Mobile Learning: Resource Roundup

Mobile Phones: Classroom Tool or Invasive Nuisance?

• A Mobile Dilemma, by Tom Whitby (2014)

  With mobile devices, including cell phones, an irrevocable part of kids' lives, Whitby suggests that teachers need to become mobile-savvy as well if they hope to adequately prepare their students for success in the 21st century.

• Accessing Multimedia Using QR Codes, by Monica Burns (2014)

  QR codes, an exciting medium for kids learning how to use mobile devices, including smartphones, are a natural tool for linking students to resources you want them to find. For more from Burns about using QR codes with parents, you may also want to read "Using Scannable Technology to Reach Parents Year Round."

• Is the Cell Phone the New Pencil? by Jeff Grabill (2012)

  Writing professor and researcher Grabill discusses a Michigan State University study which suggests that, although students spend much of their day with cell phone in hand, their "writing lives" are blossoming.

• Mobile Learning Support for New Teachers, by Lisa Dabbs (2012)

  With an emphasis on cell phones, Dabbs offers a few good resources for new teachers interested in bringing mobile learning to their classrooms.

Books of the Future -- Kindles, Nooks, and other E-Readers

• The E-Book’s The Thing, by Suzie Boss (2014)

  Boss shares how a new generation of e-books give opportunities for students to engage with texts and the additional resources they often offer.

• Swipe, Tap, Flick and . . . Read? Research on Children and E-Books, by Sarah Vaala (2012)

  As more and more schools strive to put an iPad in students' hands, we're still studying how e-books affect learners. Here's a look at some current research on the subject.

• How My School Is Transitioning to Digital Textbooks, by Andrew Marcinek (2011)

  Marcinek, an instructional technology specialist, summarizes his school's transition to e-books in this five-part series.

• A Primer on Interactive Books, by Laura Fleming (2010)

  School librarian Fleming touches on the basics of interactive e-books.

• Can Electronic Reading Devices Replace Classroom Texts? by Owen Edwards (updated 2009)

  Will the next generation of learners be working and reading strictly on e-readers? Edwards makes the case that it seems unlikely.

Tablets in the Classroom

• The First 5s With iPads, by Beth Holland (2014)

  When introducing new technology in a 1:1 classroom, consider breaking the lessons and tasks into small increments with easily measurable products and goals.

• iPad Be Nimble, iPad Be Quick, by Matt Levinson (2014)

  Levinson explains how iPads can accelerate student workflow, why they're not replacements for laptops, and ways in which they can serve a wider range of learners, learning styles, and modalities.

• Options Increase as Google Enters the Educational Market, by Andrew Marcinek (2014)

  Marcinek offers a technology director's perspective of Google as an emerging player in the ed tech market and the expanded options it brings to his district's 1:1 program.

• 6 Things We Know for Sure With iPads in School, by Jennifer Krzystowczyk (2013)

  Krzystowczyk, an Apple Certified Trainer, shares the six proven benefits of district-wide iPad integration in Bellevue, Nebraska.

• iPads: From Pedagogical Crutch to Education Innovation, by Beth Holland (2013)

  Holland of EdTechTeacher compares classroom use of the iPad to walking with a crutch -- in the best possible way. She demonstrates how this versatile tech tool lends itself to support, access, and mobility.

Mobile Apps for Learning

• Using iPads in Grades K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12, by Monica Burns (2014)

  Looking for advice on integrating iPads in classrooms? In these curated guides, Burns has compiled resources to help you find apps, learn about best practices, and explore ideas for engaging activities.

• Android Apps: Math, ELA, and Video Streaming, by Monica Burns (2014)

  Burns, recognizing that not all mobile users have iPhones, focuses on attention-grabbing Android apps for elementary and middle grades math and ELA, along with resources for streaming quality video content.

• 5 Apps for Making Movies on Mobile Devices, by Monica Burns (2014)

  Burns reviews five movie-making apps for iOS devices and Android tablets, highlighting their no-to-low cost, ease of use, and the wide range of professional-looking products that students can create.

• Top 5 iPad Apps for Teaching Across All Content Areas, by Andrew Marcinek (2013)

  Marcinek describes the versatility of his five favorite iPad apps and makes a case for using them to replace the dreaded back-to-school shopping list.

