Using mobile phones in the classroom isn't something I really thought too much about before joining my PCET course. Without realising it, I have been learning through mobile technology throughout most of college and university. It just seemed like a natural progression so it wasn't anything I ever thought about. With the ever growing advancements in mobile technology and the cost of portable devices constantly becoming more affordable, it seems that everyone has a mobile these days. I would also go as far to say that the vast majority of people would own more than one portable device. Mobiles, IPads / Tablets and laptops are a common site in modern colleges and university class rooms. With the many uses of mobile technology the progression of integration between mobile devices and the classroom seem to be irreversible. (Keengwe 2013) But I don't think it should be reversible. If you walked into a lecture theater laptops and mobile tablets would be a common sight. Mobile technology allows the students to have access to all the learning resources but only needing one object.
Technology when it is used in education can lead to some unintended consequences, and challenges. (Keengwe 2013) These challenges can be that students could end up relying on technology to solve the problem for them. With search engines like Google and pages like Wikipedia, the internet can't always be a reliable source of research and information. Another challenge of using mobile technology in the classrooms opens up the possibility of students using them as a distraction from actual work. Providing them an opportunity to procrastinate. Mobile technology needs to be used in an appropriate manner. Technology should be integrated to improve the learning; if there is no need to using mobile technology in one of your lessons it shouldn't be forced.
The system must be developed from a learner-centred approach, providing mechanisms for automatic or manual adaptation in order for the system to meet the needs of different learners as much as possible. (Male 2011)
As the quote above states, the use of mobile technology in learning should be centered around the students. Mobile technology is only as useful as you make it. E-learning should allow the students access to more resources than the teacher can provided. The use of this technology should give the students more opportunities to improve their learning through new resources. Mobile technology has support for multimedia information and access to different applications, including access to the Internet and high speed data allowing video and communication technology available to your students anywhere (Male 2011). This allows the students access to educational resources whenever they need it. This is a huge development for classroom learning. Students can contact their tutors or teachers via email for help on assignments. They can have access to resources that the teacher used in class, they can revisit work after a lecture if they weren't clear about it. Mobile technology is giving people more out of their education. It is hugely improving the way students learn.
The use of mobile technology in learning has it's challenges. But designing the technology around the students and as long as it is used in a positive educational context, it is an important tool for teaching and learning today.
Keengwe, Jared (2013) Mobile learning and integration of mobile technologies in education, Avalible at: https://www-swetswise-com.v-ezproxy.smu.ac.uk Last accessed: 22/11/2014
Male, Galamoyo (2011) Enhancing the quality of e-learning through mobile technology Avaliable at: http://swanseamet.summon.serialssolutions.com Last accessed: 22/11/2014
An interesting post, especially in your initial comments when you say that you have been utilising a range of MT for a long time without even thinking about it.
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