This document summarizes findings from a module that utilized mobile technologies to enhance learning. It found that mobile devices increased connectivity, helped form an online learning community, and encouraged peer collaboration. However, it also presented challenges in using personal devices for learning, technological barriers, and issues adjusting expectations around social media use. The document shares stories from participants on using apps and social media innovatively for teaching, and reflects on implications for transforming curriculum through new technologies.

1. a module
in our pocket
Chrissi Nerantzi
@chrissinerantzi
Liz Hannaford
@lizhannaford

2. Higher Education: Our metaphors
• Think >draw/write/make
• Swap
• Discuss
• Reflect

3. Universities are spaces to....
• sustain conversations
• shape the future of human life
• stimulate innovation
• shape new structures of and for learning
• shape new pedagogies
from ECEL2011 keynote by Prof. Anne Boddington, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of
Brighton

4. freedom
opening-up
the
participatory
web
innovation
universities are the people!
image with crowd, students

5. students&teachers

6. What does this tell us?

7. Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP)
• the programme
• blended
• core and optional modules
• multi-disciplinary
• Teaching qualification in HE
• accreditation HEA, NMC
• greenhouse for active
experimentation

8. Stories in a story

9. A question to a new
academic: What do
you love about your
job?

10. access on the go: LTHE site
http://learningandteachinghe.wordpress.com/

11. Discussing and supporting: Google +
https://plus.google.com/communities/112186086573392653278

12. Capturing learning: PGCAP portfolios

13. Sharing and connecting: tweet-tweet
https://twitter.com/pgcap

14. Visual learning: YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/pgcapsalford/videos

15. 4 stories
plus 1
• new to downloading apps
• Socrative app > the ‘quiz’
term was problematic
• Game worked better,
increased engagement
• also used to collect student
feedback on teaching
• experienced with digital technologies
• media-rich learning using WordPress on
the go
• ‘always on’ > support network
(commenting and feedback)
• community formation
• Collaborative content creation
• Twitter to connect with each other, information
exchange
• speedy connection via smart devices
• valued connections with the wider community and
more experienced colleagues
• organising Twitterchats using hashtags with own
students, student-led!!!
• Students were apprehensive about using Twitter for
their learning
• YouTube and video creation to catch up
• Nadine stated: “Social media fostered inclusivity”
• had a Twitter
account before
joining
• Twitter >
communication
with students
• students relactant
to respond/share
• introduced
Facebook group >
observed more
exchange
Juliette @juliettephd
Neil @asbo_allstar
Nadine @neddy4291
Gemma @gemmalace

16. Juliette’s story @juliettephd
• new to downloading apps
• Socrative app > the ‘quiz’ term was problematic
• Game worked better, increased engagement
• also used to collect student feedback on teaching

17. Neil’s story @asbo_allstar
• experienced with digital technologies
• media-rich learning using WordPress on the go
• ‘always on’ > support network (commenting and feedback)
• community formation
• Collaborative content creation

18. Nadine’s story @neddy4291
• Twitter to connect with each other, information exchange
• speedy connection via smart devices
• valued connections with the wider community and more experienced colleagues
• organising Twitterchats using hashtags with own students, student-led!!!
• Students were apprehensive about using Twitter for their learning
• YouTube and video creation to catch up
• Nadine stated: “Social media fostered inclusivity”

19. Gemma’s story @gemmalace
• had a Twitter account before joining
• Twitter > communication with students
• students relactant to respond/share
• introduced Facebook group > observed more exchange

20. thinking with our hands 1/2
Smart innovation
Task 1 (3 mins): Use up to 10 LEGO®
bricks to create a model of an idea
about how you could teach/learn
smarter (individually)

21. Liz’s story @lizhannaford

22. Journalism – Digital and Mobile
@LizHannaford

25. What’s the Story

26. thinking with our hands 2/2
Smart innovation
Task2 (5 mins): Share the LEGO®
model you created previously with
others. Listen to their stories! (groups
of 4-6)
Task 3 (2 mins): Reflect and revisit
your model. Finalise your idea.
(individually)

27. A module in our pocket, findings
Benefits
• Increased connectivity and connectedness
• Helped the formation of a learning community
• Students’ opened up more, shared more
• Peer-to-peer support, learning and collaboration increased
• Increased curiosity to explore and actively experiment
• Resourceful use of existing technologies
• Teaching practices started changing
Challenges
• Using own devices for Learning and Teaching new concept
• Technological barriers
• Support issues
• Mismatch of expectations
• Social media addiction?

28. “We need to stop seeing the curriculum as a
predictable, ordered and manageable space, but
instead review it as an important site of
transformation characterised by risk and
uncertainty”
Prof. Maggi Savin-Baden, Prof of Higher Education Research,
Coventry University, 2011 ECEL2011 contribution

29. a module
in our pocket

30. join open FDOL at http://fdol.wordpress.com/
an open
course in
your
pocket

31. www.oer14.org Great
opportunity

32. References
Anderson, T. and Elloumi, F. (2004) ‘Introduction’, in: Anderson, T. and Elloumi
(eds.) Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Canada: Athabasca
University, pp. xii-xxiv.
Goldstein, S. R. (1976) The asserted constitutional right of public school
teachers to determine what they teach, University of Pennsylvania Law
Review, 124, 1293-357.
Metzger, W. (1987) ‘Profession and constitution: two definitions of academic
freefom in America’, Texas Law Review, 1265-322.
Nerantzi, C, Wilson, J, Munro, N, Lace-Costigan, G and Currie N (submitted)
Warning! Modelling effective mobile learning is infectious, an example
from Higher Education, UCISA.
Wiley, D. and Hilton, J. (2009) Openness, Dynamic Specialization, and the
Disaggregated Future of Higher Education, in: International Review of
Research in Open and Distance Learning, Volume 10, Number 5, 2009, pp.
1-16., available at
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/768 [accessed 25
February 2013]

33. contact us!
Chrissi Nerantzi: @chrissinerantzi
Liz Hannaford: @lizhannaford