We were set the task this week to evaluate and explore some mobile technology.
Personally I have used an ipod touch both in my teaching and day to day. I have also used a kindle fire on a couple of occasions but despite this experience I still found it eye-opening to look at and have a go at using a different tablet - a lenovo thinkpad. With a preference for smaller handheld devices I tend to find tablets a little cumbersome. call me a little old fashioned but for any substantial typing or computing I would rather a laptop or desktop. Having said that I can see the place that this technology has and that this is the direction the technology is moving in. I think it is a case of what you are comfortable with- I'm sure that people who's first use of computing is with one of these devices would find it challenging to change to a larger screen and separate keyboard to name but one challenge. As I am used to being 'guided' with some sort of indicator such as 'slide to unlock' on touch screens it took a rather ridiculously long time to unlock the screen on this tablet. Having managed this, many of the features were recognizable and user friendly as it uses windows. The various levels you need to exit through to sign out and shut down took a bit of getting used to as well as a slightly mysterious red button which i concluded would be something to do with the camera.
In terms of teaching a foreign language, from very early on in my lessons I found mobile technology a very user friendly and logical way to access and store audio material to playback in class.
As in language teaching this is something that is frequently used for listening practice, I found it much quicker and easier than carting around CDs! I also discovered some useful podcasts to use in my lessons and also some audio material on Itunes U to use. So it has been really refreshing to just save everything on one device and have the option to playback as long as there is a dock available or you can bring your own portable speaker. It is also useful to record spoken practice- the student themselves and the teacher are able to listen back to it and give feedback. Recording speaking for assessment purposes is also an option.
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