My Latest from LTHE: Gulf Perspectives

Shameless promotion time! The latest version of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives is out (Volume 10, Number 2), featuring two pieces by yours truly:

Collaborative situated active mobile (CSAM) learning strategies: A new perspective on effective mobile learning.

And my review of Clarke Quinn's The Mobile Academy

http://lthe.zu.ac.ae/index.php/lthehome

mLearn 2013

Our new flyer for the 12th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning (mLearn 2013)... feel free to share!

http://tinyurl.com/mlearn13

Mobilizing the MOOC: A Review of Instructional Design for Mobile Learning (IDML13)




Jenny Poole via Flickr

My latest... a review on MOOC News & Reviews about the Instructional Design for Mobile Learning (IDML13) micro-MOOC hosted by Academic Partnerships.

http://moocnewsandreviews.com/mobilizing-the-mooc-review-of-instructional-design-for-mobile-learning-idml13/
 

A Teacher Who Really Bridged the Distance: Cmdr Chris Hadfield

The International Space Station

Ok… so this has to be one of (if not the) coolest moment in the history of space exploration: Cmdr Chris Hadfield’s live recording singing David Bowie’s classic, Space Oddity, in space! The video compilation, which features Hadfield both singing and playing guitar while floating about the International Space Station, was the grand finale of his tour of duty as commander of the ISS.  Hadfield lived on the ISS from December 21, 2012 until May 13, 2013, and served as commander of the station for several weeks before turning over the reins to his successor.  During that time, he was active on Twitter (@Cmdr_Hadfield), tweeting countless pictures from around the globe, and answering questions from curious residents back on his homeworld.  He also connected directly with school children to teach interactive lessons from space.  His grand finale performance of Space Oddity was posted to YouTube as his final communique via social media before boarding a Soyuz space capsule to return to terra firma.  You can view the video here:

 

So, what is it about Hadfield that has captivated millions of followers around the world, including me?  The fact that he took full advantage of social media to share his fascinating experiences and knowledge with whoever wanted to join in!  Hadfield’s Tweets, YouTube videos, and live sessions with school children show the true power of Internet connectivity and mobile technology to enhance teaching, learning, and the human experience.   

Moore’s (1989, 1991) Transactional Distance Theory (TDT) has been one of the most influential learning theories in the field of open, distance, and mobile learning.  TDT describes the distance that exists between learners, their peers, their teachers, coaches, or mentors, and the learning content.  To maximize the effectiveness of a learning experience, you need to reduce transactional distance wherever possible.  In past decades, new media technologies such as radio, film, and television have all failed to live up to their hyped potential of bringing the finest minds from around the world into everyone’s classroom and learning space.  Mobile learning (mLearning) researchers and practitioners are now exploring how what is perhaps the world’s first truly effective ubiquitous communications technology—mobile devices—can do what previous technologies have failed to accomplish.  Chris Hadfield has perfectly demonstrated how the combination of Internet connectivity and mobile technologies are eliminating transactional distance across many domains simultaneously.  I mean, come on, this man was in space! Yet he managed to connect with millions, answer their questions about space exploration, actively participate in formal classroom experiences—and truly allow all of humanity to share in the age-old dream of exploring the cosmos!  The following video clip on YouTube is an interview with Hadfield from January 29, 2013, in which he explains the impact of social media on why he was so active online during his tour on the ISS. 

 

 

I think that all teachers could learn something from Hadfield.  He took full advantage of technologies at his disposal to reach out to as many people as possible, and to make learning fun (which, in turn, further reduces transactional distance because it increases the learner’s motivation and commitment).  Besides all that, let’s face it, Hadfield’s performance was just plain awesome.  For several months he was the coolest Canadian in outer space.  At least for now, he’s probably the coolest Canadian back here on Earth.   

 

Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield aboard the ISS

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References: 

Moore, M., (1989). Three types of interaction. The American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1-6.

Moore, M., (1991). Editorial: Distance education theory. The American Journal of Distance Education, 5(3), 1-6.  Retrieved from http://www.ajde.com/Contents/vol5_3.htm#editotial

 

Wikipedia (2013, May 14). Chris Hadfield. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hadfield

 

Tell me one thing about... A simple idea to weave VoiceThreads into mLearning!

The final week of the Instructional Design for Mobile Learning MOOC (#idml13 on Twitter) provided participants with an opportunity to explore a range of tools and resources for integrating mLearning strategies into teaching and learning practice.  One of those tools was VoiceThread, which is a cloud-based voice recording and sharing service.  Unlike SoundCloud (see my earlier post), which allows you to record and share a single audio file, VoiceThreads advertises itself as "Conversations in the Cloud."  It allows users to carry on an asynchronous conversation that can include recorded voice and text comments, images, and presentation slides.

