Situated Learning theory applied to mobile learning research

From  http://edtechweb.wordpress.com
/2010/11/23/week-12-mobile-wireless-and-ubiquitous-learning/   

I have recently come across the latest issue of Research in Learning Technology that reviews the literature related to mobile learning research and theory. Before deciding to end my studies and work full-time, I had spent several months doing a similar investigation. What struck me at the time was that: 1) the field was still rather new, 2) the technology has radically changed since the concept of "mobile" first emerged, and 3) there was both heavy theoretical writings, or just writings on an application of a technology in a particular class. One thing is for certain, a lot of thinking has been dedicated to mobile learning technologies and a lot more is taking place.

Then, more as happenstance than purposeful, I came across Wright and Parchoma (2011), who helped bring a lot of my past thinking into perspective.

If you are in the process of doing mobile learning research, it would be worth your time to glace over this article. They clearly articulate the various "discourses" found in mobile learning research in their literature review of the topic. Their conclusion, which parallels much of what I have considered, has to do with the notion that researchers in this vain should be focusing on the "authentic and informal contexts" (p. 247) where learning is taking place on mobile devices voluntarily ("by choice") instead of "by design" (p. 256). They mention looking more towards situated learning principles a la Lava and Wenger.

Within the context of education technology in general, I am happy to read such a piece. Namely, I enjoy it when writers refer to research and theory that I have read and thought about, but only understood the theory from the abstract or surface level.

BTW - this article was read and annotated on an iPad using the iAnnotate app.

Wright, S.  & Parchoma, G. (2011). Technologies for learning? An actor-network theory critique of
‘affordances’ in research on mobile learning. Research in Learning Technology, 19(3), 247-258. Retrieved from http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/17113

iPad as a 1:1 Device or Shared?

iPad Workshop Template
Before I get into things here, I want to note this page: http://balancedtech.wikispaces.com/iPad+Exploration
LeftFoot/RightFoot - BalancEdTech has a collection of great ed tech articles, links, and workshop templates for educators. Keep up the good work!

http://images.mylot.com/userImages/images/postphotos/2269084.jpg

To Borrow or Keep
Part of my work over at BCC involves managing a set of iPads (1 and 2) for faculty to "check-out" and investigate. The goal is to generate materials that strengthen the program that supports the technology. The program is basically about putting tools into faculty hands to help them sustain a culture of teaching and learning that enables students to be better engaged with their courses and the college. The assumption is that through course redesign with an injection of technology, student retention will improve. 


This is no easy feat though! For instance, how a STEM instructor or a humanities instructor approaches and defines teaching and learning varies somewhat. More than that, many instructors at times don't want to embrace technology (in hardware like an iPad, or in a conceptual form like an outcomes model). This can be a challenge when emerging mobile devices are popping up in the classroom, or education system-level directives initiate outcomes assessment guidelines. 


Theory and argument aside, what I am currently working with is an outcomes-based model that has ipads tied into it (rather loosely). The binding between technology and instruction is what I am expecting faculty to create, as opposed to my "instructional expertise" declaring, iPads will be used in this way for courses XYZ. 


So far, the process is more about figuring out the technology through partnering with faculty. A model we have been trying is lending iPads to faculty so they may learn the technology and begin to experiment it in the classroom. So far, one issue I am observing has to do with the fact that Pads are not designed to be "borrow-able" devices. As Apple sales folks tell me, iPads are meant to be a 1:1 device. The technology just doesn't allow for lending in order for the device to work as intended. For instance, iCloud cannot be used when borrowers use the device since it is tied to the device's account. If they reset the account, signing in with their Apple ID, then we loose services such as 'Find My iPad'. 


Nevertheless, if an institution wants to establish a mobile device culture, they need to get people to use a device without having to buy it. Here at BCC we are starting a mobile computing committee to in a way set standards for what we will support and strategize for. The Apple TV/iPad/iOS 5 remote model seems to work well, but to test it requires an investment of both money and time. 


