Keith+Osterberg

Mobile technologies are the future of learning Keith Osterberg Missouri Baptist University

All one has to do is look at a group of young people in a restaurant, bar or public space to see that mobile technologies are the present as well as the future. According to the Pew Research Center, one third of all Americans now own tablet devices, and sales of tablets is expected to surpass laptops within two years. (O’Leery 2013) Add to those numbers the owners of wi-fi enabled laptops and cell phones, and it becomes evident that we as a culture have wholeheartedly embraced mobile connectivity. But is this phenomenon reflected in the classroom as well? Yes, it is. Another Pew survey of middle and high school teachers in the US indicates that 92 percent of them believe the internet has had a “major impact” on their ability to access content, resources, and materials for their teaching, and they describe mobile technology as central to the learning process. Seventy-three percent of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers report academic use of cell phones in the classroom by themselves or their students. E-reader and tablet use in the classroom for assignment purposes has reached the low-to-mid-fortieth percentile. (Purcell 2013) When it comes to the future of mobile technology in the classroom, we can see the writing on the wall, or indeed the digital projection on the wall. But perhaps more important than the question of “//Is// mobile technology the future of learning?” is this question: “//Should// it be?” I think it should be for several reasons. First of all, if the goal of education is to equip students to function and thrive as human beings, as citizens, and as workers, then it stands to reason that computer literacy is a necessary part of that equation, and it makes sense that schools serve as the facilitators of this digital mastery. Educational institutions are agents of change as well as reflections of the culture of which they are a part. As such, we should recognize the need for pedagogical change to suit the times and strive to make deliberate inroads rather than drift on the tide of inevitable change. As Bob Dylan said, those not busy being born are busy dying. (1993) If we don’t respond to the need for change, we risk becoming irrelevant. In addition, Web 2.0 and cloud-based learning connects students to experts, knowledge, and resources that were nearly unattainable in traditional classroom settings. And the freedom of mobility technology liberates us from the mistaken idea that education is something that only takes place in a schoolroom. It also motivates students by energizing their creativity and curiosity in ways that few other things can. Finally, mobile technology has the potential to level the playing field for students who have different learning styles. As educator Carly Shuler (2009) says, “Not all children are alike; instruction should be adaptable to individual and diverse learners. There are significant opportunities for genuinely supporting differentiated, autonomous, and individualized learning through mobile devices.” (p.5)

//-- Keith Osterberg is an instructor with the Learning Center of Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri. He is also a graduate student at Missouri Baptist University, working towards a Master of Education Technology degree.//

References Dylan, B. (1965, renewed 1993) “It’s alright, Ma, I’m only bleeding”. Retrieved from [] O’Leery, A (2013 June 10) “One third of Americans now own tablet computers. New York Times. Retrieved from [] Purcell, K., Heaps, A., Buchanan, J. & Friedrich, L. (2013) How teachers are using technology at home and in their classrooms. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved from [] Shuler, C. (2009) Pockets of potential: Using mobile technologies to promote children’s learning. Retrieved from []