I've actually used VoiceThreads before #idml13.  I was introduced to the service by Dr. Terry Anderson with the Center for Distance Education at Athabasca University.  He integrated a VoiceThread activity into the Advanced Research Methodologies course (EDDE 802) of AU's Doctor of Education in Distance Education program.  Dr. Anderson's VoiceThread is available for public view, and continues to expand as participants in each successive offering of EDDE 802 view (and listen to) the comments posted in previous terms, and then add their own.  While the topic (qualitative research methods) may not be of interest to everyone, this particular VoiceThread is worth accessing (you can click on the picture) just to learn from Dr. Anderson's pedagogical strategy. 

 

The pedagogical approach behind Dr. Anderson's integration of a VoiceThread activity in EDDE 802 is pretty straightforward... you learn more when you teach about a concept yourself.  Anderson gets his doctoral level students to contribute comments about selected research methodology topics, and then everyone in the current and future cohorts can learn from their peers.  What's nice about using this kind of tool is that it gives learners a chance to break away from the traditional research paper assignment formats of typical higher education courses.  They can contribute through an entirely different medium, and are actually forced to reflect a little more deeply about their learning content because they are drawing upon different media and different learning modalities.  Interestingly (for the sake of my #idml13 compatriates), Dr. Anderson's VoiceThread activity represented an excellent example of the integration of mLearning strategies into higher education practice.  My participation in EDDE 802 overlapped with a break between semesters at my institution, and I spent a lovely one-week vacation with my family outside of Brasov, Romania.  I only took my mobile phone and tablet with me... but I was easily able to access the VoiceThread, listen to everyone's comments, and post my own, all while sequestered in a remote ski resort villa!

 

The final "Try it Yourself" activity for #idml13 was to create and share a VoiceThread resource using our mobile devices.  Reflecting upon my experiences with the VoiceThread used by Dr. Anderson in EDDE 802, I was inspired to create my own relatively simple activity for my own blended-learning courses.  I call it "Tell me one thing about...", and the idea is to forward a link to my students, and ask them to contribute a comment about just one thing that they have learned in my course over the past week.  I don't really care about specific / central topics... I just want to get my students to take a few minutes to actually reflect on what happened in class over the past week (something that can be difficult to get some students to do, especially if there are no marks assigned to the activity)!  I'm hoping that the novel approach will entice at least a handful of my students to participate the first time around.  I'll bring up the VoiceThread on the projector at the start of the next week of class, and use it as a springboard for a brief review of the material that has been covered thus far (and discussion of any misperceptions students may have about the content).  Hopefully, more and more students will be enticed to participate in the weekly VoiceThreads as the term progresses.

 

I'd love to share how I'm implementing this approach here, but I'm not going to do that for privacy / confidentiality reasons.  I haven't asked my students if it's ok if I make their comments public, and I don't want to either violate their privacy or make them too uncomfortable to participate in this new type of activity.  However, I was inspired to create the VoiceThread linked to the image below to share with participants in #idml13 (and with mLearning enthusiasts in general).  It's my #idml13 take on the "Tell me one thing about..." activity, called "Tell me one thing about... Mobile Learning!"  The Instructional Design for Mobile Learning MOOC ends soon, and this VoiceThread is my way of trying to keep the lines of communication open after the course is over.  My request to participants is simple--add a comment to share one thing (anything at all) that you've learned today about mobile learning.  It can be something about mLearning concepts, implementation issues, instructional strategies... anything at all.  And you can come back as often as you want to share what you continue to learn, and to hear what others are up to!

 

 

As #idml13 winds up, I wish a fond farewell to my countless new friends and colleagues from the micro MOOC.  I'm already following a number of you on Twitter and your various blogs... and I hope you'll all follow me (@xPat_Letters) and subscribe to this blog, and my daily xPat_Letters newsletter, so that we can keep in touch and keep learning from each others ideas!

Do we have the competencies to integrate mobile learning?

This is one of the reflection exercise questions posed during week 2 of the Instructional Design for Mobile Learning MOOC (#idml13 on Twitter).  Honestly, it's a bit of a loaded question!  On the one hand, it's a bit of an impossibility for anyone to have all of the competencies necessary to effectively integrate emerging of future technologies into teaching and learning practice.  At least, it is if you are viewing the question strictly from the technological competencies standpoint. 

As teachers, we're always going to be playing catch-up as new mobile technologies (including devices and apps or applications) are developed.  We're going to be at even more of a disadvantage because each successive year will bring students to our doorsteps (either real or virtual) for whom the technologies are more and more transparent (because they've been using them practically since birth).   

