Translate

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Issue 2014-3- IAmLearn 2014 Highlights, Holiday Wishes and Sailing into 2015



IAmLearn Members Share Resources and Opportunities


Gender Matters with Mobile Learning

Reported by Ronda Zelezny-Green, M.A., MScPhD candidate, University of LondonU.S. Fulbright Scholar


In 2010, I first started researching the potential links between gender and mobile learning. In 2013, I was the first ever presenter to speak on gender and mobile learning at UNESCO. Now, nearly five years after beginning this journey of exploration, it feels like the specialist field of gender and mobile learning has finally arrived: UNESCO has dedicated its entire Mobile Learning Week 2015 theme to this critically under-explored topic.


But why does gender matter to broader field of mobile learning? When most men and women hear the word "gender", they assume it is only referring to girls and women, or working to take over the male population completely. Both ideas are false yet such assumptions do a great deal of damage for those who wish to engage in gender work that helps provide social transformation for women, men, boys and girls. This column was thus created to serve as a forum for engaging with the topic of gender and mobile learning in order to help promote gender analysis and awareness in the design of mobile learning interventions. What follows is a description of how I got my start in the area.

Having taught in Africa, Asia, and North America during the time (2005-2009) when we all witnessed the incredible rise in access to mobile communication devices, I at first never considered how they might be used for learning. While studying during my first Master's degree program, I discovered some of the existing work on mobile learning from academics like Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and John Traxler and became hooked. 

By 2009, girls' education had become a passion of mine because of my experiences as an educator with female youth in a diverse range of settings, and I was also a graduate of a women's college in the U.S. I had the opportunity to observe how girls are systematically silenced in curricula, classrooms and in their societies more broadly because of prevailing social mores, and also saw how they were more or less guided to careers thought to be more appropriate for someone of their gender. Such issues have plagued systems of education for ages, to be sure, but there has been a significant amount of work done to help redress these issues as well.

My experiences as a teacher and my new found awareness of mobile learning led me to explore the potential links between gender issues and mobile learning, including how mobile learning might be used as a tool for the empowerment of the female populace, in partnership with their male peers. It is important to acknowledge that gender work with the goal of social transformation cannot be done without men and boys since women and girls live with and interact with them on a daily basis and they are change agents in their own right - even for issues that may not affect them directly. 

As I performed meta-analyses of existing mobile learning literature, I noted that there was scant work done with gender issues despite the increasing evidence of some of the positive outcomes of mobile learning. I believed it was important to engage in this space to better understand the potential and pitfalls of gender and mobile learning work - especially because the number of mobile learning interventions is on the rise, even in developing contexts. If investments were going to continue being made in mobile learning, I felt it was imperative to understand how such interventions might impact the intended beneficiaries, and girls and women in particular, since it is often said that mobile learning can facilitate opportunities for those who are denied or prevented from having consistent access to education, and females are most acutely affected when it comes to such access.



Going forward, this column will highlight gender and mobile learning topics, drawing on articles published bi-monthly in the newsletter I founded, the Gender & Mobile Learning newsletter, which is now known as the Gender & Mobiles newsletter, and published in partnership with Alex Tyers. I hope you'll click-through and have the opportunity to learn about something that might help you in your own work - don't let the "G" word scare you!




Mobile Learning Events

Using to Learn -  Learning to Use

Reported by Dr. Birgit Schmitz

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are of growing importance to the future of our children. STEM is all around us; and the technological age further reveals this. As this is a matter of growing importance, children should be prepared and able to use applications and technology. They need to have sound knowledge about the mechanisms involved in order to participate in society, which concurrently implies an increased knowledge on the chances and fallbacks of using digital media.

MINT: School in the Age of Digitization in Berlin, December 3/4,  hosted a  conference for educational professionals in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) (MINT: School in the Age of Digitization). The conference with 290 registered participants left aside the topics usually related to individual STEM subjects and instead, it focused on a more general and currently pestering problem in German schools: the reluctant use of digital media. Results from the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) have startled Germany. ICILS asks how well students are prepared for life in the information age, and aims to answer several key questions about students’ computer and information literacy (CIL) and its contexts. Results were presented last week and they showed that German schools could use a boost. Regarding the use of technology in educational practice, German schools are lacking behind, ranging somewhere behind Slovenia, Chile and Lithuania. And they are not necessarily getting better according to the ICILS study. For about 30% of learners the level of CIL is weak (competence level I and II). Asked about the use of computers within STEM classes, the study revealed that 41,7% of pupils in their eights year of schooling have never used a computer in computer science classes.

The discussions and presentations that span at the conference revealed some of the problems. The predominant obstacle is the missing technical equipment, the lack of practical concepts, high value content and the low personal competence in effectively using technology in classes. Teacher training and education at universities is lacking behind. Media education and media didactics is far from being anchored within the university curriculum. The teachers that attended the conference reported that they were struggling with very practical issues like destroyed hardware and cheating.

