Mobile learning is increasing student motivation and academic achievement. Studies show test scores are higher when students have access to mobile devices. Mobile learning gives students greater choice in how and when they learn, improving their intrinsic motivation. The presentation discusses how mobile learning increases student autonomy, competence, and relatedness based on self-determination theory. It provides examples of how a teacher implements mobile learning in her classroom by allowing student choice and voice in topics and assignments. Students are more engaged when they can learn in ways that interest them using mobile devices.

1. Mobile learning and
the student success
imperative

2. 2
Mobile learning and
the student success
imperative
Studies show that test results are higher
in classes where students have access to
mobile devices. As a result, mobile learning is
on the rise, growing by 18.2% a year around
the globe. Mobile learning enables schools
and teachers to offer students greater
choice in how and when they learn, which
has a direct impact on students’ intrinsic
motivation. This presentation looks at how
you can use mobile learning to increase
student motivation – and results.
The most important benefit of mobile learning is the ability to
increase students’ intrinsic motivation for their work.
Theory
The link between mobile learning
and increased intrinsic motivation
User story
Using mobile learning in a real
classroom situation
Voice & choice
Five quick ways to increase
motivation with itslearning
School leaders
For school leaders who want to
implement mobile learning at their
school
This presentation includes:

3. Theory
The link between mobile
learning and increased intrinsic
motivation
Research has established that intrinsic motivation has a
positive effect on learning and academic achievement.
Students who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to
engage in tasks willingly and are keener to improve their skills.
Theory 3

4. Theory
How can mobile learning
increase intrinsic motivation?
Intrinsic motivation is driven by interest or enjoyment
in the task itself. Through the combination of mobile
devices and a learning platform, you can increase
intrinsic motivation by giving students a voice in what
they learn and a choice in how they demonstrate their
understanding.
When completing a creative writing assignment, for example, you can encourage
your students to choose how to submit their final work: as a video, audio file, written
text or even a cartoon. In this context, the mobile device enables the students to
work in a format they enjoy and at a time that suits them. The learning platform
enables you to easily manage this work, by giving you a digital tool to collect and
review the assignments. In addition, you can make feedback available though the
learning platform immediately after you have reviewed the work, giving students
more time to revise their work before final submission.
4Theory

5. Theory
Autonomy, competence and
relatedness
Perhaps the most well-known research on intrinsic motivation was completed by Edward
Deci and Richard Ryan. Deci and Ryan created the Self Determination Theory, in which
they identified three intrinsic motivators: autonomy, competence and relatedness.
Educators increasingly agree that when these three criteria are satisfied, students succeed
in higher-quality learning. In this whitepaper, we will look at a number of ways in which you
can use mobile learning to increase student autonomy, competence and relatedness.
Theory 5

6. 6Theory
Mobile learning is
growing globally by
per year
18.2%

7. 7
What is mobile learning?
What is mobile learning?
It’s hard to define something that changes all the time,
but for the purpose of this paper, we have chosen this
definition of mobile learning by Crompton, Muilenburg,
and Berge.
Mobile learning is learning
across multiple contexts,
through social and content
interactions, using personal
electronic devices”
Studies show that
standardised test results
are higher in classes where
students have access to
mobile devices. In the US,
test scores of low-income
students climbed as much as
30 percent after being given
access to smartphones.
http://goo.gl/0kICAh

8. What is mobile learning?
Mastery + Autonomy = Motivation
Dan Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates
Us, says the secret to high performance and satisfaction at school is
the deeply human need to direct our own lives and learn and create
new things. He illustrates his point brilliantly in his short animated
video.
What is mobile learning? 8
https://youtu.be/u6XAPnuFjJc?t=14s

9. 9What is mobile learning?
30%
Standardised test
results have risen by
when using mobile
devices

