This document discusses using SMS (text messaging) to support learning and teaching. It provides examples of how SMS can be used, such as sending reminders about deadlines and asking questions. Two case studies are described where SMS was used with undergraduate and professional development students. Evaluations found that SMS increased student engagement and participation in learning activities. The document concludes by discussing attributes to consider when implementing SMS and harnessing technology to meet educational needs and objectives.

1. Using SMS to support learning & teaching Geraldine Jones [email_address] Thom Bunting [email_address] E-learning Summer Seminar Series 2008 Slideshare.net: eatbath-present08 All material and post session discussion: www.tasterseries.wordpress.com

2. What is SMS? S hort M essage S ervice, aka texting 1 SMS message = 160 characters Cheap mobile communication Txt typically uses abbreviated language Txtspk associated with youth mobile phone culture SMS provides quick & light social connectivity between close friends and family

3. SMS in context SMS offers simple, popular means of interaction Perhaps “most widely used data application on the planet, with already 2.4 billion active users, or 74% of all mobile phone subscribers sending and receiving text messages on their phones” ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_message_service ) SMS supports 1-2-1, 1-2-x dialogue Scale and scope of interaction grows with developments in text management applications such as Edutxt / Txttools and social networking / micro-blogging services such as Twitter SMS encourages interactive communication ‘at hand’ Whereas P ersonal R esponse S ystems require relatively elaborate hardware / software setup, SMS takes advantage of the virtual ubiquity of mobile devices: nearly everyone can easily participate in synchronous / asynchronous conversations

4. Enabling technology Tribal CTAD SMS quiz Media board Micro-blogging Social networking SMS management service Moodle text PRS/Clickers NOT SMS! http://www.ctad.co.uk/content/view/185/277/ https:// www.txttools.co.uk / http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7002.pdf http:// twitter.com /

5. Comparing functionality c  a/p r asynch  Tribal SMS c d c Distributed/ central control   x Multi-modal a/p p a Anonymous/ Personal b/r b/r r Broadcast/ receive a/synch asynch synch a/synchronous   x Mobility Edutxt Twitter PRS - Clickers

6. SMS in practice SMS texts can be presented anonymously / with names open ‘ice-breaker’ discussions seed group reflections monitor range of understanding in a group

7. What do you like about texting? Please text your response to 07624 802 748 starting your text with LIKE Discussion of group’s responses….

8. Our SMS management application Edutxt: education-specific text messaging University of Bath licence Training & Tech support Web-based interface Plugin to Moodle Multiple user accounts Multiple incoming numbers Automated rule-based SMS forwarding to mobiles, email addresses, etc Inbox/Sent messages Online message composition (templates) Address books Group management Message management keywords & inbox rules Automatic information services RSS to SMS

9. What does SMS offer? ‘ Always on’ communication Connectivity to real-world learning contexts Top-of-mind, direct-line access ‘ Just for me’ personal communication

10. What do you hate about texting? Please text your response to 07624 802 748 Start your text with HATE Discussion of group’s responses….

11. Possible barriers for students Access to a mobile phone? Adequate network coverage ? Willingness to use own mobile phones/text messages for study purposes? If so, how? Conflict between social and academic use of mobiles/SMS?

12. University of Bath mobiles & SMS student survey? What can their mobiles do – redundant functionality

13. To Receive text messages Student willingness? To Send text messages (per week)

14. As a learner, how would you like SMS texting to be used? Please text your response to 07624 802 748 Start your text with VIEW Discussion of group’s responses….

15. Reminders about deadlines Key questions from tutors Student views: how to use mobile phones for learning?

16. Why use SMS in academic contexts? Encourage participation in learning activities (within and outside the lecture theatre) Scaffold organisational skills Deliver timely information Provide personal support

17. Case Studies 1 - First year undergraduate coach education students 2 – CPD students in environmental management programme via distance learning http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/abstracts/gjones.htm

18. Case Study 1 – students’ profile 90 First year UG students (Education, & other departments) New to Higher Education (HE) Studying Exploring Effective Learning (EEL) Students not highly motivated towards this unit

19. SMS enabled learning face to face teaching Once a Week Post session activities Pre session activities Texts to students Texts from students Texts to students