On the other hand, it's not that difficult a thing for an already competent and enthusiast teacher to have the right mix of competencies to effectively integrate mobile learning strategies.  It all depends on how you look at things, and what you are trying to accomplish.  No, not every teacher will have the requisite technical competencies to develop and deploy mobile learning platforms, programs, or even their own apps or reusable learning objects.  But any good teacher already has what it takes to leverage the affordances of mobile devices to increase student participation and learning!  Teachers are a resourceful lot who have always had to make the most out of whatever resources they have at hand.  Leveraging mobile devices in teaching and learning is not like capitalizing on other technologies that have been hyped for their educational potential throughout the years.  Radio and film did not become the new norms for mass education, bringing the finest minds and educators in the world into every classroom at once.  TV and educational VHS and DVDs also failed to accomplish this.  Never mind the lack of interactivity associated with those one-way communications media -- let's face it, there's just so much prep work involved for teachers to actually make use of those technologies.  And, yes, they do turn your learners into passive zombies!  Mobile devices are different.  If you use a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach, then you can leverage free technological tools that your learners are bringing into the classroom with them.  As a teacher, you don't necesssrily even need to know how to use all the bells and whistles on these gadgets.  You don't even need to plan out exactly which tools your students will use on their mobile devices.  No, what you need to do is give your students a learning goal (or, better yet, negotiate a learning goal with them), provide them with inspiration and support, and then get out of their way and watch what they accomplish!  

Do we have the competencies to integrate mobile learning strategies?  Of course we do!  They are the same competencies that good teachers have always displayed.  Be creative and willing to draw on whatever resources you have at hand--including the ones called mobile devices that your students already bring with them (hey... let's face it...how often can we guarantee that our students will all bring their required learning resources!).  Be adaptable to change.  Be not afraid to unleash your students to achieve on their own terms.  And be willing to be inspired and to learn from your students every bit as much as you hope they learn from you!  Mobile learning is not about jumping onto the newest bandwagon or technological craze.  It's about realizing that technology finally allows us (teachers and learners) to do what we've been trying to do all along more efficiently and with more resources at our disposal!

Playing with SoundCloud for an Interactive mLearning Classroom

So... here's a couple of nice apps that I've just learned how to use as part of the Instructional Design for Mobile Learning MOOC (#idml13 on Twitter).  The first is called Textgram, and it is extremely easy to figure out.  Just download the app, type in some text, and pick the template you want.  The app will then create a "graffiti" graphic, like the one pictured below, which you can save to your mobile device or share online via Instagram, Twitter, or a blog like this one. 

The second app is called SoundCloud.  This provides you with easy access to cloud storage for audio files, such as music or recorded  voice.  You can create a voice recording from within the app itself, or upload an audio file from your computer or mobile device.  As you can see from the "widget" below, the app allows you to upload a graphic (such as an album cover, for music) to associate with your audio file.  It also provides you with options to publically share your audio file, or to keep them private.  If you choose the latter, you can easily retrieve the widget code to embed your audio file into a webpage, blog, or wiki.  I experimented with Textgram and SoundCloud to create the graphic (above) and the "welcome" message (below), which could be used to offer online, mobile, or blended learning students a unique greeting when they enroll in one of my classes!

I have actually added this Textgram and SoundCloud audio file to a hidden page on the wiki for a live course that I am teaching this term (which just began this week).  The page itself is linked to a QR code, which I have added to the course wiki homepage with a little graphic that says "Scan Me!"  You can see how I've done this by scanning the following QR code:



So, aside from a cute way to welcome students to your course, how could apps like Textgram and SoundCloud have a positive effect on the teaching and learning experience (and, for that matter, student achievent)?  Well, for one, they provide new creative outlets for learners as part of the learning process.  When learners create something to convey a message about something they are learning, they are much more likely to actually learn more about that topic themselves! (The whole idea of learning by teaching!)  Another positive--allowing students to create audio files is a great way to practice communications skills without the performance anxiety that comes from presenting before a large group (such as their classmates).  I've recently seen an example of project in the United Arab Emirates that uses mobile devices (iPads) to manipulate the actions, speech, and environments of cartoon avatars (Nicoll & Hopkyns, 2013).  The idea is for English Second Language learners to practice their conversational skills by recording what they want their avatars to say, and then manipulating their "puppets" actions and environments to match the conversations.  The fun of the activity takes a bit of the edge off of the performance anxiety!

