Week 6 Engagement Activity 1

This engagement activity involves discussing ways that Mobile learning can be used in the classroom.  I was not aware of the amazing things that Iphones, Ipod touch or Ipads could really offer before commencing this course in ICTs.  I am amazed that they can all take photos, screen photos, videos and have sound recorders.  The ways that Mobile devices can be utilised in the primary school setting classroom is endless from facilitating kinesthetic learning in ‘Hairy Letters’ to learning letters in ‘ABC Pocket Phonics’ to exciting concept maps with ‘iThoughtHD’.  I feel these tools can utilise strategies to meet individual learning styles, for example, ‘Voice thread’ or podcasts for auditory learners, and ‘Story wheel’ for visual learners.  I will be interested to see if these methods assist students with learning difficulties better in the future by allowing them to submit assessments using their voice to record their assessment as opposed to writing it if they experience difficulty with this.  The students in the readings seem to be very excited to learn with ipads and ipod touches.  I like the idea of games making learning fun and at the same time facilitating effective learning by holding the students’ interest.  I also really like that the teacher can apply ‘guided access’ to ipads to only allow access to the application the class is currently supposed to be using.  I also loved the idea of 3D story of ‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore’.  I don’t know there is a better way to ‘hook’ students into being interested in reading beautiful stories now and for the rest of their lives.  I would definitely love to use many, many of the options of applications available with iphones, ipods and ipads to transform learning into something much more than ever before.  When I went to log into Google to write my blog for this week, the advertisement below was on the log in page.  I thought it sums up this week's Mobile Learning focus, nicely.

Get all your stuff, on any device.

Just sign in once to Google, and you can access all your stuff - photos, email, docs, even videos you're watching - automatically saved, and available on any device you use.

Google. (2013). Google Login Page Advertisement.  Retrieved from
            https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?hl=en&continue=https://www.google.com.au/   

I believe 'A Contemporary Effective Learner' poster is very relevant to this Week's focus on Mobile Learning.  I was unable to upload it to my blog so I have uploaded it to my wikispace.  This is the link to 'A Contemporary Effective Learner'.

I am intrigued by the idea of QR codes.  I had never heard of them prior to today.  In the following YouTube video, it shows how QR Codes are helpful in the classroom setting as it helps students to relocate websites when they can’t remember where or how to spell it.  They simply click on the QR code reader, let it scan the QR code that they have a copy of and it takes them to that QR code’s website.  I think this is an amazing way of saving time and ensuring easy accessibility for all.

Marragem. (2011, March 29). Using QR Codes in the classroom [Video file]. Retrieved from
           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSA3YsBy_pU


References:

CQUniversity Australia. (2012). EDED20491- ICTs for Learning Design:

            Online Study guide. Retrieved from  

             http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=115238