Susan Johnson Institute of Education s.johnson@ioe.ac.uk

1. Mobile phone technology use in school science enquiry indoors and out-of-doors; implications for pedagogy Susan Johnson Institute of Education s.johnson@ioe.ac.uk

2. Introduction • Context • 4 schools participated in the PlaSciGardens – EU funded project June 2006 and 2007 • scientific enquiry indoors and out-of-doors at Kew Gardens • children (9-10 year olds) organised in small groups • Objectives • Aid engagement • Children using meaningful investigative skills • Data collecting options; camera, audio recording, texting and a call-up from an information store. • Pedagogy relevant to management of whole classes out of doors

3. Research questions • What conceptual understanding did children gain during scientific enquiry indoors and out-of-doors using MPT? • How can teachers’ pedagogy be changed from offering desk bound, passive learning of facts and concepts to science enquiry and argumentation in groups?

4. Research methodology • Research design • Groups placed vegetable specimens in “family” boxes. Compared each collection with plants growing in order beds and Kew students’ allotments. • MPT contributions placed in a “linear gallery” as children contributed data. • Tool • Nokia phone, (excluding call functions) with camera, audio recording, texting and a call-up from an information store, data collecting options. • Methods • Children shared a phone (social/ argumentation interaction). • Used the functions as they wished (independence). • collected data at will (independence) • Data sent to the OOKL website (potential for reflection).

5. Research methodology • Audio recordings 16.We have discovered that tomatoes and deadly nightshade are in the same family because of the shape of the actual plant [flowers?] (fact) 17. The flowers are very similar to a courgette flower but much, much…the courgette flower is absolutely huge. (fact & reflection) 22. Tomatoes are very juicy and are not vegetables they are actually a fruit, so if you see a tomato tell your friends or your mum it’s a [recording ends – fruit?] (fact) 25. We have decided to take out the squash/pumpkin because of the scale of the flower and the look of the flower. (reflection) 30. We have kept the pepper, chilli and the tomatoes. (reflection)

6. Critique/ reflections • Issues • This research was a secondary to other project partners objectives i.e. Kew organised the day; • Data collection relied on plants being available (co-operation of botanic gardens); • Collaboration (teachers’ criteria for grouping); • Grouping influences fine detail of data analysis; • Helpers eager to tell children what to record (better briefing essential); • Visit facilitators must hold constructivist attitudes to learning with MPT (BG CPD using MPT vital); • Reporting: in EU project final report – potential for change?

7. Critique/ reflections What worked • Recall of a science investigation • MPT functions related to pedagogical outcomes that can be achieved without the teacher. Eg. Call-up information: • allows children to “discover knowledge” about a plant while standing next to it. They can observe characteristics mentioned themselves; • is written by plant experts; • overcomes teachers’ lack of knowledge; • can (if well constructed) prompt further activities.

8. Critique/ reflections • What didn’t work teachers did not access OOKL website (http://www.ookl.org.uk) at school – their own technophobia + underestimation of children’s ability with technology? disregard for pedagogical outcomes: children’s ownership of contributions, their scientific understanding and misconceptions. they did not use the data for assessing learning

9. Critique/ reflections • Recommendation Teachers will need CPD with access to tools that support children’s engagement and conceptual understanding and experience of: • group work out-of-doors; • investigation and inductive reasoning; • information collection and organisation; • argumentation and reflection to clarify understanding; and • positive reinforcement to show children can work independently

10. Critique/ reflections • Open questions