That example in mind, and armed with tools I've discovered in #idml13, I've decided to modify one of the major assignments in another course that I'm teaching this term (a different course than the one linked to the QR code above).  The course is an introduction to IT customer service and help desk applications.  The original assignment had students pair up to role play a scenario where one student is a help desk agent, and the other an angry customer who has called in.  The students were to perform the role play in front of the class, and this would be followed by a whole group discussion of the scenario and how the situation was handled.  My integration of mobile learning -- instead of a live performance I'm going to have students use SoundCloud and their mobile devices to record the exchanges between the help desk agent and the angry customer.  I'll then give the groups the option of creating either a Textgram to introduce the exchange, or a photo collage (see my earlier post on that topic) that highlights the steps to effectively handling such calls.  Once those two products are ready, I'll get the groups to post their graphics and embed their SoundCloud widgets to the course wiki.  We'll view (and listen to) all of the groups' projects as a whole class, and use that as a launching point for discussions of how to handle irate callers and resolve conflicts in such situations. 

So how is this better than getting the pairs of students to put on a live role play performance? 

1. First, students get a chance to think more deeply about what they are going to do for their presentation before the time to role play arrives.
2. Second, the pairs will inevitably be dissatisfied with their initial audio recordings, and will likely re-record them several times before they are happy.  This means extra "live" practice! 
3. Third, requiring students to create an accompanying graphic will force them to reflect upon their scenario, and the concepts that they have been studying in the course, in order to come up with something meaningful. 
4. Fourth, posting the SoundCloud widgets and graphics to the course wiki will create lasting, reusable learning artefacts.  Classmates (including any who are absent on the "role play" day) will get a chance to access and learn from the performances. 
5. And, fifth, because the artefacts are posted to a wiki, everyone in the class will have the ability to reflect and then participate in commentary / discussion of the performances (as opposed to the handful of extroverts who normally dominate the precious few minutes of open discussion time in a live classroom).

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References:

Nicoll, T., & Hopkyns, S. (2013, April). A new PPP for vocabulary building.  Poster presentation at the Mobile Learning: Gulf Perspectives Research Symposium, April 25, 2013, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

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Resources:

SoundCloud (online version)

You can also find the SoundCloud app from the Apple and Android app stores

Textgram

Available through both the Apple and Android app stores 

Reflecting on the Principles of Effective mLearning Design

I'm participating in a micro-MOOC called Instructional Design for Mobile Learning (#idml13 on Twitter).  During the first official week of the course, participants were presented with a list of six general principles on mobile instructional design described by the University of Oregon's (n.d.) department of Applied Information Management (AIM ).  Those principles are: 

• Principle #1: Develop a simple and intuitive interface design
• Principle #2: Integrate interactive multi-media
• Principle #3: Build short, modular lessons and activities
• Principle #4: Design content that is engaging and entertaining
• Principle #5: Design content that is contextual, relevant, and valuable to the learner
• Principle #6: Design content for just-in-time delivery

This list of principles was developed by the AIM as a set of recommendations stemming from a review of a range of research and literature on effective mLearning design.  I can't argue with any of these recommendations, as they do offer sound, practical guidance for anyone venturing into mLearning instructional design.  These principles are reflective of the eight recommendations for universal instructional design for mLearning presented by Elias (2010, p. 147), which are summarized below: 

1. equitable use;
2. flexible use;
3. simple and intuitive;
4. perceptible information;
5. tolerance for error;
6. low physical and technical effort;
7. community of learners and support; and
8. instructional climate.

They are also reflective of the extensive list of tips provided by Traxler and Wishart's (2011, p. 43) Mobile Learning Practitioner's Checklist (in particular, points 8-10 under the Pedagogical Advice subheading): 

Pedagogical advice:

8. Learning opportunities - identify key ‘starter’ opportunities for students to focus on that are relevant to subject being taught.

9. Constructivist approach - build learning opportunities across and between authentic contexts and the classroom.

10. Student autonomy – the need to work with students to enable them to choose the best ways of using their personal devices to support their learning.

Rather than debate the merits of one particular checklist over another (as the all provide relatively similar advice), I'm using this blog post to reflect on just how sound these tips are in terms of Koole's (2009) theoretically-grounded Framework for the Rational Analysis of Mobile Education (FRAME), which is depicted graphically below:

Framework for the Rational Analysis of Mobile Education (FRAME) (Koole, 2009)

 

The FRAME model is fast becoming one of the most widely referenced frameworks for mLearning research design and evaluation.  This is because of its elegant simplicity and simultaneously comprehensiveness.  FRAME draws upon established learning theory such as Activity Theory, social interaction theory, and Vygotsky's zone of proximal development.  FRAME divides mLearning analysis into three primary domains: the learner aspect, the social aspect, and the device aspect.  As depicted above, these aspects overlap in mLearning design, and effective instructional design will not only account for all three domains... it will try to integrate them as closely together as possible.  Using FRAME, we can comfortably assess how comprehensive the six principles proposed by AIM are: 

