On the Go: Mobile Learning

Until recently, schools banned the use of cell phones and other mobile devices by students during class hours. While some students argued that the devices could be helpful to the learning process, teachers and administrators focused instead on those students who used the devices for non-learning related tasks, such as texting their peers and trolling the Internet.  Although the abuse of mobile devices by students is still a valid concern, some enterprising educators have embraced mobile technology and are increasingly incorporating it into the curriculum.

Mobile learning, or m-learning, is related to distance education and e-learning in that each method uses forms of technology to enhance the learning process. Mobile learning, however, focuses particularly on learning with mobile devices such as tablets, cell phones, and iPod Touches. Mobile devices have the advantage of being small, easily portable, and familiar to the vast majority of teachers and students alike. Their inclusion in the curriculum opens a wealth of possibilities, as students don’t need to be tethered to workstations or even a classroom as they explore concepts relevant to their learning anytime, from just about any location.

Last fall, Project Tomorrow released a report about technology and education at a Congressional Briefing in Washington, DC. Their research found that 64% of teachers surveyed believe that mobile devices could be beneficial for increased communication among parents, teachers, and students, as well as be used to access online textbooks at any moment. The same study also asked K-12 students to envision what going to school would be like in 2015, and many foresee classes where mobile devices are integral to the teaching and learning process.

There are numerous accounts of teachers effectively using mobile devices in their classrooms, and perhaps more schools will ease their current restrictions on use of the devices during school hours. Using devices such as iPads and smart phones can help address the need for students to acquire 21^st century skills, and also help to foster increased student-directed learning.  This week, I’ve selected three resources that bring mobile technology into the classroom in meaningful ways. Each of the featured resources below is from Apptivities, an organization that aims to support teachers in using mobile applications effectively to improve student learning. We’ll also be featuring lots of new lessons and resources on mobile learning each day throughout the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to check those pages regularly.

Historical Detectives

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-28.1656118109

Subjects: World History

Grade: 1-6

Using iTouches or iPads, students will use images to draw conclusions about ancient civilizations. In addition, the students will add captions and speech bubbles to ancient civilization images in order to explore their background knowledge on the subject and/or to summarize information they have learned from the chapter.

Dictating Foreign Language Fluency

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-28.9585057880

Subjects: Foreign Languages (also ELL)

Grade: 6-12

An essential part of improving student’s fluency in a foreign language is providing practice in speaking. However, for practice to be effective, students have to receive feedback on their pronunciation skills.  This apptivity is designed to give students an opportunity to document their fluency improvement.

To Kill a Mockingbird

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-28.4540014188

Subjects: English

Grade: 9-12

In this To Kill a Mockingbird project idea that uses iPads, the importance of perspective is first introduced through Dorothea Lange’s iconic Migrant Mother photograph and is reinforced through images of the Jim Crow era.  As a final project, students are asked to personalize Atticus Finch’s famous quotation about the importance of “walking in another’s shoes.”  By shadowing an acquaintance for a two-hour period, using the pedometer and GPS features to track their physical movement and voice memos and notes to create an interactive diary, students will develop their own sense of empathy and reach a deeper understanding of Harper Lee’s famous novel.

~Joann's Picks - October 13, 2011~

I Say “Po-tato” You Say “Po-tahto”: ESL EFL ELL ESFOL Resources

No matter which acronym you use, the number of U.S. students who don’t speak English as their first language is on the rise. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of U.S. public school children who spoke a language other than English at home jumped from 3.8 to 10.8 million between 1979 and 2007. That means that more than 20% of students nationwide between the ages of 5 and 17 are learning English as a foreign language. Unlike several decades ago, students learning English aren’t confined to urban school districts, either. In our bucolic suburb, for example, my second grader’s school services students speaking 17 different languages other than English, while another K-3 elementary school in town contends with 24 different languages. That’s a lot of ESL students to educate, and an heroic effort by the ESL teachers. I’m sure this percentage pales in comparison with many other school districts.

To attain proficiency in English, students must work hard to master reading, writing, speaking, grammar, vocabulary, idioms, and a host of other topics across the curriculum. While most students learning English are pulled out of their classrooms for intensive work with ESL teachers, regular classroom teachers also have to find ways to communicate with and teach their students who are learning English. Many schools have increased the number of visual cueing materials in their classrooms, such as the inclusion of bilingual posters and labels on common classroom materials and objects.

This week’s picks focus on free resources to help students who are learning English. All the resources are from MisCositos, a site that offers a variety of materials for teaching English, Spanish, French, Thai, and other languages. Lori Langer de Ramirez, founder of MisCositas, initially created the site as part of her doctoral dissertation. She is currently Chairperson of the ESL and World Language Department for Herricks Public Schools in New York.


ABC English
Subjects: English
Grades: Beginning ESL
ABC English is a 26-chapter “worktext” for beginning English Language Learners. It offers language set in real-world dialogues while grammar is addressed in a communicative framework. The booklet contains a variety of activities and comprehension questions that test students’ understanding and application of the vocabulary and structures presented in each chapter. The worktext is 153 pages.

ESL License Plate Game
Subjects: English
Grades: all ELL students
Great game for students. These sheets can be printed, laminated back-to-back, and brought in the car for road trips. Students can learn state names and icons, capital cities, and other information. Bring along a travel atlas to add geography support. Way better than “Punch-bug”!

Songs for ELLs
Subjects: English
Grades: all ELL students
This 26-page booklet contains lyrics to popular songs that are appropriate and useful for English Language Learners. Photos of the musical groups or singers are included, and musical genres range from folk to rock to alternative. A good supplemental resource to help teach vocabulary, grammar, and culture.

~Joann's Picks-6/19/2010~