Abstract:

If we ask students what is required for good learning, they mention areas like
• training methods that enhance communication in class.
• use of educational principles that promote interaction in class.
• learning environments where it is easy and fast to respond to teacher and instructor presentations.
• the ability to connect with other students in and outside the classroom.
• teachers that know the curriculum, and set learning goals.

These notions are music to the ears of students.

If we ask teachers what is required for good learning, they are likely to mention
• engaged students that ask questions, though the classes are huge and communication is lacking.
• students that discuss ideas and collaborate in finding solutions, though it is hardly time to make notes or promote interaction in class.
• inquiry-based learning for inclusion of real world descriptions, though lessons focus on theory and it is challenging to respond during lessons.
• learning experiences that let students immerse in and analyze in order to gain higher order thinking skills, though too many are still challenged with remembering, understanding and applying their previous knowledge.

Such notions are still music to the ears of teachers and instructors.

On the other hand, how many really good teachers did each of us meet during our studies? Most of us immediately know this answer, as it ends up with a small number. Why? What happened?
Our young generation is born into and developed under a digital wave, and mobile technology is a fully integrated and normalized aspect of their lives. Modern students use new media in new ways to create new things (it affects how they think), learn new things (it affects how they work), and communicate with new people (it affects how they live). They use mobile phones everywhere, but not at school!
Would it seem terribly strange to hear that knowledge gathering may be enhanced and boosted by using mobile learning methods that utilize students’ own Smartphones?

This paper is going to highlight results and experiences from the 3 mill euro R&D program HiST Mobile in Norway. It will address how new, emerging mobile learning methods may improve students knowledge, skills and competence, by developing new, interactive and engaging training frameworks that utilize students own Smartphones. The focus areas are
• Developing easy-to-use online Student Response
• Developing easy to use online Student Response Systems for Smartphones.
• Developing new assessment models where test and exam processes are turned into a creative learning framework by using students’ own Smartphones, and bran new peer learning assessment systems (PeLe)
• Improve and enhance language learning by use of mobile learning technologies and methods
• Develop new types of games that utilize modern mobile solutions.
• Design new digital classrooms for effective exploitation of mobile technology and mobile learning frameworks

Keywords:

Mobile learning, mobile technology, student response systems, peer learning assessment, language training, digital classrooms.