Mobile Learning and the 21st Century Student

Photo by: Scott Kley Contini

I was recently on a school Field Trip and saw one of my students with an iPad.  My curiosity got the best of me and I asked if I could check it out?  Reluctantly, the student parted with their beloved iPad and let me peruse their much touted piece of technology.  I started to look for some really cool apps, something educational, something intellectual....  Nothing but games.  Air Hockey, Pac-Man, Car driving action games, three full pages of game apps, 1 movie and not a single educational item anywhere, not even an iBook.  I couldn't help but be a little disappointed and couldn't help thinking what a waste of money this was since it was simply being used as a large PSP or Nintendo DS which could have been purchased 4 times over for the same price as the iPad.  I am not sure if the parents were really thinking that they were buying a supercharged game-pad or if they honestly thought their child would use it for more intellectual pursuits?

I took a step back and asked, "Am I really surprised by this?"   The answer, "No."

What have I done to highlight 'cool' educational apps for my students?  What have I incorporated into my teaching and instruction that would be useful on a mobile device like an iPad, smart-phone, etc?  The answer of course is that I have done nothing to highlight the educational value of such devices and so today's digital junkies with all the latest gadgets and tools are left on their own to discover the possibilities of their devices.  It is also an unrealistic expectation that any educational institution could adopt every piece of technology available to demonstrate its educational usefulness.  Our school recently adopted a 1:1 laptop program which has had its own challenges and now after 4 years is really showing how amazing this tool can be in and out of the classroom.  Smart-phones, iPhones, iPads and electronic readers of all sorts are next.  The 21st Century Learner is already there and waiting for the 21st Teachers to show them how to use this technology! 

Photo by: Scott Kley Contini