Mobility + Learning = Mobile Learning Mark van ‘t Hooft 2010 Mobile Learning Conference Lima, Ohio

Possibilities …. Frequency 1550

Mobile Learning Goes beyond just mobile technologies or delivering content to mobile devices; “being able to operate successfully in and across new and ever changing contexts and learning spaces” (Pachler, 2009); Real and digital realms augment each other; Learning as constructivist, situated, collaborative, informal, and lifelong; Importance of 21 st century skills such as –Core subjects and 21 st century themes –Learning and innovation skills –Information, media, and technology skills –Life and career skills

So How Do We Do This?

The Geo-Historian Project The project utilizes wireless mobile technologies to link classrooms with local historical landmarks and link formal with informal learning; breaks down the barriers between schools and community resources; gives students the opportunity to create digital resources for their community; shows how digital content can be used to amplify learning at various sites (QR codes).

Trying It Out The Geo-Historian project is slated to commence in Fall In order to try out our ideas we created a learning activity using cell phones, QR codes, and digital content of the World War II Memorial in Washington DC (2009 NECC Conference). We’ll do a similar activity at the ISTE 2010 Conference.

The Geo-Historian Project Two parts: Initial project activities will include the creation of curriculum for teaching how to do digital, local history, training teachers, and implementing the curriculum inside and outside of their classrooms. Student-created, digital, and local historical content will be available online and freely accessible by way of wireless mobile devices and QR codes. In collaboration with the local historical society, these QR codes will be placed in the community so that anybody with a mobile phone and a barcode scanner can access the digital content that’s behind them.

How This Should Work A tourist visits the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad Depot in Kent, Ohio He scans a QR code from a marker at the depot with his mobile phone. Related student-created content (audio, video, historical images) is downloaded to the phone.

Sample Project Materials

Food for Thought Learning can be constructivist, situated, collaborative, and informal if we –expand your horizons and don’t limit mobile learning to the classroom (time, space, curriculum). –(hence) adjust our curriculum to take advantage of what the world around us has to offer. Student use of mobile tools outside of school can and will amplify learning. –meet students half-way and take advantage of the technology skills they already have, but teach them how to use these skills for learning. Don’t assume they already know. Only then will we teach our kids that learning lasts a lifetime.

Questions? Mark van ‘t Hooft