scholarly journals Mobile learning in pre-service teacher education: Examining the use of professional learning networks

Author(s):  
Matthew Kearney ◽  
Damian Maher

Interest in how to use mobile devices to support teaching and learning has increased as technologies have become more sophisticated and ubiquitous. A recent focus in teacher education is the use of mobile devices to support teachers’ professional learning networks (PLNs). This study investigates how pre-service teachers (PSTs) use mobile technologies to support different aspects of their PLN activities. The study uses a qualitative methodology, where data from focus group discussions, artefact collection, and participant journals kept by 11 final year PSTs provided nuanced insights into their mobile learning practices. A validated mobile pedagogical framework (Kearney, Schuck, Burden, & Aubusson, 2012) is used to analyse the data. Findings uncover a deeper understanding of exemplary mobile learning approaches in initial teacher education and have implications for effective preparation of PSTs for career-long professional learning.

Author(s):  
Sadia Aziz ◽  
◽  
Rajan Kadel ◽  
Deepani B. Guruge ◽  
Krishna Paudel ◽  
...  

As mobile devices have become a part of our everyday life, there is a lot of research going on how to make this technology more productive for the students. Most of the research studies have indicated that, mobile devices are very useful for students while a few research studies negates its effectiveness. In this paper, we have presented the literature survey conducted on the use of mobile technologies in the field of Teaching and Learning (T&L). These studies are broadly classified into three areas: Impact and learning environment; specific applications; and mobile learning framework. We will be exploring all these areas in this paper. Our review in impact and environment of mobile learning indicates that the use of mobile technology is nourishing the knowledge and learning of students in most cases. Our review on specific applications of mobile learning reveals positive impacts on learning in various fields but the key concern raised was difficulties in implementing them and not having proper control guideline. Moreover, our review on frameworks for mobile learning indicates that there are different frameworks developed for different applications. Most of the applications are limited to non-technical areas. However, we can observed that there is a lack of connectivity between course development and framework for mobile learning. Therefore, the future course developers need to address the gap by taking into account of learners’ behavior in using mobile devices and their cultures to enrich student engagement and learning.


Author(s):  
Rui Leitão ◽  
Joao M. F. Rodrigues ◽  
Adérito Fernandes Marcos

As a consequence of the technological advances and the widespread use of mobile devices to access information and communication in the last decades, mobile learning has become a spontaneous learning model, providing a more flexible and collaborative technology-based learning. Thus, mobile technologies can create new opportunities for enhancing the pupils' learning experiences. This chapter presents the development of a game to assist teaching and learning, aiming to help students acquire knowledge in the field of geometry. The game was intended to develop the following competences in primary school learners (8-10 years): a better visualization of geometric objects on a plane and in space; understanding of the properties of geometric solids; and familiarization with the vocabulary of geometry. Findings show that by using the game, students have improved around 35% the hits of correct responses to the classification and differentiation between edge, vertex, and face in 3D solids.


Author(s):  
Nick Kelly

Initial teacher education is increasingly happening online, both formally and informally, within networks that are commercial, institutional, governmental, and research-driven. These networks make use of the capabilities of the internet and related technology to better support teachers. The scholarship of teacher learning within online networks can be divided into four main strands: network design, outcomes from network participation, agency within the network of networks, and critical perspectives on online networks of teachers. Online networks are designed environments, and there are design decisions involved in developing different types of teacher network. Research into networked learning provides a common language for talking about these networks that allows for articulation of transferable design principles and comparison between networks. Some studies of networks of teachers are conducted with a focus upon the forms of social support that teachers provide for each other. These studies look to understand the role of online networks within the profession, and to contribute to growing and testing the base of theoretical knowledge about how teachers can be better supported through online networks. There is a growing strand of literature that focuses upon how teacher agency can be developed so that each teacher can take advantage of a world in which online networks are prevalent and can use them to flourish within the profession. Teachers can learn to develop their own professional learning network that makes use of existing online networks. While there is much optimism about the potential of online learning networks to support teachers and serve the profession, there are also perspectives that are critical of the widespread embrace of online networks by teachers and the way in which this development is changing the profession.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-386
Author(s):  
Lexie Grudnoff ◽  
Helen Dixon ◽  
Jill Murray

Abstract The international problem of differential achievement between groups of students has particular significance for New Zealand given its persistent problem of inequitable outcomes for Māori and Pasifika students, and those from poor communities. This qualitative study investigated how engagement in teacher inquiry supported student teachers’ understandings of, and practice for, equity. The 28 participants were in a one-year, equity-oriented Master’s initial teacher education programme. The data set comprised 84 research-related assignments participants completed for their teacher inquiry course. Thematic data analysis showed that the structured inquiry process supported participants to challenge inequity by problematizing student engagement and to address this by using a range of evidence to enhance their teaching. Overall, the study suggests that inquiry as research process and stance, along with the application of the Facets equity framework in authentic teaching and learning contexts, is a powerful source of student teacher equity-focused professional learning and practice.


