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=Mobile Learning & Apps=



**What is Mobile Learning?**
====Well, if you are allowing students to educationally interact through mobile technology at their own convenience and location, you are engaging in mobile learning. Mobile learning, or m-learning, is being integrated into all learning environments, including K-12, post-secondary, and corporate training.====

Mobile technologies include (Hashemi, Azizinezhad, Najafi, & Nesari, 2011):

 * ==== mobile phones ====
 * ==== smart phones ====
 * ==== personal digital assistants (PDA's) ====
 * ==== MP3/MP4 players ====
 * ==== handheld gaming devices ====
 * ==== notebooks & netbooks ====
 * ==== handheld GPS ====
 * ==== handheld voting devices ====

====**Who is Doing It?** Mobile learning is being adopted by all educational environments, from early childhood education to corporate training. Formal educational settings, such as K-12 and post-secondary, are incorporating this technology to improve teaching and learning.====

====**Why Mobile Learning?** Mobile learning allows learners to move from desktop computer to mobile devices in order to complete a task, making it a natural fit for distributed learning and field activities. Mobile learning is supported by the use of web applications, or "apps". Web applications are downloadable applications that can be added to a devices through a wireless internet connection (Banister, 2010). Combined with apps, mobile devices are not only easy to use, but, because they are already integrated into daily life, they support lifelong, authentic learning (EDUCASE, 2010).====

Educationally, the incorporation of this technology into teaching and learning enhances learning in a multitude of ways. Examples of integration include a(n) (Hashemi et al., 2011):
>
 * ====platform to access documents and libraries, including video and audio medias====
 * ====device to access quizzes, games, questions, and self-assessments====
 * ====option for lesson participation====
 * ====method to receive archived or live lectures====
 * ====device to exhibit student work====
 * ====tool to participate in a CMS on-the-go====

====There are various advantages to incorporating m-learning into teaching practice. Hashemi et al. (2011) categorizes eight major benefits of mobile learning, which have been organized into the table below:====

Can input data at any location by typing, writing or using voice || Increases relevance to the learner ||
 * = ** Category ** ||= ** Explanation ** ||
 * = Interaction ||= Facilitates student interaction with instructors and amongst peers ||
 * = Portability ||= Devices are lighter
 * = Collaborative ||= Several students at different locations can work on the same document ||
 * = Engaging Learners ||= Learners like using these devices ||
 * = Bridging the Digital Divide ||= Devices are accessible to a larger population as they are more affordable ||
 * = Just-in-Time Learning ||= Increases work and learning performance
 * = Increased Motivation ||= Ownership of the device increases commitment to using and learning from it ||
 * = Assistive Technologies ||= May help learners with disabilities ||

===**//Now that you have had a brief introduction, how do you think you could incorporate this technology into your classroom in order to improve teaching and learning? To help you with ideas, please explore our context-specific pages.//**===


 * //Amber Mazur, Chelsea O'Leary & Simon Pols//**

Banister, S. (2010). Integrating the iPod touch in K-12 education: Visions and vices. // Computers In The Schools //, // 27 //(2), 121-131. doi:10.1080/07380561003801590

Hashemi, M., Azizinhad, M., Najafi, V., & Nesari, A. (2011). What is mobile learning? Challenges and capabilities. //Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 30//, 2477-2481.

EDUCUASE, (2010). //Things you should know about... Mobile apps for learning//. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-mobile-apps-learning