10. 10
User story
User story
English Teacher
Ann Michaelsen’s
mobile learning
approach
creates a ‘digitally
rich’ learning
environment where students
drive the learning process and
make their own discoveries rather
than being spoon-fed information.
“One of the greatest gifts we can give our
students is the opportunity to create their own
education instead of having it delivered to them,”
says Ann. “With the teacher as an expert and
guide, students can learn how to take ownership
of the content and get a better sense of what
needs to be done.”
The international high school where Ann works
operates a one-to-one policy, in which every
student is provided with a tablet. The school
uses the itslearning learning platform to manage
student and teacher work. Ann takes advantage
of these tools to increase her students’
motivation by enabling them to pursue their own
interests within a subject and conduct their own
research.
Giving students a choice in how
they learn, to increase motivation
English Teacher Ann Michaelsen|

11. 11
User story
User story
Ann’s simple three-step
approach to teaching
Students submit their
assignments, are
tested and receive
their grades on
itslearning.
The students choose
a topic related to the
curriculum goals and
then research the
topic.
Ann makes the
curriculum goals
available on the
itslearning course
dashboard.
English Teacher Ann Michaelsen|

12. User story
As seen on BBC TV
Ann and her class wrote
a 200-page book called
Connected Learners: a Step-
by-Step Guide to Creating a
Global Classroom in 2012.
Available as an e-book on
Amazon, it is the first book
dealing with the digital
classroom from a student’s
perspective. It discusses the
use of blogs, gamification,
cloud-based servers, Twitter,
Skype, Facebook and search
engines in the classroom.
Ann can clearly see a link between
student choice and student motivation.
“With this approach, a lot more students
are working hard because they have
chosen their topics and something they
like to work on.”
As one of her students puts it:
“It’s more up to us now. We get a theme
and can choose what we want to write
about within that theme. We’re more
motivated when we choose for ourselves.
Then we really put our hearts into it.”
Ann’s teaching practice got the attention
of the BBC, who came to visit and film her
class.
English Teacher Ann Michaelsen|
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/26689320

13. Building real
connections with blogs
Today’s students use social media to connect and interact with
peers. Ann puts blogging into a pedagogical context by using
blogs to enable her students to get feedback on their work, not just
from her, but from students and teachers across the globe. She
encourages her students to write blog posts about their work, and
asks teachers and students from schools in Lesotho, China and
North America to add comments – and vice versa.
TOP TIP
Blogs don’t just have to contain writing. They can also include
different types of work, from video and audio files to presentations.
English Teacher Ann Michaelsen|User story

14. Five quick ways to
increase student
motivation with
itslearning
Mobile learning does not require a
one-to-one device policy. There are
many ways you can implement mobile
learning through the use of itslearning
and home computers or computer labs.
On the following pages, you can find five
techniques that you could start using
today.
Voice & choice 14
Voice & choice

15. 15
Voice & choice
Voice & choice
Using Groups to allow students
to focus on what interests them
most
Explain that you want
your students to teach
a topic within a subject
to the rest of the class.
(For example, if you are
teaching about Brazil,
the topics could include
history, geography, the
political system, etc.)
Use the Group function
in itslearning to create
a Group for each topic
and assign students to
a Group based on what
topic they are most
interested in.
Create a folder for each
Group that only you and
the Group can edit. Ask
the Group to find and
create their teaching
materials and add them
to the folder.
When the Group is
ready, they use the
materials in the folder
to teach the topic to the
rest of the class.
Students are more likely to engage in their learning if the subject is related to their interests.
Using Groups within itslearning enables you to provide a wider range of topics for students to
choose from.
Technique #1|
TOP TIP
If you are not sure which
topics to include, create
a survey in itslearning
with possible topics and
see which are the most
popular among your
students.

16. 16
Voice & choice
Voice & choice
Using ILPs for self-
assessment, competence
building and reflection
Students like to know where they stand and what they should do to make progress.
Here’s one way to use Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) in itslearning to increase
motivation by involving the student (and their parents) more deeply in this.
As the student works
on the task, go into the
ILP and give feedback.
Encourage the student to
assess their progress as
they move towards their
goals.
Create an ILP for the student
and add skills related to the
curriculum. Ask the student
to assess their current skills,
and provide a task with clear
goals that will help them
improve those skills.
Technique #2|
TOP TIP
You can give the
student’s parents
access to the ILP so
they can also assess
progress and add
comments.

