Embedding Mobile Learning

A view of issues in UK HE

Peter Bird

Doctoral Researcher

Manchester Metropolitan University

p.bird@mmu.ac.uk

Agenda

• Issues that prevent embedding

• Keeping the knowledge - Links between research projects and the “University”

• Models for sustainability

• Some quotes.....

Factors which impact diffusion of M-Learning

• Lack of IT Services support

• Skills Gap Staff/Students

• Disruption

• Finance and Procurement rules

• Transmission v Socially constructed learning

• Ethical issues

• Software Integration

• Work-life balance

• Inclusion

Factors which have appeared in case studies• Business Models of Mobile operators• Mobile Applications versus Web Access Applications• Security impact• Mobile estate management• Need for multiple forms of engagement with students• Staff/Student dis-engagement• Positive impact on students with learning disabilities

Embedding Challenge

• How do you take the experience of projects and role them into long-term strategy?

• Links between the “local” and the “global” –the project and the university – “Points of Passage”

Links between Networks

Thursday, April 13, 2023

TUTORS

STUDENTS

LOCAL IT

PROJECT MANAGERS

CLINICIANSLEARNING/TEACHING FELLOWS

LEARNING TECHNICIANS

FACULTY MANAGERS

SUPPLIERS

IT STRATEGY

EXECUTIVE

ESTATES

LEARNING & TEACHINGSTRATEGY

FINANCE &PROCUREMENT

Points of Passage

Issues that impact embedding

• Central versus distributed IT

• Links between technology and learning and teaching strategy ( learning and teaching fellows)

• Separation of IT “Infrastructure” and “Applications”

• Maverick implementations

A Podcasting Tragedy•Podcasting starts•Dean loves it•Dean buys Apple server•IT Services say not our problem•Podcasting spreads•Intranet dies as disks fill with podcasts•If only we’d installed that Apple server...

Thursday, April 13, 2023 Event Name and Venue 8

Some quotes

• On student experience “I was extremely disappointed as I received no text messages despite several tutorials being cancelled or room changes. the only text I did get from Uni was about paying fees. This showed that the Uni was more interested in making money rather than providing a genuine service”

• On staff skills “You know to give an example a colleague that you know found it quite difficult with the PDA went home and their 8 year old said, here dad I’ll show you how to do it.”

• On the next steps “I think like most of these things you end up with a few champions that help push it forward and grow it and I think as the maturity of the platforms and sensible solutions to contracts etc. come forward that will help to grow it and embed it. But I think that is definitely going to be a challenge and its got to be done in the context of the wider strategy of how mobile devices are being used in the institution. I don’t think you can embed it in isolation.”

Some quotes continued..

• On technology maturity “Yes this might be sort of naive but it feels to me like mobile technology in terms of business or enterprise adaptation is maybe roundabout where we were twenty years ago where people were still thinking, oh no PCs they are sort of toys.”

• On who leads the strategy “ I mean it might be easier for the academic staff to lead from their point of view. From an IT point of view trying to get the message across they see IT and go shh don’t want to know.”

• On supporting student mobiles “ IT services are wary and reluctant to embrace mobile learning. They have only just about sorted the support of student laptops”

Two approaches to successful embedding?• Networks of learning and Teaching fellows with

strong links to IT and Executive

• Each Technology introduction is a managed process (prototype, pilot, rollout) and a research project is part of that. The Research project leads the strategy