Mobilelearningnews www.molenet.org.uk
Special issue | 2011
Proven effective, sustainable m-learning Key messages from 3 years of MoLeNET MoLeNET has been a deliberate and successful attempt to move mobile learning on from research and development or small scale pilots, to embedding the use of handheld technologies into mainstream education delivery, enabling learners to benefit from some of the transformative effects of adopting new technologies experienced by other sectors. Over 3 years 40,000 learners and over 7,000 staff have taken part in 104 MoLeNET projects, jointly financed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC, a predecessor of the Skills Funding Agency) and participating colleges and schools. The projects have been very diverse in terms of subjects studied, level of study, abilities and ages of learners, learning context, location, goals and technologies used e.g. Smartphones, MP3/4 players, mini notebooks/ tablets, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, voting systems, GPS and scientific/ environmental handhelds.
support, more motivated and engaged learners, better attendance, less drop out, improved assessment processes and improved achievement. Positive impact on teaching has also been witnessed with mobile technologies enabling learning activities to be made more relevant, realistic and personalised. Teaching and learning practices are changing and pedagogy is evolving.
The impact of the projects has been monitored by research activities embedded into the LSN support programme and into every project. Research findings, which have been very consistent, provide evidence of improved access to resources and
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It took some courage and vision for LSC to take a multi-million pound punt on an innovative, relatively new, and unproven, approach to learning. It is a testimony to that vision that three years down the line thousands of learners and teachers in Further Education have been inspired and motivated, achieved and attended more and progressed to higher levels of provision. Bob Harrison, Toshiba Adviser
Contents The MoLeNET model for successful embedding of mobile learning
2
Measuring the impact
3
Effective learner engagement and retention
4
Improving performance and achievement
5
Mobile learning good practice
6
Tried and tested mobile learning pedagogy
8
Efficiency and cost effectiveness 9 But is mobile learning sustainable?
10
Looking to the future
11
LSN mobile learning
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The MoLeNET model for successful embedding of mobile learning The design of the MoLeNET initiative sought to avoid the experience of too many previous initiatives and programmes of progress stalling when initial funding ran out. The result is a proven model for successful introduction and embedding of mobile learning in education settings:
Infrastructure and start up investment Local champions
Staff development
Shared cost funding
MoLeNET model
Supported projects
Published by LSN www.lsnlearning.org.uk Registered with the Charity Commissioners Designer: Joel Quartey Printer: Blackmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset ISSN 1473-1685 100251NW/05/11/2000 © LSN 2011. All rights reserved
Knowledge and resource sharing
Mentoring Practitioner led action research
For mobile learning to be sustainable infrastructure investment, particularly investment in installing or improving wireless networks, is essential. This not only supports initial handheld hardware but prepares for future support of learners’ own technology and reduces dependence on relatively expensive mobile data networking. Start up funding for mobile technologies provided a low risk opportunity to test a variety of technologies with diverse groups of learners in a variety of contexts and to assess their relative usefulness.
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MoLeNET research found evidence that shared cost funding encouraged greater feelings of ownership by and better engagement with senior management teams. Whilst supported projects, rather than just provision of funding for mobile technology, ensured that technology purchase was accompanied by appropriate planning and sufficient staff development.
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Measuring the impact Knowledge and resource sharing via www.moleshare.org.uk, www.moletv.org.uk and the MoLeNET Moodle virtual learning environment has helped projects and institutions to learn from others’ experiences and to achieve more, quicker, without having to relearn and reinvent.
Involvement of teaching and technical staff is vital at all stages. Training and supporting staff as practitioner researchers ensures that evaluation is built into projects together with detailed planning of what data is required to assess impact and how this data will be collected. Staff development, both face to face and on-line, is important for all types and levels of staff involved. This is supplemented and strengthened by mentoring for project managers and practitioner researches and by the work of local champions – both technical/pedagogic and management – encouraging, enabling and supporting teaching staff whilst they acquire new skills and confidence.