• Principle #1: Develop a simple and intuitive interface design (Device Aspect)
• Principle #2: Integrate interactive multi-media (Device Aspect, Learner Aspect)
• Principle #3: Build short, modular lessons and activities (Learner Aspect)
• Principle #4: Design content that is engaging and entertaining (Learner Aspect)
• Principle #5: Design content that is contextual, relevant, and valuable to the learner (Learner Aspect)
• Principle #6: Design content for just-in-time delivery (Learner Aspect)

One thing that the AID principles seem to be lacking in their advice is any mention of the Social Aspect described by FRAME.  Obviously, not every learning activity is going to be a group effort... but there must be some form of social interaction (either with fellow learners, instructors or, in the case of MOOCs, wayfinders).  Social interaction is critical for motivation, support, and skill scaffolding.  Both Activity Theory and the zone of proximal development (ZPD) emphasize the benefits of social interaction in learning, and ZPD stresses that learners who more frequently engage in collaborative social interaction in learning efforts gain the skills and confidence to achieve more when learning independently. 

The same exercise could be carried out with either of Elias's (2010) or Traxler and Wishart's (2011) checklists, and would find that the only direct mention of social interaction in either checklist is Elias's reference to a "community of learners and support" (p. 147). 

As part of our activities during week one of #idml13, we were asked to reflect upon one of the principles listed by the AIM and how we could integrate that principle into our own distance / mLearning instructional design.  Rather than reflecting on one single principle from that list, I spent several days mulling over how comprehensive the advice is in light of FRAME and the Collaborative Situated Active mLearning (CSAM) approach that I've been developing.  CSAM draws upon the three domains of the FRAME model and its theoretical grounding in Activity Theory and ZPD (Impedovo, 2011; Kaptelinin & Nardi, 2006).  It also draws upon Moore's (1989, 1991) Transactional Distance Theory and Flow Theory (Chaiklin, 2003; Chen, 2006; Csikszentmihalyi, 1997).  Unlike FRAME (which is designed more as an analytical tool), CSAM is designed more to act as a pedagogical guidepost.  It suggests that mLearning design will be most effective if it includes collaborative, situated and active elements.  By collaborative, I mean that learners need to interact in partnerships with either their peers, their instructors, or their wayfinders in some way (FRAME's Social Aspect and Elias's point #7).  By Situated, I mean that learning should take place in authentic contexts (which directly encompasses principles 5-6 referenced by AIM and Traxler & Wishart's point #9... but also encompasses AIM's principle #4 about being engaging and entertaining).  By Active, I mean that learners must actually do something with the learning content, and not just act as passive recipients (which could be argued to be part of AIM's principle #2 about interactive multimedia design, and is definitely reflective of Traxler & Wishart's point #9 about incorporating constructivist approaches).  Below is the poster on CSAM that I presented last week at Mobile Learning: Gulf Perspectives in Abu Dhabi, UAE:

Now don't get me wrong... I'm not suggesting that mLearning designers dismiss AIM's six principles.  I try to touch on all of them in my own instructional design, and I advise others to do so as well.  A look at the mobile RLO I developed for my recent THE2013 workshop on designing your own CSAM mobile reusable learning objects (RLOs) will show how I presented very similar advice (and drew upon it in my own RLO designs)... but it will also show how I tried to integrate that critical social interaction element even into an RLO that could be used by learners who are both geographically and temporally distant from each other.   One of the common criticisms of both distance and mobile learning is that removing learners from the traditional environment of peer and teacher support (the classroom) could be detrimental to motivation, formative feedback, and achievement.  This need not be the case... but ensuring that it is not means accounting for the Social Aspect domain described by FRAME (and central to CSAM)

 

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References:

 

Chaiklin, S. (2003). The zone of proximal development in Vygotsky’s analysis of learning and instruction. Retrieved from http://people.ucsc.edu/~gwells/Files/Courses_Folder/documents/chaiklin.zpd.pdf

 

Chen, J. (2006). Flow theory. Flow in games. Retrieved from: http://www.jenovachen.com/flowingames/flowtheory.htm Clark, R.E. (1994a). Media will never influence learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42(2), 21-30.

 

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding flow: Creativity and optimum functioning. Excerpt from the book ‘Finding Flow.’ Psychology Today, 46(5). Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com

 

Elias, T. (2010). Universal instructional design principles for mobile learning. The International Review Of Research In Open And Distance Learning, 12(2), 143-156. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/965/1675

 

Impedovo, M. A. (2011), Mobile learning and Activity Theory. Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society, English Edition, 7(2), 103-109. Retrieved from http://je-lks.maieutiche.economia.unitn.it/index.php/Je-LKS_EN/article/viewFile/525/530

 

Kaptelinin, V. & Nardi, B. (2006). Acting with technology: Activity theory and interaction design. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.  

