mobile devices and apps in education

MOBILE DEVICES & APPS IN EDUCATION

REBECCA K. MILLER SCR CONNECTIONS WEBINAR

VIRGINIA TECH SEPTEMBER 18, 2013

SOME BACKGROUND…

tabletsinlibraries.tumblr.com

OVERVIEW

I. Quick history of mobile devices & teaching/learning

II. Enabling statistics

III. Levels of support in higher education

IV. Mobile information literacy

V. Identifying, evaluating, and selecting apps

VI. Integrating mobile devices & apps into your teaching

VII. Best practices and core competences

VIII. Staying up to date

IX. Additional resources and further reading

X. Questions & discussion

MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION: A QUICK HISTORY

Alan Kay

DYNABOOK (1968)

Steve Jobs

IPAD (2010)

ENABLING STATISTICS

MOBILE DEVICE ENABLERS

Mobile networks accessible to > 90% of the world’s population

By 2017, 1 billion people expected to access the Internet via mobile devices

Improved speed (4G), power (1 GHz), and capabilities (GPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses)

ECAR Research Bulletin: The Future of Mobile Learning

May 1, 2012

DEVICE OWNERSHIP

Pew Internet Trend Data, May 2013http://www.pewinternet.org/Trend-Data-(Adults)/Device-Ownership.aspx

STUDENT DEVICE OWNERSHIP

ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students & Information Technology, 2012

LEVELS OF SUPPORT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

http://libguides.mit.edu/apps

http://libguides.scu.edu/mobile

http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/mobile

http://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/content.php?pid=11651&sid=1853931

“Don’t assume all students know how to use the technology they own and use as academic tools….[technical] training is essential for their success in a world where these skills are expected.”

ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2012

MOBILE INFORMATION LITERACY

MOBILE ENVIRONMENT

Rick Oller, ECAR (The Future of Mobile Learning)

I feel that one of our obligations as educators is to consider how the mobile Internet changes not only how we teach, but what it means to be knowledgeable and educated in our culture. And just as important, the mobile web opens up a host of pedagogical possibilities.

David Parry, EDUCAUSE Review

Rather than imposing legacy pedagogical guidelines on mobile learning, higher education decision makers, instruction designers, and perhaps most importantly, teachers need to innovate, experiment, and be prepared to fail. It’s not clear where mobile learning technology and applications will go, but…it will be disruptive, explosive, and game changing….

MOBILE ENVIRONMENT & INSTRUCTION

The mobile environment is evolving instruction in two major ways:

What we teach (skills and content)

• Mobile information literacy skills• Resources used and recommended

How we teach (strategies and pedagogy)

• Technology used in the classroom• Communication and collaboration opportunities• Connecting the classroom to the outside world

MOBILE INFORMATION LITERACY

Scranton Smartphone Survey (2010)

A few generalizations and recommendations:

• Information literacy instructors should become familiar with new search methods (such as QR codes) to help students use them effectively and efficiently

• Students should be encouraged to review a range of search results, particularly when searching for academic information

• Information literacy instructors should help students understand how to evaluate information, especially when it is presented in a nontraditional form, such as an app.

• Students may need assistance from educators in applying information literacy skills they have learned while searching on a laptop or desktop to the mobile environment

Kristen Yarmey, Student Information Literacy in the Mobile Environment

MOBILE INFORMATION LITERACYThree key areas of information engagement on the move:

1. How people search for and evaluate information on the move

• Searching for information is quick and easy• Information needs are contextual• Searching can be social

2. How people use information and create new knowledge on the move

• Memory can be outsourced• Mobile internet acting as a bridge between devices

3. How people cope with the “always on” nature of mobile information

• Information is constantly pushed at us

Andrew Walsh, Mobile Information Literacy: A Preliminary Outline of Information Behaviour in a Mobile Environment

MOBILE INFORMATION LITERACY

From the ACRL STS November 2012 Last Wednesdays Chat:

• How skills change due to mobile tech

• Mastery of or effectively using information tools on mobile devices (apps or mobile web)

• Utilizing technology to support information literacy teaching (pedagogy)

• Managing user expectations: instant gratification, simplicity, efficiency

• Device agnostic (skills, services, resources)

IDENTIFYING, EVALUATING, AND SELECTING APPS

http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-apps/2013

http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html

Developed by Allan Carrington

http://padagogy.net/

EVALUATING MOBILE RESOURCES FOR TEACHINGConsideration Questions to Ask

Cost Is the resource free? How much does it cost? Is volume purchasing available?

Device Which device(s) does the resource work with? Work best with?

Function and Usability How relevant is the resource’s function? What skill(s) does it promote? Is there a learning curve?

Security and Privacy How secure is the resource? Does it collect personal information?

Support and Reliability What is the history of the resource? Is there support for it?

