Who is using mobile devices in their classes?
Who is using mobile devices in their classes? see http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/communication-activities-using-mobile-devices/ for some example activities I used in my course.
Many of my students use mobile devices in the classroom. I also use them. It is a great option due to the portability of the device. If students are stuck someone and do not have access to a computer but do have access to their cell phones, they easily submit their discussion post or email the instructor regarding an issue. The easy access and portability is easier for students and allow them to manage their time more efficiently.
Hi All,
I have found students use their mobile/tablet devices for discussion posts and for reviewing Muse material. Since I teach design courses doing the assignments on a mobile or tablet device is not possible (unless they are using the Surface).
Laura ,
Yes, focus can be an issue, however, the information and content should be designed to be presented in ways and in contexts that make the most sense to students.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Difficulty with the students who use their mobile device to text chat / watch movies/ focus on just about any thing but the topic at hand
Erik,
Quick polls of existing or new information can also bring an immediacy to the class discussion. I agree with you that students love to see their input immediately integrated into the class activities and direction.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Since most of my students have either smart phones or laptops (university setting), I will present the students with a topic and then have them research it on their devices for few minutes. Then they bring back what they found to share.
I've also used them in statistics activities to find out population means and proportions after students have already generated their own data. They get a kick out of looking it up themselves rather than me just writing it up or telling them.
Deborah,
Do you use any of the share apps for project work?
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I am using it to log into my online classes to check for messages and to post announcements. Students can do the same.
Deb
Kristian ,
Difficult for whom? The teacher or the student? Mobility is with us and maximizes connectivity so we should think about that reality and its impact on learning.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Such a difficult area to focus on as mobile devices can be very distracting.
Denise,
Good idea :) This maximizes the production characteristics of new technology which can raise student confidence and, in turn, promote learning.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Thinking outside of the box and having students video their assignments on their phone and upload them to youtube is a fun way to get your class to interact in a different way with one another.
CORY,
Can you give some specific examples of this? It sounds interesting...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I like to suggest using mobile devices outside of class as well to help diagnois problems that may come up with the students...it is amazing how many other people have had the same problem and are will to show how the problem was solved on differant websites or blogs.
Indeed we don't have the tech bandwidth/staffing to support or design for mobile devices. Our student pop isn't yet there with their tech capacity, but are increasingly becoming so. EEP!
I do allow students to use mobile devices in the classroom. It may help that I have young adult children and see how very 'tech-savvy' they are. We are truly doing students a disservice if we don't allow them to use mobile devices. They are adult enough to know if the use is helping or hindering their progress in class.
Lisa,
I hope they change soon :) There is much evidence that these tools improve learning and information access.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Currently our school policy is to not allow mobile devices in class. The home office is, however, aware of the changes in student communiations, and is looking into policy changes to reflect this.
I use them in my classes, but there are certain tasks we "unplug" for.
My students have powerful computers in their hands--more powerful than the computers I used for the first few years of owning a PC--when I had a Commodore 64 with 64 WHOLE KB of RAM! That makes them laugh, too.
But my f2f school has WiFi, so why not take advantage of it?