In every phase of MoLeNET LSN Technology for Learning researchers and practitioner researchers based in participating colleges and schools have collected and analysed an enormous amount of evidence of the impact of mobile learning on teaching, learning, learners, teachers and institutions. The following diagram describes the different sources of data collected in an evaluation approach which has practitioner-led action research at its heart. LSN meta-analysis All project data and findings collated, analysed and synthesised by LSN
Project overview data
Learner and teacher voice
Number of learners, subjects and levels, technology purchased, learning contexts, aims and objectives etc.
Feedback obtained through the action research process; videos shared via www.MoLeTV.org.uk; LSN SMS quizzes, questionnaires and focus groups.
Retention, achievement and progression
Practitioner led action research projects
Senior management team voice
Predicted Individual Learner Record (ILR) data benchmarked against national actual in year ILR data for the previous year.
Practitioner researchers in institutions submit data and findings from their formal research processes.
Independent researcher telephone interviews commissioned by LSN.
Project level evaluation Project management reports from the projects, Becta Generator and m-Maturity self assessment tools data.
Case studies, resources and lesson plans Good practice shared via www.moleshare.org.uk LSN training and support
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Effective learner engagement and retention The experience of MoLeNET colleges and schools is that mobile learning has played a major role in motivating, engaging and reengaging learners. This is particularly the case for learners previously considered disengaged, hard-to-reach or hard-to-teach, including young people classified as NEET (not in education, employment or training) but has also been reported for other groups.
Improvements in learner engagement and participation have been found to lead to improvements in attendance and better retention of learners. Improved engagement and participation have resulted from:
Year 3 projects comment on the impact of mobile learning on engagement, behaviour, attitudes and retention ●
improved personalisation and relevance of learning activities where each learner has easy access to a personal ICT device in any learning situation
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better support, more communication and quicker feedback from tutors
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more interactive and student-led learning experiences
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use of technologies students are familiar with, enjoy using and associate with life outside of education
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learners perceiving mobile learning as ‘not like school’ and feeling better supported by the institution
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easier integration of more relevant key skills and language skills into vocational courses and workbased learning
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increased opportunities for revising material learners find difficult or complex and the ability to do this discretely
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immediate access to web based information or virtual learning environment materials when and where relevant
Increases interest/engagement/motivation Improves learner attendance improves learner retention Makes learning more enjoyable Makes learners feel valued Improves learner behaviour 0 Strongly agree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly disagree
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percentage
Learner retention Each year MoLeNET colleges have submitted Individual Learner Record (ILR) data to LSN for learners involved in MoLeNET. This data has been compared with national actual in year ILR data and noticeable differences have been found, suggesting a positive impact on learner retention.
95.3
2007/08
88.9 95.8
2008/09
86.6 95
MoLeNET 2009/10 compared with ILR 2008/09
86.6 0
MoLeNET in year retention rate National ILR in year retention rate
10
20
30
40
50
60
Percentage
70
80
90
100
We have used the mobile devices in 2 different areas, business administration and finance and NEET (not in education, employment or training) and in both areas, the engagement of students was significantly higher than with traditional teaching techniques. Head of Learning Development, City College Plymouth, MoLeNET year 3
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Improving performance and achievement In each year of MoLeNET projects have reported perceived and evidenced improvements in learner performance, success and achievement.
Learners who have been seen as traditionally low achievers have for the first time been seen as the best at something. For example,an ESOL learner whose level of literacy and speaking was very poor produced the best narrated video as part of a MoLeNET project. The learner was praised and has grown in confidence because of this.
Year 3 projects comment on the impact of mobile learning on learner performance Improves learner achievement Improves learner progression Enables learners to learn more quickly Enables learners to complete a higher standard of work Supports revision Helps learners to retain knowledge more effectively
Deputy Principal, Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College
Enables learners to complete coursework more quickly
0 Strongly agree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly disagree
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percentage
Learner achievement Each year MoLeNET colleges submitted ILR data to LSN including predicted achievement data for learners involved in MoLeNET.
Contributory factors leading to improvements in work and results include being able to work in different ways, development of more efficient learning habits and increased self confidence sometimes resulting from recognition of their knowledge of and skills in using mobile technologies.
