Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

Hi,

 Is typing taught in schools?
 
Many primary schools have had touch typing programmes for a long time (although it was hailed as a revolution on the news a few days ago). Whether or not they actually teach typing depends on the timetable and the motivation of the staff!!

Grace

Hi,
 
I am a Year 4 teacher in North West London. Ultimately, I'd love to use PDAs in the classroom, but for the meantime I'm making do with using my mobile and MP3 player!
I thought you might like to have a look. Here is a page from an ActivStudio (Promethean board) flipchart. I have re-inserted the sounds so you can hear, although in the real thing they are embedded in the words and move with them.
 
Context: 30 Year 4 pupils, 10 EAL, 5 SEN
Subject: Geography Unit 24, Passport to the World (Europe)
 
Lesson 1: In the introduction, I passed arounf the MP3 player and children said the name of a country they knew (circle time routine). NB This needed some prompting and refining of the term 'country'. Additional resources: postcards the children had sent during last summer.
 
Lesson 5: This slide shows a quick intro, a recall activity to remind children of learning in Lessons 2,3,4. Volunteers drag the word to the right place on the map using the pen. When the class agree the word is in the right place, they click the word to hear a classmate saying the name of the country.
 
I think the benefits are:
-EAL- linking word and sound
-assessment of prior knowledge
-linking to own experience
-recalling previous lessons
-motivating
 
Please let me know what you think, would be great to see other ideas....
Thanks,
Grace

Hi,

I am a Year 4 teacher, and we recently took 90 8-9 year olds to the British Museum. As well as encouraging the children to look at Egyptian artefacts (not just the secret doors in the library) I ended up chatting to one boy about gadgets. He said he would love to bring his mobile to take pictures and videos of the trip. I asked why he hadn't:
 "because we're not allowed Miss Sim" (with a suitably patronising expression)
   wishful thinking!

So just thought I'd add some evidence that, at a younger age, children would be motivated by using hand held devices. Mobiles still seem grown up to 8 year olds, whereas maybe by key stage 3 or older the novelty could have worn off for some pupils?

The reason we were talking about taking photos was the trip organiser did not want to take digital cameras off site, in case they got damaged (I took my own). Allowing pupils to use their own devices could side step this issue.

Just some thoughts,

Grace

Hi,
I agree that it could present a challenge when students are working with different technology.
There's a game that was suggested in the Speaking and Listening strand of the National Literacy Strategy that could help. It's called Jigsaw, and the idea is that you pose a question, and each group investigates a different aspect, in a different way. One person from each group then goes forward as a spokesperson and passes on what they found out. You keep going until hopefully everyone has had a change to be a spokesperson, and theoretically all the information has been shared!
Got it? Don't worry I realise it sounds a bit complicated!! So here's an example:
Detective Question: What was life like in Ancient Egypt?
Thought shower- class come up with 6 topics.
Group 1 use a PSP to investgate e.g.pyramids, passing it round so the can investigate different questions.
Group 2 use a handheld PDA...hieroglyphics
Group 3....books....mummies
Group 4...real artefacts....fashions
etc
After a set time (depending on age of students) ambassadors are sent to next group and so on.
This sort of arrangement would allow a variety of technology to be used. Outcomes could be recorded using an MP3 player/digital recorder and added to a class concept map e.g. 2Connect.

You could maybe have a day when students could bring in their devices, and if you use flexible grouping the total number of devices wouldn't be crucial.
Just an idea anyway, I'd be interested to hear what you think....!
Grace