This presentation provides an overview of key ideas about mobile learning and microlearning.

1. Current Topics in Academic Nursing: Implications for Clinical,
On-Line and Classroom Nurse Educators
Mobile Learning and Microlearning for Student Engagement
Peggy Semingson, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
The University of Texas at Arlington
peggys@uta.edu
Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn!

2. Background/Digital Interests
Teaching at UTA since 2008
Teaching all online since 2013
Within online teaching, interests in:
• Personalized and engaged learning
• Digital outreach
• Mobile learning and microlearning
• Multimodal ways of learning (e.g., YouTube, podcasts)
• Digital mentoring
• Webinars and synchronous
• Predictive analytics and nudges (Civitas)
• Professional learning communities
• Connected learning
• And more…..!

3. Objectives and Mini-Agenda
Objective
• Learners in this session will
compare and evaluate different
methods to create mobile based
and microlearning multi-media
teaching tools such as
micropodcasts and short videos in
order to be able to apply learning
to their own teaching settings with
discussion of possible
implementation and modifications
in their teaching contexts.
Learner Engagement Strategies:
Lecture
Dialogue/discussion
Self-check/Reflection
Q&A

4. What is mobile learning?
What is microlearning?
Prior knowledge and
dialogue
• Discuss with a
neighbor what you
already know
about mobile
learning and/or
microlearning as it
relates to nursing
education.
Post your answer to the Padlet:
You can work in partners to post!

5. Let’s DO mobile
learning
Optional:
1. Post to Padlet during and
after session or
2. Post to Twitter:
• Post a tweet of
something you learned or
want to try and tag me
(@PeggySemingson) and
@utarlington.
• Optional hashtag:
#nursing

6. What is mobile learning?
• “Using portable computing devices (such as iPads, laptops, tablet PCs,
PDAs, and smart phones) with wireless networks enables mobility
and mobile learning, allowing teaching and learning to extend to
spaces beyond the traditional classroom. Within the classroom,
mobile learning gives instructors and learners increased flexibility and
new opportunities for interaction.”
• Source: https://library.educause.edu/topics/teaching-and-
learning/mobile-learning

7. Millennials and cell phones
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2010/10/
millennials-confident-connected-open-to-
change.pdf
http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/09/10/younger-
americans-reading-habits-and-technology-use/

8. Mobile learning and nursing education
• Example: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4708067/
• “The intervention group showed significantly higher levels of learning motivation
and class satisfaction than did the control. Of the fundamental nursing
competencies, the intervention group was more confident in practicing
catheterization than their counterparts. Our findings suggest that video clips
using mobile devices are useful tools that educate student nurses on relevant
clinical skills and improve learning outcome.”
• Comput Inform Nurs. 2016 Jan; 34(1): 8–16.
Mobile-Based Video Learning Outcomes in Clinical Nursing Skill Education
A Randomized Controlled Trial
• Nam-Ju Lee, PhD, Sun-Mi Chae, PhD, Haejin Kim, MSN, Ji-Hye Lee, MSN, Hyojin
Jennifer Min, MSN, and Da-Eun Park, MSN

9. What is microlearning?
• Short bursts of information (microcontent), which is often followed by an
opportunity to interact and retrieve information such as a short quiz or
chance to post short written commentary.
• “According to Hug (2010), microlearning overlaps theoretically and in
practice with the topic of mobile learning. Microlearning experiences, for
instance, can include short bursts of asynchronous learning such as brief
readings of digital text(s), a brief video segment followed by a 2-3 question
quiz, or a micropodcast. Instructors can use microlearning in flexible and
fluid ways within, or in addition to the regular course content.”
• Source: Semingson, P., Crosslin, M. & Dellinger, J. (2015). Microlearning as a Tool to Engage Students in Online and Blended
Learning. In D. Rutledge & D. Slykhuis (Eds.), Proceedings of SITE 2015--Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education
International Conference (pp. 474-479). Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education
(AACE). Retrieved from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/150037/.

10. Microlearning and cognitive load theory
• Connected to “just-in-time” learning.
• Cognitive load theory (Sweller, 1988) suggests that learning should be
kept simple.
• Useful infographic: click here.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.

11. Short podcasts (micropodcasts)
• Lectures (1-5 minutes) with links to web-
based content
• Dialogue-style micropodcasts
• Reminder or overview micropodcasts
Mine are also open access (OER)
You can locate, remix, or build your own
content!

12. Microlectures
• SoundCloud
• Instructor-authored
content
• Playlists
• Mobile app
• Three hours of free
content
• Easy to upload

13. Dialogue/interview style micropodcasts
• Non-scripted
• Can be focused with course content
• Can be mentor-focused
• Video can be used or audio-only
• Consider doing a series
• Podcast mic and Zoom or phone (voice
memo feature)

14. Some tools for (short) podcast creation…..
• Tools: Tellagami (avatar); VoiceThread; Screen-cast-o-matic
Tool Purpose Example Notes
Tellagami (app) Short cartoon-like avatar
with your voice. 60-90
brief overview.
• Make a 90 second overview to
an online module
• Introduce an assignment with
specific tips and cautions.
iPhone only
Easy to quickly make on your
phone. Can re-used
VoiceThread (app) Can make visually-
focused podcasts using
images.
• Do a short overview of the
entire course with images.
• Do an instructor bio for
students.
Get ideas from their webinars
and blog:
https://voicethread.com/blog/
Screen-cast-o-matic Record your screen. Can
include video.
• Walk students through an
assignment.
• Voice-over PowerPoint
Very versatile. Great for walking
students through assignments.