By now, technology is predominantly mobile and talking about computers usually refers to the use of smartphones and tablets. By now 88% of German pupils between 12 and 19 year-olds possess a smartphone and almost 50% of them have an Internet flat rate, which use 81% of 12-19 years-olds to access the Internet on a daily basis (JIM Study, 2014). Thus, for using technology in the classroom pupils do not even rely on a stable school network. Results from the JIM Study further reveal that teens are online for 192 minutes on an average day. Computers and the Internet are used for 51 minutes per day on average as tools for school activities.

Several lighthouse projects exist that were presented and that demonstrate the use of mobile media in STEM classes such as the examples by the Leibniz University Hannover for example. There were examples for using the interactive whiteboard in chemistry ([Leibniz University, Hannover) or for using smartphones and tablets for physics (physics.move)related training has little or no importance for teacher training in Germany, which is assumed to be one reason for teachers’ ambivalent stance towards the topic and it very often tends towards objection.


Prof. Dr. Birgit Eickelmann from the Institute for Educational Science at the University of Paderborn who coordinated the research project in Germany together with Prof. Dr. Bos from the Institute for School Development Research at the TU Dortmund concluded concluded that the use of technology in schools could be boosted by providing state-of-the-art hardware, service infrastructure and technical support as well as teacher training for example, this way strengthening teachers’ self-efficacy regarding the use of computers in classrooms. Furthermore, the use of digital media needs to be linked to pedagogical aims. Finally commitment is vital. Using digital media in classes should be seen as normal. There should be no need to argue the use of digital media in classrooms. But NOT using digital media in classes should be argued instead.

A core problem remains - that of unclear and restrictive regulations in using, adapting or sharing media for educational purposes. Providing media under the license of Creative Commons is one possible pathway that allows maintaining high quality standards. Also, OER is regarded a door opener that leads to competence in using media.
Teachers’ personal competence as well as their technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) needs to be developed and strengthened focusing on subject related use of digital m/: edia (combining mobile devices and whiteboards, activating, interactivity, visualizing subject related topics). The various lighthouse projects are vital and function as role models for a new digital era. However, focus should be on large-scale projects comprising all teachers and all subjects making use of the potentials digital media provide in order to illuminate the base.

Further readings:


International Computer and Information Literacy Study

International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018


Fraillon, J., Ainley, J., Schulz, W., Friedman, T., & Gebhardt, E. (2014). Preparing for life in a digital age: The IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study international report. Cham: Springer.

The IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study International Report

Fraillon, J., Schulz, W., & Ainley, J. (2013). International Computer and Information Literacy Study: Assessment framework. Amsterdam: IEA. 

International Computer and Information Assessment Framework

Pedagogical Media Research Centre Southwest (Medien-pädagogischer Forschungsverbund Südwest; mpfs)

JIM-STUDIE 2014

2015  Mobile Learning Events

Creating Mobile Medical Education-Successful Implementation in Practice

June 18, 19, 2015

This workshop in London will provide a foundation for the concepts and practice of mobile education but it will also provide a good foundation for any other field.  Participants will benefit from reviewing and developing strategies for driving the introduction of mobile learning programmes.  Various themes will be presented and discussed based on current practices acrosss different medical schools in the UK and abroad.

For more information visit: 



mLearn 2015 Cruise  


14th World conference on mobile and contextual learning

The mLearn 2015 conference will be held on a cruise ship during October/November2015.  The theme of the conference suits the cruise theme wonderfully, namely: “

"The mobile learning voyage: from small ripples to massive open waters.

The International Association for Mobile Learning (IAmLearn) is the custodian of the mLearn conference series.  mLearn is the leading annual international conference for researchers, policy makers, educators, developers and solutions providers in the fields of mobile, ubiquitous and contextual learning, and learning with emerging ambient and wearable technologies, attracting participants from more than 60 countries.

IAmLearn (www.iamlearn.org) each year invites tenders and proposals to host the mLearn conference in the following year.  During 2014, three institutions joined forces to submit a tender to host mLearn 2015 in South Africa.  The North-West University: Vaal Triangle Campus (NWU: VTC) represented by Prof Herman van der Merwe, Unisa, represented by Prof Tom Brown from the Institute for Open & Distance Learning (IODL), and Midrand Graduate Institute, represented by Dr Johan Freysen, will be organising and hosting the mLearn 2015 Cruise in October/November 2015. Herman, Tom and Johan also organised the 4th mLearn conference in Cape Town, 2005, where the Association was born. Ten years later we bring the conference back to South Africa.

Some of the benefits of attending the mLearn 2015 conference:

mLearn 2015 will provide researchers, academics, industry practitioners and commercial vendors all the benefits of participating in one of the premier international conferences and being exposed to the exciting and rapidly growing field of mobile and contextual learning. 

mLearn offers unrivalled opportunities for networking with key academic and commercial contacts.

mLearn is the only conference endorsed by the International Association for Mobile Learning (IAmLearn), a membership association which promotes excellence in research, development and application of mobile and contextual learning.

