creative pedagogy and mobile education

Creative pedagogy and mobile technology

A step-by-step guide on the process of ideas generation to content creation

Joanna Norton

About me

[email protected] Facebook.com/keywordsenglish @keywordsenglish 2

Joanna Norton is a teacher, teacher-educator and mobile content entrepreneur working at the intersection of creativity, ELT and science. She is a proponent of including more corpus-based learning within classroom practice and uses such methodologies as the starting point for mobile app development. Joanna lectures at the University of the Arts in central London and is primarily interested in the overlap between literacy, creativity and STEM. She runs creative training workshops for teachers in the area of ideas generation, pedagogy and mobile technology and is a keen advocate of STEM/STEAM/STREAM education.

“The following are a sample of mLearning activities I use when training teachers on the topics of creativity, literacy and mobile education. I hope you find them useful.”

mailto:[email protected]

Getting to know you



Getting to know you

This is a great lesson idea I got from Kristina Smith and can be used in all contexts, in all languages and with all age groups.

•Show your phone screensaver to your group and ask them what they think it says about you. Elicit some answers from your group.

•Using the same model, ask your learners to take out their devices and in pairs/small groups show the screensaver to each other.

•Pairs/small groups discuss what the phones say about their partners.

•Set a time limit of 2 minutes per pairs.

•Once the activity is complete, ask your learners to put their devices away until required again.

•This activity sets a very positive and fun way to introduce mobile devices into the classroom.



Out of focus (pre-teach vocabulary)



Pre-teach vocabularyThis is one example of using an idea to develop a language point, using mobile technology.

•Identify items of vocabulary you want to pre-teach. Using the camera on your phone, zoom in as close as possible and take a photo.

•Take a second photo, at normal resolution. Repeat the process for each photo.

•Email them to yourself and insert them into the presentation, worksheet etc. If you do not have access to the Internet or a whiteboard, you can show the images on your mobile device. Just be careful with the running order of the images (out of focus, clear etc.).

•If you are doing this as a whole class activity, there is no need for learners to use their mobile devices, so ask them to put them away.

•Ask some extension questions about the item of lexis on an individual basis, or go back through them once all the images have been revealed.



It’s a keyboard.

They’re headphones.

Student-centred learningIf you want to use this activity again, here are some possible alternatives:

• Ask your learners to take a set of photos around a chosen topic. Some learners may benefit if you select specific items of vocabulary in advance. This will better focus their search .

• In pairs or small groups, they share their process and reveal their images to each other. Others in the group guess what the images are before moving to a deeper discussion about the vocabulary items.

• For those with smartphones, apps like Evernote can be used as a personalised visual dictionary. Some camera apps allow you to annotate the images, so learners can make notes as they develop content.

• For those with feature phones, images can be stored on their device and also used as a visual dictionary.

• A bank of personalised images can also be used for consolidation purposes. On a simple whiteboard, ask learners to come to the front of the board to make a list of all the vocabulary they have learnt during the week or month. The group collection will be very impressive. Individually or in groups, they can create presentations about their vocabulary development using the images they originally took.



Steps in the process

1.Gather idea(s)2.Develop an idea3.Link to learning (pre-teach vocabulary)4.Identify teaching and learning methods5.Identify appropriate technology6.Create extension activities including learner-generated content



Where do ideas come from?

Mobile App

Visual Literacy


Maps Classroomdisplays

The London UndergroundCoffee shops

Magazines Shops TrainingWindow displays On the

street

Restaurants Google Museums and galleries


Where do ideas come from?

You do not need access to sophisticated technology or resources to have ideas. They are allaround us, even in the most mundane places.

It can, however, be a challenge to get your learners to pay attention to the world around them. It can be an even bigger challenge to encourage them to write these ideas down. So you will

need to model this process for them.

The images above represent a sample of some of the ideas I noted when out one afternoon. Ialways carry a notepad and pen as well as my mobile device and make a record of everything thatlooks different, unusual, beautiful, ugly, etc.

I often try to connect some of these ideas to other projects I am working on, lessons I am hoping todevelop or to ideas that did not work in the past and need re-adjustment. Even though my ideasprimarily focus on education, I still model my own process to my learners and encourage them tothink about the following:

• Defining their own area of interest• Identifying their primary passion in life• Beginning the process of recording their own ideas• Building and developing these ideas• Sharing and learning from others



Recording your ideas



Recording your ideas

It is really important to record your ideas and to build and develop them as your teachingdevelops.

