The value of mobile technology in teaching and learning

The latest developments in technology have given rise to a variety of mobile related products. These include handheld pcs such as the Palm handheld and the Windows Pocket PC based handhelds such as the HP Jornada. These handheld pcs offer the opportunity to record and browse information whilst on the move and then easily connect and download to your desktop pc. (Reece and Walker, 2003; 185)

As Reece and Walker have stated, a variety of mobile related products have arisen over the years. For me, there is the question of what good mobile phones have in the class room. Even since I was in school at 18 years-old, five years ago, there seems to be a huge increase in the use of mobile phones. Some students come into a class and cannot last a few minutes until checking their phones, it seems like it is being used even more than a pen and paper in class. It is probably the technology that is used by students the most out of school, mobile phone technology is something that they are familiar with. It is like a security blanket to students, but for many teachers it is the bane of their lives. I must say that I do not like to see a mobile phone in sight when I am teaching in the class room. I feel that the concentration spent looking at a phone screen would be better used listening or doing the tasks in the class. How can learning really be improved by mobile phones? However, perhaps instead of fighting against mobile phone use, education should harness this technological tool and use it as a positive for learning.

After setting students a task in my GCSE English class to pick a topic to present a speech on, I spotted one student scrolling down the touchscreen of their mobile phone. I asked why they were not doing what I asked of them and they replied saying that they were researching statistics to put in their speech. At this point, I was unsure of what to do. Of course usual mobile phone use is thought of as distracting, but in this circumstance, it had an educational purpose. Sure enough, when I went to check the phone, a page on deforestation of the amazon forest filled the screen. As I have mentioned in my blog about technology changing learning, one point I made was how accessible online information now is to students. Perhaps monitored, use of mobile phones can be used in a class room to benefit learning. Again, it should not dominate lessons, but it seems that in some classes where mobile phone use is strong there could be strategies to utilize usage for the better. Jonathan Wylie argues: 'Students are more engaged and motivated to learn when they use mobile devices, and research shows that academic performances can improve.' 

The method of socrative where students use their mobile phones has been discussed, although it was in my opinion something that I was weary of. For one, not every child can afford the latest and most technological phones. If mobile technology was going to be used in lessons, then there would have to be back-up equipment for students who do not own the phones needed for certain tasks. Similarly to socrative is a site called: Poll Everywhere, which offers a quiz but also the chance for people to use Text in the mob which is a texting poll device which any phone, old or new can use. 

In the end, mobile phones are part of our everyday lives and have slipped into the education system whether we like it or not. Maybe we should follow the mantra: 'If you can't beat it, join it.' In which case don't simply join it, use it in the best ways possible for learning.

Bibliography 
Reece, I. and Walker, S. (2003) 'Teaching, training and learning: a practical guide' (5^th revised ed.). Tyne and Wear: Business Education.

http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/lit_reviews/Mobile_Review.pdf [Accessed 20 January 2015]

Jonathan Wylie, (2013), 'Mobile Learning Technologies for 21st Century Classrooms' in

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3754742
http://www.polleverywhere.com/how-it-works [Accessed 20 January 2015]