Pros and Cons of M-learning in the Field
Pros
- Interaction with the environment
- New sources of information
- Engaging
- Potential for greater engagement
- Multiple opportunities for resources
- Can see objects eg plants, houses, paintings in different seasons, ages or stages of development
- Value of audio as a separate channel
- Replicates informal learning situations
- Capturing life as it happens
- Learning accessed anywhere and anytime
- Context relevant
- Opening to complexity and authenticity
- Foregrounding narrative in learning
- Potential for valuing subjectivity in learning
- Connection with actual artefacts
- Exercise
- Complexity
- Location sensitive –> that time, place and day are important
- Greater potential as more space and learning environments appearing within curriculum (14-19 diplomas)
Cons
- Reliability of technology
- Safety
- British weather
- Visibility (of screen)
- Can pupils transfer knowledge/skills gained to other contexts
- Time and space needed for reflection
- Sustainability and transferability
- So immersive that you don’t look up
- Kit that is designed for indoors
- Difficulty with subject area boundaries
- Not always simple to use
- Heads down – looking at screen not environment
- Traffic
- Restricted to devices
- Examination systems and style of assessment – what they will accept
- Need for connectivity (wi-fi/GPRS/GPS and system to sync to)
- Connectivity/interception with other software/repositories
- Sunlight
- Limitations of existing technology
- Time to prepare learning event
Issues raised
- Challenge to reconceptualise teacher ‘interference’
- Same device provided by school/university (cost) vs multiplicity of devices (interoperability problems)
- Loss of control of learning space -> unintended outcomes (both good and bad)
- Hearts and minds