Examples of mobile learning

Some examples of the use of m-learning could be using a camera on smartphone to take photos of a school trip and using these to create a poster, presentation or visual dictionary (Brooks-Young 2010, p19); Updating a blog using an app on a smartphone.

Nicky Hockley (2012) gives some great examples of how m-learning can be used in different ways. Her article "The 1-minute guide to the mobile classroom" lists many types of task that utilise an m-learning device, although most of them focus on smart/mobile phones.

A few of the suggestions she makes are:

Using a mobile phone to take dictation: I imagine this could be done by students writing a text and sending it to their teacher to check or to other students for peer checking. Alternatives could be to orally dictate a message on a voice recording app such as soundcloud.

Simple reading comprehension or texting questions to a reading text: I like the idea of the students receiving comprehension questions to a text (could be an audio text/ podcast too) via sms. Would it be possible to have learners generate a short story by texting the group part of a story which another member will continue? This might be easier using twitter perhaps? Hockley suggests further reading on Carol's blog of an sms reading project at a primary school. Children were receiving texts and had to answer them by sms. They then received another sms with the answer later on. In an extension of this project, they are retelling a story sent to them via sms instalments.

Creating a treasure hunt: this was such an interesting example (for me) of using m-learning. A Danish school are creating student authored treasure hunts or 'treks' using SCVNGR. Anne Fox blogs about the event here. The subject the students are studying is  history, the aim of the task is for them to learn about the history in their local area.

The students are sent out initially to research and gather information. They use their smartphones in groups to photo, film or podcast facts about monuments or locations etc. Once this phase is complete, the students create their  trek by creating questions or 'challenges'.They demonstrate their learning by creating these challenges and ultimately their trek. The treks can be taken by other groups in the class to broaden learning.

The History Game

The History Game: from annefox.eu

Audience Response Systems: Another example of m-learning in practise and its benefits is given in the article "More than just Mobile + Learning" (Claire 2012).   

A study was conducted by Eric Tremblay into the use of audience response systems; participants text answers or input during an event to a central display, thereby interacting with the event and providing instant feedback. The study (Educating the Mobile Generation – using personal cell phones as audience response systems in post-secondary science teaching) showed 'renewed attention' during the lecture with students reporting they were 'less bored' and 'more engaged'.

Resources from the St Mary's website detail projects and lesson ideas along with the technology needed. http://www.smriders.net/Mobile_Learning/docs/LessonPlans.pdf