Imagine Mobile Learning in your Pocket

Abstract

Students and teachers are embracing mobile technologies in their social lives. How is this reflected in K-12 schools? This chapter examines the experiences of students and teachers in a range of mobile learning projects in the K-12 environment. Four research projects highlight the experiences of students and teachers as they grapple with mobile technologies and the wireless environment, with implementation and technical issues, with learning approaches and pedagogical innovations. The projects focused on Literacy, Mathematics and cross-curricular learning with Australian primary and secondary students as well as students in international collaborative projects. In each project, students demonstrated improved attitudes to school, greater engagement and participation in learning and enhanced performance. Teachers learned a diversity of approaches to classroom management and curriculum planning, and demonstrated significant pedagogical change. The benefits of mobile learning were also reflected in the community, with parents taking greater responsibility and interest in their children’s learning opportunities.