Here are a few things to think about during a mobile testing phase:
1. Institutions experimenting with iPads (or another mobile device) MUST loan them out first asr trial runs to establish surface level use. This gives users a chance to learn how to turn the device on and off, browse the internet, and explore some basic features.
2. Once a mobile device has become more common, then ask users to purchase their own (or set up a purchase program taking advantage of Apple's education discounts with 10-pack purchases.
3. Pilot both lesson-level and semester-long mobile pilot tests. This can help establish the mobile device as a teaching and learning tool through intentionally designed lesson plans. For instance, using an iPad class-set for just one lesson, or loaning them out to students for semester-long studies as eReaders. 


Its not so simple as "here's your iPad...go to it." It reminds me of when desktops were thrusted upon educators and asked to figure out how to use it. The computers inevitablly ended up as dust collectors. 


For now, its implementing the plans and seeing what data will reveal. 

Whew! Time for an update.

A little update at least.

After about 6 months at my new job at Bristol Community College, I am able to start to think about how my knowledge on mobile learning may be applied to a real-life setting.

We are currently involved in a Title III grant that focuses on developing course redesign toolkits. These Toolkits provide faculty with a set of course outcomes and objectives for gateway courses and also provides instructional activity and assessment examples that align with the outcomes. Within the grant's budget we were able purchase a large number of iPads for faculty use including a class set with a sync cart.

This so far has been a challenge in that we need to figure out exactly how the iPads will be used in the classroom.

For now, here are a few links on what other colleges have been doing:

My Diigo

Ubiquitous Learning - Book edited by Bill Cope & Mary Kalantizis

A book that has had the biggest impact on my career and thought process is Ubiquitous Learning edited by Cope and Kalantizis.

This book captures the essence behind the mobile learning movement, helping redefine how learning can be approached when bringing mobile and other technologies into the education process. Unfortunately, I have to return the book to the library, but here are some of my notes:
uLearning describes the pervasiveness of computers in our lives, which is causing a paradigm shift where "educatators assume a leading role in technological innovation" (p.9).
Move 1 - Anytime/anywhere, lifelong learning, specific coming together, intuitive interfaces
Move 2 - We are the "players' (Gee). How we access information and mash it up affects how we learn
Move 3 - Shift in "balance of agency" (p.11) as learners become more cosmopolitan equally contributing to the knowledge base.
Developing u-learning devices means developing a new understanding of how know is transferred. The power relationship of teacher over learner changes.
Move 4 - Multi-media is easily manipulated by learners to generate meaning
Move 5 - Learning how to interpret mass amounts of information and its "meta-language"
Move 6 - knowledge is more a thing of "distributed cognition" resting among devices, which changes the previous keepers of knowledge. "In the era of u-computing, you are not what you know but what you can know, the knowledge that is at hand because you have a device in hand" (p. 12).
Move 7 - think how community is created through technology

The 6 Aspects of Ubiquity
1. Anywhere (space) information and people with no constraint on location
2. Portable
3. An "interconnectedness" through GPS, networked intelligence where knowledge is not just in our heads (p. 16)
4. Blur of activities, merging work and play and redefining where and when learning takes place through a action, reflection, inquiry dynamic
5. Anytime (asynchronous) learning to fit the learner who pops in when they are ready to learn. Relates to notion of lifelong learning where learning can be a perpetual opportunity
6. Information flow to learn about global struggles and interconnectedness

Think how the nature of knowledge has changed, created from "personal and meaningful" experience with the world.
How does the game change when teaching and learning connect?

That's all for now. I think I'll be purchasing this book soon...

Educause Mobile Learning Issue

The latest issue of Educause Quarterly (EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine, Volume 34, Number 1, 2011) features mobile-based learning system.