17. Voice & choice
17Voice & choice
Using discussion boards for
peer assessment
Students like to get feedback on what they have done, especially if they can then use that
feedback to improve. This type of formative assessment is usually done by the teacher. Here’s
one way to widen the feedback to include the student’s peers.
Ask the student to complete
a task and post the result of
their work on a discussion
forum.
Ask another student in
the class to go into the
discussion and give
encouraging feedback.
The first student can then
have another go at the task,
incorporating the feedback
they have received.
Technique #3|
TOP TIP
Discussion forums
should be monitored
closely to ensure
feedback is positive
and constructive.

18. 18
Voice & choice
Voice & choice
Using the itslearning App for more
effective assessment for learning
Students respond better to feedback if it comes quickly after the
work is handed in. The itslearning App allows you to speed up the
assessment for learning process by delivering assessment feedback
to students between classes.
With itslearning, you can assess your students’
work anywhere and at any time. Give feedback
on how the student can improve their work and
ask them to make the changes before the final
deadline.
Once the assessment is completed, the student
will be notified immediately by the itslearning
Mobile App on their smart phone. They can
then review your feedback, make the required
changes and upload a new version of the work.
Technique #4|
WWW.ITSLEARNING.NET/ITSLEARNING-APP

19. 19
Voice & choice
Voice & choice
Using surveys to
personalise class work
Teachers often use examples to create a bridge between school
work and the wider world. But often, these wider world examples
are still not related to the student. One way to change that is to
use surveys to get general information from the class. In this
example, the students are practicing how to work out mean, mode
and medium averages, but it can be applied to a range of topics.
78%
Check grades
69%
Take notes
56%
Access textbooks
64%
Write papers
1. Create a survey to get your initial numbers. (For
example, “how many trees are there in your garden?”)
Ask the students to complete the survey.
2. Give the results of the survey to the students and ask
them to work out the mean, mode and medium average.
Technique #5|
Today’s middle schoolers use mobile devices for many tasks:
TOP TIP
Ask groups of students
to work out the averages
for different surveys, and
then ask each group to
present their findings to
the rest of the class.

20. 20
Download the
itslearning
App
The itslearning Smart Phone App is the smartest
way to ensure every student knows what they have
to do and when. The app gives students a simple
overview of their tasks, homework and assessment
on the device they look at most – and notifies them
of changes in itslearning, such as new assignments
and upcoming deadlines.
For teachers, the real beauty of the itslearning app
is that you don’t have to do anything differently. If
you make a change in itslearning, the student will be
alerted automatically.
It’s that easy!
WWW.ITSLEARNING.NET/ITSLEARNING-APP

21. 21
Mobile learning | What tool to choose?
As a central hub from which
to direct digital education, the
itslearning platform helps you
guide your students’ learning,
collect their work and assess
their progress, and manage
assessment and feedback.
The internet is massive, devices
are numerous and content is
everywhere. itslearning lets you
harness the potential of these tools
and manage your teaching in a
simple and smart way.
Here’s a quick overview of
which tools can be used to
increase your students’ intrinsic
motivation, focusing on autonomy,
competence and relatedness.
Autonomy:
“I am choosing to
do this”
Giving students the
freedom to choose topics
that interest them and
demonstrate their learning
in ways they enjoy.
Giving students differentiated
material: Folders, Assignments,
Groups
Enabling students to choose how
they demonstrate their learning:
Audio/video recorder , Pages ,
Surveys , Crossword puzzles
Letting students set and assess
their own learning goals and voice
their learning preferences: Individual
Learning Plans, Surveys
Competence:
“I’m getting better
at this”
Increasing motivation by
helping students feel that
they are making progress
and mastering topics.
Timely, actionable feedback that
promotes a feeling of mastery and
incorporates assessment for learning:
Assignments , Discussion boards ,
Chats , Email , Audio/Visual recorder ,
Mobile App
Helping students feel in control by
letting them know where they are
and what they should do to improve:
Learning objectives , Rubrics
Progress reports , Digital tests
Relatedness:
“My schoolwork is
relevant”
Motivating students by
doing work that is relevant
to their fellow students and
the world beyond school.
Enabling students to connect with
others: Discussion boards , Blogs ,
Chats , eportfolios

