Laurier MBA Mobile Learning Project Dr. Ruth Cruikshank

Schedules, Contact Info in the device Electronic Resources (Internal) Expanded beyond library, alumni db Notices & Announcements in real time Electronic Resources (External) Recommended links Internal Resources (reduced paper) e-textbooks lessen the load Our motivation? Learning any time, anywhere

Strategic framework

The specs WLU partnered with RIM and Rogers Wireless; (also D2L with 2Go application – but it did not work) 104 students, 8 faculty members provided with BlackBerry devices, unlimited data plans, and optional voice plan Fall term 2009, Integrated MBA program – with “all the greats” –Accounting, Economics, Marketing, Strategy, Org Behavior, Operations Mgmt, Statistics, Professional Skills, Finance

The launch

The student experience

INSTANT impact Students began to build their “MBA hive” the minute they turned on their device

The ‘big winner’? Collaborative learning Effective collaboration = best performance in project-based MBA curriculum BlackBerry Messenger was a lifeline “BBM meant we had continuous connection with our team”

Collaborative learning is powerful learning Check out Educause on collaborative learning: du/Resources/Browse/ Collaborative%20Lear ning/33997

Apps added fun & function 90% downloaded additional applications 55.4% more than one additional app Most popular? Instant messaging and social networking: –Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Types of apps used Weather News Business Finance Maps, navigation Education Sports Entertainment & games Other

Examples Morningstar Bloomberg Mobile Bloomberg Businessweek Yahoo Finance Forbes Mobile Reader Reuters Insider Thomson Reuters News Pro LinkedIn Dictionary.com WeatherEye The Globe and Mail Google Mobile Apps Gmail app Google Sync WhatsApp Messenger The Score Facebook Poynt Business Exam Bundle

Most useful for MBA program use? In an end of term survey, students identified BBM 53% 19% Chalk 16% Browser 8% None 4%

Advantages of BBY for learning purposes? In an end of term survey most students said Connecting & communicating Convenience, efficiency, speed Access to & websites Small numbers (12% or fewer) said: Access to class materials Pictures None

Disadvantages of BBY for learning purposes? In an end of term survey many students said Distracting Problems with interface (screen size, font) Functionality Small numbers (12% or fewer) reported: Constantly connected Overwhelming / felt overwhelmed None

The faculty experience 1.How did you use the BlackBerry to support instruction? 2.What factors motivate mobile technology use for you? 3.What were the most valuable supports for you in the BlackBerry Pilot Project? 4.What barriers or challenges did you encounter? Not really an SBE faculty member…

How did you use BBY to support instruction? Communicating with students ( ) Twitter Assignment requiring students develop an app or mobile process for business situation Chalk: pushed slides to students, surveys and responding to student questions Did not use any; prefer other technology

What factors motivate mobile technology use? Learning objectives & best delivery mechanism Topics & content as they fit (or not) with technology Inside classroom - only occasional desire for students to link with each other, do quick communication, or link with internet in class Timing: Mobile technology became available after I designed my course

Most valuable support? Designated BBY support person (Cory Kittel) –For both learning & troubleshooting

Barriers & challenges? Apps underdeveloped Not much content for Masters level courses; D2L 2Go did not function for content Fun to use but did not easily translate into learning tool Availability of a support person after Cory left Some students not using BBY – have to post slides and material for many access points Couldn’t get (Chalk) survey data by respondent

Other quotes from faculty Learning curve was too steep for the time period Content lags technology Learning environment where students are onsite full time with wireless access does not motivate Smartphone use I now realize that a change to this technology requires staff, someone to manage the technology and support

Into the future

Summing up

Questions?