Interesting Article On Using Cell Phones for Learning

I just read an article by Wesley Fryer titled Scissors and Cell Phones and found the article quite compelling. It appears that the most pressing issue in mobile learning is not whether a cell phone or an iPod can be used to enhance learning but whether educators are ready to change the way learning happens in their classrooms.

Wesley states,

“Traditional teacher-to-student passive learning models have no place for new technologies like laptops or cell phones. As long as the identity of the teacher is defined as the source/fount of knowledge, and the students remain receptacles or sponges to “receive” that knowledge directly from the teacher, digital sources of expert knowledge (or just raw information) will be seen as a distraction, an annoyance, and even a threat by educators, parents, and educational leaders.“

It would appear, then, that electronic devices will make their way into mainstream classrooms when teachers begin to adopt a teaching/learning model that makes the use of electronic tools practical. In this model, students engage in activities of active discovery where they construct knowledge from research  and through their experiences instead of receiving information from a lecturing teacher. Electronic devices provide a way for students to interact with the massive amounts of information in their various forms quickly and easily and an alternate way of creating content. The role of the teacher in this environment, then, is to facilitate learning by providing activities that require higher order thinking skills through discovery and active engagement. The teacher’s role is also to teach students research and eliteracy skills that help them locate information and decide what content is relevant and accurate and what content is not. Ultimately, engaging in the process of learning through the use of electronic tools will help students to construct the content of learning. This seems to be the best way students can achieve complex learning goals.

“Are students in your classroom permitted to use scissors? Don’t you realize the bad choices students could make with scissors to hurt themselves or hurt others? Of course you do. That is why as teachers, we enforce (and encourage the other learners in the classroom to help enforce) a culture which is intolerant of unsafe or hurtful uses of scissors.“

It’s not the object that causes the harm but the behaviour. With appropriate instruction, expectations and consequence structure, students can safely use cell phones for learning in the same way they safely use scissors for learning.

Take a look at the following article – “A Proposal For Banning Pencils” – a nice parody of these issues.

Principals Encouraging Cell Phones For Learning? Finally!

Dean Sharski shares with us an e-mail he received from a principal who is taking steps to incorporate cell phone technology is schools for learning:

“I’m sure we are not going insane, but some would probably disagree. Carla and I tried something new and, well a little bit rebellious today. We invited the grade 8/9 ELA class/students to bring their cell phones into class (if they didn’t have one we used mysask for text). Our goal, using cell phones for learning. Our objectives, appropriate use of cell phones (manners and ethics), using the calendar/scheduling, using text to discuss literature (lit circles), tracking progress and assignments/projects, and engaging the new learner. Guess what, it worked like a charm and the kids are peeing themselves with enthusiasm. Welcome to Web 2.0!!!! I needed to share.”

It seems that the conversation in incorporating tools that students already have in learning may actually be beginning!

iPods in Education Part 3: Internet Accessibility

This post assumes the use of the iPod Touch.

With the introduction of the new iPod Touch in the latter half of 2007 comes an iPod with Wi-Fi. This capability comes with a wide range of new uses for the iPod in education that all stem from the ability to connect directly to the Internet with this mobile device.

The Power of the Internet and Mobile Computing

With access to the Internet in the palms of their hands, students have full access to the largest database on the globe – the Internet. When used with Web 2.0 tools, the possibilities for students are endless. There is online research capabilities through the use of Wikipedia. How about completing work on the iPod Touch using desktop publishing tools such as Zoho or Thinkfree. Essentially, here is a very affordable 1-1 computing scheme – giving students strong computing power for a fraction of the cost yet still very functional.  With online storage sites such as Box.net, which gives everyone 1 GB of free online storage, students can access their work at home regardless of whether the iPod goes home or stays at school.

There are less physical limitations as well.  No need to worry about network drops, cables or physical placement of hardware in the classroom.  All that is required is a wireless router and away you go. Regular acceptable use policies still apply.

Where Can an iPod Touch be Utilized for Learning?

• Research on Wikipedia – iPodia is a third party app that allows users to access Wikipedia offline!
• Web Publishing by posting to blogs
• Online collaboration and content creation using wikis
• Accessing multimedia learning content through Youtube
• Accessing eLearning content on Learning Management Systems
• Map analysis and geographic studies using Google Maps
• Social Bookmarking using del.icio.us

Remember, the iPod Touch is still an iPod

The iPod Touch has all the same features as a video iPod (5th Generation), iPod classic, and iPod Nano (3rd Generation) . As a result, the iPod Touch can be used to achieve all the learning goals that have been discussed to date with the added feature of being able to access the Internet.

Have other ideas to share?  Feel free to comment!

iPods in Education Part 2: Video Integration

In the second part of this series, let us look at using the iPod as a video player and it’s use for student learning. The release of the 5th generation iPod in 2005 introduced the incorporation of video playback in the iPod and a new way to use the iPod for learning. As of September 2007, all iPod models, with the exception of the iPod shuffle, now have video playback capability.

Teaching and learning with video is not new. While developments in technology in the 20th century have made recorded video possible, since the 1970’s accessing video for learning has become a part of standard teaching practice. Television shows beginning with Sesame Street were based on the premise that students can learn from video. Accessing that content, however, has always been an issue. Teacher accessed the video and then shared with the student. The student, unless they or their parents purchased copies of the video, never really had immediate access to the video content. However, as time changed, the nature of the hardware to play video has changed making it easier to access video anywhere ate anytime.

Using the iPod as a mobile video player has several advantages. Firstly, it allows students access to learning content from anywhere at any time. Secondly, it allows teachers to share video content with all of their students in a way that was never possible with Beta, VHS, and even DVD technologies. Thirdly, the ability to play video content from anywhere combined with the ease in sharing video through websites such as YouTube, Metacafe, and TeacherTube has made multi-sensory learning much more accessible, not to mention making student publishing possible.

This blog post, then, is not really about why video should be accessed for learning. Using video has been part of teaching and learning for at least 35 years. This blogpost is about how we can use the iPod to make learning using this media more effective. In this vein, let’s look at the three things – why accessing video on the go is a good thing, as well as downloading and converting video.

Why Accessing Video on the Go is a Good Thing

Students can use video played on an iPod to learn from anywhere at any time. New technologies has creaked massive cracks in the notion that true learning only happens in the confines of a classroom. I think that the concept that learning only takes place in the classroom was developed at a time when society needed a way to standardize learning when universal public education education was becoming a reality. As a result, learning goals could be assigned and the achievement of these goals could be monitored, assessed and recorded. While the effectiveness of this model is debatable, learning no longer needs to take place in school for this model to work. Actually, it doesn’t all happen at school now – remember homework? Yet, for some reason, in education, we truly believe that students only learn when in the classroom. Having mobile devices such as the iPod allows the teacher to provide access to learning content to students from anywhere they find themselves. As a result, learning can happen whenever students need it, want it or have the time to access it.

Where to Download Video

There are a number of places:

• Subscription based Unitedstreaming has video content from the Discovery Networks that is downloadable and sharable to students with a subscribed classroom
• YouTube has many videos of excellent educational value
• TeacherTube is a place where teachers share their lessons and upload learning content for others to access
• For Christian denomination schools, there is GodTube
• Search Videos from television networks using services such as Blinkx

Converting Video

There are several places that videos can be converted into formats that are playable on an iPod. Free web converters include Zamzar and YouConvertIt. If you prefer a software application that you can download and install on your computer, try the free iPod Video Converter found at http://www.koyotesoft.com.