Pedagogical implications of mobile technologies

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WLE Symposium on M-Learning 9 February 2007

• Pedagogical implications of mobile technologies
• Diana Laurillard

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• Outline

What do mobile technologies contribute? What are
the pedagogical challenges? What are the research
challenges?
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• What do mobile technologies contribute?

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• What characteristics are intrinsic to mobile
  technologies?

• Enable knowledge building by learners in
  different contexts.
• Enable learners to construct understandings.
• Mobile technology often changes the pattern of
  learning/work activity.
• The context of mobile learning is about more than
  time and space.
• Mediating tools in the learning process,
  addressing
• The learner and their personal relationships
  (peer groups, teachers, etc.)
• What is the leaner learning (topic, relationship
  to prior experience, etc.)?
• Where and when are learners learning?
• Affective forms of motivation afforded by aspects
  of mobile
• control (over goals)
• ownership
• fun
• communication
• learning-in-context
• continuity between contexts

"Big Issues in Mobile Learning" workshop
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• What is common to mobile technologies?

Tools and environments to support Exploring -
real physical environments linked to digital
guides Investigating Discussing - with peers,
synchronously or asynchronously, audio or
text Recording, capturing data - sounds, images,
videos, text, locations Building, making,
modelling - using captured data and digital
tools Sharing - captured data, digital products
of building and modelling Testing - the products
built, against others products, others
comments, or real physical environments Adapting
- the products developed, in light of feedback
from tests or comments Reflecting - guided by
digital collaborative software, using shared
products, test results, and comments
Convergence workshop
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• What are the pedagogical challenges?

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What does it take to learn (formal learning)?
We could look at the learning process as a series
of encounters between learner, teacher, and other
learners.
The discursive level
Teacher/Lecturer
Learner
Other learner(s)
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What does it take to learn (formal learning)?
We also need to represent the activities a
learner undertakes when learning - such as
practising, experimenting, investigating,
discussing, reflecting, making, commenting,
debating
The experiential level
Teacher/Lecturer
Learner
Other learner(s)
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What does it take to learn (formal learning)?
So we could see these two aspects of the learning
process in terms of a class presentation, or
lecture, on the one hand
Discursive level
and a field trip, or practice exercise on the
other
Experiential level
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What does it take to learn (formal learning)?
Concepts Answers
Ideas Comments
Discursive level
Ideas Comments
Questions Productions
Task goal Feedback
Trial actions
Experiential level
Trial actions
Actions Revisions
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What does it take to learn for formal learning?
- the Conversational Framework for supporting the
learning process
Concepts Answers
Ideas Comments
Teacher/Lecturer
Learner
Other learner(s)
Adapt the Task practice environment
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Adapt actions
Adapt actions
Task goal Feedback
Action ideas
Teacher/Lecturer
The Real World
Learner
Other learner(s)
Actions Revisions
Action ideas
The learning experience for informal learning
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Using the CF to evaluate teaching methods
How do teaching methods and technologies map onto
the Conversational Framework?
Communication?
ConceptsAnswers
Ideas, Comments
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Ideas, Comments
Questions Productions
Ownership?
Adapt actions
Adapt the Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Control over goals?
Task goal Feedback
Action ideas
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Fun?
Action ideas
Actions Revisions
Learning in context? Continuity between contexts?
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Mapping teaching methods to the Conversational
Framework
Lectures Tutorials Reading Computer-based
tools Collaborative online tools Trails The
mapping for a possible planned learning
session Summary
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Learning Experiences and Teaching Methods
(Lectures)
This represents the parts of the Conversational
Framework covered by Lectures -
Ideas
Concepts
Comments
Answers
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Ideas
Questions
Productions
Comments
Adapt the Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Task goal
Action ideas
Feedback
Comments
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Actions
Action ideas
Revisions
Comments
This is a teaching method (like books and TV)
which focuses mainly on presentation of concepts
and ideas, but has the advantage that learners
can ask questions.
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Learning Experiences and Teaching Methods
(Tutorials)
This represents the parts of the Conversational
Framework covered by Tutorials which are
face-to-face and enable learners to discuss
together as well as with the tutor
Ideas
Concepts
Comments
Answers
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Ideas
Questions
Productions
Comments
Adapt the Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Task goal
Action ideas
Feedback
Comments
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Actions
Action ideas
Revisions
Comments
The focus here is discussion. There is no link to
practice, as it is essentially about the
expression and analysis of the theory or concepts
of the subject. Learners may exchange their own
ideas as part of the tutorial, but the principal
exchange is more likely to be between students
and the tutor.
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Learning Experiences and Teaching Methods
(Reading)
This represents the parts of the Conversational
Framework covered by Reading assignments which
include activities and self-assessed questions
based on the reading
Concepts Questions
Ideas
Comments
Model answers
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Answers
Ideas
Productions
Comments
Adapt the Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Task goal
Action ideas
Feedback
Comments
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Actions
Action ideas
Revisions
Comments
This is a teaching method (like lectures and TV)
which focuses mainly on presentation of concepts
and ideas, but also embeds questions to encourage
students to produce their own thinking, and
provides model answers for them to check their
ideas against.
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Learning Experiences and Teaching Methods (Tools)
This represents the parts of the Conversational
Framework covered by computer-based tools, such
as spreadsheets, simulations, data-analysis -
Concepts
Questions, answers
Answers
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Questions, answers
Questions
Adapt actions
Adapt a Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Practice attempt Comment
Task goal
Feedback
Learner
Teachers environment
Other learner(s)
Practice attempt Comment
Actions
Revisions
There is no reflection by the teacher while the
learner is working on the tool unless it is
combined with small group supervision, or
monitored online. There is no interaction with
other learners unless it is run as a
collaborative project. The learner uses their
theoretical understanding to generate their
actions in the tool, which may give feedback on
how close they are to the goal, and further
practice attempts should motivate reflection.
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Learning Experiences and Teaching Methods
(Collaborative tools)
This represents the parts of the Conversational
Framework covered by collaborative digital tools,
such as Criterion -
Concepts
Questions, answers
Answers
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Questions, answers
Questions
Adapt actions
Adapt a Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Task goal
Practice attempt
Feedback
Teacher environment
Learner
Other learner(s)
Practice attempt
Actions
Actions
Revisions
There is no reflection by the teacher while the
learner is working on the tool unless it is
combined with small group supervision, or
monitored online. There is interaction with other
learners to share practice attempts at actions to
achieve the goal, and also at the level of
discussion, questions and answers. The learner
uses their understanding to generate actions in
the tool, which may not itself provide feedback
feedback from other learners motivates further
practice attempts, and that motivates reflection.
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Learning Experiences and Teaching Methods (Trails)
This represents the parts of the Conversational
Framework covered by trails, using mobile phones
to capture, narrate, and share data discovered
Concepts
Questions, answers
Answers
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Questions, answers
Questions
Adapt actions
Adapt a Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Practice attempt Comment
Task goal
Feedback
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Practice attempt Comment
Action
Revisions
There is no reflection by the teacher while the
learner is working on the trail (unless it is
combined with small group supervision, or
monitored online). The interaction with other
learners is at the level of making available
their practice data trail, and asking and
answering questions of other learners using their
presentations. The learner uses their
understanding to generate actions in the tool,
but it gives no feedback feedback from peers
motivates further practice attempts which in turn
motivates reflection.
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Mapping of Teaching Methods for a planned session
(Lecture,Tutorial, Reading, Tools)
This represents the parts of the Conversational
Framework covered by the combination of all the
planned Teaching Methods
Concepts Questions
Questions, ideas, answers
Hints Comments Model answers
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Questions, ideas, answers
Questions
Answers
Adapt a Task practice environment
Adapt actions
Adapt actions
Reflect
Reflect
Reflect
Practice attempt Comment
Task goal
Feedback
Learner
Teacher/Lecturer
Other learner(s)
Practice attempt Comment
Action
Revisions