 

Koole, M. L. (2009). A model for framing mobile learning. In M. Ally (Ed.), Mobile learning: Transforming the delivery of education and training, 25-47. Edmonton, AB: AU Press. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120155 

 

Moore, M. (1989). Three types of interaction. The American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1-6.

 

Moore, M. (1991). Editorial: Distance education theory. The American Journal of Distance Education, 5(3), 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.ajde.com/Contents/vol5_3.htm#editotial 

 

Traxler, J. & Wishart, J. (2011).  Making mobile learning work: Case studies of practice.  Bristol: UK: ESCalate.  Retrieved from http://escalate.ac.uk/8250 

 

University of Oregon (n.d.). Mobile instructional design principles for adult learners.  Retrieved from http://aim.uoregon.edu/research/ebriefings/eb-dillard.php

 

Linking QR Codes and Videos for Effective mLearning

Experimenting with creating your own instructional videos (using a mobile device), uploading the videos to YouTube (or some other video hosting site), and then linking the videos to a Quick Response (QR) code is the theme of the second "Try it Yourself" activity in the Instructional Design for Mobile Learning 2013 micro MOOC (#idml13 on Twitter).  The first objective of participating in this activity is to expand your technical skill sets as an instructor using mobile devices.  While I didn't actually get around to creating and uploading my own instructional video this week (on account of travelling to Abu Dhabi to present a poster at the Mobile Learning: Gulf Perspective symposium at Zayed University), the use of these ICT tools is something that I am already fairly well versed in.  Instead, I'm dedicating this blog post to looking a little deeper at how combining these tools can be used in effective mLearning.

Short online videos are a great way to disseminate content to learners because they grab attention more easily than plain text, because their rich multimedia format can convey a lot more information using the limited real estate of a mobile device's screen, and because they are reusable (learners can pause, rewind, and return to them at any time, and instructors can reuse, and even repurpose the videos in different course contexts).  Online videos are also a great way to access the "just-in-time" learning opportunities that are one of the popular hallmarks of mLearning. 

Using QR codes linked to online video resources significantly increases their effectiveness as learning resources.  The primary reason for this is the convenience that they provide.  Learners do not need to remember and type in lengthy URLs to access the videos (and it's almost guaranteed that at least one of your learners will type the URL wrong, get frustrated, and potentially abandon the learning exercise!).  Instead, learners just need to use an app on their mobile device to scan the QR code, which then automatically redirects the device's internet browser to the video.  Recent research into the effectiveness of using QR codes to access learning resources has demonstrated a strong preference for this method over typing URLs, and that learners find QR codes very easy to use (Power, 2012; Ramsden, 2008, 2010; Ramsden & Jordan, 2009).  There's also the impact of the novelty factor of pulling out your mobile, scanning a code, and discovering where it's going to take you!  This is especially true in the context of informal learning.  I was intrigued to see this QR code stuck to a bunch of bananas I bought at a supermarket last summer:


Banana labels have come a long way... They're now interactive!



When I scanned the code (working code embedded below) I got to watch a YouTube video highlighting how my bananas got from the tree, to Canada, and eventually to the market!  Obviously this was a marketing strategy, intended to convince me of how fresh and pure my bananas were.  I saved the sticker because I have young children, and someday I'm going to want to teach them about where their food comes from.  I thought this video represented an excellent reusable learning object (RLO) that I could use informally with my children... or pass along to some of my health sciences / nutritionist colleagues who might be looking for some mLearning resources.

 

The banana label QR code

 

I found this QR code inside the instruction manual for a new child safety seat that I purchased last summer (it's also on a sticker right on the seat... but the sticker was hidden from view when I went to snap this shot):

Combined with the option of a traditional paper manual, this is what I like to see on a child safety seat!

This one was awesome!  Scanning it opens a downloadable MP4 video that shows you step-by-step how to properly install the child seat (much more effective than the sketches typically included in the paper installation guides).  What's great about this video is that I could pause it, complete a step, and then resume the video.  I could also rewind the clip if I got something wrong.  And I didn't have to keep flipping through pages (and trying to keep the manual propped open to the right page every time I put it down to carry out a step).  Here's the actual QR code, for anyone who wants to check out the online installation guide:

QR code on a child seat, linked to an online video installation guide

I'm no stranger to using QR codes in my own formal teaching and learning practice.  I did some research last year using mobile RLOs linked to QR codes.  I mounted the codes on stickers fixed to different parts of computers in my lab.  My students (who were all English Foreign Language (EFL) learners) got a break from lectures and workbooks to go exploring the lab, find the QR codes, scan them, and use their smartphones to learn the English names of the parts (and a bit about what the parts did).  Anyone interested can find out more about that project on my research wiki at http://qrcache.pbworks.com or by downloading my paper from mLearn 2012.  You can also scan the QR code below to see the actual mobile RLOs used by my students (though they don't actually include online videos, they'll give you an idea of how easy QR codes can make it for learners to access just-in-time situated resources... I can imagine using the same RLO strategy to label equipment in an industrial workplace so that employees can instantly access user guides, help manuals, safety information, or other on-the-job training resources).