It can be found here: http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE%2BQuarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/225844

What I find interesting from these articles is how mobile learning is being defined not so much by a mobile phone, but by any technology that improves communications between content, teacher, and student. Some of this relates to the notion of ubiquitous learning namely:
- More social networked type communications
- Learning occurring in highly contextual environments
- Collaborative-based learning
- Information access anytime/anywhere

Of note, is the article by Higdon et al(2011), where they discuss a research project that involved the development of the student response system called ChimeIn. ChineIn functions beyond the typical 'Clicker' system allowing for collection of student data beyond the multiple choice question structure. It also works with any mobile device (laptop, smartphone, or any SMS phone). Its a clean interface and provides instance data via word clouds or pie charts.

Mobile systems are evolving towards something more than just a phone. These articles provide some insight into this evolution.

Can a mobile learning design be better than this?

I came across this app to help teach the Periodic Table of Elements and was a little disappointed:
http://www.knowproapps.com/periodic-table-elements/

I ran into this problem with iPhone/iPad interface design with another project. It seems that due to programming constraints, it is difficult to break out of the iPhone interface template, so what ends up happening are apps like this one.

On the other side of the argument, it is simple and sleek. However, such an app is nothing more than an electronic flash card and quiz machine.

How can this app be made more graphic, more engaging, and simply more fun?

As an instructional designer interested in creating mobile learning apps, I know there are better ways to create apps. However, I am not a programmer/developer, so I'm not sure of the programming constraints.

Army training using a mobile app

I just found this article on geek.com written by Matthew Humphries, which presents readers with the concept behind several mobile training app designed by the company C2 Technologies. From what I can tell, the objective of these apps is to teach soldiers who work on Patriot Mission how to do their jobs. From the screen shot, it looks like they are using a 3D simulation of the equipment.

Here is the article...

The writer concludes the article by saying, "Although we can see the benefit of training away from the actual missile launching system, we do hope trainees get some extended time with the actual equipment as well before having to use it for real."

I can acknowledge that Matthew Humphries is probably being humorous, but his comments brings up a good point on simulations and capabilities of mobile-based learning. One would expect that the mobile training is an extension of the hands-on training, perhaps as a way to introduce newbies to the system by teaching them some of the basics. Its akin to studying lab work through a virtual lab, then doing a similar experiment in an actual lab.

I am interested in what sort of instructional design process is taking place at C2 Technologies. Are they mostly developers there and do they employee an instructional designer?

Sounds like a fun job!

New directions...

Chalk drawing from 4freephotos.com


This is a copy of a post I made on a discussion board in my Adult Education/Learning course. I think it speaks well in the direction I'd like to pursue regarding mobile learning.

Since this semester began, I have started investigating into how the definition of knowledge has changed over the years. This vein relates to literature I have read on mobile learning, where it is argued that as people have become more mobile, their demand for information has become more modular, just-in-time, on-demand, and anytime/anywhere. Additionally, the literature sees mobile learning within broader terms such as ubiquitous learning, informal learning, and situated/contextual learning. What’s interesting is that these other terms have been argued and defined before the inception of mobile learning, and as I am trying to piece together, derive from literature redefining knowledge from more of a situated perspective and questioning how to teach tacit knowledge.
This literature is from the organizational learning and organizational development perspective. There is a philosophical base, which I’d like to explore, but that will be later for my paper.
I do think, however, that in the conversation on adult learning/adult education that it is important to also examine how our understanding of knowledge is changing due to technologies perhaps making it more situated. Therefore, the intersection of knowledge with learning needs to be made to move forward the discussion.
Of course, the points the adult education scholars make are relevant, but it is also worth considering what the adults are learning.
Here’s my reading list, which may or may not yield something significant:
Cope, B. & Kalantzis (2009). Ubiquitous Learning. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Argyris, C. (1999). On Organizational Learning (2nd Edition). Malden, MA: Blackwell Business.
A classic!
Tsoukas, H. (2005). Complex Knowledge: Studies in Organizational Epistemology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Osman, M. (2010). Controlling Uncertainty: Decision Making and Learning in Complex Worlds. Madlen: MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Iandoli, L. & Zollo, G. (2008). Organizational Cognition and Learning: Building Systems for the Learning Organization. Hersey, PA: Information Science Publishing.

