Let us look at some of the main concerns faced by educationists and m-learning advocates and methods by which these issues may be overcome.
What if my teachers and staff are not tech savvy?
Crib Mobiles
One of the key criteria for any new technological to be successful is that it needs to be easy to learn, with immediate benefits. Mobile phones are not new technology. Smartphones are designed to be intuitive and do not require special training to use.
What may require some hand holding is the use of software that will enable your teachers to deliver customized content to student mobile devices. While these are designed to be easy to use, as with any new software there will be a small learning period during which teachers will become more familiar with the software features. Internet browsing and basic formatting skills are important, but they are not critical to be able to offer mobile learning to students.
If your teachers are already browsing the net, emailing and creating documents and presentations with ease, they will have no trouble adapting to mobile learning applications.
Will students use it to cheat?
Let's face it. Some students will always try and cheat. Be it crib notes, or old-fashioned copying, cheating does occur. Mobile learning enables students to utilize their studying time effectively by providing bite-sized chunks of material in a way that can be easily reviewed. It does not facilitate cheating.
While there is evidence that mobiles are being increasingly used by students to cheat, implementing m-learning pedagogies will not necessarily raise the number of cheaters.
To overcome cheating issues, many schools and educational institutions prohibit students from bringing mobile phones into the exam hall, or at the very least have them switched off. Warnings and penalties can deter cheaters, but vigilance during examinations for all types of cheating including mobile phone usage will just have to continue.
Will learning material need to be reformatted?
Most mobile phones are compatible with standard text, music and video formats available today. If reformatting is required it would usually be to standardize your formats and can probably be done on your own computer.
Based on your existing material, how you package your content for mobile phone delivery is up to you. Sometimes it could be as easy as recording a lecture or copy-pasting a laboratory process. The advantage of mobile learning is that the small screen let's you look only to the important points that need to be reviewed. For multiple choice exam preparation like the SATs, you can use m-learning software like Mobl21, which enable you to create quizzes and vocabulary flashcards easily, and supports popular file formats add media like audio and video.
Isn't this just a high-tech package for the same old dull and boring content?
With evolving learning tools, pedagogies must evolve too. From drawing on chalkboards to using OHPs (Overhead Screen Projectors), playing alphabet songs to computer learning, our methods of instruction change with changing technologies.
While current learning pedagogies are still trying to incorporate mobile learning methods, it is definite that today's students lean more towards active discovery as opposed to age-old passive absorption. And mobile learning is all about providing interactivity in learning.
If the goal is education, content cannot be "dull and boring". Learning and learning material must be dynamic for it to be assimilated by the information-overloaded students of today.
Flashcards, quizzes, podcasts, videos, historical speeches, graphic timelines, real-time global collaboration, satellite maps... a whole interactive encyclopedia of information is available in a few clicks. Using it effectively just requires some creative application.
What about the digital divide? Not every student is tech savvy.
While it is valid that some students still have no access to technology, what is also true is that mobile technology is now globally available and pervading every aspect of our lives.
In the 2009 Parent-Teen Cell Phone Survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, 75% of 12-17-year-olds now own cell phones (up from 45% in 2004).
Implementation of m-learning methods early in schools is also an effective way to overcome this digital gap. Classrooms provide the ideal equal learning ground, with students able to mimic peers and quickly learn from each other. Mobile learning will also enable students to exchange data, find information and collaborate, all vital skills for today's wired world.
How will I measure learning effectiveness?
The same way you do today. Ask questions on lessons that have been revised, have students write papers and assign projects which require subject understanding to be completed.
Additionally choose mobile learning applications that enable you to create content which you know will be of value to your students. Some applications, like Mobl21 provide you with the flexibility to create notes and flashcards and even monitor which learning material your students are working on.
While new technologies are always exciting, creating the habit of using the mobile phone for learning, requires effort and persistence on the part of both the teacher and the student.
Christmas Sales Tiny Love Sweet Island Dreams Mobile 201
Dec 11, 2011 08:44:20
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Christmas Sales Tiny Love Sweet Island Dreams Mobile Feature
- Island theme design
- Multi directional movements of characters
- Adorable island pals
- Calming night light
- 20 minutes of continuous music
Christmas Sales Tiny Love Sweet Island Dreams Mobile Overview
With multidimensional movement and tranquil music, the TINY LOVE Sweet Island Dreams Mobile entertains your baby and encourages important developmental skills. The green mobile arm resembles a tree with colorful branches that feature bright hanging island animals. A music box with a remote control offers continuous sounds for a soothing experience that engages the imagination.
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The eye-catching Sweet Island Dreams Mobile features an island-themed design with a vivid green tree at its center. Three puppet-like island friends--a giraffe, bird, and monkey--dangle from the branches and move to the music, captivating your baby's attention.
The interplay between the music and the mobile's movement will fascinate and calm your baby, becoming a soothing and familiar part of the day. The Sweet Island Dreams Mobile will also help babies focus on objects, strengthen their eye muscles, and develop spatial perception.
Soothing Music Box with Nature Sounds and Night Light
Built to play 20 minutes of continuous music, the Sweet Island Dreams Mobile keeps babies entertained and soothed while they fall asleep or play in their cribs. The tunes include four melodic tunes, two classical-themed and two nature-themed.
The music box at the base of the mobile attaches securely to most standard cribs with an easy-to-install knob. The music box features four buttons to switch between the songs, helping babies discover the cause and effect associated with hitting the buttons. The music box also operates by remote control.
The sweet monkey on the music box doubles as a glowing night light and can remain in place on the crib once the moving parts are removed.
About TINY LOVE: Quality Developmental Products
Trusted by parents worldwide, TINY LOVE creates toys and products for babies by pairing the latest breakthroughs in child development with quality materials and design. Each product is crafted after consultation with child development experts, quality assurance specialists, and parents. TINY LOVE is passionate about providing parents and caregivers with resources to better a child's early development. For example, the TINY LOVE Developmental Center, a virtual space to share knowledge about child development. TINY LOVE's 7 Elements System categorizes the specific facets of a baby's development that is at the heart of each TINY LOVE product.
Committed to excellence, all of TINY LOVE's products meet the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the European EN-71 (CE) standards.
What's in the Box
TINY LOVE Sweet Island Dreams Mobile, music box, remote control, and instruction guide.
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