The mLearn conference series has an established relationship with the official journal of IAmLearn, the International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning (IJMBL). This is the leading journal in mobile learning, indexed in Scopus and PsycINFO and included in the ACM digital library.

Sea’ you on the cruise!

e hope that you are able to explore and create your own stories from your 
Mobile Learning  Resources

Resources collected and compiled by Nicole Berezin, Doctoral student

The Open University launches mobile tool kits to engage budding young scientists 

The Open University is supporting young people around the world to develop practical science skills as it unveils a new open crowd-sourced science platform today. Developed in collaboration with Sheffield UTC and supported by social investor Nominet Trust, the nQuire-it platform includes the Sense-it app, the first open application to unlock the full range of sensors on mobile devices, so that people of any age can do science projects on their phones and tablets.

From today, missions on the nQuire-it platform include creating a noise map around a city or school, identifying clouds, measuring the fastest lift in the world, exploring strange mirrors, and finding creative ways to measure the height of a tree or building using a mobile phone.

The Sense-it app is the first to exploit the full potential of already existing sensors in mobile devices, turning users into instant scientists by transforming smart phones into scientific instruments of discovery with their light, sound and acceleration sensors or gyroscopes, allowing them to record and measure data, like magnetic field, proximity and light. The Sense-it app is linked to the nQuire-it platform to allow users to share their findings instantly.

As concern grows that students are increasingly turning away from science in the classroom The Open University has collaborated closely with 16-18 year old students from Sheffield UTC, to ensure the missions and format of the nQuire-it platform are relevant and engaging.

Citizen science has been growing in popularity in recent years, but until now the public have generally been invited to collect and contribute data to scientists, but not share in the thrill of scientific discovery. The nQuire-it software transforms the scientific experience for users as they are able to link to and interact with a diverse range citizen science projects, receive instant feedback on how sensor recordings from their mobile phones relate to other users’ data, and allows users to design and propose their own science investigations.  

Professor Mike Sharples, The Open University UK says, “The Open University is a leader for innovations in learning technologies that break down barriers globally. Alongside our open courses, we are developing a new range of practical science activities to help people design investigations, explore their surroundings and share their findings. The nQuire-it platform puts science into the hands of people around the world.”

Annika Small, CEO of Nominet Trust says,  “The nQuire-it platform offers open tools that help young people to become citizen scientists, engaging with and helping to solve big science problems. This is a great example of how technology can help to redesign traditional approaches as these nQuire-it tools allow young people to contribute to genuine scientific practice as part of an online open science laboratory. Nominet Trust is excited by the potential of nQuire-it to inspire a new generation of scientists.”

For more information visit www.nquire-it.org


About nQuire-it

The nQuire-it platform is a research and development project funded by Nominet Trust, and coordinated by The Open University in collaboration with Sheffield UTC.

nQuire-it have developed three types of missions:

Win-it missions set challenges with prizes for the winners. Each challenge needs a creative response. Some missions involve science experiments, e.g., ‘Suggest an astronomy observation using the Open University’s PIRATE remotely-controlled telescope'. Others tackle everyday problems, e.g., ‘Propose an imaginative way to attract bumblebees to gardens’.

Sense-it missions make use of the Sense-it mobile app to collect and share data using smartphone sensors (e.g., accelerometer, gyroscope, light, sound). For example, ‘What is the fastest lift?’, the Sense-it app can be found in Play Store here.


Spot-it missions allow you to capture images and spot things around us, such as strange signs and unusual uses of English.

nQuire-it software is open source so anyone can join or create missions for free. They can invite other people to join their missions by using your Facebook, Twitter or Google accounts. The most successful missions will get the chance to win prizes such as money rewards, vouchers or even to have their observation made on the PIRATE telescope in Mallorca.

About The Open University
The Open University (OU) is the largest academic institution in the UK and a world leader in flexible distance learning. Since it began in 1969, the OU has taught more than 1.8 million students and has around 200,000 current students, including more than 15,000 overseas.

The OU is rated in the top ten of UK universities for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey, since the survey began in 2005. In 2013/14 it had a 91% satisfaction rating.  Over 70% of students are in full-time or part-time employment, and four out of five FTSE 100 companies have sponsored staff to take OU courses.

In the UK’s latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008) The Open University was ranked in the top third of UK higher education institutions. More than 50% of OU research was assessed in the RAE as internationally excellent, with 14% as world leading.

The OU has a 41 year partnership with the BBC and has moved from late-night lectures in the 1970s to co-producing prime-time series such as Frozen Planet, Bang Goes the Theory, Britain’s Great War, I Bought a Rainforest and Business Boomers. Regarded as Britain’s major e-learning institution, the OU is a world leader in developing technology to increase access to education on a global scale. Its vast ‘open content portfolio’ includes free study units on OpenLearn, which received 5.2million unique visitors in 2012/13, and materials on iTunes U, which has recorded more than 66 million downloads.  For further information please visit: www.open.ac.uk

About Nominet Trust

Nominet Trust is the UK’s only dedicated Tech for Good funder. The Trust believes in harnessing the power of digital technology to improve lives and communities.  

