Overview
MDDE 623: Introduction to Mobile Learning provides students with the opportunity to explore and experience firsthand the potential of mobile learning in a distance learning environment. the course provides an overview of mobile learning research, trends, and instructional design strategies for curriculum integration and professional development in a variety of learning and training contexts. It blends the theory and practice of m-learning as students experiment with mobile technology to engage in the course-related activities and analyse existing m-learning designs. A number of trends and issues relating to the real-world practice of m-learning are explored to help students make a critical evaluation of m-learning tools, strategies, and approaches. Once students have examined the pedagogy, technology, design and critical factors of m-learning, they progress to evaluate existing mobile learning artifacts and solutions to assess their effectiveness in addressing educational needs and performance problems. The course lays the foundations critical for m-learning practitioners and enthusiasts to understand, create, facilitate, and implement mobile learning.
Outline
The course consists of six units:
- Unit 1: Definitions, key notions and technologies of mobile learning.
- Unit 2: The real-world application of mobile learning.
- Unit 3: The roles and uses of technology in mobile teaching and learning.
- Unit 4: Mobile learning at a distance.
- Unit 5: Introduction to instructional design for mobile learning.
- Unit 6: Mobile learning case studies.
Learning outcomes
The course is designed for student to achieve the following goals:
- Evaluate the potential of mobile learning in distance education by critically analyzing current research on mobile learning affordances and challenges.
- Critically evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of existing mobile learning solutions, including strategies, technologies, and materials in the students' own educational environments or in case studies.
- Identify educational contexts for which mobile learning is an appropriate learning approach and describe m-learning strategies and technologies that should be applied in these particular contexts.
- Develop effective m-learning instructional strategies that integrate existing learning and teaching theories and/or approaches while recognizing the pedagogical nuances of mobile learning.
- Analyze the ethical implications of m-learning design and curriculum integration choices in distance education contexts.
- Synthesize a variety of instructional design frameworks and/or models and describe their application in a mobile learning instructional design context.
- Discuss common criticisms and controversies related to the adaptation of mobile learning.
- Select appropriate mobile learning technologies for individual mobile learning contexts.
Materials
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Ally, M. (Ed.) (2009). Mobile learning transforming the delivery of education and training. Athabasca, Alberta: Athabasca University Press.
Ally, M. & Tsinakos, A. (2014). Perspectives on open and distance learning: Increasing access through mobile learning. Vancouver, BC: Commonwealth of Learning.
Palalas, A., & Ally, M. (Eds.) (2016). The International Handbook of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning. Beijing, China: China Central Radio & TV University Press.
Tsinakos, A., & Ally, M. (Eds.) (2013). Global mobile learning implementations and trends. China Central Radio & TV University Press, Beijing China.
Other Materials
Online Study Guide and Readings.