• CSCL environment
• Synchronous online structured reading group
• Collaborative lab/fieldwork project
• Role-play simulation

The coverage is good, but it may be worthwhile to
consider how the remaining gaps will be addressed.
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• What are the research challenges?

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Matching the mobile technology solution to the
pedagogy
The CF can check pedagogic design - Does it
motivate students to
Mobile technologies offer tools and environments
to support
1. access the theory, ideas or concepts? 2. ask
questions of (i) the teacher, or (ii) their
peers? 3. offer their own ideas to (i) the
teacher, or (ii) their peers? 4. use their
understanding to achieve a clear task goal by
adapting their actions? 5. repeat practice, using
feedback that enables them to improve
performance? 6. share their trial actions with
peers, for comparison and comment? 7. reflect on
the experience of the goal-action-feedback
cycle? 8. debate their ideas with other
learners? 9. reflect on their experience, by
producing their ideas, reports, designs? 10.
reflect on their experience, by presenting their
ideas to their teachers?
1. access the theory, ideas or concepts? 2. ask
questions of (i) the teacher, or (ii) their
peers? 3. offer their own ideas to (i) the
teacher, or (ii) their peers? 4. use their
understanding to achieve a clear task goal by
adapting their actions? 5. repeat practice, using
feedback that enables them to improve
performance? 6. share their trial actions with
peers, for comparison and comment? 7. reflect on
the experience of the goal-action-feedback
cycle? 8. debate their ideas with other
learners? 9. reflect on their experience, by
producing their own ideas, reports, designs? 10.
reflect on their experience, by presenting their
ideas to their teachers?
Exploring Investigating Discussing Recording,
capturing data Building, making,
modelling Sharing Testing Adapting Reflecting
Can research demonstrate a match? Or challenge
the need for a match - new framework? Or develop
the means to make a good match?