A UK registered charity, Nominet Trust brings together, invests in and supports people committed to using digital technology to create social and economic value. Nominet Trust has invested in hundreds of projects since its inception, providing business support as well as financial investment, seeking to connect projects to prospective partners who can help increase their reach and impact.

Nominet Trust was founded in 2008 by Nominet, the not-for-profit organisation responsible for the smooth and secure running of the .uk Internet infrastructure.  Nominet believes in the positive power of the internet, and with the money generated from the registration of web addresses ending in .uk, .org.uk, and .co.uk, Nominet is proud to be able to fund Nominet Trust’s work.  

Moving Forward

As we conclude 2014 and plan for 2015, we send warm thanks and appreciation to all of our members who contribute to our worldwide community. Please encourage fellow colleagues and business associates to explore our resources at http://www.iamlearn.org/.

Our commitment to  IAmlearn members worldwide includes building and in turn extending our expertise to learning communities worldwide.  Please let us know how we can continue to improve and enrich this resource.  

We would like to invite you to contribute your ideas, articles, resources, and other submissions you wish to share through future issues of the IAmLearn newsletter. Email your submissions to Agnieszka Palalas (agapalalas@athabascau.ca) and copy Nicole Berezin (nberezin@unm.edu) and Birgit Schmitz (bsc@humance.de). Thank you.






Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Welcome to mLearn 2014!

The mLearn "travelling trophy" has arrived, and the 13th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning (mLearn 2014) is now underway! Thus year's conference is being hosted at Kadir-Has University in Istanbul, Turkey.


The conference kicked off unofficially on Monday, November 3, with a slate of five half-day workshops and tutorials. The main conference was officially opened on Tuesday morning with welcoming remarks from the local hosts, and IAmLearn president Dr. Marcus Specht. The opening keynote featured Dr. Mike Sharples talking about the mLearning challenges of going "massive and sustainable." In addition to a full slate of paper and poster presentations over two days, the conference will also feature the IAmLearn Annual General Meeting. All members are encouraged to attend the AGM, and to have their say in votes on Association plans and new Executive members.


Marcus Specht welcoming delegates


The full conference program can be found on the mLearn 2014 website (http://mlearn.org). The full conference proceedings can also be downloaded free, for a limited time, at http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-13416-1

Friday, August 22, 2014

Issue 2014-2: Special mLearn 2014 Issue - 13th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning, Istanbul, Turkey

mLearn2014: November 3-5, Kadir-Has University, Istanbul, Turkey

This year the conference is hosted by Kadir Has University and will be held at the Cibali Campus, 34083 Istanbul, Turkey. The focus topic of mLearn 2014 is “Mobile as mainstream – towards future challenges in mobile learning”.  

You can still register at the Early Bird rates until August 31, 2014.

Welcome Letter to Conference Participants from Dr.Yasemin Bayyurt, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey

Dear IAmLearn Members,

It is a great honor for me to invite the mLearn community to attend the 13th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning which will take place in Istanbul. There will be one preconference event and two keynote speakers, Mike Sharples and John Traxler, and a plenary panel. mLearn 2014 is jointly organized by Boğaziçi University and Kadir Has University, and the conference venue will be Kadir Has University, Cibali Campus. It is very close to the major city attractions, the old city and other historical places. Please visit conference website for further information on registration and accommodation. I would like to share a little information about myself, my research focus and previous work.


I currently work as  a full professor of Applied Linguistics in the Department of Foreign Language Education, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey. Adding to a number of international publications, I am doing further work in areas including content-based instruction, mobile language learning, social media and cross-cultural communication, and English as an International Lingua Franca.Currently, I am  involved in projects on mobile language learning of young people in “at-risk” groups, ELF-aware teacher education, intercultural pragmatic analysis of English as a Lingua Franca interactions in social media (e.g. Telecollaboration project between Turkish and Korean university students on Facebook), using mobile devices and social media to train ELF-aware pre-service English language teachers.

I have had the opportunity to contribute to  various publications in refereed/indexed national and international journals and edited books. In addition, I have  co-edited two books, the proceedings of one conference, and two special issues of Boğaziçi University’s Journal of Education. My publications include: Policies and Practices in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language (published in Turkish in 2009 by Anı Yayıncılık), Research Perspectives on Teaching and Learning English in Turkey: Policies and Practices (published in 2012 by Peter Lang) and Proceedings of the 5th International Conference of English as a Lingua Franca (published in 2013 by Boğaziçi University Press).


Professor Yasemin Bayyurt addresses participants at the European Union Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation Mobile language Learning Conference (MLARG, 14 October 2011).











Please read the following information in order not to miss the beauty of Istanbul and enjoy your time there.

