Mobile+Learning+for+the+College+Student

Mobile Learning in Higher Education Created by Greg,Stacy, & Lauren

=**__Electronic and Social Devices That are Changing Higher Education__ **= =**Twitter** = "David Parry, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, argues that his use of Twitter has changed his class dynamic to a greater degree than anything he has attempted before...Students might receive course announcements and reminders in Twitter. They might also get instant feedback on their work" (pg. 301).

=**iPhone/** iTouch = View this article to learn more about ACU's students use iphones on campus, faculty reaction to the product and the way the iPhone is enhancing edcuational opportunities for students. [|http://www.acu.edu/news/2008/080225_iphone.html] Apparently we chose the wrong school to pursue masters. (Just kidding). This video explains and demonstrates who ASU students can use their iPhone or iTouch to access the ASU library and participate in their classes digitally. media type="youtube" key="oQ1ZjStKny0" height="390" width="640" media type="youtube" key="YwBHvDqF2vU" height="390" width="480"

=**Text Messaging** = Text messaging is now starting to play a role in higher education. Many college students rarely check their campus email (or any email account for that matter) and have no intentions to start now. In some cases, students are missing assignments, a change in due dates, or a cancellation of class. Some professors are now using text messages as a means of communication in place of an email. Check out this article. [| SMS in Higher Education]

Another use for text messaging in Higher Education is for emergency notifications. Salisbury University utilizes this feature, as many of you are aware. Students are given the option to provide their cell phone number and be a part of this program. In the event of a campus-wide emergency, a mass text message goes out to those who signed up alerting them of the emergency. Here is an article that explains it in more detail.[| Mass Notification for Higher Education]

 Here is a great video made by college students about why to text and the possibility of texting professors. This video supports the idea that many students would rather text their professors when questions come up instead of calling or going to office hours. media type="youtube" key="qh5K6K7NGYA" width="425" height="350"

=Laptops = There are multiple debates about whether laptops should be allowed in college courses. Many students choose to use laptops during class in order to take notes and view powerpoint presentations the teachers use for lecturing. However, several students take advantage of having a laptop in class and spend their time on Facebook, email, or simply surfing the web. There are many advantages to having a laptop in class, but it also has it's disadvantages. In fact, they could eventually have a negative impact on the teacher. Check out this article on a teacher's arrest after closing a student's laptop. This is definitely something us teachers probably have never thought of, but is definitely something to keep in mind. [|Arrest for Closing Student's Laptop]

Issues:
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*One problem with mobile learning is access. Access to the technology and access to the internet. Producing technologies at a cheaper cost would be one way to solve this problem and providing free interent access for everyone in this country would be another solution.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*Another BIG issue at the college/university level is the cost. It is expensive to not only purchase computers, but also for the software, programs, and maintenance.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*One issue for the text messaging approach is that although it is more than likely for all college students to own cell phones, there are still a few who don't. Even those who do own them may forget it in their dorm, lose it, break it, the phone malfunctions, etc. There is no guarantee that all students will receive the text any faster or more often then an email.

<span style="background-color: #ff00ff; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 19px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;">WIO - Summary: Chapter 10 discusses the extent that mobile technology can and has been used both in education as well as in the workplace. The chapter even talks about how mobile technology has become a steady part of our lives discussing the different ways people all over the world use mobile technology on a daily basis **. **

The chapter refers to mobile learning as M-Learning. M-Learning devices include, IPads, IPods, MP3 Players, Smartphones, Etc. When living in the day and age we are in with budget crisis’s and budget short falls, Bonk says “M-Learning technology costs are often quite lower than educators in K-12 schools realize.” (Page 293) If something is so much cheaper, wouldn’t it be a good idea to try to see what it could bring to the table that maybe a $1,000 laptop can’t?

Abilene Christian University started a program in 2008 that gave all 900 incoming freshman an IPhone or an IPod Touch. (Page 306) If that isn’t cool enough for you, they are commonly engaged with receiving text messages from her their teachers, ability to check their facebook, pay for food, and download podcasts from classes, or even video conference with a family member thousands of miles away.