CNY ASTD Presentation

Today 1/20/11 I will be presenting at a local ASTD meeting (CNY ASTD).
Here is a copy of my presentation for those who are interested:

HandOut

Mobile training ideas

This new year has sprouted some excellent beginnings. Quite appropriate I must say for being the new year and all. In one such prospect, our team is tasked with doing a needs analysis of a corporate level training system. One of the organization's leaders is interested in seeing how new technologies, such as mobile-based learning, might be a viable option as part of a new learning/content management system (LMS/CMS).
Being freshly educated in needs analysis research techniques, I looked in some recent writings by Rossett, who reminds readers to think about how front-end analysis data can help define what sorts of data is needed to track later evaluations. This is one of the keys to my current project, where stakeholders are interested in knowing what sorts of training learners are accessing and how this effects their productivity (Rossett, 2010).

The good news here is that such a mobile-based system is already in place in of all places Amway (Bunzel, 2010). The Amway system allows users to access product information, potential client concerns, and track their sales progress. As far as I can tell, their system is one of the first M-LMS.

Bunzel (2010). Live Online Training that Works: Strategies for High Impact Learning and Development.

Rossett (2010). Metrics Matters: Technology changes the face of learning and development. How does it change analysis and evaluation. Found on her website.

Why I study education technology (Part II)

Don Tapscott recently wrote a follow up essay in response to the New York Times article by Richtel, "Growing up Digital: Wired for Distraction", where he criticizes the assumptions made by Richtel that are not based on strong evidence. Tapscott then goes on to write on empirical evidence that shows how this generation is not so much distracted, but are instead not in sync with the traditional education delivery methods.

Unfortunately, Tapscott removed the article from his blog (I had it saved in my Google reader). Out of respect, I will not post it on my blog or scribd it, but if anyone would like a copy, please leave a comment with an email address. You can find a similar train of thought from a series of articles he wrote for Business Week. The links are on his website.

What strikes me about his comments are how this debate is expanding from the Prensky non-evidence based Digital Natives/Digital Immigrants distinction, to one of where neuroscience is proving changes in cognition. The debate is not so much an either/or one, but one that screams that educators should rethink how information is delivered.

In my course writings on mobile learning, I have been trying capture what mobile learning means, and so find this debate and its outputs as verification to what I have been pondering. What this debate says to me is that we need to reconsider how we define learning from the perspective of the learner - someone who is mobile - and how knowledge is not always best packaged in a linear script, but can be attached to context and situations. Think geo-tagging or other AR technologies. Then think of how a clever student can mash this information together to form a knowledge base needed to solve a highly contextual problem.

There is a lot to learn from this research and the debate. Anyone who is involved in education technology should be thinking about it.

http://www.briansolis.com/2009/08/goodbye-virtual-reality-hello-augmented-reality/

Check this out...the future of books. For me, this means mobile based instruction that involves users interacting with some form of a mobile reading device to interact with and contribute to a pool of knowledge or some narrative. How does instructional design change in such a world, or is it more like instructional design contributing to make this world engaging and productive.

The Future of the Book. from IDEO on Vimeo.

Why I study educational technology - its already happening

Have a look at this New York Time feature article and the accompanying videos on how technology is being integrated into classrooms.The videos are rather inspiring in what is and can be done when technologies are harnessed - all to promote learning unlike many would imagine.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/technology/21brain.html?_r=1

Reflections on developing scholarly mobile learning outcomes

 

I am currently in the final stage of this semester, meaning that like most graduate students, papers are being outlined, drafted, and finalized. So the past couple of weeks have been rather busy. However, as I’m beginning to craft the final drafts of my papers, this is good time to reflect on emerging themes among my learning process.