15. YouTube (creating and/or curating content)
Professor-authored content
*2,400+ subscribers & 1.3+ million minutes viewed. Student-authored content

16. Traditional lectures to supplement, enrich, or
review
• Email
• Embed
• Optional or required
• Post on discussion
board for threaded
dialogue/response

17. Lecture Videos
Microlecture
Dialogue video with a colleague

18. More advanced editing tools
• Adobe Premiere (audio editing and video
editing). “Adobe Premiere Pro CC is a rich,
comprehensive video editing tool for
beginners to professionals. Premiere Pro is
available through Adobe Creative Cloud.”
We can access this via the software center
at UTA.
• Camtasia (can add captions, etc.)
• Other ideas?

19. Creating playlists: example
• Lesson planning video series
• Reusable content
• Easily viewed on a mobile device
• Will re-do the live webinars each
fall.
**Can curate playlists of other
publicly available content
(preview it first!).

20. Assessing microlearning
• Short quizzes or short reflections on Blackboard following each
micropodcast.
• Students discuss micropodcast content as part of a larger discussion
board reflection
• Students create their own micropodcast and/or multimedia content.
• Interactive video with built-in quizzes

21. Debrief #1
Debrief and discussion #1: What are your thoughts so far? What are
the benefits and downsides to mobile learning?
Jot down a few notes first, then check in with a colleague!

22. Examples of mobile learning and apps
(beyond microlearning)
• Productivity tools
• Blackboard Collaborate webinars can be accessed via the mobile app
• Blackboard mobile app
• View recordings and webinars using a mini-tripod stand

23. Mobile-learning examples
Productivity Tools/Apps
• Google Drive
• Speech to text apps
• Google Calendar
• Quizlet for reviewing
terminology
Social Media
• Example-curating content on Pinterest
or having students follow
professionals on Twitter.

24. Mobile-learning examples
Blackboard mobile app
View recordings and webinars using a
mini-tripod stand

25. My own future goals with mobile learning and
microlearning
• Interactive practice quizzes using Quizlet
• More podcast series (master’s students with “top five tips for
preservice teachers) as digital mentoring.
• Will introduce a “Learning with social media” and “DIY PD through
social media” module in my online teacher preparation courses.

26. Future goals with mobile learning
(continued):
• Build students’ confidence and
awareness of possibilities of
social media for professional
use (modeling and practice)
• Ideas on right from Dr. Kathryn
Pole (UTA)
• What are your future goals
with mobile learning?

27. How to embed interaction and assessment
tools with microlearning
Micropodcast Example: Elementary Literacy
(Preservice)
• Aligned with standards and sub-standards
w/literacy
• Scripted & Scripts provided for students
• Streaming (SoundCloud)
• Embedded
• 4-8 per two-week session
• 1-5 minutes per micropodcast
• Reflection
• Can also be used as remediation or
enrichment.

28. Recap: Some connections to your course (varying purposes)
Media Type Purposes
Podcasts and Micropodcasts
*Many examples on iTunes
• Introduction to course or instructor bio/intro
• Microlearning on a concept
• Overview of an assignment
• Commentary on a debated issue (stimulus for class discussion)
Video • Introduction to course or instructor bio/intro
• Microlearning on a concept
• Overview of an assignment
• Commentary on a debated issue (stimulus for class discussion)
• Dialogue video with colleague (with zoom)
Screencast • Overview of an assignment
• Elaboration on a website/websites/resource
• Lecture with short PowerPoint

29. Debrief #2: Thoughts so far?
• What are your thoughts so far?

30. Application (~8-10 minutes)
• Application: In small groups, brainstorm how you might apply this to
your own teaching. Plan several lesson ideas or some tools/apps that
you can plan and incorporate into your courses.
• Use the handout.
• Optional: Post to Twitter or Padlet

31. Debrief #3: Share-Out of Ideas
• What ideas might you apply to your current teaching?
• What ideas are you already using?
• What tools or resources do you need?
• Are your students open to this way of learning?

32. Wrap-up dialogue (~5 minutes)
• How might you find out what tools students can use and would be
open to? (e.g., survey) How can you find out what tools you
recommend are useful to students?
Optional: Post to Padlet

33. Exit ticket (email)
One or more thing you learned and/or that caught your interest
Any questions/comments peggys@uta.edu
Or post to Twitter: Post a tweet of something you learned or want to try
and tag me (@PeggySemingson) and @utarlington. Optional: Hashtag:
#nursing
Or post to Padlet: