Initial Project Outline

My dissertation project will focus on designing a mobile learning tool to enhance campus orientation in HE.

Who are my learners/ users?

The learners I will be trialing this tool with are undergraduate students at London Metropolitan University. Some are home students (from the UK) and others are EU international students studying English in the ELS department.

Most will be digital 'natives' (Prenksy); that is to say they are comfortable using most e-type tools such as email, internet, social networking and gaming. They regularly socialise using these platforms and are comfortable accessing information through them. Several keep their own blog (in their native language and in English) and publish content, most have a facebook account and smartphone. They are generally comfortable using their smartphone to download apps and to check information in class.

What need is there for the tool?

ELS students often feel they are not part of the 'proper' university and do not often engage in the university's activities. This is partly due to their inhibitions about their language abilities which is a shame because a lot of them want to interact with native speakers. However, it is also partly due to the induction process. Currently ELS/ General English learners arrive at the university every month throughout the year. they are given a brief induction of the department and a short guided tour of the main facilities but there is not enough time to give a fuller induction. Usually the students then join existing groups but it can sometimes be hard for them to socialise with students in different groups as they do not meet up often and have their lessons in different parts of the building.

Therefore, I want to create a tool that can enhance the induction process. The tool and task will hopefully encourage new students to become familiar with the university and also to get to know students in different levels that they can stay in touch with once the course starts.

What is the task?

The induction process suits a treasure hunt since the students need to visit different locations in the university to become familiar with them. My plan is that the students will get into groups and go to the different locations. At each location there will be a task to get to know that area or facility. for example in the library, there could be a question about how to use the self-service machines or where are the group-study areas. In completely the treasure hunt, the students will be working together, getting to know each other and the university.

The tool needs to be:

• portable
• accessible
• interactive
• provide a variety of activities with both text, image and audio
• create opportunities for collaboration and team work 
• give immediate feedback
• good fun ( induction is not a formal situation)
• link to media or webpages relevant to that location

What tools are available that suit these needs?

• QR codes 
• SCVNGR 
• ARIS
• Layar

Mobile learning digigogy

flickr.com/grade6kms/5103565561/

With so many devices being developed and launched it is hard to keep up with what tools are available. When thinking about including some form of m-learning into teaching and learning, it is easy to start with the device and ask what can be done with it. It is also easy to think about including a device in a lesson simply to engage learners, rather than considering whether the activity is enhanced by using a device (Brooks-Young 2010). Fisher (2010) talks about the need to create strong pedagogical frameworks when choosing a device or tool to use as opposed to "..inserting it into a lesson plan in a surface level way".

Caudill (2007) suggests that the frameworks and theories in m-learning are essentially the same as in e-learning since both are about blending and integrating technology into learning and teaching to enhance a broader learning experience.

However, the Mobilearn Conference in 2004 (Mellow 2005) discussed the idea that m-learning is in fact a sub-set of e-learning. It suggests that m-learning should be considered in a blended learning context since m-devices are rarely used to teach a whole program of study or to deliver an entire course or module.

To break down the idea of 'good' m-learning practice, Sanchez-Terrell (2011) looks at what makes it effective, which is when learners...

• choose the content
• interact with...objects and experiences
• are moving around with the device
• are motivated to expand learning outside the classroom
• work collaboratively

Further, Float Learning suggest that the basics of good m-learning include:

• content which is "bite-sized, train-stop sized, waiting room sized"
• "may or may not have an assessment component but is measurable"
• "easy to use..contextual"

Mellow (2005) similarly talks about the size of the learning in that m-learning devices are often good for 'chunking' content into 'bite-sized' portions that can be accessed and completed in a relatively short time. Mellow also discusses "'knowledge bites' that offer flexibility of time, place and pace" (p2)

In researching m-learning pedagogy, I came across the idea of 'Digigogy'. Mike Fisher (2010) talks about the emergence of digigogy and explains this is the crossover between technology and pedagogy.

 "Where pedagogy is about methods to instruct, Digigogy is about those methods, but with a technological frame. From hardware to software, from tech ed theory to application, Digigogy is about reframing our methods in the future of instruction. The new way of learning is a complete tear down and rebuild of traditional teaching, where learning is a joint effort and roles are reborn. Beyond the desks...beyond the walls...beyond the school. The new classroom is orbital, and scenic, and here" 

Mike Fisher, http://digigogy.blogspot.com/2010/05/digigogical-upgrade.html

                      Open publication - Free publishing - More web2.0

The idea of a 'digigogy' is interesting and seems relevant to the changes taking place in education and learning. There is a shift towards collaborative work, sharing within learning communities, and personal project-based, practical experiences. As these changes develop further in the future so should our pedagogy that underpins education. A 21st Century pedagogy is outlined below:

 http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/21st+Century+Pedagogy

Finally, since what we ask the students to do and how we allow them to do it is changing, will the focus of our assessment change? An interesting point discussed by Devaney (2008, cited in Brooks-Young 2010) highlights a pilot program in Australia which, rather than assessing the students' ability to memorise information, looked at their ability to find it. With information all around us via m-devices, will the future of education shift from memorising to collating or currating?

Brooks-Young. S (ed) (2010) Teaching with the tools kids really use. Corwin Press.

Caudill. J (2007) The growth of M-learning and the Growth of Mobile Computing: Parallel Development. International review of research in open and distance Learning 8.2 works/bepress.com/jason-caudill/4

Fisher. M (2010) the "Digigogical" Upgrade. www.digigogy.com and http://digigogy.blogspot.com/2010/05/digigogical-upgrade.html

Mellow. P (2005) The media generation: Maximising learning by getting mobile. ASCILITE 2005 Conference. www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/brisbane05/blogs/proceedings/53_Mellow.pdf

Sanchez-Terrell. S (2011) Effective mobile learning: 50+ quick tips and resources. http://scribd.com/mobile/documents/67369598