Battery life
- Need to share
- Safety
- Accessibility
- Usability