Just for the record, my Fall 2010 courses are:

·      Dissertation Seminar – required for all doctoral students in my program

·      Design Based Research – my advisor teaches this course and also it is focused on the mobile learning project iAdvocate I have helped design

·      Planned Change – a change management course that uses Everett Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations text

Since mobile learning is my topic of focus, I have spent several months identifying and analyzing mobile learning literature and trying to figure out how to present my understanding of the topic in a cohesive form. For now, my thoughts on the topic have begun to gel into a ‘definition of mobile learning’ based on the literature, but its still a work in program. The most promising definition (based on peer feedback) is formed from the writings of Traxler. I write:

Traxler (2009) sees the potential of the technology in how it can support learning within a “mobile education” that is personalized (user-centered), authentic (relevant), and situated (p. 17). Of course, each of these aspects have also been examined independently of mobile learning, but when applied to the conception of mobility, they reveal a unique potential for matching teaching styles and learning styles with particular disciplines within a mobile education.

Getting to this point has been a challenge and so has writing my papers. What has struck me however are comments related to:

·      How my topic and problem presentation is ideologically biased since I am assuming that mobile learning is indeed the new wave of learning technologies

·      How my approach is overly broad and so I should focus research questions on specific pieces of mobile education

·      The challenge that the technology will change, so it might be futile to try to generalize from current mobile technological affordances

These are all valid concerns and definitely have influenced my analysis and writing. Below are the working titles of my papers

·      Planned Change course – Leveraging education change within a mobile learning context

·      Dissertation Seminar - Mobile Learning: Development of an instructional design model

·      Design Based Research – Applying Instructional Message Design Principles to a Mobile-based Learning Environment

Depending on which paper seems the best to me, I will post a copy in a later blog. 

Photo courtesy of Davide Restivo via Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/somemixedstuff/2403249501/

 

Education Week Article on Mobile Learning

This week is rather busy for me (aren't they all) in that I am having to prepare drafts of two papers for my courses. One is for a course called Planned Change, where we discuss Roger's Diffusion Theory. In this course my paper is focused on ways to leverage mobile learning in a learning system. The idea I am contemplating involves ways to implement change from a systematic level. Mobile learning should not so much be about injecting an intervention into classroom, lesson, unit, or subject, but instead should be about broader.

This means designing mobile learning devices that work to guide learners in both formal and informal learning, or among and between classes in the K-12 context.

This article from Education Week's Digital Directions reports on some examples of systemic level change: thinking about infrastructure, policy, and the stakeholders.

But superintendents and technology directors must consider what students are learning about technology use when they reshape mobile-device policies, ed-tech experts say. They must reach out to teachers and parents to explain how those policies forward students’ learning. And, most importantly, they must revise their thinking about resources to conceive of school-owned hardware and student-owned hardware as one fleet.

 In response to the article I wrote:

We are living in the age of mobility, with these mobile technologies becoming more and more common. However, what has occurred in school policy is restriction of a the devices, justified by perceiving a lack of control.

One solution, of creating mobile based instruction, works to a certain extent, but what can work better is adapting our ideas of teaching and learning towards this concept of mobile learning. This means focusing on systemic change among all the stakeholders and having conversation that can address issues such as classroom control and misuse.

Its nice to read how schools are exploring mobile learning from this level.

Thanks to Ian Quillen for the article.

A career aligned with e-learning trends

Thanks to the blog posting by Anne Lucas: http://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/ for posting this earlier:

What are the trends in e-learning? 

Over the past 2 years now, since I began my instructional design studies, I have had the opportunity to work with or at least study somewhat most of these trends. Most notable are:

• Mobile technologies - for instance my work with the iAdvocate 'App'
• Simulations in e-learning - work with my main client SRC here in Syracuse in developing training that simulates new employees learning the culture of working with secure information
• Serious Gaming & Augmented Reality - I designed a prototype mobile AR app that teaches students campus safety

The other trends which I have been watching closely include:

• Open source e-learning tools - more Moodle type programs
• Blended learning - its not so much of an either/or debate, but both. Mobile learning defiantly has potential as a blended learning tool
• The changes to LMS - these technologies are one really just an iteration in e-learning and will hopefully change to fit into better learning design

One last prediction that Anne Lucus doesnt mention which I would like to add is the notion of e-portfolios or personal learning environments. These kind of depositories of coursework, thoughts, and collaborative reflections are, in my opinion, emerging as viable e-learning tools.