I carry a small sketchbook and pencil with me all all times. I transfer these ideas tolarger, specialised sketchbooks on a regular basis. My sketchbooks cover a multitude of topics with cross referencing throughout. I regularly share my sketchbooks with mylearners and ask for feedback.

I also use my mobile device to record ideas, music, quick videos and then collate these ideas around specific topics and again share with my learners.

I record ideas from a variety of different disciplines, including the creative industries, thesciences, cookery, travel, etc. and use this multidisciplinary approach as a model for teaching and learning. This outreach enlarges learners experience of vocabulary.

At all times, I encourage learners to move beyond their comfort zone and investigateother disciplines to develop their own creative process.



Key ideas


As a busy teacher, you need to take the time to record any ideas you may have as soon aspossible. I record these on pieces of papers and keep them on key rings and call them mykey ideas. They are often the ones that I use to develop and create lessons.

The previous images are examples of what I stick on the walls in my classroom. They give groups of learners an opportunity to take a look the ideas in more detail and engage with my process before evaluating their own.


Words are all around us

Naomi Bid



Words are all around us


This is one of my favourite exercises, and I share it with teachers at every opportunity. I have used it with adult literacy learners all the way up to post graduate students. It is ideal for any camera phone.

It is a great way to encourage learners to pay attention to their environment and to be alert when they simply walk around. Apart from language development, there is great opportunity here to enhance cross curriculum learning and embed geometric shapes into literacy development.

Learners simply find letters from in their local environment and, from them, begin to construct words. For literacy learners, as they are not required to write anything, some pressure is removed from the learning process. By focusing on identifying shapes, they develop their awareness of sight recognition and letter formation. By carrying out this activity in an open space, learners engage with both letter and word construction in a stress-free context.

The creative aspect of this activity ensures it is fun, engaging and relevant in any context. It is also suitable for any language level or subject area.

If you are not in a position to print out your images, they can work equally well when stored on a phone and make for a great mingling exercise where learners share their creative work with others.

There is also great scope here for bilingual development. This activity takes time and training, but it is well worth it.


Noticing language



Noticing language


Learners as private investigators

Mobile technology is a powerful tool to encourage your learners to go out into their local community and find evidence or examples of what they learnt in class. They can bring this work back into class, share with their peers, integrate it into project work or presentations or offer it to the class for whole class input, discussion or feedback.

This is another example of how learning can be personalised as learners choose to focus on aspects of learning that interest them. Allowing learners to participate and inform their own learning process can have a very positive effect on motivation levels.

The example used here applies to a language context, but this activity applies to all subjects and all ages.

Encouraging learners to identify examples of the possessive ‘s used in real-life situations (rightly or wrongly) will encourage them first to begin noticing language in use and second to experiment with language independently. It will also encourage them to engage with rules and terminology in an informal capacity. As the example above shows, spelling can also be used as a literacy focus.


It only takes five minutes





Here is one example of how a simple idea can be embedded into a lesson plan.

While in the supermarket looking for something for our tea, I came across a packet of pasta made of alphabet shapes. I had not seen this before and knew it could work into a great lesson.

I took out my phone, snapped a photo and then thought how I could use it.

Considering the whole process took only one minute, I thought it would be a good example to show how quickly we can gather and record ideas once we are open to the process.

The next day, I showed the image to my class and we spent five minutes brainstorming possible ideas on how these pasta shapes could be used and how such ideas could be developed.

This then became a standard feature of my lessons. My learners now expect to bring ideas into class regularly and, as a group, we brainstorm potential possibilities for usage.

Learners notify me in advance if they would like a slot in the class, and I adapt my lesson plan accordingly. They check with me also to ensure the material is appropriate for class.

I keep a record to ensure that everyone is contributing to the sessions. Participation is compulsory, but learners set their own agenda. The subject matter of the photos is their own.


My daily routine



My daily routine

Here is another example of how mobile technology can personalise the teaching and learning process. In English language teaching, the topic of ones daily routine is often used to introduce the first person singular, and it is a great opportunity to ask your learners to make a visual record of their daily activities and share it with their friends. The previous images represent a visual story of my day over the weekend. Images can be displayed on a camera roll or individually.