Access Does the resource allow sharing? Provide feedback, if that’s important?

http://learninginhand.com/blog/ways-to-evaluate-educational-apps.html

EVALUATING MOBILE RESOURCES FOR TEACHING

INTEGRATING MOBILE DEVICES & APPS INTO YOUR TEACHING

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

INTEGRATING MOBILE:EXAMPLE 1

Objective: Organizing and converting information found into knowledge

Context: Science students in a lower level biology or environmental studies class

Method of assessment: Collaborative Evernote notebook

Leafsnap Nature.com mobileGoogle ScholarEvernote

INTEGRATING MOBILE:EXAMPLE 2

Objective: Critically evaluating information

Context: First year students in an introductory science or engineering class class

Method of assessment: Informal; student discussion

Evernote Poll Everywhere YouTube

INTEGRATING MOBILE:EXAMPLE 3

Objective: Searching for information effectively

Context: Online course (any discipline)

Method of assessment: Screen shot of database with search strategy and result list; Popplet mind map

Popplet Google Drive PubMed Mobile

INTEGRATING MOBILE:EXAMPLE 4

Objective: Organizing and converting information found into knowledge

Context: First year students researching environmental changes on campus

Method of assessment: Student responses and citations in Evernote

Pinterest Evernote

INTEGRATING MOBILE: EXAMPLE 5

Objective: Organizing and converting information found into knowledge

Context: Upper-level undergraduate nursing students

Method of assessment: Collaborative Evernote notebook

PubMed Mobile Eponyms Evernote

IN SUMMARY:MAJOR CONCEPTS

“Mobile learning is personalized, learner centered, situated, collaborative, ubiquitous, and contextual…”

Rick Oller, ECAR (The Future of Mobile Learning)

• Mobile technologies are changing higher education in ways that we cannot yet completely understand

• Student access to and use of information is radically changing

• We have a responsibility to help students--and each other--become familiar with and effectively use new technologies

BEST PRACTICES & CORE COMPETENCES

BEST PRACTICES• Align and Organize: Make sure technology selected aligns with

students, context, and objectives

• Accessibility: Make sure technology is accessible to all students

• Interaction: Provide students with the opportunity to interact with each other, you, and the content

• Reinforcement: Technology should reinforce and supplement your teaching

• Assessment: Assess for learning, impact, effectiveness

• Keep it fresh: Be flexible, stay on top of technology and trends

• Share and Collaborate: Let others know what you’re doing; share your ideas and use others’ ideas!

http://www.cidde.pitt.edu/ta-handbook/teaching-technology-1http://teach.ucf.edu/pedagogy/best-practices/

ALA CORE COMPETENCES

http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/careers/corecomp/corecompetences

ALA CORE COMPETENCES

http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/careers/corecomp/corecompetences

STAYING UP TO DATE

PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT/NETWORK

Courtesy of: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7049.pdf

Courtesy of: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7049.pdf

WHAT'S IN A PLE OR PLN?

Twitter

Blogs

MOOCs

Facebook

IDENTIFY:

Leaders in the field

Resources that you already use or would like to use

• Listservs• Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook• Scholarship• Blogs• Webinars and online courses• Conference presentations and workshops• Internal opportunities

Strategies for working this into your normal day

LISTSERVS

ALA listservs: http://lists.ala.org/sympa

• ILI• LITA • RUSA

EDUCAUSE listservs:http://listserv.educause.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?INDEX

• Mobile Tech• Games and Learning

TWITTER

People

• @JasonGriffey• @noshelfrequired• @andywalsh999• @nic221

Hashtags

• #EdApp• #EdTech• #libtablet• #libgadget• #ipaded• #Mlearning• #Elearning

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

PUBLICATIONS

• International Journal of Mobile & Blended Learning

• International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies

• Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal

• ECAR: http://www.educause.edu/ecar

• EDUCAUSE

• Horizon Report• College & Research Libraries

BLOGS

• ALA TechSource: http://www.alatechsource.org/blog

• No Shelf Required: http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/

• Mobile Technologies in Libraries: http://mlibraries.jiscinvolve.org/wp/

• List of 20 mobile learning blogs: http://www.edudemic.com/2012/09/20-blogs-mobile-learning-worth/

WEBINARS/COURSES/CONFERENCES

• ALA TechSource

• ACRL e-Learning Webcasts

• Library Juice Academy

• EDUCAUSE

• Computers in Libraries

• M-Libraries

• LOEX

• WILU

• Handheld Librarian

• LITA Forum

QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION

GOT QUESTIONS?

Rebecca Miller, millerrk@vt.edu

http://www.rebeccakatemiller.com

@rebeccakmiller

IMAGE CREDITS• http://westgatenetworks.com/anytech/tablet-and-smartphone-dinner-table-etiqu

ette/

• http://www.theiphoneaddict.com/the-new-ipad/using-a-twitter-client-on-the-new-ipad/

• http://musictherapyservices.net/from-ipad-skeptic-to-ipad-enthusiast-how-i-came-to-realize-that-the-ipad-could-enhance-therapy-sessions/

• http://ebooktest.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/the-original-kindle-from-1968/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipad

• http://www.talkandroid.com/2853-for-power-users-the-iphone-vs-android-showdown/

• http://www.ipadebookslibrary.com/

• http://www.unity.net.au/allansportfolio/edublog/?p=324

• http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/history_isd/carey.html