Presented at Distance, Teaching and Learning in Madison, WI August 10th, 2012. Results of a 2011-2012 curricular redesign grant on intensive faculty development mobile learning from UW System OLIT....
Exploring mobile technologies to improve student learning
1. Exploring mobile technologies to
improve student learning
Tanya Joosten, @tjoosten
Director (Interim), Learning Technology Center
Dylan Barth, @dylanbarth
Consultant, Learning Technology Center
Lecturer, Department of English
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
2. • 95 percent of 18–29-year-olds use their
mobile phones to send and receive text
messages.
• 95 percent of 18–34-year-olds have a mobile
phone.
15. RFP
• How would using mobile technologies change or
reinforce student learning in your course?
• If you are already using mobile devices, how will
your use of this technology evolve to achieve the
new course goals?
• How would you assess your outcomes?
• Why would your course be a good opportunity to
make use of mobile technologies?
• Why are you a good candidate to participate in
this grant project?
16. Participants & Courses
• Sara Baker: Clinical Laboratory Sciences
• Dylan Barth: English
• Rachel Baum: Jewish Studies
• Vicki Callahan: Art
• Jacques du Plessis: Information Studies
• Jason Jones: Foreign Languages & Literature
• Andrew Olson: Foreign Languages & Literature
• Matt Russell: Comparative Literature
• Leah Schreiber: Art and Design
http://uwmmobilelearning.wikispaces.com/Accepted+mLearning+Proposals
35. Best practices
• Identify your goals, pedagogical tasks
• Develop group projects to overcome lack of
mobile devices and tech support
• Require an icebreaker or scavenger hunt
requiring students to demonstrate the skills
needed to complete the activity
• Bring the outside of the classroom into the
classroom; provide a link to the real world
36. • Look to identify mobile apps that provide new
functionality not available using current
technologies
• Take advantage of the “mobility”
• Focus on higher order learning when possible
37. The Study
• Device agnostic
• Quantitative data
– Instructor surveys
– Student surveys
• Qualitative data
– Open-ended questions
– Informal feedback
– Project updates
42. Satisfaction
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Agree
I would recommend this course to
others. 1.47% 1.47% 19.12% 22.06% 42.65%
Overall, I am happy with using a mobile
device. 0.00% 2.90% 17.39% 27.54% 40.58%
Using the mobile device for the course
was fun. 4.41% 5.88% 16.18% 32.35% 25.00%
43. Ease of Use
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Agree
Technical support was available when I
needed it. 0.00% 2.94%38.24%23.53% 5.88%
Using my mobile device was simple. 2.94% 5.88%22.06%32.35%19.12%
I had no problems using my mobile device
for the course. 4.35% 8.70%15.94%27.54%28.99%
44. Learning
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Agree
The mobile device has been beneficial to
my learning. 5.80% 7.25% 17.39% 26.09% 30.43%
Mobile devices made it easy to connect
ideas together. 4.29% 8.57% 25.71% 30.00% 17.14%
Mobile devices helped me understand the
course material. 4.48% 10.45% 25.37% 29.85% 11.94%
45. Student comments
• “Downloading apps helped me study in my free
time at work. Something I would not have been
able to do without [my] mobile device.”
• “It helps with the flexibility of receiving a good
grade. I was all over the place: airport, doctor's
office, work, home, community pool, a friend's
house, and I was still able to complete my work.”
• “I love practical applications in classwork because
it is education in ‘real time’. Technology changes
so fast and this class encompassed all the new
technology and tools.”
46. Findings: Instructors
• Apple users
• Apps
• Student engagement
– Mobile device experience
– Unenthusiastic students dislike technology
“…the main advantage was giving the students
the opportunity to have knowledge at their
fingertips.”