mlearning - learning by mobile devices (phones, Ipods..)
This is the latest direction that education is taking. Is this just a trend, a new fad - or do you think it's here to stay? Watch this video and post your comments!
M-learning is still very new, too new in fact to allow much in the way of retrospective reflection on its nature and impact. Nevertheless, I suggest we give it the Neil Postman test to assess its usefulness. Neil Postman, professor of communications at New York University and author of _Technopoly_ invites us to ask of any piece of new technology - and in this case, any new use that it is being put to - the following question: what is the problem to which this is a solution? Is the problem motivation? And will the pictures of family and friends solve the problem of motivation better than some well chosen black and white pictures of say of disasters or royal weddings? What's the big problem of bringing such pictures in class and preparing the pupils with the necessary vocabulary beforehand to get a lively MOTIVATED discussion going? Using the auto-recorders on mobiles? What is the problem to which that is a solution? How can just recording oneself doing a conversation solve the problem of accuracy in pronunciation? Apps from the British Council?! What problem is this going to solve? Perhaps selling more of the Murhpy's Grammar to a wider market? Give me a break.
M-learning is still very new, too new in fact to allow much in the way of retrospective reflection on its nature and impact. Nevertheless, I suggest we give it the Neil Postman test to assess its usefulness. Neil Postman, professor of communications at New York University and author of _Technopoly_ invites us to ask of any piece of new technology - and in this case, any new use that it is being put to - the following question: what is the problem to which this is a solution?
ReplyDeleteIs the problem motivation? And will the pictures of family and friends solve the problem of motivation better than some well chosen black and white pictures of say of disasters or royal weddings? What's the big problem of bringing such pictures in class and preparing the pupils with the necessary vocabulary beforehand to get a lively MOTIVATED discussion going?
Using the auto-recorders on mobiles? What is the problem to which that is a solution? How can just recording oneself doing a conversation solve the problem of accuracy in pronunciation?
Apps from the British Council?!
What problem is this going to solve? Perhaps selling more of the Murhpy's Grammar to a wider market?
Give me a break.