This data has been compared with national actual in year ILR data and noticeable differences in achievement rates have been observed. 92.1 2007/08
76.4 89.8
2008/09
74.7 88.48
MoLeNET 2009/10 compared with ILR 2008/09
MoLeNET in year achievement rate National ILR in year achievement rate
74.7 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Percentage
Please note: the MoLeNET figures are based on predicted not actual ILR figures. It has also not been possible to control for the many factors other than the introduction of mobile learning which may improve achievement. Some projects reported that retention and achievement improvement strategies were running in parallel with MoLeNET. Initiatives that involve rethinking delivery may lead to improvements in achievement whether or not they involve new technologies.
90
100
Use of mobile technologies has improved access to resources outside the institution, including web based and preloaded resources and pod/vodcasts helping learners to consolidate, recap and revise. Also learners with specific needs have received personalised extra support via mobile technologies enabling them to overcome barriers to their learning.
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Mobile learning good practice This section provides examples of how different mobile technologies have been used for teaching and learning in MoLeNET. Many more case studies and teaching ideas can be found at www.moleshare.org.uk
… my iPod it’s just tiny in my pocket and I can just listen to it and nobody would know I was listening to stuff about psychology or biology they would just think I was listening to normal music so it doesn’t matter … so I don’t look like an idiot when I’m revising 24/7.
Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have used mainstream mobile technologies to support their learning and have also benefited from specialist devices with capabilities such as text to speech to support communication and talking photo albums to facilitate independent travel.
Learners have used Smartphones to:
Learners have used the Nintendo DS to access games to support literacy and numeracy development and to communicate with peers and teaching staff via PictoChat , posing and answering questions and engaging in discussion They have used the DSi and Sony PSP to video themselves and others for reflection and instruction and to access the internet for research purposes.
The Nintendo Wii has helped learners to access exercise and physiotherapy opportunities and to generate data (e.g. games scores) for analysis to support development of maths skills.
We have been using the Nintendo DS devices in class to support literacy and numeracy, the January exam results were out last week and they have been fantastic for these students. Some students are now moving on to level 2 work which is an amazing achievement.
Learners use netbooks and Ultra Mobile PCs both in and outside of the classroom to: ●
access learning resources
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complete online assessments; conduct research on the internet; type up notes
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create presentations and posters; edit images and videos
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upload evidence of their learning; share their work with teachers and assessors
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communicate with peers and teaching staff through email, Skype and social networks
Learner, New College Swindon, MoLeNET year 1
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download educational Apps
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access resources on the internet
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communicate with peers and teaching staff via voice and text message
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organise their work using the calendar and notes functions
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They have used Smartphones and MP4 players to: ●
collect images and audio and video evidence of their work
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reflect on their progress
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follow instructional videos
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access and create educational podcasts and vodcasts
Teacher, Ashton Sixth Form College, MoLeNET year 2
It’s been a revolution over the last 3 years of being involved in MoLeNET and using mobile technology. We have learners now that, if it hadn’t been for the development of mobile technology, would still be reliant on support.
get involved in location based and augmented reality learning using GPS and QR codes.
Various scientific devices such as data loggers and GPS equipment have been used by learners outside of the classroom to collect and log data to work on either in the field or back in the classroom; to locate specific points geographically; to take scientific and environmental measurements for later analysis.
A breakthrough that has been highly motivating for Mike has been access to an iPhone project at the college. The iPhone acted like a firework igniting an interest in communicating via text message. This style of communication does not require vowels or spelling rules and has visibly widened his social horizons. Teacher, Loughborough College, MoLeNET year 3
Handheld voting systems have been used by learners to respond to quizzes and assessments, enabling the learner to respond privately without feeling self conscious, but still allowing the teacher to collect individual learner data.
The devices have given us an effective tool to engage with potentially disaffected learners and therefore to optimise their potential. For example students on the plumbing courses became ‘bored’ with undertaking paper based revision tests. By adapting and using Activexpression, the revision became vibrant and engaging with a resulting increase in achievement. Practitioner Researcher, Gloucestershire College, MoLeNET year 2
Director of College Development National Star College, MoLeNET year 2.
