mLearning and Pedagogy
Posted by Jamin Lietze on August 29, 2009
Recently I chaired my first meeting of the newly formed Primary and Secondary ICT Committee. I am excited that we are already engaging ourselves on meeting our first challenge; developing an ICT strategic plan that will hopefully sharpen the level of eLearning in our school.
This challenge has caused me again to explore current research into ICT and it’s impact on learning. I have been interested in the developments of mLearning so have been looking for research in this area. I put a call out on Twitter the other night and Paula Jamieson responded with some helpful pieces of research:
- Victoria’s (Australia) Department of Education and Early Childhood Development released this helpful piece of research entitled “iPod Touch Research Report” (November 2008). I found the recommendations simple but helpful.
- Carly Shuler published “Pockets of Potential; Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Childrens’Learning” (January 2009). This research presented some clear opportunities and challenges with mobile learning.
It has also been helpful for me to follow New Zealand’s own Toni Twiss. At the end of 2008 Toni published her research into mLearning entitled: “Ubiquitous Information”. Since then she continues to pursue this topic and in one of her recent posts Toni made this pivotal statement:
In-light of some of the ways that educators are choosing to use mobile phones as covered in this review, it becomes very clear that the technology enables a wide-range of variation for the use of these devices within an educational setting. However, in order to make the most of many of these learning opportunities, it is going to require a fundamental rethink of the way teaching and learning happens. Simply using mobile phones to teach using traditional methodologies will not be effective. However, nor will planning teaching and learning episodes solely focused on what the technology is capable of. From the findings of this review, rethinking when and where learning opportunities can take place and how mobile technologies can facilitate this is fundamental to developing sound teaching and learning practice.
In my mind Toni has ‘hit the nail on the head’. If there is going to be change in our classrooms and effective integration of ICTs to enhance teaching and learning then it is pedagogy that needs to be addressed. If our pedagogy is not rethought we will just keep on teaching the way we have always done it but with modern tools for example; using an interactive whiteboard in the same way you use a whiteboard. This equates to a very expensive whiteboard! So as my school and I go about developing an ICT strategic plan I have in the forefront of my mind the awareness that our biggest challenge is not finance or the teaching of tool tools, but helping to develop sound pedagogy in our teaching staff.
I would appreciate your help. What ways have you found effective in developing Teachers’ pedagogy about the integration of ICT? Do you have any websites that could help us develop an ICT strategic plan?
I am also interested in the use of notebooks in the classroom. Do you have any links to research on this topic? Do you use notebooks in your class? What have you found are positive and negatives about integrating such a tool?
Picture Authors (Creative Commons License = Attribution):
- "Winding Pathway" http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-hat/2050774790/
- "Brain" http://spacesuityoga.wordpress.com/
August 30th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Hello,
If you would like to read about what we are doing with mobile learning at Shepparton High School in Australia, please follow my blog and leave a comment.
[Reply]
August 30th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Hi Jamin,
a couple of quotes/ideas spring to mind…
1. Senge’s concept of “ready, fire, aim”. Get things going then refine and work on the detail.
2. Michael Fullan commented on his recent trip to NZ that there is a (research proven) inverse relationship between the quality of the strategic planning and the quality of the outcomes.
The things I have found the most helpful in promoting change at school have been getting alongside people and promoting the small next steps; ensuring teachers have basic kit like digital cameras; challenging the differences between the perceptions and the reality of what is happening in rooms; getting the infrastructure stable and reliable. A strong focus on improving the quality and consistency of assessment across the school too – and looking closely at what it means for our practice/s and programmes. Recently the purchase of the big screens and bluetooth mouse and keyboard has really promoted teachers to think about how they can both model and integrate ICT’s into their rooms/programmes.
All teachers are motivated by doing the best for the kids in their classrooms …. that’s why we all do the job. Hook into that and you hook the teachers. Show them that tech can make things better and not just different.
Without being flippant, don’t think to hard … just jump in and get on with it
It’s fun!!
cheers
Greg
[Reply]
August 31st, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Hi Mr Liteze
This looks like a amazing post. I’m really sorry I didn’t get to read it but I just want to say Thank you very much for commenting on to my blog I really appreciate it. I hope you keep supporting people’s posts about God. Thank you for saying those good words in the comment you left me . Well thats all I have time for . I will make sure that’s I come back to this beautiful blog and leave more comment Bye
[Reply]
August 31st, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Hi Mr Lietze
The above comment was actually sent by Angela. We have just had so much trouble this afternoon making edublogs accept that we are real people trying to send nice comments, that in despair Angela switched to the teacher’s laptop to post her comment. And it defaulted to my saved WordPress details.
[Reply]
August 31st, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Hi Jamin,
For me, developing teacher pedagogy and integration of ICT into the classroom has to be done in small steps. I think the saying “the model is it” is important. There is nothing more effective for teachers than seeing someone inside their own school with the same resources modelling integration of ICT – it’s inspiring and sets ‘achievable’ targets for teachers. Our school runs regular ICT professional development sessions (we call them Mac Attacks), where effective use of ICT is shared and skills are given to support teachers when required. While these sessions are optional for teachers we get a good attendance. Your ‘ICT Committee’ could fill a similar roll. Try out different ICT projects in your own classrooms and then share successful examples with teachers.
For what it’s worth, I’m not convinced that eLearning is a great way for teachers to begin exploring ICT integration. For me the use of digital cameras, podcasting and video are excellent starter points. They lend themselves to supporting learning in literacy, maths and other curriculum areas and aren’t difficult for teachers new to using ICT’s to use.
Marcus
[Reply]
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:41 pm
To Greg and Marcus – thanks for you comments guys :+)
You both speak of the “small steps” and these are what we are focusing on first. We are currently drafting a survey to find out Staff strengths/weaknesses in ICT and what they see our next steps as. I want us to be able to fill the gaps first before building anything more.
You both also mention the importance of modeling and “in house” support. I do hope we can do this and do it well in the same way a small amount of yeast permeates a large batch of dough.
With the small steps in mind I also want to plan for the future and make sure we are setting ourselves up as a school to grow and build our ICT capabilities strategically. I guess for me it is like having both hands on the wheel and driving in the present, but looking up and scanning/considering the future.
Thanks again guys, I value your thoughts and perspectives.
[Reply]
September 24th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Сайт очень качественный. Вам награду бы за него или просто почетный орден.
[Reply]
October 29th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Hi Jamin, great blog post.
Many of the ICT PD newsletters published this year relate directly to effective ways to help develop Teachers’ pedagogy about the integration of ICT. These can be found @ http://centre4.core-ed.net/382/73451
I’ve also found Andrew Churches’s wiki really useful @ http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/
and I’ve now updated the Strategic Planning wiki, so you may find the following link useful as well during the strategic planning process.
http://ictpd-strategic-planning.wikispaces.com/Strategic+Planning+Process
Smiles,
Tess
[Reply]
Jamin Lietze Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Hey thanks Tess! I know of Andrew Church’s stuff and enjoy getting your ICT PD newletters which are very informative. Thanks for your link to the updated strategic planning wiki. I will check that out on Monday as I meet with my ICT Team in the afternoon to focus further on developing our ICT strategic plan. Great timing!
[Reply]