Experience of Using Mobile
Technology in Digital Classroom:
Two Case Studies
Siu Cheung KONG
Department of Mathematics and Information Technology
The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
Mobile Technology in School Education
Growing integration of mobile devices and
WiFi technology into the classroom environment
Digital Classroom
Definition:
A classroom where learners have ample opportunities to use digital technology to access digital resources and to interact among
learning peers and teachers
Components:
Whole class teaching
Individual learning
Peer interaction
Educational Affordances of Mobile Technology for Digital Classrooms
For whole class teaching:
Clear representation of key concepts and easy capture of student works for reviewing and summarizing subject matter
For individual learning:
Ubiquitous access to multimedia resources for learning on an individual basis, under teacher guidance
For interaction among learning peers:
Clear representation of ideas and handy processing of data among learners in small groups for discussion of subject matters
External Inputs required in Digital Classrooms supported by Mobile Technology
Connection to learning resources
Textbook or subject-specific organized resources
e.g. cognitive tools selected by teachers for subject learning
Open resources not specially organized for subject learning
e.g. subject-related websites available on the Internet
Implementation of appropriate pedagogies
Pedagogical strategies with various learning activities
e.g. inquiry-based pedagogy with mind map drawing activities
An Empirical Research in Hong Kong
Investigated the effectiveness of using mobile technology in digital classrooms for supporting student learning in school education
Conducted 10 case studies
5 primary schools
5 secondary schools
Focused on 2 research issues
The effectiveness of using mobile technology in digital classrooms for supporting student-centered pedagogy
The perceptions of students and teachers toward using mobile technology for subject learning in digital classrooms
Purpose of This Talk
To share an initial experience of using mobile technology in digital classrooms in two case studies in the empirical research
Focus 1: Pedagogical practices in class
Focus 2: Perception of students and teachers
Case 1 - Learning “perimeter of polygons” in Primary 4 mathematics classrooms
Case 2 - Learning “photosynthesis” in Secondary 3 science
classrooms
Participants in the Two Case Studies
Convenient sampling:
Two Primary 4 classes in Case 1; Two Secondary 3 classes in Case 2
Random assignment:
One class in each case was experimental class (i.e. Pri-E and Sec-E);
Another class was control class (i.e. Pri-C and Sec-C)
Profile Case 1 Case 2
Pri-E Pri-C Sec-E Sec-C
Number of students 26 17 28 25
Ratio of boys to girls 16:10 12:5 13:15 20:5
Mean age in years 8 8 14 14
Design of the Two Case Studies
In each case:
Experimental class: Students learned the topic with activity worksheets and mobile devices (UMPCs for Pri-E class and Netbooks for Sec-E class) which were:
connected to a wireless classroom communication system
preloaded with a digital learning resource (an interactive
software for Pri-E class and an information delivery tool for Sec-E class) for subject learning
Control class: Students learned the topic with traditional paper-based materials
Textbook and notes
The Wireless Classroom Communication System used in the Experimental Classes
A software system use in a Wi-Fi (802.11 g/n) environment
Teachers could use the system to easily:
Broadcast
Remote control
broadcast information to the mobile devices for sharing and discussion
display outcome of any connected mobile devices to the whole class
Research Methods
Lesson observation:
During the trial lessons
For investigating the pedagogical practices in class: Classroom activities and time use
Interviews with students and teachers:
After the trial lessons
For investigating the perceptions of students and teachers:
Opinions on the ease, confidence, autonomy, interactivity, effectiveness, and satisfaction in using mobile devices for classroom learning
Case 1 - Learning “perimeter of polygons”
in Primary 4
The topics of the learning dimension ‘measure’ in the primary mathematics curriculum in Hong Kong
Developed upon the fundamental understanding of the
concepts of ‘perimeter,’ the ‘perimeter of squares,’ and the
‘perimeter of rectangles.’
