Rather than use dedicated devices (clickers, for example), instructors will build mobile pedagogy into the curriculum and allow/encourage/require students to use mobile devices (their own or borrowed from the institution or a fellow student) to contribute to in-class discussions or respond to topical polls/questions.
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Tue: Teaching and Learning Applications
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See, for example, the EQ article on Twitter, Wordle, and ChimeIn as student response systems in class: http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/TwitterWordleandChimeInasStude/225862
See also Rochelle Rodrigo's EQ essay on mobile teaching versus mobile learning: http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE%2BQuarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/MobileTeachingVersusMobileLear/225846
I work in the Education college of the University of London, and I have no idea what my colleagues are thinking of doing. I think that says a lot.
Some instructors will welcome mobile devices in the classroom. Most, however, are very concerned about the potential for distraction these devices pose. Banning laptops and smart phones is still a very popular teaching choice, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
In discussions with instructors, I'm seeing almost a 50-50 split, and the divide seems to be about extremes - either no devices of any kind are wanted in the classroom, or the instructor wants to make intensive use.
Derek is right. Right now a majority of faculty on my campus are more concerned about allowing electronic access than encouraging it.
I think this is very much up in the air. Some professors will hold heartily embrace the idea. While others will still do as so many did at my former university either ban them from the classroom or require students to set them on a table when they enter the classroom. Mobile devices certainly could be used to capture students attention and involve them in the learning process.
As proposed -- with the description prefaced by "Rather than use dedicated devices (clickers, for example)" -- I agree. This is particularly true of professors that are sensitive to the added costs of these dedicated devices when a specialized application on a general purpose device will do the same thing.
I think this depends largely on the professor or instructor, their comfort level with mobile devices and how they have structured their curriculum. We see a lot of faculty integrating the iPad into the classroom but learning as they go about classroom management and how it changes when welcoming the device.
A course that requires mobile access would need to have some strategy in place to make sure that all students could get mobile access.
Universities have assured PC access by setting up computer labs (a shared resource) but one drawback of mobile is, since it's independent of place it's difficult to share hardware.
@Amy: Your comment about access is an interesting one. On our campus, the School of Engineering initiated a 1-1 laptop program several years ago. At first, they provided each student with a laptop as part of tuition. Then, once all the students had laptops, they did away with most computer labs, offering laptop-friendly work spaces instead. Then, they stopped providing laptops to students in favor of requiring students to own laptops that fit certain parameters.
Although some campuses are providing students with standardized mobile devices (like Abilene Christian University and its iPhone initiative), might we start to see others requiring students to own devices that have certain capabilities? That would give students some flexibility in device selection, while also providing a common technology baseline for university faculty and staff to leverage.