As a parent, I worry about how much time my son spends on his mobile phone and wish he’d invest even a small proportion of that time in his studies. Using mobile devices to provide some of the coursework my son is doing seems to me a logical step to take as it brings education to where the kids are! One of my son’s friends is hard of hearing, so his mobile phone helps him keep in touch with the group. They all have phones, some of them have two!
If the teachers can find ways to give the kids interesting topics to talk about with their mates or complete short activities where they can take photos of things relevant to their studies when they’re out and about, or find out some information, all stuff they can do via their mobile phones, then that will get them interested and make their learning more fun and keep them motivated. They may not even realise they’re studying! That would be a good trick!
My son recently started a part-time job and I have been concerned that it will interfere with his study time. If he can do some of his work via his mobile phone when he’s commuting to his job, that will really help him manage his workload and stay on top of his studies.
I asked him what he thought about using his mobile phone to do some of his coursework and he said the kids had been asking for this for ages! He showed me a YouTube clip made by some American kids about how they all have phones and would use them to study. He and his friends are thinking of making a UK-version ‘cause he said the situation is exactly the same for them. This is the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBwCqzqqGl0.
I don’t think the question this institution should be asking is if mobile technology should be incorporated into teaching and learning but when – my answer would be – as soon as possible!
Thank you, Sam Cameron (parent)
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ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more, Sam.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just a case of using the technologies our children are interested in, rather than continuing with the increasingly irrelevant classroom learning they have had uptil now, but also of preparing them for the fast-changing, technology driven world they are going to be living, working and studying in - they are going to have to fend for themselves very soon and in this tough economic climate more than ever we really can't afford to let them get left behind & miss out.
Kirsty Dodds (parent)
Dear Sam
ReplyDeleteI can see your point but who should be providing both the device, and the infrastructure to support mobile learning?
Your child may have access to a mobile phone capable of streaming video/accessing the Internet, but what about those children less fortunate?
Who is going to pay for devices for those, as well as data charges?
I'm afraid my team cannot support all devices, it is simply not cost-effective. Neither should the Institution pay for devices for all.
Regards
Rufus (Head of IT Services)
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ReplyDeleteHello Jill - are you seriously suggesting that they don't already do their work 'in a rush, not thinking it's important so they can go back to their chatting and tweeting and what not"?
ReplyDeleteThis is a way of engaging them in their learning so that they will want to do it and talking to their friends about it is one of the great benefits of this approach!
Why don't we have a trial of a simple project, using text messaging - something all phones can do! Let's not condemn an idea before we've tried it just because it is new!
Rufus, the kids can use their own phones - it is a cheaper option than them all buying laptops, which is what the college recommends in its literature! These are the same problems you already have - sort them out! It is your job after all!
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