Cognitive tools (CTs)
Both mental and computational devices
Support the cognitive processes of learners
Computer-supported CTs
Explore the gist of subject knowledge according to their individual needs
Facilitate learner-centred learning
Support the learning process
Enhance the learning effect of learners
One of the inadequacies of students
Lack the ability to develop the relational knowledge about perimeters of polygons in regular and irregular shapes
For example:
To find the perimeter of the irregular closed shape ‘T’
Difficult to understand the abovementioned abstract
association
Steps showing the movement of lines to find the formula for
calculating the perimeter of the irregular closed shape ‘T’
The other inadequacy of students
Lack the ability to restructure the procedural knowledge about perimeter of irregular closed shapes
For example:
To find the perimeter of the irregular closed shape ‘U’
Questioning to the need for the aforementioned complete
inclusion of line segments
Example showing the movement of lines to find the formula
for calculating the perimeter of the irregular closed shape ‘U’
Interactive Perimeter Learning Tool (IPLT)
A graphical tool for the display of graphical representation of irregular closed shapes
Three features were designed to cover the important concepts of
the topic and address the common inadequacies
1st Feature: Movable line segments of shape border
Characteristics:
Enabled students to freely move the line segments
Not allowed to be rotated
Aim:
To develop the concepts of lines and shapes and the strategies of combining line segments in the
calculation of perimeter of closed shapes.
2nd Feature: Provision of just necessary information for calculation of perimeter
Characteristic:
Measurements of the width between certain sides of the shape were shown in fixed positions
Aim:
To address the inadequacy of students in forming an abstract association of an irregular closed shape with a regular closed shape in the computation of
perimeter of closed shapes
3rd Feature: The returnable graphical representations of the closed shapes
Characteristic:
Students could press this button to get back the original graphical representation of a closed shape at their
convenience
Aim:
In response to the inadequacy of students in making a
complete inclusion of line segments of shape border in
the calculation of perimeter of closed shapes
An interface of the IPLT
http://www.hkedcity.net/iclub_files/a/1/237/webpage/propackage/perimeter/perimeter.htm
The Learning Process
Three consecutive lessons in using the IPLT
Duration:
35 minutes for each lesson
Size of group:
2 students
Teaching and learning material:
IPLT
PowerPoint presentations
A number of activity worksheets
A sample question in teaching
Case 2 - Learning “photosynthesis” in Secondary 3 science classrooms
The topics of the learning dimension ‘photosynthesis’ in
the secondary integrated science curriculum in Hong Kong
Pedagogical Practices in the Two Experimental Classes:
Distribution of Class Time
In Pri-E class In Sec-E class
The small proportion of class time spent on non-teaching activities indicates the teaching progress was not slowed by the use of mobile devices
Non-teaching time 12.4%
Student activity time 29.5%
Teaching time 58.1%
Non-teaching time 11.7%
Student activity time 39.4%
Teaching time 48.9%
Distribution of Class Time for Teaching Activities:
In Pri-E Class (58.1% of Total Class Time)
The major teaching activity: The teacher displayed student artifacts to the mobile device of every student group
Distribution of Class Time for Teaching Activities:
In Sec-E Class (48.9% of Total Class Time)
The major teaching activity: The teacher displayed student artifacts to the mobile device of every student group
Distribution of Class Time for Student Activities:
In Pri-E Class (29.5% of Total Class Time)
Student activity: The students discussed the solutions for worksheet completion
Distribution of Class Time for Student Activities:
In Sec-E Class (39.4% of Total Class Time)
Student activity: The students searched additional learning resources on the Internet for worksheet completion
Note of Pedagogical Context in Digital
Classrooms supported by Mobile Technology
There was a similar ratio of time use between teaching activities and student activities
Teachers were able to provide students with more opportunities to:
view learning artifacts by the classmates
access additional resources on the Internet
interact with peers and teachers for subject discussions
The use of mobile technology in digital classrooms could support both teacher-centered pedagogy and student-centered pedagogy in the classroom setting
Students’ Perceptions: Ease and Confidence in
Using Mobile Technology for Classroom Learning
There was no difficulty in the use of mobile devices for classroom learning
Most students were able to operate mobile devices on their own during the class activities
Students helped one another to use the unfamiliar functions of the mobile devices
Students were confident of using mobile devices for subject
