Mobile Learning: Teacher Use of Mobile Technology in Education

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Mobile Learning Teacher Use of Mobile Technology
in Education

• Dr. Mohamed Ally
• Director and Professor
• Centre for Distance Education
• Athabasca University, Canada
• Exploring ICT in Education 2009 Conference
• Doha, Qatar
• March 2009

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Workshop Objectives

• Describe the importance of using information and
  communication technologies (ICTs) in Education.
• Describe how mobile learning can be used in
  education.
• Describe the benefits of mobile learning in
  education.
• Describe how to design learning materials for
  delivery on mobile technology.
• Describe how to provide support using mobile
  technology.
• Suggest how mobile learning can be used in the
  Qatar education system.
• Use of mobile technology to access mobile
  learning lessons.

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Making the Transition
Print
E-Learning
M-Learning
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What is mobile learning?

• Delivery of electronic materials on mobile
  devices such as mobile phones, handhelds, PDAs,
  iPhone 3G, etc.

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• Mobile Technologies

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(No Transcript)
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One Hundred Dollar LaptopOne Laptop Per Child
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100 Laptop
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Why use Mobile Learning?

• Access from remote locations
• Students can learn from anywhere
• Students can learn at anytime
• Can use the internet to research information
• Schools can share course materials to reduce
  developmental cost
• Course materials are easy to update
• Applications of Mobile Learning

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Why use Mobile Learning? (contd)

• Instant delivery of learning materials
• Updates received immediately
• Students already have mobile devices
• Connect to students using the mobile devices
• Cater for different learning styles
• Learning is more learner-centered

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Next Generation LearningLearning in the 21st
Century

• Mobile Learning (m-Learning)
• Learning Anytime, Anywhere

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OQO

• Desktop in your hand

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iPhone

• iPhone Demo

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Wearable Computer
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Applications of Mobile Technology in Education

• Mobile Learning
• Mobile Training
• Mobile Library

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M-Learning

• Mobile learning (M-Learning) is the use of mobile
  technology to deliver electronic learning
  materials to students anyplace and anytime.

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Mobile Training

• Mobile training (M-Training) is the use of mobile
  technology to deliver electronic training
  materials to teachers anywhere and anytime.

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Mobile Library

• Access of electronic library materials using
  mobile technology

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Learning Materials Development

• Break content into small chunks
• Design as learning objects
• Store in repositories for easy access

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Why Use Learning Objects

• Small segment of learning
• Learning objects can be re-used
• Learning objects can be linked to form a lesson
• Materials stored electronically
• Learning objects can be changed without affecting
  other objects

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• Use of intelligent learning objects

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Design Principles

• Chunk the information to prevent information
  overload
• Use advance organizers to facilitate the
  processing of details
• Dual-coding hypothesis present information in
  visual and textual/verbal
• Use concept and information maps

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Design Principles for M-Learning

• Use information rich message

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Sample Graphical Learning Material
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Sample Learning Session Interaction
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Activity One

• Form groups of four
• The group select a course that one of the group
  members is currently teaching
• Describe how mobile technology can be used to
  delivery the course and provide support to
  students.

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• Challenges
• Mobile Learning

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• Convert existing information for mobile
  technology.

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• Developing new learning materials for delivery on
  mobile technology

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• Train staff and teachers for mobile delivery

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• Change the culture for mobile delivery

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• Keep up with rapid changes in the technology

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• Research Studies

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Preliminary Study Results

• Converted a computer science course for delivery
  on a variety of mobile technology.
• An intelligent software was developed to detect
  the mobile device the student is using and format
  the course materials for the specific device.

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• Preliminary results indicate that students like
  the flexibility of taking the course using their
  existing devices.
• They also like the flexibility of taking the
  course anytime and anyplace.
• They suggest that the course should be less
  textual.
• Some students mentioned that the screen size is
  too small for large amount of text.

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Preliminary Study ResultsMobile Library
(M-Library)

• Digital Reading Room (DRR) in Library
• Convert information for delivery on mobile
  devices
• Business students accessing their course
  materials using mobile technology

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Conclusion

• Collaborative learning using mobile technology
• In the past we designed for the classroom and
  location specific learners. Need to design for
  learning on the go
• We are designing for the mobile learner so must
  keep the devices and mobility in mind during the
  design

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Future Directions

• Virtual devices
• Immediate assembly of learning materials
• Intelligent agents to adapt the interface for the
  learner
• Intelligent learning materials (e.g. learning
  objects) to cater for individual learner needs

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Research Needed

• How to design for learners on the move
• Most effective interfaces for mobile and virtual
  devices
• Learning style of different cultures and mobile
  learning
• How to design information rich content for small
  display devices
• What are the characteristics of mobile technology
  for different cultures

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Sample Project

• Mobile learning in English as a Second Language
  Training

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Hands-on Activity

• Use your wireless mobile device or computer to go
  to the following website for sample mobile
  learning English lessons
• www.eslau.ca
• www.wpeau.ca

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Ally, M. (in Press) Mobile Learning Transforming
the Delivery of Education and Training.
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Thank youProf. Dr. Mohamed Allymohameda_at_athabas
cau.ca