JISC Mobile and Wireless Technologies Review
Substitution
At this level, the technology simply gives a technological gloss to an established procedure or practice. It may speed up the process, but there is no functional improvement. There are many examples of this, including straightforward use of voting devices in the classroom (Castle College, Nottingham), completing assessment tasks (Chelmsford Training Services) and accessing training materials (Charnwood Training). Often in these situations the technology is used as a motivating factor and/or something that breaks up lessons and provides a different focus.
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Castle College, Nottingham - www.moleshare.org.uk/case_studies.asp? ID=79&resi=Case+Study Chelmsford Training Services - www.excellencegateway.org.uk/Programmes/ page.aspx?o=241635 Charnwood Training - www.excellencegateway.org.uk/Programmes/page.aspx? o=164016
Augmentation
To ‘augment’ learning some kind of functional improvement has to be evident. Not only does the technology streamline procedures, but additional functionality is available to staff and students. Examples of augmentation including mobile technologies include solving accessibility issues (Barnet College), going ‘paperless’ (JHP Training), and QR codes (Moulton College). These situations regularly include occasions where an individual or group has been aware of the technology available and used it in a focused way.
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Barnet College - www.moleshare.org.uk/case_studies.asp?ID=75&resi=Accessibility
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+and+the+iPod+Touch JHP Training - www.excellencegateway.org.uk/Programmes/page.aspx?o=163071 Moulton College - www.moleshare.org.uk/case_studies.asp?ID=84&resi=QR+Code +Case+Study+-+Moulton+College
Modification
Those mobile learning initiatives involving ‘modification’ are those where there has been significant task redesign due to the affordances available. Examples of this include using mobile devices on field trips (Strathmore College), involving students with learning disabilities in safe sporting activities (Trafford College) and using Flip video cameras for new forms of assessment (Dearne Valley College).
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