Reclaiming mobile audioactive learner-gatherersacross the formal-informal continuum

Andrew MiddletonSheffield Hallam University

(cc) shadowtheG 2009

reconsider mobile audio for learning

ContextsMethodology6 ScenariosDiscussion and conclusions

(cc) skippyjon-2 2008

Dead-time learning does it work?

Are you receiving me?(cc) Pink Sherbet Photography 2006

• Deal (2007) points out that when students

listen to lecture recordings they tend

to do so using a PC, and usually at home.

(cc) williambrawley 2009

“You can use it anytime, anywhere” said Cebeci and Tekdal (2006)

The conversation continues

“But can students concentrate?” asked Salmon and Nie (2008)

“Teachers can do so much more with this” suggested Bell (2007)

“And so can students, wherever they are” I said

(cc) scrappy annie-2010/jenny downing 2010

Podcasting:

Receivers?

...or Gatherers?

Audio innovation:

• Active?• Authentic and meaningful?

• Extended Learning Environment?(not ‘supplemental’)

• Beyond formal and traditional academic environments and

methods? • Revealing and Opportunist?

• Part of an engaginglearner-centred curriculum?

Contexts

Don’t look back: escaping traditionDiversity challengeDigital Age, digital fluency and employabilityDisruptive technology and innovationUser-producers: democratic and autonomousEmbracing formal, semi-formal, informal spaces

(cc) Philippe Put 2010

Don’t look back...

McLuhan and Fiore (1967): problem with evaluating the potential of technology looking “at the present through the rear-view mirror”Marching backwards into the future (cc) NightRPStar 2009

UniversityDiversity

The idea of the typical student is gone (Bradwell 2009) and with it expectations that student engagement will be predictable and regular.

These days all students are exceptional

(cc) wolfpix 2007

KISS

regular, bite-sized, traditional,easy to swallow, content

fed to irregular, forward-looking,challenging students?!

Tempting – but not good for you

Diversity Challenge

(cc) Mykl Roventine 2009

Diversity Challenge

Mobile learningSupporting learner diversity and autonomy

(cc) williamedia 2008

Digital Age needsDigital Fluency

(cc) boarderstu 2009

Technology is disruptive...

...and leads to innovation(cc) vieux bandit-2008

What is innovation in education?

...new technology?

...teaching the same way with new technology?

...doing new and better things that we weren’t able to do before?

User-Producers

teacher-learner speaker-listener passive-active receiver-gatherer(cc) Florian SEROUSSI 2009

formal: notes from the planned curriculum

semi-formal: unplanned notes from the formal curriculum

informal: notes from beyond the formal curriculum(Nortcliffe and Middleton 2009a)

Life-wide curriculum (Jackson 2010)(cc) Jeffy Can 2005

Voices

PervasivePersonal

Niche adaptiveOrganised

TransferableActive in different ways

according to time and space

Adaptable to changing working patternsEasy to integrate

[ALSO: attributes recognised by Conole et al 2008 in depth study into use of everyday technology by students]

(cc) John Wardell (Netinho) 2006

Transformation

Sharples asks how can education itself be transformedby mobile technologies (2005)?

(cc) miyukiutada 2007

audio isinterventionary

Enabling:

connectivityorientationmotivation

personal and social challengelearner reflection

(cc) Leo Reynolds 2007

scenario generation"a socially engaged approach to knowledge generation” (Bloor and Wood 2006)

DevelopersLearning Technologists

AcademicsStudents

Managers

6 Ideas(a small selection of what is possible)

1. a-PDP2. audio notes3. pre-visit4. fieldtrip commentary5. user voices6. pocketables

(cc) Cayusa 2007

a-PDP• At the end of the day

record three questions:1. What have I done today?2. What have I learnt today?3. What will I do with this knowledge?• At the beginning of the day• play three answers!• End of the week: written synthesis and action plan

1

(cc) Cayusa 2007

audio notes

• Students carry recorders andphone memo tools

• Capture 'significant conversations'• eg formal, semi-formal feedback• Summarise events and activities• 'Middle of the night' ideas and personal notes• 'Rehearsing' - listening back to yourself• Group work decisions

2

(cc) Cayusa 2007

previsit

• Orientation prior to:– visit– field trip– lab– etc

• Listen on the way• Arrive tuned in and ready to recognise the

opportunity

3

(cc) Cayusa 2007

fieldtrip commentary• Groups assigned task of creating

audio reports• different themes or responsibilities• creating a rich collection of material• students gather:

– interviews with people they meet– audio observations (people, places and processes)– ambient sound– discussions (experts and peers)– other information not usually available to them

• gathering and making creates a learning framework• eventual use creates authentic driver

4

(cc) Cayusa 2007

user voices

• academics, developers or studentsgather and share real stories, e.g.– patients– clients

5

(cc) Cayusa 2007

pocketables

• audio or video podcastdemonstrations

• technique or process • reduce anxiety prior to initial performance• e.g. – nursing student attaching a drip– interview techniques

6

(cc) Cayusa 2007

device accessibilityuser-generation

lo-fi

mediating autonomous learner reflectionfound or made 'opportunity' - a significant part of the mobile learning environmentdeep learner engagement with knowledge from a situation that is otherwise ephemeralmediates a personal, rich articulation that is immediate and still formingdevices extend benefits of conversation over time

a-PDPaudio notes

(cc) woodleywonderworks 2009

Orientation : transition from informal to formal spaces of engagement

previsita-PDP

(cc) Kraetzsche Photo 2009

Scaffolding enquiryMotivating frameworkGathering evidenceCo-operation (side by side)Collaboration (together)

Field TripCommentary

(cc) chrisevans 2006

Recognising:• Predicament• Situations• Anxiety Instilling:• Reassurance• Confidence• Making a personal connection

to their competence

Pocketables

(cc) +fatman+2006

developing empathyaccess to authentic stories

User Voices

(cc) splityarn 2008

Conclusion

(Dead time delivery is a weak response)

What is mobile audio good for?• Digital Age requires student-centred approaches• The richest conversations happen beyond formal environment• Audio: accessible, adaptable and manageable, opportunistic• Engagement:

– authentic– independent and social– timely and meaningful– mobile (i.e. formal, semi-formal, informal)– gathering (enquiry)

(cc) kayintveen 2007