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Tried and tested mobile learning pedagogy Research findings from MoLeNET indicate that mobile technologies are changing teaching and learning practices and that teaching strategies and pedagogy are evolving. Evidence of good practice over the past three years has highlighted some of these changes. In year three MoLeNET projects’ teaching staff were asked to reflect on the impact of mobile technologies on their teaching and the way in which lessons are conducted compared with the way they have previously taught specific sessions. The following changes were identified: ●
more learner-led learning and activities
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increases in learners working independently
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learners creating learning materials and resources
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more informal learning
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more opportunities for teachers to personalise the learning experience to suit the learning styles or preferences of individual learners, including creating more kinaesthetic, auditory and visual learning opportunities
Mobile technologies have enhanced the learning process by transforming learners from passive recipients of information to active constructors of knowledge. Practitioner Researcher Exeter consortium
Teachers noted that whilst a common criticism of e-learning delivered via PCs is that it can be isolating,
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mobile technologies appear to encourage and provide more opportunities for learners to work collaboratively. This may help to explain noted improvements in teamwork skills and social interaction.
Also in year 3 almost half (45%) of projects reported that, following the introduction of mobile learning, improvements were observed in lesson observation grades. Six projects reported that inspection comments highlighted improvements in teaching and learning and for three projects this was reflected in improvements in their Ofsted inspection grades.
It has been suggested that mobile learning may result in quite superficial learning and is therefore best suited to reviewing and revising. However over 60% of teaching staff who responded indicated a belief that mobile learning can result in deep level understanding and learning
The sophistication of the learning activities that the learners have been able to engage in has been a huge step forward. I would say it has been transformational full stop. Director of ILT, Bedford College
Whilst few teachers reported changing the layout of classroom furniture as a result of introducing mobile technologies, most teachers reported an increase in the amount of teaching and learning happening outside of the classroom and beyond college or school premises.
Some key questions which require further consideration and discussion are: ●
How can teaching staff be supported to become facilitators of mobile learning processes and to have the confidence to encourage learners to take a leading role?
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How can current curricula cope with the degree of informal learning that mobile technologies enable?
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How will informal learning and learner expertise in creating learning materials be recognised and assessed?
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How can the creation and sharing of good quality learning materials and resources be supported and what does good quality mean in this context – fit for purpose rather than high production values?
Efficiency and cost effectiveness MoLeNET projects have reported that mobile technologies have enabled staff and learners to save time and money and increase productivity in a number of ways. This project facilitated a very different perspective and that is very much focused now on our strategic theme of sustainability in teaching and learning. It has reduced our carbon footprint and reduced travelling time. Deputy Principal, Hull College
Learners have been able to collect evidence of their learning and skills acquisition at a time and in a format that suits them and the learning context. This has enabled gathering of evidence more quickly and easily, and often to a higher standard. Submitting evidence electronically has also saved time. Assessors have been able to review evidence and provide feedback electronically, thus saving travel time for observations and face-to-face feedback. In some cases learners have been able to complete elements of their courses more quickly and as a result institutions have been able to restructure courses making them more efficient. The Manchester consortium efficiency observations Digital notepads have saved some assessors a huge amount of time because they have been able to handwrite their observations and witness statements whilst in the workplace. As the digital notepads directly convert the handwritten documents to electronic formats, assessors have not had to re-type their statements and have been able to upload their work straight to the ePortfolio system. This new process of using digital notepads with the ePortfolio has saved some of the assessors hours of work
spent on typing and printing documents to be included in the traditional portfolio systems. The combined use of the netbooks and phones has enabled the assessors to access electronic portfolios with the candidates during their visits. This had been an issue when the candidates did not have access to the Internet during assessment visits. Having this facility also means that the staff can work on portfolios between visits and whilst travelling (e.g. on trains), which again, has been a time saving measure. Candidates have been able to take control of their learning and have not had to wait for around 2 weeks for their work to be assessed and for confirmation to be received from their assessors in order to progress to the next stage. This level of candidate efficiency has only been attained because of the provision of access to useful technologies which aid instant communication e.g. netbooks and wireless Internet. This highlights another efficiency gain from the project in respect of the reduction in the frequency of visits; as the less frequent the visits, the more the savings on travel costs. The fact that candidates have been able to complete their units faster implies that there is a potential for increased numbers of candidate enrolments.
