Implementing Mobile Learning within the Classroom

Have you ever been apart of a conversation where you felt trapped? You may not have been interested in the topic or felt as though you had nothing to contribute? This is a common feeling for students within a classroom. I teach 7th grade mathematics and hear comments such as math is like another language. Lack of interest or contribution can be limiting to a students’ learning experience. To help overcome this barrier, it helps to adapt teaching to the new skills that our students experience everyday in their lives. This blog will cover the emerging trend of mobile learning that teachers can implement to increase student understanding. By connecting what is happening outside the classroom, to what they are learning inside the classroom will help push students to new levels of success. If there is something you are passionate about, you are more likely to share your thoughts and open your mind to learning new concepts. This is the same for within the classroom. When students have the confidence in a skill or technique, they are more willing to learn the material. I have seen so many of my students get excited to show me a new way to use a digital resource during my teaching. Students have grown up with technology and are comfortable with it. Implementing something they are comfortable within our teaching allows for excitement and more engagement among our students. The educational world is constantly developing new tools and resources to use digitally within the classrooms that benefit student learning greatly. Technology allows teachers the role of guiding student learning, rather than lecturing for learning.

Within my 7th grade classroom, just about every child has their own mobile device. Mobile devices are becoming more common over the years. “Between 2015 and 2019, the age at which a majority of kids have a smartphone dropped from roughly 13-14 to 11, according to new research” (Pinon, 2019). Still uncomfortable with students using their devices in class? Many schools are now supplying classrooms with sets of tablets or Chromebooks to use. School policies are shifting from no devices allowed, to using them as tools for learning. Many textbook companies are also going digital or implementing digital resources alongside a physical textbook. When students learn how to use them properly for educational purposes, we tend to see a decline in students fighting the policy. Mobile learning is the process of learning through integration of devices such as smartphones and tablets. This device can be used for more than just a texting machine, it can be used for enhancing learning within the classroom and extending learning beyond the classroom walls. 

The act of learning is beginning to go beyond just rote learning and practicing for hours to gain a concept. Students are becoming creators with the help of new forms of technology. Some ways students become the creators in my classroom is through apps such as Flipgrid. Flipgrid is a site where students can create videos. I love using Flipgrid for presentations. Students can express themselves creatively and comfortably. I have a selective mute within one of my classes who will not talk at all throughout the school day, but will go home a create an amazing Flipgrid to share with our class! It is such a great feeling seeing him light up on the videos he creates. My absolute favorite digital tool to use within my classroom is Google Suites. I use google forms for exit slips, surveys, assessments, and so much more! Students can receive immediate feedback on concepts through google forms. I used google documents and google slides for classroom group projects. Students can work together without having to actually be in the same room! They develop papers and presentations, being sure to participate equally. Google even allows me to see all edits, times, and participants on a share document. As their teacher, I can monitor and guide their learning digital, while still giving them control and responsibility for their learning. Collaboration is not limited to just other students in the classroom. Students can work with other students all around the world. Social media is a major contributor to helping in collaboration within the classroom. For example, Twitter has become a major component for teachers and students. Twitter allows for students to follow and learn from influential people, as well as share and express their own thoughts. Hashtags make research on relevant topics more productive and opinions from all over the world to be shared. Creating a safe digital environment will be a lesson that students can use throughout all facets of their lives. 

Mobile learning is accessible for all levels of learners. “Mobile learning is personalized, learner-centered, situated, collaborative, ubiquitous, and contextual” (Cisco, 2013). Through mobile learning, students have access to additional resources and the tip of their fingers. Many times parents express to me that they struggle remembering the material their child is learning, which inhabits them from helping at home. This problem can be eliminated through mobile resources that are available to students. For example, a flipped classroom allows students to learn lessons at home and come into school for practice and exploring. This provides them the resources for growth in the learning and doesn’t limit them for whether they have help at home. Check out a video I made for my students on Edpuzzle regarding adding integers! Other resources that are available for students in mathematics include Khan Academy, YAY Math, and Youtube. Mobile learning also helps students with language barriers, such as sites like google translate. The opportunities are endless with mobile learning. 

Learning should be fun! I always wanted to become a teacher so I can show kids that learning is exciting, fun, and a life-long process. When students have the opportunity to explore their creative thoughts, they have more fun in learning. For example, I like to use a website called Desmos. Within Desmos I can create activities for students to share their thoughts live to the class in a safe way. They can share drawings, verbal explanations, drag and drop options. The website even gives students names of famous mathematicians, to protect their identity. Once this happens, my students almost immediately google their new name to see what that mathematician did. They find it so exciting! This site allows students to proceed through a lesson at their own pace. They can read what their classmates say, they can contribute ideas at all levels and still be successful. Another way I like to make learning fun in my classroom is through competitions! There are websites that allow for randomizing group competitions where students have to work together to be successful or within independent competitions. Websites such as Quizlet, Quizizz, and Kahoot bring learning to life while still supporting accuracy and conceptual understanding. I have found it’s even better when they win candy! 


I’d love to hear from you! What mobile learning tools do you use within your classrooms to help improve engagement and learning? Comment Below!

Check out my info-graphic on mobile learning!

Resources

Cisco. (2013). The Mobile Learning Phenomenon in Education. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://info.hbcommunications.com/hubfs/content/MobileLearning.pdf 

Jarmon, E. (2013, September 22). Mobile Learning: Mobile Tech in the Classroom. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Ly1FOHIa4

Pinon, N. (2019, October 29). A Majority of Kids have Smartphones by Middle School. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://mashable.com/article/teen-smartphone-usage/