Scan to access the QR Cache Mobile RLOs

 

I'm such a fan of using QR codes for accessing mobile reusable learning objects that I included a segment on how to link mobile web pages to them in my recent workshop presentation at the Technology in Higher Education (THE2013) conference in Doha.  I actually used a mobile RLO to run the workshop off of, and displayed this QR code on my interactive whiteboard at the beginning of the workshop:

Scan to access my RLOs on creating your own RLOs linked to QR codes

 

I gave everyone a few minutes to scan the code with their phones, and offered some help to a handful of participants who weren't familiar with using a QR code scanner app.  I also noticed some of the more experienced app users in the room offering similar assistance to those in need around them.  This activity achieved three goals:

1. Participants developed a new ICT skill (in addition to the formal lesson objectives)
2. Participants got to see the utility of using the QR codes right from the outset (and it piqued their interest in the formal lesson)
3. Participants gained instant access to every resource they would need for the entire workshop, and those resources were automatically bookmarked on their mobiles for future reference!

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References:

Power, R. (2012).  QR Cache: Connecting mLearning practice with theory.  In M. Specht, M. Sharples, & J. Multisilta (Eds.), Proceedings of the 11th Annual World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning (mLearn 2012) held in Helsinki, Finland, 16-18 October 2012 (pp. 346-349).  Retrieved from http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-955/

Ramsden, A., (2008).  The use of QR codes in education: A getting started guide for academics.  Working paper, University of Bath, Bath, UK.  Retrieved from: http://opus.bath.ac.uk/11408/1/getting_started_with_QR_Codes.pdf

Ramsden, A., (2010).  The level of student engagement with QR codes: Findings from a cross-institutional survey.  Working paper, University of Bath, Bath, UK.  Retrieved from: http://opus.bath.ac.uk/19974/1/students_qr_codes_cross_ints_survey_2010.pdf

Ramsden, A. & Jordan, L., (2009).  Are students ready for QR codes? Findings from a student survey at the University of Bath.  Working paper, University of Bath, Bath, UK.  Retrieved from:   http://opus.bath.ac.uk/12782/1/qrcodes_student_survey_uniofbath_feb09.pdf

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Additional Resources on QR Codes:

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, (2010).  Prepare QR codes for teaching.  Retrieved from:  http://137.189.161.34/mlearning/V3/TeacherCornerQR.html#

De Lorenzo, R., (2010, November 17).  QR codes and mobile learning.  [Web log comment].  Retrieved from: http://themobilelearner.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/qr-codes-and-mobile-learning/

Educause, (2009).  Seven things you should know about… QR codes.  Retrieved from: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7046.pdf

Hockley, N., (2010, August 12).  A dummies guide to QR codes.  [Web log comment].  Retrieved from: http://www.emoderationskills.com/?p=246

Hockley, N., (2010, August 17).  Yes we can: QR codes in the classroom.  [Web log comment].  Retrieved from: http://www.emoderationskills.com/?p=278

Miller, A. (2011, December 11).  Twelve ideas for teaching with QR codes.  [Web log comment].  Retrieved from: http://www.andrewkmiller.com/2011/12/twelve-ideas-for-teaching-with-qr-codes/

Photo Collage Apps for mLearning

I'm participating in a micro MOOC right now called Instructional Design for Mobile Learning (#idml13 on Twitter).  One of the first "Try it Yourself" activities suggested in the course was to use a photo collage making app on your mobile device to make a collage about yourself or your mLearning experiences.  I've made a lot of use of creative graphics manipulation in both my teaching and learning experiences over the past several years... but I've never used one of these apps before.  So, I decided to give it a try.  I used the free Photo Collage app for Android, and it was very straightforward and easy to use (so self-explanatory and straightforward that I'm not going to even bother reviewing how the app works!).  Here are the two collages that I created (in less than 5 minutes):


My first photo collage: snapshots of my family, where we live now, and our homeland (good ol' St. John's, NL)



 

My second photo collage: snapshots of where my professional life has taken me including: my home city, St. John's; where we live now, Doha; my Simpsons avatar; and my forays into the world of mLearning

