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| Photo: Catherine Aczel Boivie |
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It is learning based on short course modules that are available on mobile devices. These devices, whether an iPhone, iPad or tablet, can be used anywhere and anytime to learn a new concept or skill. For example, if you want to fix a pump, you can search for instructions on how to repair it and then follow the instructions as you carry out the pump repair. I was more interested in learning how to fix the binding on a quilt I made so it is straight and there was a short m-learning module on how to do that.
M-learning has gained increased hype not only due to its convenience of being accessible anywhere and anytime but it also offers a highly interactive learning process which shares knowledge and provides feedback on how well the knowledge/skill was absorbed. According to the speakers at the conference, m-learning has been shown to improve exam scores and reduce student drop-out rate.
Well over a decade ago, when I was working on my Masters degree, there was a lot of hype about another similar tool which consisted of computer-assisted instructions that was supposed to replace the need for a teacher. Students would take courses on computers, based on material that had been designed by educational experts. In looking beyond the hype, as part of one of my Masters projects, I found that while these courses did assist teachers, they never replaced them. Instead the computer-assisted courses became one more useful tool in the teachers’ toolbox. As I was listening to the presentations surrounding m-learning, I wondered if ultimately it would end up as another tool for educators can use, or if it would make as big a difference for educators as claimed by its proponents.
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Source: ITBusiness.ca (blog)