At Chesterfield College, time and money have been saved since introducing mobile technologies in the motor vehicle department as there have been fewer exam re-sits. Staff time for invigilation and administration time and costs for setting up exam rooms has been saved. Access to learning resources via mobiles has reduced the problem of oversubscribed IT suites in many collegesThe National Star consortium reported that increases in learners accessing learning remotely has reduced classroom use making savings in light and heating costs. Royal Forest of Dean College reported reduced printing costs. This appears to be due to learners being able to access the internet via their mobile devices wherever they are, thus reducing the need to print out and carry around web pages accessed on desktop computers.
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But is mobile learning sustainable? and bluetooth resources, receive and send learning related SMS messages, submit and receive feedback, receive timetable and other information and access information or resources via QR codes.
The positive impact of mobile technologies on teaching, learning, learners and institutions has been illustrated and rates of damage, loss and theft of mobile devices purchased by MoLeNET projects have totalled less than 1% . However mobile technologies are continuing to evolve very quickly, necessitating continuous updating for staff and an on-going requirement for creation of new learning materials and activities. In the second year of MoLeNET projects were asked to consider a list of possible actions or strategies that could make mobile learning sustainable and over half agreed that the following ideas could help: ●
Encouraging and enabling learners to use their own mobile technologies for learning
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Improving the range and/or capacity of wireless networks
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Making a mobile device one of the things learners receive in return for course fees
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More investment by colleges/schools in mobile technologies for the institution and/or for individual students
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Enabling learners to purchase mobile technologies through the college/ school paying by instalments
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Switching some college/school investment from desktop to mobile technologies In the third year projects were asked to indicate which sustainability strategies they had implemented. Most reported that they had set up a device loan system enabling learners and teachers to borrow equipment. One project had allowed learners to pay the institution for mobile technologies in instalments and two reported incorporating the cost of a mobile device into course fees. A third of projects said they had replaced some investment in desktop computers with purchase of more mobile technologies and over half (57%) reported that they are now encouraging and enabling learners to bring in and use their own mobile technologies. Several projects reported great enthusiasm by learners for using their own technology. Smartphones and netbooks have been used to access the college VLE, download
MoLeNET has ‘made it easier for us to get students to use their own devices and that is where it has had a big impact. I think before the MoLeNET project, we had about 150 students using the devices on a limited, trial basis and we now have about 900 students using their devices. Deputy Principal, John Leggott Sixth Form College
Colleges and schools felt that there will still be a need to provide equipment for learners who do not have their own mobile devices and that this will be a key area to focus on in promoting sustainable mobile learning. 71% of macro projects reported using the institution’s own budget to purchase additional mobile technologies. Many projects noted that robust and accessible infrastructure is a key requirement for continuing and expanding mobile learning in the future and 62% of macro projects reported that they had already invested some of their institution’s own budget to upgrade wireless networks. Sixty institutions previously involved in MoLeNET responded to a recent survey and 80% of these reported that they plan to use their own budgets to fund further mobile learning in future.
Looking to the future Every year LSN have asked MoLeNET institutions whether they intend to continue mobile learning in the future and the answer has always been a resounding yes! In the first two years there were a number of strong concerns expressed about exactly how this could be achieved without further external funding. However by the end of the third year institutions were mostly more optimistic about the likelihood of investing their own resources in mobile learning. This can be explained by a perception that mobile learning now has a track record of benefitting teaching and learning, learners and institutions. Therefore solutions are being found to overcome funding barriers. An independent researcher commissioned by LSN interviewed senior managers at colleges and schools involved in MoLeNET years 2 and 3 about the sustainability of mobile learning and concluded:
Last year, many organisations expressed concerns over their ability to fund future mobile learning development to the extent they would like. However, this year, we detected a more proactive approach now that the benefits of mobile learning have been proven and staff have become much more engaged with the technology, to the extent that the demand is coming from the staff. As a result of extensive training and an overall change in attitudes, staff are more prepared to embrace the use of new technology for teaching and learning. Barbara Lees, Force4Enterprise
Encouraging and enabling learners to use their own technologies and using internal funds to develop appropriate infrastructure seems to be something that institutions are recognising as key for the future of mobile learning. MoLeNET phase 3 projects have also identified a need for continuous development and convenient deployment of appropriate mobile learning materials to ensure future sustainability.