The day of making a phone call and leaving a message that might not be responded to for a few days are long gone. Today we live in a day and age of right here, right now, with information right at our fingertips. When you see a person on their cell phone now and it’s not always up to their ear. Usually a person is using his or her cell phone by “communicating with friends and family, others are ordering online concert or movie tickets, checking the weather, or reading headline news or sports scores.”(Page 298). All of these activities can be done without holding the cell phone to your ear.

Today it’s not about having a cell phone; it’s about having a smart phone! “Smartphone’s now include things like quick guides for chemistry, the human nervous system, cell biology, and other important science areas as well as religious topics ranging from the Qur’an to the Bible to the gods of ancient Greece.” (Page 299) What a great resource for people to use. As Dr. Royer stated in the earlier assignment description, 92% of youths have a cell phone. Wow! In the past chapters we discussed the Technology Divide which seemed to include students of different races and also financial status. In this chapter it’s good to point out that even though a lot of family’s don’t have internet access at home/a home computer, an overwhelming majority have a cell phone; and with the age of mobile technology having not even peaked yet I believe we are starting to close the Technology Divide.

Bonk goes on to say that “Advertisers are trained to project what the proliferation of mobile technology means in revenues, but educators must start thinking about how such Smartphones might affect learning and the delivery of education.” (Page 300) Bonk hit the nail right on the head there in the direction that we as educators have to begin to change with the times. Whether it’s going to the principal and seeing if you can begin to work in some activities that allow the students to use their cell phones or applying for a grant that might fund the purchase of some Smartphones to fill in the gap of the students that don’t own phones so they are not left out. Either of these ideas could end up being very beneficial in the long run for students to be exposed to more M-Learning.

“In 2008, for instance, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction launched Project K-Net, which provided a repository of math and science problems aligned to state standards that students could solve through their mobile devices.” (Page 303) What a great idea! In the article that Dr. Royer gave us concerning this it even stated that “Student smart phones have 24/7 internet access, which students can use at home or at school, and they have full access to both the K-Nect curriculum, as well as features such as instant messaging (IM), video and chat capabilities, and calculators.” (Stansbury) Most people within the program felt that it would only last a semester or two, but the unlimited access to their schoolwork proved to be too valuable.

The big idea behind this is ““Project K-Nect and this report have significant new implication on how, when, and where we engage students in a learning process.” (Stansbury) Finding time that suits the individual and being able to meet that student on their terms is what I believe makes this program so successful.

All in all the big picture of this chapter is the fact that whether you’re a student, worker, or shopper, you have the world at the tip of your fingers with M-Learning. Dr. Royer had access to the internet in 3 or the 4 places that she was at during her trip, and the only thing that she remembers (the lasting memory in her mind) is that Philadelphia didn’t have Free WiFi. Welcome to the 21 century folks, where if we don’t have, can’t have, or are unable to access it at that moment we are helpless.

The fact that M-Learning is so popular and continues to be shows that we are still changing and modifying how we communicate, interact, as well as receive and post information. The future is bright for the M-Learner, so let’s try to work it in to our daily lives a little bit more; because it’s here to stay.

<span style="background-color: #ff00ff; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">**WIO Ch 10 Quotes:**
"We are giving a way for people to essentially forget about forgetting" (Jim Margaff, creator of the Pulse, pg. 302) "If anything can change the world quickly, it is inexpensive and highly usable technology placed in the hands of younger learners" (pg. 321).

<span style="background-color: #ff00ff; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Extras:
The following video features Louis CK as he rants about how amazing technology is, yet no one seems to care. He does not have much to say about higher education, but he does have a lot to say about society in general.

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Comment:

I was utterly shocked and appalled by the teacher being arrested for closing the laptop. I completely agree that the student was probably embarrassed and wanted to get even with the teacher. However, as an adult, the student should have respected the professor and shut the computer. I don't understand why students think they can argue with a teacher... for ANY reason. I am also shocked that campus police actually arrested him instead of talking to him in a quiet office! I suppose that universities around the nation will need to look at this as a reason for having unified procedures for how to handle situations like this with mobile technology. I was also surprised by the fact that students are not checking their email and therefore not getting important information about classes. If students are told that email updates will be sent, then it is the responsibility for students to check their email. I know that texting can be easier, however, the requirements of the class must be respected by the students. I'd also like to say that I am really interested in using Twitter at the middle school level. If a college professor can have significant changes in his class due to using Twitter, then what other grade levels can find that same kind of success? - Jaimie

