This document summarizes research on the use of mobile devices for learning. It discusses trends showing increasing adoption of tablets and smartphones. Case studies are presented on using iPads for distance learning programs in criminology and education, as well as for fieldwork in archaeology and museum studies. Benefits identified include improved access to materials, motivation, and flexibility. Challenges discussed include the need for mobile digital literacy training. The document concludes by predicting further mainstreaming of mobile learning and emphasizing the importance of offline access.

1. Mobile Learning in the 21st Century:
Leicester and Beyond
Terese Bird
Learning Technologist and
Photo of student Ibrahim studying
during patrol coffee break
SCORE Research Fellow
University of Leicester
C@N-DO Event, University of Northampton, 5 December, 2013
www.le.ac.uk

2. What will we talk about?
• Where are we with mobile learning?
• War Zones – one-iPad-per-distanceCriminology-Masters-student
• Mummies, Pompeii, and
Management – roundup of tablet
use other than one iPad per
• Medical iPads – one-iPad-perundergrad-Medical Student
• And beyond…
Photo by Barbara
Willi on Flickr

3. Where are we with mobile learning?
Affordances: ubiquitous, flexible, student-owned,
personal, networked, situated, fast bootup, 24/7 life,
less paper, capture the moment, ‘student-teacher
eye contact,’ augmented reality, GPS
Trends in 2013 (shipments)
• PCs: down 10.6%
• Tablets: up 67.9%
• Mobile phones: up 4.3%
• Globally about 20% internet traffic is from
mobile; in India, 61%
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2525515

4. My take-home lessons from mobile learning
• Must not assume students know how to use mobile for learning
• Include mobile in learning design
• Suggest and help students use mobiles for learning (‘mobile
learning literacy’)
• Give students a place (discussion board) to share tips and describe
problems
• Wifi in all teaching rooms
• Flexibility, not demand
• ‘Mobile learning’ becoming
just ‘learning’

5. Suggest academic use of mobile devices
• electronic reading and note-taking -pdf, epub Notability
• sharing resources with others, curating, discussing Twitter, Scoop.it
• word-processing on device - Pages
• working with cloud storage - Dropbox
• web reading offline - Instapaper, Flipboard, simple screenshot
• capturing live event by sound plus notes - Audiotorium
• consuming, collecting, storing multimedia learning material – iTunes U
• Connecting with VLE – Blackboard MobileLearn
•
videoconferencing with other students and tutors – Adobe Connect, Skype,
Puffin Browser
• brain-storming, spider-diagramming - iThoughts, SimpleMind

6. War Zones:
MSc in Security, Conflict and International Development,
Department of Criminology
and Masters International Education, School of Education
Photo by The USO on Flickr

7. Two masters distance learning courses with iPads
http://www.le.ac.uk/places-mlearn
Course
Learning
Design
Student Number Course
Location of
material
students
iPad
instruction
Digital
Literacy
Criminology
Security,
Conflict, &
International
Development
Group 1st
attended 7Cs
Learning
Design
workshop
http://tinyurl.
com/
yf2mwcj
Conflict
zones
(Iraq,
Sudan,
Nigeria)
18 per
cohort,
2 intakes
per year
Professional
course app
‘SCID’,
Blackboard,
Amazon
books
(vouchers)
Helpsheet:
How to
download
course app,
top 10 apps to
use
Education
International
Education
One Education
academic did
all
Anywhere
(Canada,
Korea)
10 first
cohort
Instructorcreated
ebook
distributed
by iTunes U,
Bbd
Emails and
instructions to
get ebook

8. Nie, 2013

11. • “The course App is easily accessed , it is pre
structured and organised. I find it a logical
progression and a great guide to complete a unit by
using the course app. If it was not available I would
use the blackboard as opposed to print, again as it
easier to access view. I travel quite a lot for work
making the use of Ipad ideal”
• “I much prefer reading from paper than from
computers. app is no.2 because it is so immediate
and easy to use. ”

12. • “The Application is the best to use. Except for the
need for wifi or internet connection: PLEASE
download everything to the app: we are not allowed
to have wifi and it is very difficult to access youtube
etc. in here. “

13. How has the iPad and Course App changed the way you
study?
“Firstly I am more motivated, as it is structured and
organised. I am getting through more than I would if
I was solely given a recommended reading list.”
“It has enabled me to read the material without
carrying a bundle of books and is very good for
studying at work during free time. “
“Mind-mapping app”

