So can we really do it? Mobile learning surely it’s just a buzz phrase that hooks in a bit of funding every now and again for various quirky projects?

I’ll be speaking next week at the Mimas (The University of Manchester) Mobile Learning: Telling Tales event on the subject of “Changing Gear - Implementing Mobile Learning”. I’ll be looking at the international award winning mobile learning system I created whilst working at the University and where the technology may be taking us next. (Or at least as much as my crystal ball will allow ;).

Let me tell you a short tale (in anticipation of next week :-). The mobile learning system I designed was used for learning content for Hairdressing Training students (htmob.mobi) and it was used in a number of MoleNet projects as well as being widely available across the UK Further Education sector. I took some consultancy on a couple of the projects. MoleNet is a £10 million capital spend over two years on Mobile Learning in the Further Education sector. Apparently the largest project of its kind in the known world!

So I found myself helping Stockport and Trafford Colleges put together their projects and a splendid time was had by all! A lot of students got some great (from a geek pov you understand kit and then the real learning started…

The lesson I want to share in this tale is of one student. She didn’t want the phone assigned to her as she already had her own iPhone.

What I particularly liked was the story she told about the impact access to the learning materials on a mobile phone had for her. She explained there was usually a tension between the college method of hairdressing and the salon’s. The college and the salon rarely met, so the focus for this tension would often be on the student who was corrected in the use of the college method by the salon and vice-versa by the college. Having her learning materials in-depth on her iPhone meant that she could show the salon manager in detail what she had been learning. The manager could then see why or how different methods were being applied and put her workplace learning into context. The relationship between college, student and workplace was transformed and she felt her learning improved. It’s a beautiful thing.

The availability of learning on a device the student always had with them meant they didn’t have to carry bulky text books around, which were unsuitable for a salon environment as were other devices like laptops. The mobile was in her pocket, always available. Giving her more control over her learning.

As we move on from the projects and learning whilst mobile and with mobiles becomes increasingly recognised in formal education environments we need to spot the opportunities for improving the learning process. Many educators I have spoken to speak of informal learning, like a Holy Grail, they want students to be captivated by the formal process as much as by the learning they elect to do themselves. Like the Holy Grail it might be the quest that is the most important thing. Mobile Learning gives learners access to materials, conversations and resources in their pockets on the move. In the tale I told no one told the student to show the salon manager her learning materials, it was her choice and it helped transform her learning. Anyone else got tales of learning being transformed?

Oh and as to whether or not Mobile Learning is worth it, what do you think?

About This Post

• Written by Stuart Smith
• July 3rd, 2009 at 1:25 pm