Visiting Istanbul

Reported by Dr. Yasemin Bayyurt and Nicole Berezin, Doctoral student

Dr. Bayyurt asked, " Nicole are you excited about the conference?" I responded that "I am counting the days the opportunity to attend mlearn 2014 and participate in sessions facilitated by people that write the books and articles I study as a doctoral student at the University of New Mexico".  The following information includes highlights for your consideration as you plan your visit.  We look forward to collaborating, innovating and celebrating the contributions of all the conference attendees and the dynamically evolving mobile learning community. 

"God and human, nature and art are together there; they have created such a perfect place 
that it is valuable to see." Lamartine’s famous poetic line reveals his love for Istanbul, describing the embracing of two continents, with one arm reaching out to Asia and the other to Europe.It is the only city in the world to straddle two continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two consecutive empires: Christian and Islamic. Once the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul still remains the commercial, historical and cultural pulse of Turkey, and its beauty lies in its ability to embrace all its contradictions. Ancient and modern, religious and secular, Asia and Europe, mystical and earthly all co-exist here.

The complex and dynamic environment of Istanbul from the wide beaches of Kilyos at European side of Black Sea at 25km. outside Istanbul, to the Belgrad Forest, inland from the Black Sea, on the European Side and surrounds Istanbul.


We have included several highlights for you to explore as you plan your stay for mlearn 2014. The diverse geographic and historical sites reflect the rich complexity of our global learning community, coming together in one location to connect and collaborate. 

The Golden Horn: This horn-shaped estuary divides European Istanbul. One of the best natural harbors in the world, it was once the centre for the Byzantine and Ottoman navies and commercial shipping interests. 
The Golden Horn

Beyoğlu and Taksim: Beyoğlu is an interesting example of a district with European-influenced architecture from a century ago. Europe’s second oldest subway, Tunel, was built by the French in 1875.

Sarıyer: The first sight of Sarıyer is where the Istanbul Strait connects with the Black Sea, past the bend in the river after Tarabya. Around this area, old summer houses, embassies and fish restaurants line the river, and a narrow road, which separates it from Büyükdere, continues along to the beaches of Kilyos.


The Blue Mosque
Sultanahmet: Many places of interest are concentrated in Sultanahmet, in the heart of the Imperial Centre of the Ottoman Empire. These sites include  Topkapı Palace, Aya Sofya, Sultanahmet Mosque (the Blue Mosque), the Hippodrome, Kapalı Carşı (Covered Market), Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Basilica Cistern) and the Museum of Islamic Art.

Haydarpaşa: To the north of Kadikoy is Haydarpasa, and the train station built in 1908 with Prussian-style architecture, which was the first stop along the Baghdad railway. Now it is the main station going to eastbound destinations both within Turkey, and internationally.
Polonezköy

Polonezköy: Polonezköy, although still within the city, is 25 km. away from the centre and not easy to reach by public transport. Translated as “village of the Poles”, the village has a fascinating history. It was established in 1848 by Prince Czartorisky, leader of the Polish nationals who was granted exile in the Ottoman Empire to escape oppression in the Balkans. During his exile, he succeeded in establishing a community of Balkans, which still survives, on the plot of land sold to him by a local monastery

Kilyos: Kilyos is the nearest beach resort to the city, on the Black Sea coast on the European side of the Istanbul Strait.  Because of the ease of getting there (25km away, with plenty of public transport), it is good for a day trip, and is a popular weekend getaway in either the many hotels or one of the campsites

Heybeliada ‘Island of the Saddlebag’, because of its shape, is loved for its natural beauty and beaches. One of its best-known landmarks is the Greek Orthodox School of Theology, with an important collection of Byzantine manuscripts. 


We hope that you are able to explore and create your own stories from your experience a

Mobile Learning Events

Mobile Learning at AILA World Congress 2014

Reported by Dr. Agnieszka Palalas

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), a subset of mobile learning, has been an increasingly popular method of supporting foreign and second language acquisition. Innovative approaches to language learning, enabled by portable technologies, offer a wealth of possibilities for the practice of language skills both in class and outside of the classroom walls. The exponential adoption of mobile technologies coupled with the increasing importance of learning new languages for personal and professional purposes results in heightened awareness of the potential of mobile devices in language learning. The topic of using mobiles to enable language acquisition has been increasingly discussed in scholarly publications and gradually gaining popularity at conferences, workshops and seminars, expanding beyond mobile learning events.


Recently, I was  invited to participate in a featured symposium on Mobile-Assisted Language Learning at the 2014 conference of the International Applied Linguistics Association Conference, a prestigious event held every three years and bringing together applied linguists from around the world to discuss top issues in the field of language teaching and learning. The 2014 AILA Congress was held from August 10 to 15 in Brisbane, Australia. The conference was attended by 1642 international participants; it offered 1510 research-based presentations, including oral presentations, posters, workshops and symposia.