The old saying goes that "a picture is worth a thousand words," and these apps are so easy to use, that I can already see numerous potential applications as mLearning tools.  In fact, I'm already thinking ahead to next term at CNA-Q, and getting my students to do the same exercise (use their phones to create a photo collage about themselves) as an icebreaker activity in the first week of class!  It should certainly set a different tone for the courses, and get students enthusiastic about the approaches I might take throughout the coming term.  I can see practical applications in terms of course assignments, too.  These photo collages sort of remind me of presenting research posters at academic conventions.  I can see using mobile devices to get students to find images online (or, better yet, take their own pictures in their own learning contexts) related to their topics of study, then use a photo collage app to create a collage about that topic.  Students could exchange the photo collages via a wiki, a discussion forum, a course LMS... the possibilities are endless for that.  Students could then be given the opportunity to explain / discuss their collages either in a blended face-to-face classroom, or in an online forum... again, sort of like presenting a poster at a conference.  To me, using such tools as these photo collage apps seems like a great way to get students thinking more deeply about a topic (required in order to select just the right images to convey their message), and to get them actively creating relative content.  This fits in quite nicely with the CSAM (Collaborative, Situated, Active Mobile) learning strategies approach that I'll be presenting a poster on in Abu Dhabi later this week (and illustrated by the graphic I created below):

Anyhow, these are just a few random thoughts about using photo collage apps that I've been mulling over after doing the first #idml13 "Try it Yourself" activity.  I'm sure that I'll be posting on this topic again once I've had a chance to try it out in a live classroom.  Perhaps I'll even consider putting forth an application for funding to CNA-Q's SEED committee, and do a little formal research into students' responses to using these apps (and associated pedagogical strategies)...

(WAIT! Did I really just suggest that? I've just finished up the busiest two terms of my career on account of two major projects I took on (above my regular teaching load), and I've still got the preparations for #mLearn2013 and my forthcoming dissertation work ahead of me over the next couple of terms! Either I'm going crazy, or my academic curiosity towards simple, effective mLearning strategies is getting the better of me!)

 

 

Thoughts on Lemke-Westcott & Johnson's When culture and learning styles collide: A Canadian University with Middle-Eastern students

I just finished reading Lemke-Westcott & Johnson's (2013) article on their study of student and faculty learning style differences at the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ).  Having worked as a post-secondary instructor at the only other Canadian institution in Qatar (College of the North Atlantic-Qatar, CNA-Q) for eight years now, I am not at all surprized by any of their study's findings.  However, it is nice to see the anecdotal evidence of my colleagues and I finally addressed in a formal way!  This paper should lay the groundwork for similar close examinations of the differences in learning style preferences and pedagogical approaches of expat instructors and their students from different cultural backgrounds.

In a nutshell, Lemke-Westcott & Johnson compared the results of two well-established learning styles and preferences inventories between Canadian instructors and local Arab (mostly Qatari) students.  All of the student participants are enrolled in UCQ's Bachelor of Nursing program.  The study found that (not surprisingly) instructors and students in this transnational context have different learning style preferences!  The instructors group predominantly preferred an abstract conceptualization approach to learning, while the local students predominantly preferred an active experimental approach with a pragmatic (job-related) orientation.  It is also worth noting that there were significant differences in the preferences of new (first-year), regular (second and third year) and graduating students at UCQ.

The authors assert that these differences in learning styles are influenced by differences in the cultural contexts of instructors and students.  I would be inclined to agree that the cultural differences (which the authors clearly delineate with evidence from previous studies) do play a role in the differences in learning style preferences.  However, there are a number of other potential factors that I'd like to see explored to give a better understanding of the situation.  For instance, the authors demonstrate that students' preferences evolve as they progress through their programs (and become more mature learners).  It is safe to assume that their instructors have all completed one (if not several, including graduate-level) degrees.  Does the maturity level of the instructors, as learners, have a significant impact upon their learning style preferences (as opposed to culture alone)?  Would the UCQ students, given the opportunity to pursue further studies (and, thus, become more mature learners) evolve to show similar learning style preferences to those of their instructors (or would their preferences continue to be divergent even after obtaining equivalent credentials)?  I am also left wondering about the significant differences in the learning style preferences of the first-year UCQ students and their peers in the more advanced cohorts.  Does attrition amongst first-year students (if it exists at a significant level) have an impact upon the divergent preference profiles?  And what influence (if any) does the aptitude of the typical Bachelor of Nursing student have upon preferences (as opposed to, say, engineering, information technology, or business administration students).  Lemke-Westcott & Johnson hint at the need to expand their study to other institutions in order answer some of these questions.

My conclusion... this was a great and timely study and article.  The authors provide solid evidence that transnational instructors need to be extra vigilant of the supports needed by their learners, and I highly recommend this article to any Western instructor who is considering making the move to teaching in the Middle East.

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Lemke-Westcott, T., & Johnson, B. (2013). When culture and learning styles matter: A Canadian university with Middle-Eastern students.  Journal of Research in International Education, 12(1), 66-84. DOI: 10.1177/1475240913480105