1. Geraldine Jones e-Learning Officer University of Bath
Extending learning conversations with SMS Let’s Talk about txt University of Bath, 19th May 2010
Geraldine Jones
e-Learning Officer
University of Bath
URL
LTT
eatbath-present

2. aims
Consider the affordances of SMS communication for teaching and learning.
Present a case study of using SMS with undergraduates on a sport and coach education degree programme.
Discuss lessons learned & future plans

3. a quick survey Do you have your phone turned on?
If you received a txt during this presentation would you read it?
Would you reply to it?
Would you initiate a txt conversation during this presentation?
Crossing contexts

4. Disruptive? SMS http://www.flickr.com/photos/56891569@N00/3510232717
Absent presence!

5. SMS http://www.flickr.com/photos/98848866@N00/74916401

6. HDD
Immediacy - Positive and negative implications

7. how do students already use SMS communication?
Social interactions typically move across a variety of media - face to face meetings, voice calls, SMS and IM chat.
SMS links to other opportunities for interaction.
We were interested in trying to use existing social communication practices to try and join up learning conversations across f2f and VLE in our UG programmes. Interested in student willingness to use SMS for study purposes rather than just for social interaction. So we surveyed the students…..
What they think about text communication.
always on - in your pocket – simple - personal
 character limit – difficult to organise - cost

8. what do Bath students think about using SMS for learning?
Surveyed 600 UG students 2007
Response rate ~ 50%
Male (44%) Female (56%)
98% 17-25yrs

9. results - 1
How useful do you think it would be to use your mobile phone for learning through…

10. results - 2
How often would you like to receive SMS for study purposes?
How many texts (per week) would you be prepared to send for study purposes?
Mention when they might receive SMS.
Make this interactive – ask questions – hands up then show slides.

11. Case Study: extending learning conversations with SMS

12. context 90 First year UG students (Education, & other departments)
Exploring Effective Learning (EEL)
Students not highly motivated towards this unit
Why students aren’t that motivated…….

13. aims
To structure inter-session study time using networked group learning activities.
To promote greater connectivity between the students and the tutor.
To harness the communication cultures and skills of our ‘digital native’ students (SMS)
structuring inter-session study time using group learning activities (JISC 2005) we aimed to establish we aimed to establish networked opportunities for learning that more effectively support the student experience on this unit and motivate student participation.
we sought to harness the communication cultures and skills of these ‘digital native’ students, using mobile phones and SMS to promote greater connectivity between the students and the tutor.
How can we use students own mobiles and their existing skills?
How can we give structure to out of session study?
How can we enhance student engagement and learning?

14. SMS joining up face to face and VLE learning
face to face teaching
Texts to students
Texts from students
Once a Week
Texts to students
Say briefly what informed the implementation – take from paper
In conjunction with activities in the session and in Moodle
After session – follow-up text
Before session – preparatory text
Summaries and reflections
Capturing (multi-media) data in support of the reflective journalling activities.
Post session activities
Pre session activities

16. what we said……
Hi Sam. Pls complte yr reflection&action plans 4 time mangmnt (act 7.2, 7.3) Plse post yr top 5 tips for TM to the top tips list. Gabriele.
Hi Tom, pls lk at & comment on the reading improvement video – Moodle (Act 4.1) Pls txt in wht u hve learned from the video b4 session. Gabriele

17. what they said…..
ED At uni i need 2 self motivate myself 2 gain broader learnin + self thought. I wil use tutors + readin + discussion 2 help me achieve this in the best way. (response to an article)
ED metacognition is an awareness of process of learning.consists of developin plan of action,maintainin monitorin of plan and evaluatin plan (self reflection) (in response to a request for a definition)

18. word clouds - aggregating responses
In response to student consultation we refined our implementation…..
Tag clouds helped with readability of the collected texts

19. what we found ….
Texts successfully and consistently guided students to intersession activities
There was a correlation between the time the text messages were sent out and students’ arrival and subsequent activity in the VLE, in some cases students would visit the VLE just a few minutes after receiving their message.

20. what they thought... Effective aid to time management (62% n=71)
Students liked the personal nature of texts
Less supportive of sending texts as part of learning activities.

21. in conclusion
SMS provided scaffolding for the development of TM strategies.
Texts as prompts for gaining attention
Todo lists for later reference
SMS provided additional motivation by extending the tutors voice to reach outside the lecture theatre
160 characters provided both benefits and challenges!

22. for more information please see…
Supporting and Enhancing Undergraduate Learning with m-learning tools: an exploration and analysis of the potential of Mobile Phones and SMS
(Jones, Edwards & Reid 2008)
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URL

23. future plans about SMS projects Distance learning students. URL
Moodletxt
Keeping our distance learning students on track – time management and JIT support.

24. thank you & questions Geraldine Jones
eatbath-present
Feedback for me … what did you like, what should I stop doing, and how might I improve this session?
LTT