Challenges in mobile learning

Let’s look at some of the major concerns faced by educators and advocates of m-learning and the methods by which these problems can be overcome.

What if my teachers and staff are not tech savvy?

One of the key criteria for any new technology to be successful is that it must be easy to learn, with immediate benefits. Mobile phones are not a new technology. Smartphones are designed to be intuitive and do not require special training to use.

What may require some attention is the use of software that will allow your teachers to deliver personalized content to student mobile devices. While these are designed to be easy to use, as with any new software, there will be a short learning period during which teachers become familiar with the features of the software. Internet browsing and basic formatting skills are important, but not critical to being able to deliver mobile learning to students.

If your teachers already surf the web, send emails and create documents and presentations with ease, they will have no problem adapting to mobile learning applications.

Will students use it to cheat?

Let’s be honest. Some students will always try to cheat. Whether it’s crib notes or old-fashioned copying, there’s always cheating. Mobile learning allows students to use their study time effectively by providing bite-sized chunks of material in a way that can be easily reviewed. It does not facilitate deception.

While there is evidence that students are increasingly using mobile devices to cheat, the implementation of m-learning pedagogies will not necessarily increase the number of cheaters.

To overcome cheating problems, many schools and educational institutions prohibit students from bringing mobile phones into the exam room, or at a minimum turn them off. Warnings and penalties can deter cheaters, but vigilance during exams for all kinds of cheating, including the use of mobile phones, will need to continue.

Will the learning material need to be reformatted?

Most mobile phones support the standard text, music, and video formats available today. If reformatting is required, it would usually be to standardize your formats and can probably be done on your own computer.

Based on your existing material, you decide how you package your content for mobile delivery. Sometimes it can be as easy as recording a lecture or copying and pasting a lab process. The advantage of mobile learning is that the small screen allows you to see only the important points that need to be reviewed. For multiple-choice test preparation like the SATs, you can use mobile learning software like Mobl21, which allows you to easily create quizzes and flashcards, supports popular file formats, and adds media such as audio and video.

Isn’t this just a high-tech package for the same old boring content?

With learning tools evolving, pedagogies must also evolve. From drawing on whiteboards to using OHP (overhead screen projectors) to playing alphabet songs to learning on the computer, our instructional methods change with changing technologies.

While current learning pedagogies still attempt to incorporate mobile learning methods, it is definite that today’s students are leaning more towards active discovery rather than the old passive absorption. And mobile learning is all about providing interactivity in learning.

If the goal is education, the content cannot be “bland and boring.” Learning and learning material must be dynamic in order to be assimilated by today’s information overloaded students.

Flashcards, quizzes, podcasts, videos, historical speeches, graphical timelines, real-time global collaboration, satellite maps… an entire interactive encyclopedia of information is available in just a few clicks. Using it effectively just requires some creative application.

What about the digital divide? Not all students are tech savvy.

While it is true that some students still do not have access to technology, it is also true that mobile technology is now available globally and is present in all aspects of our lives.

In the 2009 Cell Phone Survey of Parents and Teens, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, 75% of 12-17 year olds now own cell phones (up from 45% in 2004).

Early implementation of m-learning methods in schools is also an effective way to bridge this digital divide. Classrooms provide the ideal level playing field, with students able to imitate their peers and quickly learn from each other. Mobile learning will also enable students to share data, find information and collaborate, all vital skills for today’s connected world.

How will I measure the effectiveness of learning?

The same way you do today. Ask questions about lessons that have been reviewed, have students write papers, and assign projects that require understanding of the material to complete.

Also, choose mobile learning apps that allow you to create content that you know will be valuable to your students. Some apps, like Mobl21, give you the flexibility to create notes and flashcards and even monitor what learning material your students are working on.

While new technology is always exciting, creating the habit of using the mobile phone for learning requires effort and persistence on the part of the teacher and the student.