There were fourteen presentations which were focused on MALL (under the Technology in Education and Computer-Assisted Language Learning strands), counting the six which comprised our featured panel “Adopting mobile learning technology for English: benefits and challenges”. Although there were no presentations focusing specifically on MALL in previous AILA conferences, there was some mention of the usage of iPads and mobile phones in individual papers. This year’s AILA event was, thus, the first one to feature a symposium with a specific focus on the usage of mobiles in language learning.


The two-hour symposium consisted of six brief presentations followed by debate. Its key message was to adopt MALL approaches, when and where feasible, in order to ensure that language learners enjoy full access to resources, activities, and linguistic models - both in and out of the classroom.  As learners become accustomed across the curriculum to having more autonomy and access to a wider set of educational resources delivered online or by mobiles - when and where they need them - they expect to have similar opportunities in their language learning courses. In English Language Teaching (ELT) this means that more authentic English content can be brought into the classroom through real-life tasks and new forms of communicative pairwork. Moreover, mobiles can facilitate language practice outside the classroom (at home, while travelling, or through real-world language tasks in a variety of English-speaking contexts); they can enable new forms of adaptive learning and assessment, and extend the number of hours available for language study.


The panel discussed the theory and practice of MALL and 1:1 learning. Panelists shared their experience of developing new pedagogical approaches for English learners in a wide variety of contexts. The impact on school and classroom strategies, on teachers and teacher development needs, as well as on learners and on learner outcomes was discussed. Panelists referred to lessons learned from a number of implementation projects such as Plan Ceibal in Uruguay and the introduction of iPads into the Higher Colleges of Technology in UAE. Considering that MALL is still a rather new field with relatively underdeveloped evidence and research basis, new avenues were recommended for further research to advance the field further. In addition, potential future challenges and investment priorities were suggested.

Featured seminar on MALL @ AILA2014 in Brisbane, Australia; from the left: Jodi CrandallMichael CarrierArdeshir Geranpayeh, Agnieszka Palalas, and Phil Hubbard.

Panelists and Topics

  • Michael Carrier, Cambridge English Language Assessment, UK
New Pedagogical Models for 1:1 Learning in Language Education. Mobile devices can be used to provide wider access to learning activities both in and out of the classroom. But what new kinds of pedagogical models are needed to take advantage of the technology in an educationally-appropriate way? And what new competences do teachers need to develop?
  • Dr. Christina Gitsaki, Assoc. Dean of Foundations, Academic Central Services, Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE
Teacher Attitudes towards the Use of Mobile Technology for Teaching English as a Second Language. This presentation reported on a longitudinal study on the use of iPads for second language teaching and learning at a post-secondary education institution in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE iPad Initiative represents one of the largest adoptions of iPad tablets in higher education and the only large-scale project that involves ESL students.Professor Philip L. Hubbard, Linguistics Department & Language Center, Stanford University, USADeveloping Student Skills as Mobile Language Learners.Effective mobile language learning depends on skills and practices students may not possess simply by virtue of being users of mobile devices. The presenter offered support for this assertion and described a mobile project where learners experienced training and positive results were achieved.
  • Dr. Agnieszka Palalas, University of New Mexico, USA
Expanding MALL outside the Classroom: Real-Life Context-Dependent and Context-Independent Language Activities. Agnieszka examined out-of-class language learning opportunities drawing on the learners' own context and personal experiences. She discussed a range of MALL activities, both individual and collaborative that take advantage of the affordances of mobile devices and the context affordances mediated by the mobiles.
  • Dr. Ardeshir Geranpeyer, Cambridge English Language Assessment, UK
Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA): New Technology for Adaptive Learning in ELT. The integration of learning and assessment in a new adaptive learning approach requires new applications of assessment models and technology, referred to at Cambridge English as LOA - Learning Oriented Assessment. The presenter looked at how the technological affordances of mobile devices make LOA possible.
  • Professor Jodi Crandall, Dept. of Education, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA
The Use of Tablets in Assisting Teachers with Formative Assessment. Professor Jodi Crandall illustrated through her presentation how tablets can be used to assist language teachers with formative assessment.

All in all, the symposium was well attended and sparked a rich discussion of the potential of MALL in diverse language learning settings. It is our goal to continue this discussion at future events as well as to advance the field of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning through ongoing research.

Mobile Learning Resources

Resource suggestions by Dr. Mohamed Ally and Dr. Agnieszka Palalas
Reviews collected and compiled by Nicole Berezin, Doctoral student

 

Recently Published



Our highly “mobilized” world provides an incredible opportunity for harnessing the power of mobile devices for education and training. Mobile subscriptions are estimated at more than 6 billion globally, with at least 75% of these being in developing countries. 
Mobile learning (mLearning) is an emerging field that, with the availability of Open Educational Resources and rapid growth of mobile technologies, has immense potential to revolutionize education — in the classroom, in the workplace, and for informal learning, wherever that may be. With mLearning, education becomes accessible and affordable for everyone.

