mobile...

Just wanted to share a few 'finds' and good tips for mobile technology incorporation

Phil Rice has some good pointers for apps in language teaching

nik peachey also has some really interesting ideas for using video and shares some of his favourite apps

there are some really good ideas for using various ipad apps particularly in language teaching on kirsty pacido's blog

my small illustrative bubbl

barriers to using technology

For most of us technology is now a major part of our lives, there does however, remain a certain amount of scepticism and indeed technophobia among many people. Certain generations will quote age as a barrier to using technology. They feel that as they have not used it their entire lives then they will not be able to acquire the 'knack'. On a personal note I have found many younger learners to be curious about technology in a 'what's that?' way whereas with adult learners that way of looking at technology is not always there. I remember in an adult class setting a task to bring to class some photos, on the day of the next class I showed my photographs and then came the part of the task where they talked about their photographs. It was very interesting to watch the scrabble for mobile phones and them finding their photographs, having to ask each other for help when they could not locate them. This was in stark in stark contrast to my younger learners who would frequently enter my class with their heads buried in their Smartphone screen and/or with headphones in place. I should point out that this is a generalisation but I do think therefore, the 'challenge' with incorporating technology with adult learners is that they can have a vastly differing experience of using it. Another significant barrier is the logistical one, something that most of us who use technology on a regular basis encounter. My recent example was the PC crashing when trying to download and use Smart software. We have thankfully now reached a mutual understanding and appreciation of this despite the original misgivings the computer had! In their article J Keengwe et al split such barriers in two types- first-order and second-order "first-order barriers include lack of equipment, unreliability of equipment, lack of technical support and other resource related issues. Second-order barriers include...teacher-level factors, such as beliefs about teaching and technology and openness to change." Although they refer to studies from the early two thousands they do provide some interesting insights into the work that still needs to be done to integrate technology and remind us that "although technologies allow  students to work more productively than in the past , the teacher's role in technology-rich classrooms is more demanding than ever"   

Reference
Keengwe, J., Onchwari, G., & Wachira, P. (2008). Computer Technology Integration and Student learning: Barriers and promise. Journal of science education and technology , 17 (6), 560-565.

the value of mobile technology in learning and teaching

Before we think about the value of mobile technology in learning and teaching we need to consider the various meanings of mobile. When discussing learning, both the learner and the devices themselves can be ‘mobile’ -we can now have access to learning aids almost anywhere and anytime. This has meant a great change in the way we learn, rather than it just being restricted to a classroom or school environment we can now access learning at our fingertips. As with any technology what we use is constantly evolving as well as the way we use it. As N Hockly states “Part of the challenge in arriving at a single definition of mobile learning has to do with the fact that it is a rapidly changing field, with new and more sophisticated handheld devices constantly appearing on the market.” For the majority of people some form of  smart device or tablet is something that they now utilise on a daily basis. This trend coupled with the improvement in networks and internet access means that we have wider access to tools for work and social media. It is only natural that this will also apply to learning. Rather than attending a formal course people can engage with various informal learning opportunities while they travel, in free time and at their convenience. These can range from listening to a podcast, downloading and using an app, reading educational publications, the possibilities are numerous. There also needs to be a consideration, however, of how to incorporate mobile technology into formal education. I feel there is lot of potential and the ability to connect learners to each other more easily is a valuable resource when used in the correct way.

Reference

Hockly, N. (2012). Mobile Learning. ELT Journal , 67 (1), 80-84.

 

Has technology changed the way we learn?

The impact that technology has had and continues to have on learning is evident if you walk into the modern classroom. Over the last couple of decades the incorporation of technology into classrooms has meant that they have changed in numerous ways. One major change has been interactive boards; the board has long been the focal point of classrooms since the times when it was written on with chalk. You only have to walk into most modern classrooms to see the difference that this has made. Students now not only read what is on the board but they also look at pictures, watch videos and check answers all on the one board. That is leaving aside the potential for students to design their own activities and student participation and writing on or using the board; all of these are true interaction with the technology and the learning activity. A huge part of learning is from a kinesthetic and hands on experience of things. This is something that technology cannot replace. As L Monke reminds us

"There is a huge qualitative difference between learning about something, which requires only information, and learning from something, which requires that the learner enter into a rich and complex relationship with the subject at hand"

Previously only very brave teachers would venture very far from established methods of teaching, now it is not only possible but necessary to incorporate activities that use different learning styles - more pictorial/visual stimulus, more sound and more movement and interaction by the learners themselves. There is also the issue around the use we make of technology for research. Before the internet became a major part of our lives we did not need to be as concerned about checking the sources of any material that we find and also how easy it is to plagiarise. It has however afforded an ease of access to information that we nearly all take daily advantage of.

Reference

Monke, L. (2004). The Human Touch. Education next , 4 (4), 10-15.

glog

setting sail...

smart

I have been having a go at making some activities using the notebook software for Smart. I had used this to a small extent previously but not much. I used objects to 'hide' and 'reveal' words or answers. I have realised now that there are much more complex relationships you can create between objects and this is what i have started to use. You can choose objects to be accepted or rejected and so, like i have done, if the activity is to match words to pictures you can set the word to be accepted by the correct picture. Another feature I discovered was the ability to add sound. This is particularly useful in language teaching as you can hear pronunciation by just clicking text or a picture. i have embedded the results as a powerpoint for you to see. I'm not sure how well the interactivity is maintained with the conversion to powerpoint however... I am also embedding a previous activity I put together.