learning in class
Students’ Perceptions: Autonomy and Interactivity in Digital Classrooms Using Mobile Technology
Students found more control over the learning process, because the use of mobile devices in class could support various class activities without teacher mediation:
information search
peer discussions
Students found more opportunities for interacting with peers, because they could:
walk around the classroom freely for peer discussions
take the displays of mobile devices as discussion references
group vote
problem-solving
Students’ Perceptions: Effectiveness and
Satisfaction in Learning with Mobile Technology
Students found it interesting and effective to learn subject matter with the use of mobile technology in class:
Greater impression of learning contents
More opportunities to share and discuss ideas with peers
More convenience in sharing materials
Greater flexibility in presenting ideas and exchanging feedback
Teachers’ Perceptions: Ease and Confidence in
Using Mobile Technology for Classroom Teaching
It was easy to operate the mobile devices
There was no technical problem in operating mobile devices
The classroom communication system sometimes had technical problems:
No display of screen captures to every mobile device in class
No response when any mobile device had technical problems
Teachers’ Perceptions: Autonomy and Interactivity in Digital Classrooms Using Mobile Technology
Students had more learning control. They were promoted to:
become more attentive and engaged in subject learning
take initiative in discussing learning problems with peers
complete extra learning tasks without teacher request
Teachers had more interactions with students. They were promoted to:
intensively observe each student
immediately give feedback to each student
timely provide tailor-made guidance for each student
Teachers’ Perceptions: Effectiveness and
Satisfaction in Teaching with Mobile Technology
The use of mobile devices in class could better support teachers’
work on addressing learning diversity and drawing learning attention
The clear representation of teaching contents could enhance
students’ impression of subject matter for knowledge generation
The convenient display of student works could trigger students’
reflection on knowledge understanding through peer observation
Teachers were satisfied with the outcomes brought about by the use of mobile devices in class, even though more time and effort were required for lesson preparation
Note of Perceptions of Digital Classrooms supported by Mobile Technology
The students and teachers in general positively perceived that:
It was easy to use mobile devices for learning and teaching in class
They were confident of using mobile devices in the classroom setting
Students had more control over learning in digital classrooms
Students had more interactions in learning in digital classrooms
The use of mobile devices was effective to support learning in class
They were satisfied with the educational use of mobile devices in class
Implications from the Two Case Studies
Three directions for using mobile technology in digital classrooms
Promoting learning interactivity in the classroom setting
Supporting student inquiry in the classroom setting
Realizing paradigm shift in the classroom setting
Direction 1: Using Mobile Technology to Promote Learning Interactivity in Digital Classrooms
In the two case studies, the teachers inclined to provide students with more class time for interacting with peers and teachers for subject learning
It is potential to use mobile technology in digital classrooms to
promote classroom-based interaction
enhance students’ communication in class
Direction 2: Using Mobile Technology to Support Student Inquiry in Digital Classrooms
In the two case studies, teachers inclined to spend more class time on interacting with students for individual guidance to complete inquiry learning in class
It is potential to use mobile technology in digital classrooms to
support inquiry-based pedagogy
enhance students’ engagement in learning
Direction 3: Using Mobile Technology to Realize Paradigm Shift in Digital Classrooms
In the two case studies, teachers inclined to arrange more learner-centered class activities for students to take control over the process of exploring subject matter
It is potential to use mobile technology in digital classrooms to
realize a shift to student-centered pedagogy
enhance students’ autonomy in learning
Conclusion
The experiences in the two case studies confirm that
using mobile devices in class can support student-centered pedagogy in digital classrooms
students and teachers were satisfied with the use of mobile devices in class for learning and teaching
The two case studies reveal that the use of mobile technology in digital classrooms is potential to promote student learning in school education
Future research should address an important trend in school education — deep learning through classroom-based dialogic interaction in digital classrooms
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