A helpful video from one of the instructional design ‘greats’: Dr. David Merrill.

In this video Dr. Merrill reminds us that no matter what technology we use, we should always be asking the question: Is the instruction effective?

As he mentions, so much of web-based instruction has been designed into more of an information dump than actually instruction. He reiterates parts of his First Principles of Instruction to remind us that no matter what technological delivery method is used, the bottom line is about designing instruction.

Basically put the formula looks like this:

Demonstration + Application in a real context = motivated learners

I think that as I immerse myself in the mobile learning world, this video a relevant reminder in that when I design or am finding ways to influence the design of mobile learning interventions, I must remember that in the end it really is about instructional effectiveness. Determining effectiveness is more of an evaluative question than a design one, but the answer to that question should clearly feedback into the design.

• How then can a mobile learning design – blended or independently used – be designed using these principles? 
• And how do we evaluate the effectiveness?

Mobile learning is about designing for learning and not just for the sake of technology.

Thanks to http://collablogatorium.blogspot.com/

Thanks to John Traxler and Mark van't Hooft

These last couple of weeks have been rather busy and hectic for me. Its all a part of learning to be a doctoral student (constantly buzzing around to catch up yet eager to discover new).

During the course of my readings on mobile learning I have found two particular research scholars who are articulating the phenomenon with (in my opinion) the proper insight needed for the research field at this point.
I was able to contact them, which opened up some new insights into their thinking for me.


John Traxler - director of Learning Lab in the UK who as I write is jetting around the world to various conferences to present his insight into mobile learning research. He is examining practice from a cultural impact perspective and asking researchers to see the deeper implications of the field. See his abstract from the UNESCO conference here.

Mark van't Hooft - with Kent State's Research Center for Education Technology. He has been working with m-learning since 2001. Like John, he is trying to see the mobile learning phenomenon from a broader base. As he said an email:

"I think our work goes beyond the issue of "how to integrate them into the education system", and should focus more on how to integrate mobile devices in life in general so that we can take maximum advantage of the affordances such devices provide for learning."

I feel very fortunate to have contacted these gentlemen, and look forward to contributing to their ideas on how to better understand mobile learning.

Alan Kay, Dynabook and mobile learning

 An idea that has been driving my interest in mobile learning comes from the computer scientist, Alan Kay. Being credited for inventing such things as object-oriented program and the GUI, he is also know for conceptualizing a mobile laptop computer called the Dynabook. (See wikipedia). I was first introduced to this device in the book by Neil Stephenson called The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer. See wiki here.

In the Encyclopedia of Information Technology Curriculum Integration, Mark van't Hooft and others (2008) evoke Kay as the first person to envision a handheld device to support learning. What is interesting is the concept of supporting learning, not teaching. Such a device would be quite different.

As I'm trying to wrap my head around the variety of literature on mobile learning, I need to remind myself of what I am studying - ways to improve learning through the use of technology. In such a world, people don't stare at machines to teach them something. Instead they interact with them, in turn learning how to solve problems. Better yet, the mobile device acts as a scaffold to assist a learner, whether through a game, narrative, or presentation of a novel problem.

I need to now ask, how does conceptualization of learning  influence the design of mobile learning materials?

A blogger asks what m-learning is all about.

Thanks to Michael M Grant for thinking critically about m-learning. 

He makes a comparison to e-learning in how it became an umbrella term involving too many dimensions. M-learning is running into the same situation.

http://www.viral-notebook.com/wordpress/2010/10/05/mlearning-minstruction-or-just-whateva/comment-page-1/#comment-1656