Creating M-Learning Lessons
Mobile technology has the potential to deliver teaching materials in an engaging and user-friendly way that allows direct communication between student(s) and instructors. As a result, certain pedagogical considerations must be made when developing a lesson plan for a mobile application such as a Smartphone.
Microlearning
Starting by taking a top down approach, a course or unit should break materials into smaller defined 'chunks' that can be combined to create a comprehensive lesson or unit. This approach allows for short, succinct lessons that can be completed in a formal setting or in an anytime, anywhere basis. The general idea is that there is no wait time for learning. As such, learning can occur in a very concept specific and in an 'on demand' manner.
Starting by taking a top down approach, a course or unit should break materials into smaller defined 'chunks' that can be combined to create a comprehensive lesson or unit. This approach allows for short, succinct lessons that can be completed in a formal setting or in an anytime, anywhere basis. The general idea is that there is no wait time for learning. As such, learning can occur in a very concept specific and in an 'on demand' manner.
Moving a Traditional Lesson to a M-Learning Lesson
A simple Internet search will return numerous lesson plan templates. A specific search for a lesson plan template for M-Learning, however, does not but the similarities in content delivery are overwhelming.
Simply put, when designing an activity for M-learning, or transferring an existing traditional activity to mobile format, the only real difference is the creator must have an understanding of the intended media and application being accessed and the technology being used by the learner. Aiding in determining the success of a lesson designed for M-learning purposes, an instructor could consider researcher, Clark Quinn's 4 C's.
A simple Internet search will return numerous lesson plan templates. A specific search for a lesson plan template for M-Learning, however, does not but the similarities in content delivery are overwhelming.
Simply put, when designing an activity for M-learning, or transferring an existing traditional activity to mobile format, the only real difference is the creator must have an understanding of the intended media and application being accessed and the technology being used by the learner. Aiding in determining the success of a lesson designed for M-learning purposes, an instructor could consider researcher, Clark Quinn's 4 C's.
Clark Quinns' Four C's
Quinn (2011) recognized that mobile technology could be utilized as a powerful tool capable of not only supporting E-Learning, but also for providing unique learning opportunities. Quinn recognized four capabilities for consideration when working with mobile devices;
Quinn (2011) recognized that mobile technology could be utilized as a powerful tool capable of not only supporting E-Learning, but also for providing unique learning opportunities. Quinn recognized four capabilities for consideration when working with mobile devices;
- Content: The delivery of media including documents, audio, and video
- Compute: The ability to perform calculations and have programmatic responses
- Capture: Capturing data from the local environment such as photos, videos, audio, or information from location or direction sensors
- Communicate: The ability to reach others with text, voice, or even video.
Moving From a Traditional Lesson Format to M-Learning Platform
The move from a traditional platform to an M-Learning platform need not be overwhelming. Once a lesson plan template has been decided upon, it is a simple matter of determining what application is going to be used to deliver the concept being taught.
The following two PDF files provide an example of how a traditional Biology activity, where a student creates a Mitosis flip-book, has been adapted to an M-Learning platform. The video shows an exemplar of the product that can be created from this lesson. The template used to create the lesson plans was based upon the lesson design,"Understanding by Design", created by Wiggins & McTighe (2005) and the application employed to create the flip book was 'Gif Me'.
The move from a traditional platform to an M-Learning platform need not be overwhelming. Once a lesson plan template has been decided upon, it is a simple matter of determining what application is going to be used to deliver the concept being taught.
The following two PDF files provide an example of how a traditional Biology activity, where a student creates a Mitosis flip-book, has been adapted to an M-Learning platform. The video shows an exemplar of the product that can be created from this lesson. The template used to create the lesson plans was based upon the lesson design,"Understanding by Design", created by Wiggins & McTighe (2005) and the application employed to create the flip book was 'Gif Me'.
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