Coordinating structured courses and mLearning. Given at mLearnCon 2012

1. mLearning doesn’t have to be ad hoc learning
Rod Gammon
Cambridge University Press (NYC)
rgammon@cambridge.org

2. Context
• Balancing response to disruption with
maintenance of core value of materials quality
• Want to support learning, not provide one-off
gimmicks

3. What works?

4. Adapt instruction to individual
and small group needs.
• Use formal and informal assessment data to
inform academic instruction
• Use one-on-one tutoring if possible; otherwise,
break students into small groups
• Provide professional development and ongoing
instructional support to all instructors
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practice_guides/ost_pg_072109.pdf

5. SmartFun
• Nielsen: 66% of homes with Nintendo or Sony
handhelds have iOS
March 2012, http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/03/09/
nielsen.shows.apple.infiltrating.gaming/
• In 70% of tablet households with kids, kids use it
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/
american-families-see-tablets-as-playmate-teacher-and-babysitter/

6. All edu developers should consider
Learner: When, where will they engage?
Knowledge: What is the focus and purpose?
Assessment: How will performance be
observed?
Community: How will it impact the class context?
(Adapted from US DOE papers)

7. Learner
What are the opportunities?
• Pre-class prep
• In-class activities
• Dedicated study and assignments
• Self-directed study
• Unexpected free time
What is the student’s day like?

8. Knowledge
Where is the learner in the study lifecycle?
• Pre-enrollment
• Enrolled
• Certification
• Performance support
Curriculum + the student’s relationship to it

9. Assessment
What is the learner’s progress towards
their learning purpose?
• Time on task
• Type of content
• Engagement
• Performance
Assessment as a prompt for engagement

10. Community: Educational contexts
Student: Person: Example technologies
Teacher Technology
Classroom *:1 *:1 Interactive whiteboard,
projected PC screen
Media lab *:1 1:1 Desktop PCs, audio
recordings,
netbooks/tablets
Personal study 1:0 1:1 Mobile phone, netbook
Group study, in- *:0 1:2…n Paper and pencil to latest
person consumer tech
Group 2.0 *:* 1:1 Social network spaces,
tablets, local device
networks, clickers

11. mLearning naturally fits with good
teaching strategies
And these strategies are more important,
because attention can be easily diverted

20. Levels of coordination with course
• Branding matches (meh)
• Content is coordinated (good)
• Pedagogy is adapted to device/context (better)
• Persistent student identity across contexts (best)
All four together are ideal.

21. Coming things
• http://dictionary.cambridge.org/api.html (July 2012)
• Interactive tablet eBooks
• Olympics app
• Analytics everywhere

22. Thank you
@rodgammon
rodgammon
Personal blog: lh-llc.com
Located in New York