The article I chose was Developing mobile based instruction by Martin & Snider (2012). In the article the authors reviewed the challenges related to designing m-learning. In recognizing these challenges, the authors focus on designing projects and highlighted dividing content in manageable segments while keeping learners stimulated. In citing Quinn’s book, they keyed in on mobile learning as informal learning and that mobile learning is “about augmenting ones learning and performance, which means to bridge the gaps that exist”.
The area of usability, for me, was the most important part of the article in regards to three different areas, device, user and access, Martin (2012) page 48. Although I think we can all agree that mobile devices are ready-to-hand, Pea & Moldonado (2006) page 429, the implementation of m-learning needs to recognize some limitations in order to be effective. The authors used these limitations (small screen size, input issues, and bandwidth concerns) as their guiding principles to design their mobile tools. The next consideration related to usability is how the users view the usability. Recognizing people’s attitudes toward scrolling, navigation and input allowed the authors to hone their parameters further. Lastly, the students involved in the project considered accessibility over a greater spectrum of devices. This made the level of usability much higher and helped determine the path they would use in implementing their projects.
In reading the implementation of the cases their approach made a lot of sense. Even with all the pre-made tools you can get using Cocoa Touch or using object oriented programming with Objective-C for Apple app’s, the learning curve is more than most people want to delve into. Using websites designed for mobiles delivers the needed portability and flexibility. Images, content as well as navigation can all easily be made into a small file size. The limits of bandwidth and delivery because of spotty reception become less concerning.
Something I sometimes overlook is that it’s important to remember that things don’t always need to be complex or utilize all the latest bells and whistles. Using basic html is something everyone can do, so I love the idea behind this strategy and may implement it myself.
This is not to say that I wouldn’t be interested in using more elaborate schemes with apps as a part of the implementation. One of the other articles I read was Mobile learning for HIV/AIDS healthcare worker training in resource-limited settings, Zolfo et al. (2010) used specially developed apps as well as other tools to have a successful implementation. Based on the authors statement that “Peru does not have an adequate health care workforce to meet the populations demand for services and for the management and development of new human resources.” creating more in depth tools is appropriate. Since their resources are limited, the commitment of those resources and personnel by the Peruvian Ministry of Health to make this project a reality made sense in this context. Although a relatively small number of mobile devices were used in this study it provided important services in “resource limited settings”, page 4.
Having the commitment by a number of additional stakeholders allowed the program to supply meaningful knowledge in those remote locations and allowed those with limited knowledge to collaborate with experts. This article made me think about the infographic when considering the authors statement that “The unique feature of this project is that technology was used bridging the gap between formal and experiential learning.”, page5. This project illustrates connected learning since it employs all of the keyword concepts, maybe with the exception of recognition, since they were able to pull in a diverse group of people with varying skill levels in a supported space utilizing a variety of methods empowering remote users.
In the Kukulska-Hulme et al. (2011) article the focus was on mature students in multiple countries and how they use their mobile devices for learning. Deep in the article they also refer to some of the same issues with developing apps, “Whilst mobile applications are fashionable they are not necessarily cheap”, page 32. Like with many situations I think of the tools we have in our tool box. Specialized apps would be like the tool you would love to have but we need to work with what we can. Yes, I would love to have a table saw, with laser alignment guides, specialty dado blades, a long board roller extensions and ShopVac attachment. But I can do some of the same work with a circular saw, saw horses and dust pan & broom.
So in this article however, the authors focused more on variations among the different students surveyed and the available tools already out there. The majority of the students were between the ages of 25 and 54 and the authors wanted to see trends by country. Interestingly despite differences in types of devices used, interaction types (like being part of an online community) the area of most similar was in learning, “the most prominent uses are contact with others, immediate access to information and answers, reading e-books listening to podcasts and scheduling.”, page 23.
The students used these pre-made tools already at their disposal and felt that the tools provided several advantages. In responding to the question about what is new or innovative in using mobile for learning many students felt information less likely to be lost, instant documentation, supports different learning types, could be used for many tasks, and allows learning to be multi-location, page 30. On the same page, the negatives are some of the same topics we have read in other articles based on the screen size as well as difficulty of typing, scanning, substandard sound and as a possible constant disruption. The biggest take away for me is that all students regardless of age or nationality view mobile devices as useful tools for learning.
That trend is also evident in the blog from iSpring which identifies not only parental concerns about devices but also their top 10 ways mobile devices are being used in the classroom. I was a little disappointed they did not have a top ten for outside the classroom but it shows as does the blog from TeachHub and Brookings that educators are looking at the mobile tools already out there as well as developing new ones. Although the TeachHub blog is more about k-12, these students will be future university students. Regardless of the specific apps that students are exposed to like Dropbox or Evernote or understanding the idea behind flipped classrooms it’s important going forward that educators who work with more mature groups in both formal and informal learning environments, begin to adapt or at least be aware of the trends.
Martin, F., Pastore, R., & Snider, J. (2012). Developing mobile based instruction. TechTrends, 56 (5), 46-51.