After I get up, I take a shower. Next I get dressed. I boil the kettle and have a cup of tea. Every morning I have cereal for my breakfast. Then I turn on my laptop and I check my Facebook. I read my emails and check my LinkedIn. I pack my bag. I charge my phone and then read the news online. I check the Channel 4 news website and the BBC news online. After that, I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth with mouthwash. I put on my shoes and coat and then leave the house. I visit a coffee shop and have a cup of tea and toast. I write in my journal and get some ideas for my work. After that, I go to the mall in Luton to do some shopping. I go to Tiger and buy some things. After that, I have a cup of tea and a pie. I chat to my friends on Skype and listen to the radio online. Later on I go to Sainsbury’s to buy food for our dinner. I prepare beef stew. I have a glass of wine and watch videos on Youtube. I text my friends and play angry birds on my iPad. After that I read my eBook and then play Angry Birds. Finally, I watch TV and then I go to bed.

This sample text has a lot of opportunity for development. Besides preparing questions on the text and treating it as a comprehension exercise, you can use the text to encourage students to identify verb + noun collocations. Given your examples, students can use their photos to identify language patterns.



Twitter and literacy

1. Spelling test #spellingtest2. Explain ______________ in 140 characters or fewer

#vocabulary3. Twitter dictation 4. (differentiation) Beginners 140 characters,

Intermediate 165 characters, Advanced 230 characters

5. Read the text and answer the following questions via Twitter

6. Punctuate the following text. Tweet your answer.



Twitter and literacy

Spelling test #spellingtest

This can be done individually or with onedevice between three.It requires internet access and a Twitteraccount. If you do this as a group activity,then a reduced number of accounts will berequired.Share the Twitter hashtag with the group (inthis case #spellingtest).Call out spellings individually, giving studentstime to type and tweet their answers.Depending on the number of words you aretesting, you can call out the maximum numberof words that will fit into 140 characters.Alternatively, call out the words individuallyand turn the activity into a race.Click on the hashtag at the end of the activityand allow for whole class feedback.


Explain ______ in 140 characters or less

This can be done individually or with onedevice between three. Model an example with the group.Share the Twitter hashtag (in this case#definition)Call out the terms and give individuals orgroups time to write their definitions.Time limit will depend on the complexityof the term and the literacy level of thegroup. Try to ensure that definitions arerestricted to 140 characters. Click on the hashtag at the end of the activity and allow for whole class feedback.


The gift of words



The gift of words


This is an activity I created while teaching young people with low literacy levels and at risk of underachievement at school. At times the sheer volume of text that we expect young people to read at school can be overwhelming, so it is important to instil a sense of purpose into every task. I also think it is important to try to instil a love of words and a curiosity to learn more about language.

Select a number of words or lexical sets that you want your learners to explore.Write them on paper or card and wrap them up before handing them out (a gift). Model the activityWrite a word on the board (e.g. passion) and ask the group what it means.Tell them why you like this word and mention issues around the sound of the word /p/, the meaning, the context of how it is used. Does it always have the same meaning in different contexts? Can you draw it? What type of word is it? What's the adjective? Are you a passionate person?

Tell your group that you have a present for each of them.Either go around the class or ask your learners to come up and select their gift.Ask them to open their gifts together.Reveal to the class how much you love these words and you wanted to give one to each person so that each can learn more about the word. Using the previous model as an example, ask the group to find out as much as they can about their word. When they have finished their research, the group mingles and shares their learning.As a follow-up exercise, mention to your students new words that you came across when you were reading the paper, a book, etc. and briefly talk about what you found interesting about them.


Thank you!


Joanna Norton: teacher, teacher-educator, mobile content entrepreneur

If you would like more information about ideas generation, mobile education as well teacher training, just get in touch:

[email protected]

Facebook.com/keywordsenglish

@keywordsenglish

https://ie.linkedin.com/pub/joanna-norton/14/37b/22a/nl

creative pedagogy and mobile education

Education

mobile devices

mobile technology

mobile education

mobile content entrepreneur

mobile app development

pairssmall groups

class activity

process of ideas generation