Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

More ranting I'm afraid. how are we ever going to sell the idea that mobiles have great potential for learning to teachers when kids use them to take photos of their teachers that they paste superimposed on nudes at MySpace and then publically rate them at http://www.ratemyteachers.co.uk/schools/england. I'm all for accountability and creative use of new technologies but with rights come responsibilities.

Have you seen Create-a-scape http://www.createascape.org.uk/ ? It's being used with children to encourage new interactions with the environment. Teachers can set up new perspective on the space in which the 'mediascapes' are set, especially those that tell hidden histories. Free download.

There were some wonderful eportfolios using moblogging - lifeBlog and mediaboard, blogger, flickr and more at Mlearn06. I loved the catering students' and the bakers' creations. But what about the courses where our students cannot photograph themselves at work such as student midwives, nurses, teachers because images of unwell people or under-18s are involved?

Thanks for that - I was particularly interested in the ecological footprint calculator. 'fraid your link is out of date, try http://www.kidsolve.com/products/index.html#EFC .

I second that point by Jon - there is a hugely useful bibliography at the end of Desmond's paper

Andy Ramsden's at http://www.mobile-learning.blog-city.com/  - he was blogging from the IADIS mobile learning conference in Dublin last weekend

Ta Jon,

First link's not currently working   though the second has some interesting points picked up from the San Diego NECC event under Learning in Hand.It's a way down the page on the RHS

I don't think so but will look into it

Here's a second poll to attempt to answer Gerry's question about the poll below

That's a great idea - I'll try

That's great Johnny, I hope they gave you a good grade.

Johnny believes that teachers can play an important part in assessing how smartphones could impact on attainment and ascertain how to integrate them.   He points out that we need to consider what may happen if pupils can physically and virtually roam.  Some pupils already do quite well outside of school buildings and the vocational skills focus of the 14 - 19 agenda has reconciled that the benefits outweigh the dangers. He concludes that pedagogy in a public space is possible and adds that there are a many prerequisites to the successful implementation and use of smartphones as part of the Building Schools of the Future programme which include:

•   The inclusion of smartphones in the learning environment designs
•   Comprehensive deployment and ‘ownership’ of smartphones for teachers and students
•   The provision of smartphone training and support programmes for all staff and students
•   Smartphones to support clear pedagogic approaches and specific learning goals
•   A clear school smartphone usage policy
•   A clear and comprehensive safety and security policy

What do the rest of you think? Do you agree? Can you add anything?

Game to try if someone tells me how to do it - this was an attempt at a more provocative poll to get further ideas about handheld use to try out with teachers

Be nice until you get a cold  - who knows where your GPS system with voice recognition could lead you?

At the mobile learning workshop held at Bristol University discussion started over how teachers and lecturers would have to change their teaching styles to cope with students equipped with handhelds. Some suggestions were

• - coping with students multi-tasking,
• - blurring of the boundaries between subjects,
• - opportunites to involve learning outside the school context and
• -  the need to make opportunity to enable students to reflect on information acquired/learning.

Is this possible within today's climate in schools and universities?

We are getting to the point where schools cannot continue to simply ban mobile phones (with and without cameras) and instant messaging software. Many PDAs have fantastic potential as learning devices that is enhanced through use of camera to personalise and authenticate learning and set it in context.

Also parents tend to rely on schools to cover issues such as e- safety and being a good e-citizen and allow their children to use the hardware without direct supervision. I agree with Graham that responsible use of the technology needs to be taught - therefore the technology should be in the schools