• Apps for Note-Taking With iPads, by Beth Holland (2013)

  Holland of EdTechTeacher explains how taking in-class notes with iPads can address a wide variety of learning styles and help students make deeper connections with the material.

• Create Engaging Presentations With Free iPad Apps, by Monica Burns (2013)

  Burns recommends some of her favorite free iPad apps that help teachers and students create engaging presentations.

Bring Your Own (Mobile) Device (BYOD)

• The Epic BYOD Toolchest (51 Tools You Can Use Now), by Vicki Davis (2014)

  Davis shares a wealth of apps and platforms that can facilitate teaching and maximize learning within a BYOD classroom and school environment. She counts 51, and these are just her favorites! Also check out her "20 Awesome BYOD and Mobile Learning Apps."

• Why BYOD Makes Sense: Thinking Beyond a Standardized 1:1, by Andrew Marcinek (2014)

  Marcinek, a technology director who's launched 1:1 programs in two school districts, suggests that BYOD may be a more realistic strategy for digital learning in the classroom.

• 6 BYOD Discussions Every School Should Have, by Vicki Davis (2014)

  Davis, drawing on the lessons of her school's first half-year with a BYOD program, suggests six talking points for any school planning or fine-tuning its own BYOD environment.

• Do BYOD Programs Encourage Bullying? by Albert Roberts (2013)

  Roberts, while generally supportive of BYOD programs, looks at potential problems with this approach and offers a few ways to address them.

• Challenging the Model of 1:1 With BYOD, by Amanda Paquette (2012)

  Paquette describes how her school district is blending the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and 1:1 classroom technology models to meet students' needs.

More Resources From Edutopia

• Teaching the Essential Skills of the Mobile Classroom, by Beth Holland (2014)

  Holland examines how we can effectively teach four essential skills -- communication, collaboration, connection and creation -- in a classroom where mobile devices are increasingly reflecting how students think and learn.

• Creating a "Least Restrictive Environment" With Mobile Devices, by Beth Holland (2014)

  Holland of EdTechTeacher looks at how mobile devices can help create a 'least restrictive environment' not only for students with disabilities, but for everyone else as well.

• Backchannel: Giving Every Student a Voice in the Blended Mobile Classroom, by Beth Holland (2014)

  Holland introduces the backchannel as a tech integration strategy for keeping students engaged in the classroom -- all students, not just the ones who are always raising their hands or speaking out.

• Five-Minute Film Festival: Mobile Learning, by Amy Erin Borovoy (2013)

  Intrigued by the idea of using mobile devices for instructional purposes in the classroom? This playlist from VideoAmy will give you some tips and insights into the challenges and the promise of mobile learning.

Additional Resources on the Web

BYOD: Bring Your Own (Mobile) Device

• #BYOD, #BYOT, and #BYOTChat on Twitter
• #BYOD Gurus Engage in #BYOTchat About Equity + Access, from The Innovative Educator (2014)
• "Bring Your Own Device and the Digital Divide," by Anya Kamenetz, Digital/Edu, The Hechinger Report (2013)
• "An Idea Whose Time Has Come," by Eric Sheninger,  Huffington Post (2012)
• "B.Y.O.D -- Questions to Consider," by Pamela Livingston, The Innovative Educator (2012)
• "7 Myths of BYOD Debunked," by Lisa Nielsen, THE Journal (2011)
• BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) Resources, from Forsyth County Schools

Other Mobile Learning Resources

• #MobileLearning on Twitter
• Edutopia's Mobile Classroom pinboard on Pinterest
• App Reviews, from Graphite, a service from Common Sense Education
• Mobile Learning for Administrators, from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)
• "Mobile Learning Technologies for 21st Century Classrooms," by Jonathan Wylie, Scholastic
• "5 Essential Insights About Mobile Learning," by Katrina Schwartz, from KQED's MindShift (2014)
• "iPads in Special Ed: What Does the Research Say?" by Anya Kamenetz, nprEd (2014)
• "The Powerful Computer in Your Pocket: Using Smartphones in the Classroom," by Jody Passanisi, Shara Peters, Education Week Teacher (2013)
• "How Teachers are Hacking Their Own Digital Textbooks," by Anthony DiLaura, Edudemic (2013)
• "10 Tips for Kindle in the Classroom," by Brian Friedlander, GettingSmart.com (2012)