22. 22School Leaders
School leaders
How to implement mobile
learning at your school
Mobile learning has huge benefits. Here are four things to keep in mind
when implementing mobile learning at your school.
Concentrate on the
basics first
Every student wants
to know what they are
supposed to do and
when. Encourage all your
teachers to use simple
tools in itslearning – like
the calendar, planner and
tasklists – to ensure their
students always have all the
information they need.
Define some
guidelines
No-one likes to feel they
have to be online all
the time. This applies
to students as well as
teachers. Define guidelines
for when teachers should
be available online outside
classroom hours and make
these clear to both your
teachers and your students.
Set out your
strategy
Before you start, decide
what you want to achieve
and how you will measure
success. For example,
decide if you want every
teacher in every class using
mobile learning or just those
teachers in subjects where
mobile learning can have
the most benefits.
Think pedagogy, not
what device
Mobile learning is not device
specific. It can happen on
a laptop, home computer,
tablet or even mobile
phone. If your students
don’t have access to these
things, allow them to use
the computer lab at school
when they are not in class.

23. 23School Leaders
+75%
35% of teachers used a tablet or
e-reader in class in 2013, up from
20% in 2012.
That’s a 75% increase.

24. itslearning is mobile
Learn Everywhere
The itslearning Mobile App gives students a simple overview of
their schoolwork on the device they look at most and sends a
notification when a teacher makes a change in itslearning. The
result? Students always know what they have to do and when
to do it.
itslearning is mobile 24itslearning is mobile 24
https://vimeo.com/125571081

25. 25References and further reading
1. C.R. Smith (2014) “Extrinsic Motivation”. Person Allyn Bacon Prentice
Hall www.education.com/reference/article/extrinsic-motivation-children-
education/
2. Ryan, R. M.; Deci, E. L. (2000). “Self-determination theory and the
facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being”.
American Psychologist 55 (1) doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68.
3. educationnext.org/steve-jobs-on-education/
4. Avi Kaplan (2010). “Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation”
www.education.com/reference/article/intrinsic-and-extrinsic-motivation/
5. www.ejtn.eu/Documents/Motivation_workplace_Otilia.pdf
6. www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198710_brophy.pdf
7. theconversation.com/do-mobile-devices-in-the-classroom-really-improve-
learning-outcomes-38740
8. www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/intrinsic-motivation/
9. http://www.danpink.com/drive/
10. http://educationnext.org/steve-jobs-on-education/
11. www.rochester.edu/pr/Review/V72N6/0401_feature1.html (Deci and
Ryan)
12. http://www.jite.org/documents/Vol8/JITEv8p059-085Shroff416.pdf
13. Wang, S. K., & Reeves, T. (2006).
The Effects of a Web-Based Learning Environment on Student Motivation
in a High School Earth Science Course. Educational
14. Technology Research & Development, 54(6), 597-621.
15. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2002).
An overview of self-determination theory. In E. L.
16. Deci & R. M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of self-determination research.
Rochester, NY:
17. University of Rochester Press.
18. www.elearningindustry.com/motivate-learners-self-determination-theory-
e-learning
19. www.expandinglearning.org/expandingminds/article/rise-any-time-any-
place-any-path-any-pace-learning-afterschool-and-summer-new
20. www.gamified.uk/gamification-framework/the-intrinsic-motivation-ramp/
21. Connectedlearners.com
22. www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/26689320
23. ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/10/05/should-kids-schoolwork-impact-the-
real-world/
24. ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/01/18/dan-pink-how-teachers-can-sell-love-
of-learning-to-students/
25. www.edutopia.org/discussion/what-does-21st-century-classroom-look-
collaboration?utm_content=discussion&utm_campaign=what-does-
21st-century-classroom-look-collaboration&utm_source=twitter&utm_
medium=socialflow&utm_term=link
26. https://books.google.no/books?id=mW4XnKr9Hi0C
References and further reading

26. For more information about itslearning please visit:
www.itslearning.net