Increasing Access through Mobile Learning contributes to the advancement of the mLearning field by presenting comprehensive, up-to-date information about its current state and emerging potential. This book will help educators and trainers in designing, developing and implementing high-quality mLearning curricula, materials and delivery modes that use the latest mobile applications and technologies. The 16 chapters, written by 30 contributors from around the world, address a wide range of topics, from operational practicalities and best practices to challenges and future opportunities.
Researchers studying the use of mLearning in education and training, and as a means of supporting lifelong learning, will find this book to be of particular interest.

Retrieved from: http://www.col.org/resources/publications/Pages/detail.aspx?PID=466


This volume, edited by Dr. Avgoustos and Dr. Mohamed Ally, includes valuable insights and information from 14 experts worldwide  Francesc Pedró, Chief, Teacher Development and Education Policies  at UNESCO captures the potential impact of this book on a variety of practioners. "The future of technology in education is wireless, and the initiatives described in this book are bounding toward this future. This publication provides an international review which easily translates into a practical roadmap for educationalists interested in mobile learning and an analytical mirror for practitioners already involved in mobile learning. As such, this resource is a valuable tool for all those who, as UNESCO does, see in mobile learning a window of opportunity for the expansion of educational opportunities and the transformation of learning".


Retrieved from http://www.crtvup.com.cn/ad/top_gg/image/globalMobileLearning.pdf

 

Book Review

  • Berge, Z.L., & Muilenberg, L. (Eds.).  (2013) Handbook of Mobile Learning.  London,               Routledge. Available at Amazon.  



Reviewed by Dr. Mohamed Ally

Introduction
The chapters in this handbook are written by recognized world experts in the area of mobile learning. It is good to see the global expertise in mobile learning in one book. The handbook has 53 chapters and is 638 pages long which is on the longer side for a book at this time in history. However, the book is organized into 5 sections (Foundations and Future, Learning and Learner Support, Teaching and Instructional Design, Policies, Administration, and Management, and Cases and Perspectives) making it manageable for the readers. This book informs readers on what is happening in mobile learning around the world and why it is important to use mobile learning as a delivery option in education and training. Also, since the use of mobile technologies is new to many in education, the book provides suggestions on how to design and implement mobile learning.

Potential Audience
As the names of the sections indicate, the book will be of interest to a variety of educators, researchers, and professionals. Teachers, instructors, instructional designers, and professors will find the sections “Learning and learner support” and “Teaching and instructional design” very helpful to design mobile learning materials and to provide support in the learning processes. The chapters under the section on “Policies, administration, and management” will be of interest to managers and administrators. Researchers will be interested in all of the chapters in the book. Hence, this book will be of interest to everyone involved in mobile learning which is
the main purpose of a handbook.

Content Organization
Section one on Foundations and Future provides a historical background of mobile
learning and looks into the future of mobile learning. Chapters one and two traced the history of technology in education by starting at electronic learning to the use of mobile technology in learning. Chapter eight on the future of mobile learning looks at how mobile learning can benefit education and how future educators can benefit from mobile learning. Chapter twelve explores the importance of mobile learning in developing countries and looks at projects that are making a difference in the developing world to narrow the digital divide. It may have benefited the reader to have divided Section into two sections with Foundations of Mobile learning as the first section and Future of Mobile Learning as the last section in the book. Such a format would have taken the reader on the journey from past to present to the future.

Section two on Learning and Learner Support covers the learners and the importance of
designing quality mobile learning and providing learner support for learner success. Chapter 13 analyzed past papers to identify who the learners were in these studies and to identify the missing target learners for mobile learning. Chapter 16 explores mobile pedagogy for learners and educators so that quality mobile learning materials can be developed and the authors suggest there should be a more learner-centric model for mobile learning.
Section three on Teaching and Instructional Design covers how to design effective
mobile learning to promote students’ success. Chapter 24 explores team and community building in mobile learning with the authors discussing how mobile devices can be used to build community of learners using different delivery modes including classroom, classroom and online (blended), and online. Chapter 25 is one of the few chapters in the book that looks at mobile learning in the K-12 school system. The chapter describes some mobile learning projects in K-12 and lessons learned from these projects. This information will be helpful for teachers who are planning to implement mobile learning in K-12. Chapter 27 is an important chapter on the use of Apps in mobile learning. The use of Apps in learning is important for students who do not always have connectivity to access learning materials from servers. The students can download the apps and complete their learning activities offline. This chapter goes one step further by describing how to design customizable Apps and what research is needed to enhance the design and implementation of such Apps. The emerging delivery method of using mobile technologies in Massive Open Online Course (mMOOC) is covered in Chapter 31. The author describes how to design effective mMOOC for learning in the cloud. This chapter will be of interest to educators who are planning to design and deliver MOOCs in developing countries where most citizens use mobile technologies.

