Sunday, December 2, 2012

Mobile Learning Lab


After joining Classroom 2.0 I replied to two ongoing conversations. These are the first two screen shots. My interactions inspired me to create my own discussion, this is the third screenshot.




This past Friday I started class with a fun poll, using Poll Everywhere. I asked my students what there favorite social media tool was. Here are the results, they include my vote and that of my co-teacher.
It seems as though Facebook continues to hang on to their superiority, but a shocking result for me was the popularity of Grooveshark (and that Spotify, a paid service that is similar to Grooveshark and used by many adults, was zero).

In addition to Classroom Web 2.0 and Poll Everywhere I have tried flip cameras, cell phones, and  laptops in the classroom. I have had my students use the flip cameras to make videos for end products, snap pictures for VoiceThread, and to record answers for summative assessments. Although we still have flip cameras and we still use them, more and more students have Smart Phones which shoot video just as easy and many students are choosing this option over the flip camera. Because the phone is connected to the Wifi, it is easy to edit the video and then transfer it to Vimeo or another hosting site. My Students also use their phones to Tweet, take pictures of notes on the board, and one student even livecasted our class on Ustream. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, I teach at a 1-on-1 school so we utilize the power and resources of laptops all of the time; researching the Internet, producing videos and other end products, using Google Docs, and Skyping into class (when they are sick) just to name a few uses.

I would like to start using more podcast as support lessons and even have the students begin to create podcast. Perhaps we could make a series of Biology podcast made by students for students. I would also like to begin creating and having my students create "video problems" as seen at Ben Rimes Vimeo Channel Video Story Problems.

In my opinion, the biggest challenge to using mobile devices in the classroom is making sure that the device does not become a distraction or obstacle to the lesson. In other words students need to know how to use them, why they are being used, and what to use them for. By educating the student the device becomes a tool that enhances learning.







1 comment:

  1. You are fortunate to be in a 1:1 class where you have a lot of latitude to use a variety of technology. Both you and your students are very lucky.

    ReplyDelete