Author(s):  
Youness Zidoun ◽  
Nabil Zary

Background: In an age where information is generally accessible, most of the interest these days has focused on how accessible and convenient technology can be. So small and personal, mobile devices can transform our perception of learning by combining both mobility and convenience. Mobile learning is part of the digital learning landscape alongside e-learning and serious games. However, knowledge about effective design of mobile learning experiences remains of interest with a focus on appropriate design models and the embodiments that can be implemented to achieve the intended educational outcomes. Exploring the instructor's perspective on mobile learning is essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the Moroccan instructors' perception and practice of mobile learning to inform the development of an ecologically valid mobile learning integration model. Methods: Higher education Instructors (n=41) were recruited to the study. The Moroccan instructors' perception and their experiences regarding their adoption of mobile learning were collected using an online survey. The analysis focused on their mobile use, perceived IT competency, and opinions on mobile learning. Results: We described most of the instructors' considerations regarding integrating mobile technologies into their teaching activities. We found that most of the mobile learning activities defined by the respondents corresponded to relatively advanced use of mobile devices. More promising, instructors have found innovative ways to use the educational potential of mobile devices. However, the prospect of mobile devices was still to challenge. No or poor Wi-Fi connection, number of devices or limited access, sometimes fees or applications incompatibility were identified as reasons and obstacles to mobile learning usage. Conclusion: Mobile learning is mostly perceived positively among Moroccan instructors allowing many applications and usage to enhance teaching and learning. In this study, a better understanding of aspects and factors influencing the integration of mobile learning in the Moroccan educational context is exposed, helping further the development of an ecologically valid mobile learning integration model. Future work on mobile learning should consider the highly paced evolution of mobile technologies, emphasizing the flexibility of integration frameworks to support instructors and learners.


Author(s):  
Ana Graciela M. F. da Fonseca Voltolini ◽  
José Serafim Bertoloto ◽  
Ed Wilson Rodrigues Silva Júnior

A partir do desenvolvimento das Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação – TDIC, esses dispositivos oferecem novos recursos e possibilidades também para o ensino, através de celulares, de smartphones, de tablets e de aplicativos, por exemplo. A UNESCO é grande incentivadora do uso de tecnologias e de recursos móveis para apoiar, facilitar e promover o acesso aos materiais e aos conteúdos educacionais. Nesse cenário, o presente artigo apresenta apontamentos sobre o Aplicativo Palma, um recurso para dispositivos móveis que auxilia na alfabetização na língua materna. Trata-se de um artigo bibliográfico e documental que analisa essa ferramenta de apoio ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem inserida no conceito de Aprendizagem Móvel. De acordo com o estudo, a opção por um dispositivo móvel, acessível, e a utilização de uma interface simples, amigável, indica um caminho para inserção significativa das tecnologias móveis no contexto educacional, sobretudo, para pessoas com pouca ou nenhuma alfabetização. Palavras-chave: Dispositivos Móveis. Aprendizagem Móvel. Ensino. AbstractFrom the development of Digital Information and Communication Technologies - TDIC, these devices offer new features and possibilities for teaching, through cell phones, smartphones, tablets and applications, for example. UNESCO strongly encourages the use of mobile technologies and resources to support, facilitate and promote access to educational materials and content. In this scenario, this article presents notes about the Palma Application, a resource for mobile devices that assists in literacy in the mother tongue. It is  a bibliographical and documentary article that analyzed this support tool to the process of teaching and learning inserted in the concept of Mobile Learning. According to the study, the choice of an accessible mobile device and the use of a simple, user-friendly interface indicate a path for meaningful insertion of mobile technologies into the educational context, especially for people with little or no literacy. Keywords: Mobile devices. Mobile Learning. Teaching.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay Alden

Mobile devices and applications are expected to have a significant impact on teaching and learning in the near future. Yet colleges and universities are currently facing severe budget constraints and discretionary funding is restricted for new initiatives. The question addressed in this paper is: “What strategy should an institution of higher learning with limited resources use in adapting the capabilities of mobile devices to benefit its academic programs?” To help answer this question, students were surveyed to identify their perceptions on the importance of a selected set of mobile learning functions, their experience with using those functions, their recommendation for a mobile learning adoption strategy, and information on the particular mobile devices they possess. The recommended strategy was “pick and choose special capabilities to develop” with the selected functions being (1) Receive alerts and reminders about assignments and appointments concerning the course being taken; (2) Communicate individually with faculty, an advisor, or other students using voice, email, or text messaging; (3) Post or reply to items in a poll, discussion board, or other application; and (4) Download and review lesson materials from a course being taken. Other recommendations included techniques for faculty and student support services as well as institutional policies for limiting models of mobile devices for use in courses, making online courseware for laptops and desktops the same as mobile learning courseware, and making the opportunity for mobile learning optional.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-62
Author(s):  
Cornelia Connolly ◽  
Raquel Hijón-Neira ◽  
Seán Ó Grádaigh

Research on the role of mobile learning in computational thinking is limited, and even more so in its use in initial teacher education. Aligned to this there is a need to consider how to introduce and expose pre-service teachers to computational thinking constructs within the context of the subject area they will teach in their future classrooms. This paper outlines a quasi-experimental study to examine the role of mobile learning in facilitating computational thinking development amongst pre-service teachers in initial teacher education. The study enquires if there are significant differences in grades achieved in computational thinking and programming learning when mobile learning is introduced. Findings showed and reaffirmed the positive influence of the mobile applications on the development of computational thinking amongst the pre-service teachers who participated.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-202
Author(s):  
Elias Bensalem

This paper reports on a study of how a group of tertiary level EFL teachers perceived and used mobile devices in their teaching and personal learning. One hundred and fifty teachers (66 female, 84 male) from public universities in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. Results showed that the majority of participants used mobile devices and applications in their teaching and learning. Survey data showed that the vast majority of teachers had positively perceived and frequently used mobile technologies in their teaching and personal learning. In addition, there was a correlation between teachers’ use of mobile technologies in their teaching and their use in learning. There was also a correlation between how teachers perceived the value of mobile technologies in learning, and how they use them in their teaching.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document