According to a recent article
by The Guardian, the number of
mobile phone subscribers is estimated at 6.5 billion globally. Smartphones last year grew at an annual rate of 45%, a higher rate than
feature phones. The market for tablets shows an equally promising picture with
annual shipments at 128 million, having a year-on-year growth rate of 78.4%.
What’s more, in 2012 the number of smartphones sold was higher than the number
of computers sold. In 2013, tablet sales are expected to surpass desktop sales
for the first time. Given these torrid growth rates, smartphones and tablets present a tremendous platform
for learning. Apple recently announced a
new milestone for its iTunes University digital education outlet and iPads. It
sold over 8 million iPads to educational institutions and just crossed 1
billion downloads for iTunes University content. Apple further states that over
1200 higher education institutes and over 1200 K-12 schools host over 2500
public courses on iTunes. Some of the popular courses on iTunes have over
250,000 students enrolled. Worldwide mobile learning market is
expected to reach 9.1 billion by 2015
With these figures in mind, let’s
look at some ways through which mobile platforms are impacting education:
1. Access Learning,
Anytime, Anywhere: Mobile platforms allow learners, to learn-on-the go and
On-demand. Advancements in mobile technologies allow learners to access high
quality content on their palm whenever they want. From MOOCs to classroom
assessments, learners can network and collaborate with other learners across
various demographics. All one needs is a mobile phone with a network
connection.
2. Flipped Classrooms: Many teachers are adopting ways by which their lectures can be
video-recorded, allowing students to listen to their lectures outside the
classroom. These videos then serve as homework for the students, while
in-classroom activities are restricted to the teacher serving as a guide for
practice questions and some re-teaching.
3. BYOD (Bring Your
Own Device Policy): According to 2012’s Horizon Report, more than 61% of American over the age of 12 own a mobile
device, with 44% specifically owning a smartphone. An increasing number ofschools are adopting the BYOD policy that allows students to bring a mobile device
(smartphone/tablet/laptop) of their choice to the classroom. While many
educators believe that this represents a significant step in the advancement of
learning tools, others argue that such devices cause distractions for students
and can disrupt the classroom learning experience.
4. Student Response
Systems: Various mobile applications empower teachers to engage with the class
by tracking student responses in the classroom.
One such example is Socrative that allows teachers to connect with students through a series of educational
exercises and games.
5. Applications for students with
special needs: Specific mobile learning applications are being built to help
learners with special needs. According to Dr. Howard Shane, (Director,
Communication Enhancement), Boston children’s hospital, assisting students with
special needs is a complicated process. He believes that the iPad is a game
changer, as it allows special needs learners to understand, learn, and communicate
better.
Bottom line: In today’s
digital world, it is hard to ignore the expectations that students bring to classrooms.
The future of learning is clearly on the hand-held device.
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