20. Post session texts to students (examples) Hi Sam. A remnder 2 complte yr reflection&action plans 4 time mangmnt (act 7.2, 7.3) Plse post yr top 5 tips for TM to the top tips list. Gabriele. Hi Tom, reminder 2 lk at & comment on the reading improvement video – Moodle (Act 4.1) Pls txt in wht u hve learned from the video b4 session. Gabriele

21. Texts received from students ED At uni i need 2 self motivate myself 2 gain broader learnin + self thought. I wil use tutors + readin + discussion 2 help me achieve this in the best way. ( response to an article ) ED metacognition is an awareness of process of learning.consists of developin plan of action,maintainin monitorin of plan and evaluatin plan (self reflection) ( in response for a request for a definition )

22. Tag clouds - aggregating whole group responses http:// www.artviper.net/texttagcloud /

23. Case Study 1 Evaluation Outbound and inbound texts sent and received at relatively high levels, with little ‘fall out’ Text Traffic……. 2,450 text messages sent to mobiles (MT) Students had choice to opt out - only 2 did! 391 text messages received from mobiles (MO) Data sources: Focus groups, questionnaire, access stats, tutor journal

24. Case Study 1 - Evaluation (cont.) Texts successfully and consistently guided students to intersession activities located in Moodle. Data sources: Moodle and Edutxt access stats

25. Case Study 1 - Evaluation (cont.) Student views about texting: Effective aid to time management (62% n=71) Students liked the personal nature of texts Less supportive of sending texts as part of learning activities.

26. Case Study 1 - Evaluation (cont.) Tutor view: Impact on student engagement Assignment results

27. Case Study 2: student profile Pilot group of twelve CPD environmental management students, responding to invitation to enrol in distance learning workshop starting March 2008 All students face challenges of M-level studies amidst full-time work commitments, busy lives Students (or employers) pay extra fee for this pilot online workshop, designed to provide extra levels of structured interactive support

28. Case Study 2: text activity to date Personalised SMS invitation texts sent to prospective students’ mobile phones link to explanation of workshop, FAQs, online registration form Personalised SMS reminder texts sent to mobile phones of all students who ‘opt in’ encourage work as assignment deadlines approach Personalised SMS update texts sent to mobile phone of all students who ‘opt in’ explain availability of feedback / tutor assessment

29. Case study 2: interim evidence Personalised SMS invitation texts conversion rate 6.5% via SMS versus 5.2% via email less fall-out from spam effect, more reliable indications of receipt Personalised SMS reminder texts 60% of workshop students ‘opt in’ for assignment reminders student responses to reminders are positive to date Personalised SMS update texts regular dispatch of batch / ad hoc texts re assignment feedback students typically follow-up very promptly

30. Case study 2: evaluation to date Tutor finds that integration of SMS into learning activities provides “a really beneficial way to get a quick message out via a medium which students are maybe more likely to read than e-mail (if they've got loads of e-mails coming in, they may choose to park until later)” Students are responding well to reminders and feedback notifications; time-poor workshop participants, engaged in full-time work, show promising evidence of steady and reliable progress

31. Case study 2: upcoming plans SMS reading-response texts Students to highlight key concepts in assigned readings Automated ‘tag cloud’ generation SMS status-check texts Students to work in Apprentice -style case study groups, rotating leadership Scheduled prompts for status updates from group members SMS integration with VLE Programmatic updates to be implemented via Txttools API (web services) Plug-in to provide direct SMS interface to (‘moodletxt’)

32. Thinking about SMS in learning & teaching contexts Attributes of the technology Learning & teaching objectives Learners needs & context

33. Implementing SMS to support learning “… harness technology to the needs of education, rather than simply search for problems to which the latest technology is a solution” Laurillard (2008) Laurillard , D. ( 2008 ) ‘The teacher as action researcher: Using technology to capture pedagogic form', Studies in Higher Education, 33( 2)

34. Follow up information To receive 3 additional tips about getting started with SMS for teaching and learning Please text SMS to 07624 802 748 To unsubscribe please text STOPSMS to 07624 802 748

35. Your Questions?

36. Thank you Next event: Wed 18 th June “ Using Skype and other web-conferencing tools to support off campus learners” Materials and online discussion: http://tasterseries.wordpress.com/ Twitter Updates: eatbath Podcast: http://www.bath.ac.uk/lmf/group/rss/7798 Email: [email_address] , tb254@bath.ac.uk