mobile technologies: disruptive or enabling?

Mobile Technologies:Disruptive or Enabling?

Kingston Access to Science Teaching Across New and Emerging Technologies

Perspectives from the KASTANET Project

JISC Online Conference 2008: Innovating E-LearningLearning in a Digital Age

JISC Online Conference November 2008: Learning in a Digital Age

What is KASTANET?

Funding: JISC HE in FE E-Learning Programme 2 years April 2007 – March 2009

Purpose: evaluate impact of mobile learning Learning support Learning Assessment

Focus: Science Degree Foundation Science focus Large number of learners Complex provision


Mobile services

Core technologies SMS services Podcast creation, hosting and distribution Mobile web (project website and Moodle)

Secondary technologies KCOD (Kingston College Online Database)

development Student enrolment records Electronic registration Electronic timetabling facilities


SMS technology

Relationship established with PageOne SMS provider for JanetTXT

SOAP service developed XML messaging protocol No knowledge of SMS technology required SMS messages initiated/received as HTML

KCOD integration KC’s curriculum management system Two-way web-based SMS functions Available through electronic register interface


SMS services

Manual outbound Send to individuals, groups of whole SDF cohort Can dispatch to absent students only

Inbound SMS registration Technically feasible but delays cause problems

Call and response service Key word triggers personalised response SMS timetables SMS quizzes

Automated outbound Under development: attendance alerts


SMS applications

Pedagogic SMS quizzes have had limited impact

Pastoral/learning support Provision of compressed timetable data is popular Other applications will be tested (e.g. exam

schedule)

Sustaining momentum Student response very positive SMS remains a cheap, accessible and popular

technology Scope for refining and developing services Key phase will be Autumn 08 induction


Podcast services Planning

Link to pedagogy Support for tutors Preparing material

Recording Mobile and fixed technology Audio only, enhanced and vodcast formats Tutors and mentors create content

Processing Editing and encoding

Dissemination Virtual podcast folder and DirCaster application used to

publish content Links to iTunes


KASTANET PodcastsTitle Minutes Format No. Author(s)

Welcome 2 enhanced 1 SDF tutors Intro to KASTANET 3 enhanced 1 SDF tutorsOrientation 9 enhanced 2 SDF tutors & KU Health & Safety test 5 video 1 Chemistry tutor Health & Safety answers 5 video 1 Chemistry tutor Study Skills series 15 audio 7 ILT & various Science features 10 audio 8 Science tutors & various

Chemistry experiments 6 video 4 Chemistry tutor Chemistry academic 15 audio 2 Chemistry tutor Biology 6 audio 5 Biology tutor Biology Microscope 12 video 5 Biology tutor Revision 12 - 17 audio 8 Maths & Biology tutors

Maths 1 video 8 Maths tutorMentor profiles 3 audio 4 Mentors KU Course Directors 1 audio 16 KU tutors Q & A with mentors 1 audio 4 Mentors Total 77


What the students think

How would you rate the extent to which your lecturers used podcasting audio appropriately?

Used somewhat appropriately & Used appropriately

86%

To what extent do you think having access to podcasts can have an impact on your experience as a student?

A somewhat positive impact & A positive impact

87%

How useful are the Study Skills podcasts to you?

Somewhat useful, Useful & Very useful

90%


Students’ Comments What is the most positive aspect of the

KASTANET program?

“You learn outside college as well as inside”

“the ease of access”

“ability to access info anywhere at any time”

“more convenient as you can access it at home and everywhere”

“keeps me organised”

“it’s trying to engage with a generation which is extremely tied to their technology”


Enabling or disruptive?

The KASTANET experience has demonstrated that mobile technologies can enable: New forms of communication between tutor and students Greater access to curriculum information (e.g. timetables) More flexibility in where, how and when learning takes place Greater sense of personal ‘ownership’ of learning Blurring of the boundary between formal and informal

learning New approaches to progress monitoring and assessment Technology transfer to other areas and application (e.g. e-

administration)


… on the other hand!

The KASTANET experience has also highlighted a disruptive dimension to mobile technologies: Conventional patterns of learning and teaching

are challenged Notions of public and private space in the context

of learning are no longer water-tight Mobile services that ‘push’ content (SMS or

podast subscriptions) can lead to resistance Models of technology ownership are disruptive Technical support issues can be dramatically

increased


The learner perspective Generally very positive about mobile technology

Intuitive, accessible, routine use of mobile devices Learners mainly appreciate opportunities for working on

the move Mentor-student use of podcasting is popular

But… Some resistance to the use of SMS for attendance

monitoring Discomfort with costs associated with accessing mobile

content Phones are intrinsic to personal identity and some

students are hesitant about institutional use of this platform


The tutor perspective Most tutors are enthusiastic

Have responded well to new opportunities for communicating with, teaching and assessing learners

There is wide scale interest in the potential of mobile learning

But… Creating content for mobile platforms is an acquired

skill: some resistance to integrating new approaches Discomfort with the perceived time overhead for

podcasting Accuracy in electronic timetables and registration

records (for SMS services) have exposed substandard practice in this area


The institutional perspective

Enormous interest in the potential Intuitive, accessible, routine use of mobile devices Learners mainly appreciate opportunities for working

on the move

But… Complex technical support needs (e.g. for managing

podcast subscriptions) is an additional burden Concerns about sustainability, security and tarriff costs Adjustment to use of mobile phones in learning spaces

still taking place New forms of curriculum planning, professional

development and quality review measures


Summary

Mobile technology is here to stay and will have an increasingly significant role in education

It’s influence is both enabling and disruptive

Issues to consider include Curriculum models and pedagogic planning Content creation strategies Tutor support Technology support Institutional strategy


Key links

Showcase of sample podcasts mms://stream.kingston-college.ac.uk/

content/nickyread/JISC_reel.wmv http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-

6501342255393022925&hl=en

Project websites: http://kastanet.kingston-college.ac.uk/ http://studentkastanet.kingston-

college.ac.uk/

mobile technologies: disruptive or enabling?

Documents