Mobile Learning Tools
for Teachers
Interactive tools for synchronous
communication with 21st Century
learners
Getting Started with Mobile Learning
What do you need to design mobile learning activities?
Learning Objectives for this Workshop
Upon completion of this workshop you should be able to do the
following with 100% accuracy:
1. Define mobile learning terms backchanneling, microblogging,
and hashtag.
1. Describe a minimum of five tools used to create Mobile
educational lessons or activities
3. Complete a blog entry which describes the ways in which mobile
technology is changing public K-12 education.
4. Complete a MicroBlog entry about how you can ensure equal access
for all students during Mlearning activities
5. Locate, using the internet, at least five mobile applications for smart
phones
6. Discuss at least 2 ways mobile applications can be used in and out
of the classroom environment
7. Create an Edmodo account that you will use to post your Microblog
entries
8. Create a blog entry about online communication and AUP/FERPA
Using the chat text box now tell
me which of the technology
devices that can be used to
create mobile learning
experiences that you currently
own.
Have you had any experiences
with Mlearning or microblogging,
and were the experiences
positive or negative?
Use your microphone located in your
tool bar to communicate!
Its at
the top
Rethinking Current Instructional Strategies
Re-Design
lectures!
Students
are NOT
reading
these!
Portability
is key
today
In 21st century learning, establishing
connections is important!
Top Ten
Educational Web Applications
Dictionary.com World Wiki
Evernote Google Earth
Miss Spell's Class TED
Stanza Units
iFlashcards Free Math Drills Lite
From http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/iphone
/articles/65863.aspx?p=2
What can I do with mobile learning
What type of instructional strategies are
great for mobile learning?.
Out of Class Instruction
In Class Instruction
In class polling Tweeting homework
Blogging
Creative assignments
Information searches Microblogging
Polling
Web quests
Social Bookmarking
Collaborative project
Discussion forums
Almost anything on the internet can be accessed
by laptops and smartphones and the numbers of sites are growing.
Backchanneling Tools
Backchannel in the Classroom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxYb4rUcbZo
Watch this short video on backchanneling
http://vimeo.com/9737698
4 backchanneling programs that can help meet your needs
Edmodo Demo Video The UT Dallas Twitter experiment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W
PHQr1ONaA PVWDkF7U8
Todays Meet Introduction Video Hot Seat from Purdue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkl8EgF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSW1E
EKvY Nl7Yk
Lets you set time restricted chat rooms. You http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/hotseat/
can also project the stream of thoughts You can connect through twitter, facebook,
and mobile devices.
Tweet Deck
Using #Hashtags
Hashtags (those funny
looking things with a #pound
sign at the start)
Find people with common
interests so you can FOLLOW
them.
#edchat #ntchat #EduIT #midleved #gtchat
#edtech #artsed #musedchat #mathchat #engchat
REVIEW and APPLICATION
Discussion
Do you have any questions about what we have covered so far?
Mobile tools
Mobile learning experiences
Rethinking current educational strategies
Mobile Educational Smart phone Applications
Ensuring equal access
Mobile learning teaching strategies and activities
Asynchronous vs. Synchronous tools
Backchanneling
Tweet Deck
Hashtags
What do you like so far?
What scares you the most about what we have discussed so far?
Edmodo
Edmodo is an excellent social networking and microblogging tool that
is available free for educators.
• Set up a private group/network for your groups
• Set up multiple classes and control which messages /attachments
go where.
• File.
• You can also embed You Tube videos, set assignments, create polls
or send links.
What Can You Do With Edmodo
send out assignments
receive completed assignments
assign grades using the online platform
maintain a class calendar
store and share files
have a public (RSS) stream
conduct polls.
send text (SMS) alerts to students.
Edmodo Safety Restrictions
Students are restricted to
only sending messages to either the whole group or to the
teacher...NO private Messages to each other.
reply to each other's posts, but the reply is displayed publicly.
Students don’t even need an email address to join the classroom.
All they need is the special sign-up code that the teacher generates
when they create the environment.
The District’s View on Internet Communication
Participation in chat rooms and newsgroups accessed on the
Internet is permissible for students, under appropriate
supervision, and for employees in accordance with District
policies. (Spring Branch ISD. n.d. P. 4)
http://www.springbranchisd.com/admin/dcom/policy/exhibit_b.ht
m
Setting the Ground Rules
Just like any new educational strategy or tool, learners must be
taught how to use them properly in educational environments.
Some guidelines to consider:
1. Students must be given time to get used to using the new
technology tool.
2. Students should be allowed time when dealing with
synchronous discussion tools to welcome on another.
3. Remind students of behavioral expectations and consequences
for violating these requirements.
4. Get permission from parents.
Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA) and SBISD
Policy
Investigate FERPA
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
SBISD POLICY
Students may not distribute personal information about
themselves or others by means of the electronic
communication system without the appropriate permission
from the student's guardian. (Spring Branch ISD, n.d., p. 2)
FYI teachers cannot distribute information about students
without approval and permission forms as well.
All photographs and work must be supported by proper
consent forms (Spring Branch ISD, n.d., p. 5)
This is for displaying any student work and remember no
last names or other personal information.
School Acceptable Use Policies
Make sure you familiarize your self with the Spring Branch ISD
AUP policy before you design your instruction.
To access the Spring Branch ISD Acceptable Use Policy, school
permission forms, and technology guidelines click the link
below.
http://www.springbranchisd.com/instruc/elec-data.htm
Transparency to administrators, parents, and
the community
Mobile Learning tools are a great way to reach out to individuals
that are concerned with student education.
You can use tools to publish student work with parental
consent .
You can use tools to make course content available to
students and others from anywhere.
Parents can follow what is going on in their
children’s classes.
Don’t Be Afraid of Student Interaction
Review of Concepts
Edmodo
Student interaction
SBISD policies
Transparency
FERPA
References
Spring Branch ISD. (n.d.) . SBISD Electronic Communication and Data
Management Guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.springbranchisd.com/
admin/dcom/policy/guidelines.pdf
Wylie, J. (2010), The 10 Best Apps for Education. Bright HUB. Retrieved
from http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/iphone/articles/65863.aspx
Instructional Tools. Personal photographs by Brandy Milson. 20 October 2010.
Unit Application
Now its time for you to design a unit that incorporates one of the
tools that we have learned about in this instructional Unit.
