Mobile Learning

1. Mobile Learning Sharon Brobst Sandra Kelly Jamie McCain Becka Wagner

2. Mobile Learning The Virtual Classroom

3. Online Teaching • Technology tools for: • Staging • Delivery • Collaboration • Communication

4. Creating the Virtual Classroom Setting the Stage • Web-based Management systems • Course Management Systems (CMS) • Learning Management Systems (LMS) • Provides: • Support for instructors • A Secure environment • Rosters/Gradebooks • Assessments/Exams • Mostly asynchronous Communication/Collaboration features

5. The Virtual Classroom Commercial LMS’s Advantages • Suite of products • Technical/Help-desk support Some Examples • Blackboard • Angel • Desire2Learn • WebCT • Adobe Connect Pro • Synchronous capabilities Disadvantages • Expensive • Less flexible

6. The Virtual Classroom Open Source LMS’s Advantages • More flexible • Less expensive Disadvantages • Technical implementation • Support Some Examples • Moodle • Sakai • Imeem • InstaColl • Writeboard

7. The Virtual Classroom Other Methods of Staging Homegrown LMS using: • Website • Wikis • GoogleDocs • GoogleGroups • MS Office Live Advantages • Flexible • Less expensive Disadvantages • Technical implementation • Support

8. The Virtual Classroom Delivering the Course • Online videos • MovieMaker • YouTube • Google • RSS feeds • Rite Site Summary/Really Simple Syndication • BBC News • Yahoo! • Slide shows • Lecture notes • Podcasting • Tutorials using Screen Capture • ScreenCam • Camtasia • CamStudio • iSpring

9. The Virtual Classroom Online Collaboration Technology • Discussion boards • Chat rooms • Calendaring • Email • Blogs (Weblogs) • Blogger.com • Twitter • MS SharePoint • GoogleDocs • Zoho Projects • Wikis (collection of linked Web pages) • Wikispaces • PBWiki

10. The Virtual Classroom Online Communication Technology • Conferencing via Webcast • Wimba • Elluminate • MS Live Office Live Meeting • Cisco’s WebEx • Dimdim • Simulations • SecondLife • INNOV8

11. The Future: Mobile Devices Positives Negatives • Availability • Portability • Mobile internet access • Ease of use • Input interface • Not efficient • Power • Storage capability • Flexibility

12. Mobile Improvements Wireless Internet Learning Devices (WILD) • Audio-based asynchronous learning forum to replace text-based • Sound-based input method is feasible • Most natural form of input • Doesn’t require large interface • Speech recognition/sound-based natural language processing is not feasible • More synchronous communication capability

13. Mobile Devices using Audio Audio is: Problems: • Flexible • Hands-free • Multi-directional • Replaces handwritten input with hands-free • Difficulty in reviewing messages • Must be supported by streaming media technology A Solution: • Software to convert audio to text

14. Mobile Learning Creating a Sense of Community Through Online Group Work

15. Definition of Community “A feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together” (McMillan & Chavis, as cited in Exter, Korkmaz, Harlin & Bichelmeyer, 2009, p. 178).

16. Theoretical Frameworks • Vygotsky’s (1978) Social Development Theory • Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of Proximal Development Theory • Rourke, Garrison, Anderson & Archer’s (2000) Community of Inquiry Model • Wenger’s (2002) Community of Practice Model

17. Major Findings • Classroom Community Scale • Instrument developed by Rovai (2002) to measure sense of community: • Feelings of connectedness • Cohesion • Spirit • Trust • Interdependence among members

18. Major Findings • Group work can be effective whether face-to-face or mobile • Yoon’s (2006) study showed it possible to replicate face-to-face teams as virtual teams • Complained that most studies have been done without guidance of theory • Tuckman’s Stage Model (1965) • Gersick’s Midtransition Model (1988, 1989)

19. Major Findings • Group Work • Cooperative • Collaborative

20. Major Findings • Group formation is important • Heterogeneity and diversity • Group size • Group duration

21. Major Findings • Group work can be used in different types of programs • Online • Blended • Blended Online Learning Design (BOLD) – synchronous and asynchronous • Face-to-face (F2F) • Cohort

22. Major Findings • Group work can take different formats • Group projects • Group experiences • Cooperative problem-based • Photovoice (Artistic Pedagogical Technology (APT) • Jigsaw (Distributed Learning)

23. Overall Conclusions from Literature • In order for mobile learning to be effective • There must be group work involved • There must be a sense of community • Group work helps to develop a sense of community

