Having just returned from the 2008 Handheld Learning Conference in London I wanted to share some of the inspiring stuff I saw and heard … and some of the things it has made me think about …
A summary of my main thoughts (in no particular order) following the event:
- Great stuff going on out there with mobile devices for all ages of learners
- Learners are inspired by using the technology, according to everyone who is using the mobile devices with them
- There are lots of problems but it isn’t stopping people
- There’s nothing earth shatteringly technical about what a lot of people are doing with the devices – photo, video, audio, internet, uploading/transferring …
- The devices mentioned the most were PSPs, Smartphones and eeePCs …
- … but lots of those who have piloted mobile devices seem to be moving more towards enabling learners to use their own devices
- Wireless access for learners is one of the keys …
- … as is getting the IT team on board from the very beginning as they are the ones whose job it is to provide the service being asked for by teachers and learners
- When starting a project you need to think about scaleability and sustainability from the beginning, especially if you are funding it all yourself
- Risks are involved in trying anything new … but surely the greatest risk is in doing nothing (Laurie O’Donnell)
The highlights for me:
Learners Y factor (with Jonny Ball), with the 3 winners listed below:
(As with all things that rely on technology, eventually something goes wrong … as it did with the voting technology … we had to rely on a ‘hands up’ system for choosing the winners of this competition!)
Year 6 learners and the N800’s (Nokia smartphones)
- Learners had one each for a year, which they could also take home
- Used for wide range of things … recording field trips, mind maps, writing summaries in literacy
- Used in conjunction with computers and a VLE
- Presented at the BETT show; filmed by BECTA
Schome – Time Explorers Y factor using Second Life
- OU Project
- Used a Second Life Island to collaborate and share with 50-200 young people from across the country/other countries
- Lots of the sessions within SL were student led … history projects
- Session format tended to be one learner researched then used SL to present and further develop/explore ideas … Roman roads, aqueducts, Pompeii
- The students who were presenting to us met for the first time face to face at HHL08
Year 4 learners and the PSPs
- Asked for own ideas about how PSP could be used
- Portuguese dictionary was one idea – created in Powerpoint by the learners who then had help to put it onto the PSPs
- Now children have developed a French dictionary and British Sign Language resource
Two of the inspiring presenters
Steven Johnson … made me think more clearly about the positive uses of games in education; made me feel good about watching ‘Lost’ because of the complex skills I must be using as I try to work out what on earth is going on … made me want to read his book ‘Everything bad is good for you’, around which his presentation was based.
Dana Boyd ... made me appreciate that there is a lot more going on with social network sites than just socialising online and that just because something is popular with young people (Facebook, My Space) it shouldn’t be assumed that ‘adults’ should jump right in and use it too for their purposes (education).
And my final thought …
Becta are reinvigorating the use of technology to support teaching and learning with their Next Generation Learning initiative …. England have their FE focused mobile learning Molenet project for another year …. Scotland have a very clear direction with regard to technology and learning … BUT there was no-one from Wales at the event … do we want to be involved in the mobile/handheld learning move … we don’t want to be left behind, do we?