14. How has the iPad and Course App changed the way you
study?
“More use of multimedia in studying. Use of other
methods such as mind map and good reader type
apps. Ability to tailor to your preferred study
method. Everything in one place (ie no piles of
paper).”
“I love the fact it is mobile, as I am constantly on the
move. Travelling with books would be unrealistic. “

15. Pompeii:
Porta Stabia project
(director Steven Ellis,
University of Cincinnati)
Quadriporticus Project
(director Eric Poehler,
Umass, and Steven Ellis,
University of Cincinnati)
Photos courtesy of Nick Ray

16. Mummies:
Windows tablets at Museum Studies
Photo by University of Leicester

17. BYOD Distance Learning:
School of Management
http://tinyurl.com/byodmanage
Photo by University of Leicester

18. School of Medicine: one iPad per student
Apple Education website (Apple, 2011)

19. iPads in Medicine
• Paperlessness
• Notability app
• 10% requested paper at
first
• At first, 30-50% brought
iPads to seminars; after
6 weeks, close to 100%
bring iPads
• ‘Culture clash’ in
interdisciplinary classes
Photo by University of Michigan MSIS

20. And beyond…

21. ePub on Android
Powerpoint video on
non-smartphone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2nHBaw4l0U
Facebook Secret Group as a VLE

22. Predictions
• More simple BYOD use – i.e. lecture voting, SMS,
email to blog
• Institution-provided devices solves problems
• Improved VLE mobile apps
• Fieldwork
• Labwork
• Offline access will remain important

23. Tips
• Consider designing in mobile into your course
• Address the need for mobile digital literacy
• Start a Handheld Learning group or iPad coffee club
http://tinyurl.com/byodmanage
• Apple iBooks Author to make pdf and .ibooks with
embedded video – share using iTunes U Course
• Google docs has recently been approved by Jisc/Janet

24. References and Thanks
•
Apple. (2011). Apple (United Kingdom) - Education - Profiles - Leeds School of Medicine changes learning culture with work-based
iPhones. Apple Education Case studies. Retrieved January 6, 2013, from http://www.apple.com/uk/education/profiles/leeds-uni/
•
JISC. (2011). Mobile Learning infokit / Home. Retrieved August 22, 2012, from
https://mobilelearninginfokit.pbworks.com/w/page/41122430/Home
•
Joly, K. (2005). Duke University iPod first-year experience: So, was it worth it? | collegewebeditor.com. College Web Editor website.
Retrieved August 19, 2011, from http://collegewebeditor.com/blog/index.php/archives/2005/06/16/duke-university-ipod-first-yearexperience-so-was-it-worth-it/
•
McFayden, S. (2010). Scottish school becomes first in world where all lessons take place using computers - The Daily Record. Daily
Record. Retrieved January 5, 2012, from http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/science-and-technology/2010/08/31/scottish-schoolbecomes-first-in-world-where-all-lessons-take-place-using-computers-86908-22525988/
•
Nie, M., Armellini, A., Witthaus, G., & Barkland, K. (2010). Delivering University Curricula: Knowledge, Learning and INnovation Gains
— University of Leicester. Leicester. Retrieved from http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/beyond-distance-researchalliance/projects/duckling
•
Payne, K. F., Wharrad, H., & Watts, K. (2012). Smartphone and medical related App use among medical students and junior doctors in
the United Kingdom (UK): a regional survey. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 12(1), 121. doi:10.1186/1472-6947-12-121
•
The Paypers. Insights in payments. (2012). Retrieved January 3, 2013, from http://www.thepaypers.com/news/mobilepayments/smartphone-adoption-in-uk-reaches-51-students-lead-the-way/747745-16
•
Traxler, J. (2009). Current State of Mobile Learning. (M. Ally, Ed.)Mobile Learning Transforming the Delivery of Education and Training,
5(2), 9–24. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120155/ebook/01_Mohamed_Ally_2009-Article1.pdf
•
Wiley, C. (2012). Twitter in the University Classroom: Live-Tweeting During Lectures | Educational Vignettes on WordPress.com.
Educational Vignettes. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://educationalvignettes.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/twitter-in-theuniversity-classroom-live-tweeting-during-lectures/