A sustainable approach for us is making relevant and engaging resources available in a range of different media formats which can be accessed on the mobile devices in learners' own pockets. From our perspective one of the first steps in realising this ambition has been the setting up of an institutional media streaming service using the software solution developed by LSN for MoLeTV. Practitioner Researcher, Chesterfield College, MoLeNET year 3
Can suppliers and policy makers help? Some MoLeNET projects have expressed hopes that broadband providers and mobile technology suppliers could work more effectively with the education system in the future as broadband and mobile data costs and smartphone prices can be a barrier for learners.
What would be very, very useful would be some strong framework agreements being put in place that were suitable for the education sector with the network service providers... that was one of the struggles, their business objectives were in some cases very much at odds with what we really felt would be to the benefit of learners. Director of ILT, Bedford College
Many suppliers, whilst being enthusiastically engaged, were not able to provide much direct support. It is becoming accepted practice that suppliers of desktop workstations and printers now include the free collect and return of redundant or replacement workstations as part of supplying new equipment. This is an attractive incentive but no supplier of mobile technology offered this facility during the course of the project procurement process. Project Manager, Gloucestershire consortium
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LSN mobile learning research publications The following publications are recent outputs from the LSN MoLeNET Support and Evaluation Programme. They describe research findings and provide practical examples and ideas for practitioners and institutions wishing to implement mobile learning.
Mobile teaching and learning inspirations and ideas
Mobile teaching and learning inspirations and ideas
Work-based and vocational mobile learning – Making IT work
Modernising education and training: Mobilising technology for learning
Parker,G and Petley, R
Douch R, Savill-Smith C, Parker G and Attewell J
Attewell J, Savill-Smith C, Douch R and Parker G
This publication includes more than 40 case studies focusing on the use of mobile technologies in the context of work-based and vocational learning. The projects that generated these case studies were part of years one (2007/08) and two (2008/09) of the MoLeNET initiative.
In recent years there have been amazing advances in consumer technology. The MoLeNET initiative has enabled colleges and schools to harness some of this technology in order to modernise aspects of teaching, learning and training. The result has been improvements in learner engagement, retention, achievement and satisfaction. This publication draws on the experiences of the 11,253 learners and 2261 teachers involved in the 2nd year of MoLeNET and reports the findings of research which sought evidence of the impact of introducing mobile technologies for learning.
Teaching staff taking part in the third phase of MoLeNET contributed a number of simple tried and tested mobile teaching and learning ideas, and these have been collated into this book. There are 95 examples and ideas, spanning a range of programme areas and utilising a variety of handheld technologies.
www.molenet.org.uk/pubs
www.moleshare.org.uk/ MoLeTECH.asp?ID=17
Please visit www.moleshare.org.uk to read or download a detailed report of the findings of MoLeNET year 3 research. This site also contains useful mobile learning resources, case studies, lesson plans, links and information. For mobile learning advice and for more information about MoLeNET, mobile learning, LSN’s technology enhanced learning research and LSN’s mobile learning products and services please email molenet@lsnlearning.org.uk or call Rebecca Petley +44 (0)20 7492 5174.
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www.molenet.org.uk/pubs
Games technologies for learning – more than toys Douch R, Attewell J and Dawson D Many MoLeNET projects have utilised games technologies, including handheld Sony PSPs and Nintendo DSs and the Nintendo Wii, to support teaching and learning. This publication explores the benefits of game based learning and the additional functionality offered by games technologies. Thirty five case studies and snapshots from MoLeNET projects illustrate the ways in which teachers and learners have used games technologies, both inside and outside of the classroom, and describe the benefits realised. www.molenet.org.uk/pubs