Section four on Policies, Administration, and Management addresses how to make the
transition to mobile learning and how to implement successful mobile learning. Chapter 32
describes one university experience in the implementation of mobile technology in the university where they use the 1 to 1 implementation of one mobile device for each student. The authors use their experience with the 1 to 1 implementation to suggest strategies other organizations should use to make sure 1 to 1 implementations are successful. This chapter will benefit organizations and countries that are planning to distribute large number of mobile devices to students and citizens. Chapter 33 also provides information and lessons learned from a project to implement mobile learning in a university. Potential implementers of mobile learning will also benefit from this chapter. Chapter 34 addresses an area that many organizations are struggling with, how to successfully implement a system where students bring their own device (Bring Your Own Device - BYOD). Decreasing cost of mobile devices and increasing numbers of students already have mobile devices, is leading organizations to implement BYOD. This chapter describes the benefits of BYOD and suggests that a major benefit of a BYOD system is teachers spend more time on students learning rather than arranging to provide technologies to students. Chapter 37 explores how mobile learning can be used for equal access providing everyone with equal opportunity to learn. This chapter is important for those who are involved in achieving the goal of “Education for All” put forward by UNESCO and governments around the world. This chapter makes recommendations on how to achieve equal access using mobile learning.

Retrieved from: http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt

 

Other m-learning Associations

The Mobile Learning Association of Malaysia was first established in 2008. The association received its official registration as a non-profit organization on 21 January 2011. The Mobile Learning Association of Malaysia organizes conference, seminars, and workshops and offers research and publication updates to its members. It is open to citizens of Malaysia, eighteen and older. 

One of the upcoming events includes the 4th Specialized Workshop on Ubiquitous Learning: Designing 21st Century Learning Experiences Workshop, held on November 1, 2014.
For  more information visit http://mymlearning.wordpress.com/

Tips for Doctoral Students

Resources provided by Dr. Agnieszka Palalas
Reported by Nicole Berezin, Doctoral student 

As doctoral students, we balance the challenges of our learning trajectory , sleepless nights, hours spent creating the perfect research questions along with our day to day life.  Membership to IAmLearn provides an oasis of sorts. As student members, experts that continue to build the mlearning foundation and set the pace for mobile learning worldwide surround us.  In addition, our membership allows us to span geographic boundaries and connect, collaborate and innovate.  As we move forward, we invite you to submit resource ideas that you utilize so that we can share them with our community. Please email your resources and ideas to Agnieszka Palalas (agapalalas@athabascau.ca) and copy Nicole Berezin (nberezin@unm.edu).

Visit the following sites for a variety of research and design ideas: 

The University of Leicester created the following two resources:

Design Based Research Resources

How many of you are considering to integrate Design-Based Research (DBR) into your work?  This is a vital research methodology for the design and evaluation of innovations in education such as mobile learning. Dr. Palalas shares some of her favorites resources with us as follows.

 

Websites with DBR Resources


The Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute (TEKRI) offers an Overview of Design Based Research at :https://tekri.athabascau.ca/content/design-based-research

Dr. Tom Reeves and the students at the University created this extensive website including expert interview and webliographies: http://dbr.coe.uga.edu/

 

Articles


Anderson, T., & Shattuck, J. (January 01, 2012). Design-Based Research: A Decade of Progress in Education Research?. Educational Researcher, 41, 1, 16-25.
http://edr.sagepub.com/content/41/1/16.full.pdf+html

 

Books

Plomp, T., Nieveen, N. (Eds.).  (2013). Educational Design Research. Netherlands, SLO-Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development. Available at http://international.slo.nl/publications/
The book "Educational Design Research" comprises two parts:

Educational Design research - Part A: An introduction

Part A provides an introduction into educational design research as a suitable research approach either to address complex problems in educational practice or to develop or validate theories (e.g.) about learning processes, learning environments and the like.
Download Part A


Educational Design research - Part B: Illustrative cases

Part B contains a collection of 51 examples of successful educational design research projects written by researchers from more than 20 countries. These examples enable graduate students and novice researchers to learn how to design and conduct a project utilizing an educational design research approach.
Retrieved from: http://international.slo.nl/publications/

 

DBR Webinars


On 12 March 2013, the IAmLearn webinars launched with a session on "Using design-based research (DBR) in the mobile learning contexts" (Dr. Agnieszka Palalas). This session focused on the practicalities of DBR for enhancing the understanding of mobile learning and the technologies enabling m-learning.

You can find this webinar along with other resources by exploring the new Webinar page on the IAmLearn.org: http://iamlearn.org/past-webinars

Moving Forward

As we conclude this Special Issue, we extend a warm invitation to you to consider, if you are not already attending, joining us at mlearn2014.  We look forward to seeing you there. 

Our commitment to  IAmlearn members worldwide includes building and in turn extending our expertise to learning communities worldwide.  Please let us know how we can continue to improve and enrich this resource.  

We would like to invite you to contribute your ideas, articles, resources, and other submissions you wish to share through future issues of the IAmLearn newsletter. Email your submissions to Agnieszka Palalas (agapalalas@athabascau.ca) and copy Nicole Berezin (nberezin@unm.edu). Thank you.