Zolfo, M., Iglesias, D., Kiyan, C., Echevarria, J., Fucay, L., Llacsahuanga, E., de Waard, I., et al. (2010). Mobile learning for HIV/AIDS healthcare worker training in resource-limited settings. AIDS research and therapy, 7, 35. doi:10.1186/1742-6405-7-35
Kukulska-Hulme, A., Pettit, J., Bradley, L., Carvalho, A. a., Herrington, A., Kennedy, D. M., & Walker, A. (2011). Mature students using mobile devices in life and learning. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 3(1), 18-52. doi:10.4018/jmbl.2011010102
How to use smartphones in the classroom: up-to-date statistics http://www.ispringsolutions.com/blog/how-to-use-smartphones-in-the-classroom-up-to-date-statistics/
Stone, Beth (2015) Connected learning: How is mobile technology impacting education http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2015/12/07-connected-learning-mobile-technology-education-stone
Ormiston, Meg (2015) How to Use Cell Phones as Learning Tools http://www.teachhub.com/how-use-cell-phones-learning-tools
You mention Martin & Snider (2012) who said that mobile learning is “about augmenting one’s learning and performance, which means to bridge the gaps that exist”. I think this is well put. I agree that technology of all forms (including low-tech solutions) should be used to bridge gaps and also to augment current bridges in the teaching, learning, engagement, & knowledge synthesis arenas.
You then mention a few challenges that come from mobile solutions:
the learning curve is steep
Bandwidth issues – mention Pam
Cost of devices
I think the learning curve issue tends to sort itself out. People will naturally gravitate toward the apps that are more intuitive and user-friendly.
As for bandwidth, we do tend to take it for granted that everyone has high-speed internet which is not the case. Jerrold Maddox is an art professor emeritus at Penn State who is passionate about bandwidth as a justice issue. He recently published A Simple and Useful Guide to Web Design: https://www.kendallhunt.com/store-product.aspx?id=303821 He argues that “anyone can write for the web, using just a text editor, and share that work with anyone else, regardless of the platform they are using, the speed of their connection and any disabilities they may have.” Just last weekend, I had a friend who had to complete a podcast for a homework assignment. She couldn’t get the podcast from her iPhone to load onto her computer to submit the assignment in her LMS. She was having issues because of bandwidth issues coupled with technology inexperience. She was able to text me the podcast and I uploaded it to Box so she could submit the assignment by providing a link in her dropbox. Bandwidth is an issue in rural areas.
That said, Global smartphone penetration is at an all-time high (http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/263176/smartphone-penetration-reaches-56-globally.html). In fact, more people have smartphones than toilets. “Six of the world’s seven billion people have mobile phones – but only 4.5 billion have a toilet, according to a U.N. report:” http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/03/23/more-people-have-mobile-phones-than-toilets/#63a1a7d172c0
Those without smartphones represent a very small minority of students in higher education, as most students do have access to them – most sources indicate that about 85-90 of college students have smartphones and this number is probably low, given that most of the research is 1-2 years behind (http://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/6/students-mobile-learning-practices-in-higher-education-a-multiyear-study). Also, as we have seen in earlier readings, the working poor are much more likely to be dependent on their smartphones for internet access (http://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/01/for-more-poor-americans-smartphones-are-lifelines.html). Though there’s a digital divide, the odds are pretty good that students of all ages and socioeconomic status have mobile devices.
Renee Ford
Oops, the last post was meant for Renee. Please delete.
I agree that designing m-learning tools and activities need to have a specific focus as I learned/identified from my readings on mobile learning and augmented reality (Chang et al., 2014; Jones; Scanlon & Clough, 2013; Sommerauer & Müller, 2014). Any tool needs to meet the specific criteria in order to be effective. Mobile tools that attempt to do “everything” well may only be able to do two or three tasks effectively. Exceptions to this may be applications created by Disney, Apple or Microsoft as they have extensive budgets and multiple teams of employees to design and test their applications, although they are not infallible for poor design. Designers at smaller mobile learning companies need to consider the limitations they have, as they may affect meeting the goals and objectives of the anticipated tool.
I agree also that in some cases a simpler design can work better than a more complex however, what context do you perceive that everyone can use basic HTML? In regards to my background, I know about five HTML codes. I could certainly learn, if it were required for me to do so, but I do not need to since I can rely on a dedicated IT professional for assistance or applications, such as WordPress that convert my text and formats into HTML.
Peru’s use of mobile tools to support their health care workers was most intriguing. I was surprised to learn that the practices of telehealth and telemedicine are becoming common in the USA. There are now several telemedicine tools that assist patients and medical personnel to connect via technology. http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/11-telemedicine-tools-transforming-healthcare/d/d-id/1103487?
The implications of this technology allow patients to have treatments in their own home and permit medical personnel to view patients data without visiting the office. Further it allows patients to be helped in remote locations where there are limited health care professionals. Nurses or physician assistant’s would be able to contact medical specialists for medical advice in relation to the patient.
Hi Steve!
I think what you say at the end of your blog this week is very true.
We should not shrink from tech, we should embrace and use it.
I have often been of the opinion that there is another learning, maybe I’ll call it a meta learning, that is involved in everything we do. For example, if I want tiger the answer to a question on the Internet, I have to be facile with searching for that answer, don’t I? I have to have an idea what to put in to the search box, I have to know how to ask the right question, and I have to know how to pick from the list of answers. Would I not be at a significant disadvantage if I didn’t know those things? By the same token, when my 13 year old goes to college, the college might likely have her a tablet, with all her textbooks pre-loaded, and expect her work and reading and everything to be done on that tablet. If that is not already reality, I could easily see it becoming reality for her.
So why are tablets outlawed at her school? Why are these skills being ignored? Aren’t we taking the ostrich approach to these technologies? I’ll tell you what, they’re not going away.
The HIV workers’ app in Peru is interesting. I liken that article to my own experiences in Afghanistan. In the tribal highlands, the high desert where I was stationed, if you could read, then you were handed a Merck Manual and you became the village Doctor. Seriously. In an epic example of pathological altruism, the USA drive off all the tribal healers in favor of American medicine. Then we left.
I’m not sure an app would have helped. See, there was no cellular, wifi, Internet or even land line phones.
In that case, I guess a book was the new tech on the block!