24. Contradiction • 2009 Study by Cameron, Morgan, Williams & Kostelecky • Showed few significant relationships between five social tasks examined and sense of community • Problems with group dynamics (suggests further study) • Students focused on the task, not on the social aspects

25. Disconnect Between Purpose of Online Education & Effective Pedagogy

26. Purpose of Online Education • To increase learning options • To provide instruction in a more cost-effective way • To capture a larger educational market share • To reduce educational costs (Schlager, Cuffy & Kirkley, Maguire, as cited in Jackson, Jones & Rodriguez, 2010)

27. So Where Do We Go From Here? • Park (2011) said there’s a gap in the literature • There’s a lack of theoretical framework to “guide effective instructional design and evaluate the quality and programs that rely significantly on mobile technologies” (pp. 83). • I found multiple theoretical frameworks, but do they really apply to mobile learning?

28. So Where Do We Go From Here? • Despite the reported benefit of social constructivist perspective in online or blended work, researchers note that the majority of courses are still linked to a knowledge transmission model. • True in mobile learning, but also true in face-to-face learning

29. So Where Do We Go From Here? • Online programs have developed and grown so quickly • They’re just barely keeping their programs running; they’re not updated • They need “a proven online pedagogy” that is “adequately researched and defined” (Jackson, Jones & Rodriguez, 2010, pp. 82).

30. So Where Do We Go From Here? • Do we have an effective tool to measure effective mobile learning? • Traxler said that “evaluation of mobile learning is problematic because of the ‘noise’ characteristic with ‘personal, contextual, and situated’ attributes” (as cited in Park, 2007, p. 10)

31. So Where Do We Go From Here? • We need a “redesigned education system and teachers who have been retrained and reoriented” to mobile learning (Hooper, as cited in Beyers, 2009, p. 219).

32. Mobile Learning Social Networking

33. Opposing Research • Poses threats • Provides opportunities for unsuitable exposure • Increases teacher difficulties • Creates inappropriate relationships • Promotes unlikely behavior • Becomes too personal

34. Advocating Research • Promotes authenticity • Engages students actively • Generates enthusiastic conversation and dialogue • Builds relationships • Constructs learning

35. Blogging • Engages interactive conversation • Offers authentic learning • Easy usage • Bridges school and home • Use for composition practice • Transforms learning • Requires reasoning

36. Social Networking Tools • 73% of teens have social network sites. • Facebook • Twitter • LinkedIn • Google+ • YouTube

37. Tablets & Smartphones • 4 billion cell phone users • Readily accessible • Cost efficient • Mini-multimedia computers • Screen casts • Challenges

38. Establish a Plan for Social Networking • Increases scope • Concern of openness and control • Compete globally • Connect personal life to learning • Offer Internet availability • Gain knowledge from the “experts” • Seek licensures • Reorganize pedagogy and infrastructure • Shift to pluralistic views • Encourage teacher reformation

39. Mobile Learning Faculty Development/Pedagogy

40. Frameworks • Malcolm Knowles- Principles of adult learning • Vygotsky- Zone of Proximal Development • Tinsley & Lepak- Zone of Reflective Capacity • Jean Watson- Human Caring Theory

41. Social Presence • Social, Cognitive, Teacher • (Rourke, Anderson, Garrison,Archer,2001- cited in Mayne) • Social: most significant • (Aragon,2003; Gunawardena & Little, 1997, both cited in Mayne) • Increases interaction and learning; decreases isolation

42. Findings • Attrition rates – higher in online (DiRamio) • Adapt Learning Community principles (DiRamio)- C-E-R Tool • Teaching presence is critical (Cobb, 2011)

43. Challenges • Social nature of learning environment • Interaction • Opportunities for critical thinking • Active engagement of learners

44. Subtopics • Collaboration and Interaction • Instructor effectiveness is key • Pedagogy • Faculty actions – important influence for learning • Faculty development for online teaching

45. What Now? • Needs/issues identified • Application needed

46. Gaps/Research Questions 1.) Pedagogy Changes Questions: What are the current best practice pedagogies for effective online teaching? What changes must be made in online education to increase student satisfaction, learning, recruitment, and retention?

47. Gaps/Research Questions, cont’d 2.) Instructor Effectiveness Questions- Do instructors demonstrate proficiency in developing online learning communities? Why aren’t online educators using learner centered teaching strategies? What will close the gap between what we know and what we do in online education?

48. Gaps/Research Questions 3.) Faculty Development—not the same as F2F Questions: What are the current trends and practices for developing online faculty? What evaluative tools should be used to assess online faculty effectiveness? How can mentoring be used to develop online faculty?