Wow! The arrest of a college professor for closing a laptop is appalling. It is totally within a professor or teacher's rights to make sure that students are on task and are not creating disruptions. If the student had not responded to my requests to join the class and not surf the web, I very well may have done the same thing. In fact, when I was subbing in Talbot County a few years ago, I took laptops from students who were abusing the priviledge of using them by visiting inappropriate websites. If I'd been arrested for doing so, everyone would have heard about it because I would have gone to the press right away. I sometimes feel that as teachers (K-12) we check our rights at the door of the school and that the students have more rights than us. I certainly would not expect this to happen in K-12 and certainly not in post secondary education. What are we teaching students? To file a grievance anytime something happens that they don't like? Is this how we help students develop responsibility and respect? Not in my book. Kim L.

I know I would rather text my professor than have to wait for an email or drive to campus for a meeting. I also really loved it when SU started the text alert system. It definitely makes me feel better knowing that my sister (a freshman at SU) would know as soon as possible if something was wrong. The fact that 92% of people have a cellphone shows that this is a resource that needs to be tapped. I check my SU email maybe twice a week, but my cellphone is on me all the time. I can also see where phones and laptops in the classroom can be a distraction, and I stand behind the professor's closing of the student's laptop. Classroom management doesn't end after 12th grade, and college students must meet their professor's expectations no matter what. - Megan

Your project gave me a lot to think about :-) First, I've decided not to close any laptops that might be open in my class!!! The videos that show how some universities are using smart phone applications were great! I plan to forward them to our IT folks. It is definitely hard to keep up. Great job finding resources to help us understand how mobile technologies are impacting and changing higher education. Dr. Royer

Great videos! They really walked me through the wiki. I am with you on the access issue., it is frustrating that it costs so much for something that should be universal out of necessity. I wonder though if texting would overwhelm professors. When email came out I think one of the big issues was that a lot of unimportant things were being sent because of the easy access. Texting has taken that to the ultimate, where so many unimportant things are now "Urgent!" I think professors might take issue to someone shooting a handful of texts instead of 1 email or a face to face meeting. **//James//**

Great job! I would also point out that a problem with text messaging is the lack of boundaries. Students operate on a different schedule than most other people, and their expectation for immediate response is very high. If I were a professor I would worry that being available via text message would require me to be on-call 24/7. Don't professors deserve some time for themselves?
 * Comment:**

Here is a link to an article today on the Chronicle's website: []. It provides a professors point of view regarding the laptop incident. How timely!

- Brian

When Salisbury first implemented the emergency text messaging system I thought it was brilliant! I know that there are still (very few) students that don't have phones, the majority do. At SU I believe you also have the option of having an email sent to you as well. I don't think there is much of an issue of students forgetting their phones since most people sleep with their phones under their pillow! I know that's an exaggeration but it not too far of a stretch. You bring up great points and I think that technology is taking off in higher ed more than any other level of education. Great job! Aly Brabitz

Wiki was great. Like the others I was shocked about the professor getting arressted for closing the lap top. The article shows how mobile technology can be a distraction in class to the user, class mates, and professors. I think that professors should make it clear on the first day and in their syllabus how they feel about the use of mobile devices during class. I enjoyed the Louis C.K video about of society never seems to be pleased with the advantages they have. With the advancements in technology happening at such a rapid rate it leaves people always wanting the next faster or bigger thing. Nice Work. - Nick Jones

An interesting point made in the third video you posted is that “ many students would rather text their professors when questions come up instead of calling or going to office hours”. As mentioned by a few of you fellow classmates throughout this assignment there are so many conveniences and complications to the use of technology. My reason for focusing in on this point is to highlight exactly how technology has changed the very face of communication. Before all this online communication and face timing people knew how to speak to each other and how to spell which I believe was an essential element for students to develop confidence and conversation skills. With all this technology the art of conversation is lost, even within schools. I think it should be at the professor’s discretion whether or not they would allow their students to text them but from working in Res.Life where it seems like students have unlimited access to me, I say it is a bad idea. Overall a very good wiki, interesting videos.-Kerra Hunter