How m-learning supports flexible and reflective learning in Higher Education

1. How m-learning supports flexible and reflective learning in Higher Education Created by Leonor Silva de Mattos and Herminia Alonso

2. The researchers • Leonor Silva de Mattos – BA Administration, BABA SDL Programme Coordinator • Herminia Alonso – Module Leader, Issues in the Global Economy

3. Today we will briefly introduce… 3 • Flexible and mobile learning: vehicles for reflective learning and critical thinking? • Our project, including: • Preliminary research and analysis • Pinterest: what is it? • Students’ work with Pinterest • Next steps for this research

4. Literature Review

5. Flexible Learning ‘Flexible Learning is about providing learners with choices regarding when, where and how learning occurs (the pace, place, and mode of delivery).’ HEA (2013) ‘It aims to attract and meet the needs of a wider range of students and stakeholders – including employers – and make full use of the opportunities to enhance learning and teaching offered by learning technology’ HEFCE (2010) ‘ (...) flexible-learning tends to be student-centred, rather than teacher centred (...) [and can] include: students’ collaboration with peers and/or practitioners in the field, provision of ample resources, (...) and greater emphasis on generic skills (e.g. thinking meta-cognitive, problem solving.’ Chen (2003:25)

6. Flexible Learning According to the HEA, there are 4 flexible learning strands: • Employer Engagement (work-based learning) • Online Learning (technology-enhanced learning) • Transfer of Credit • Part-time learning and learners (HEA, 2013)

7. M- Learning • There is no exact definition for mobile learning (M-learning). Concepts generally used to the define this term are focused on: • devices and technologies; • mobility of learners and the mobility of learning, and • learners’ experience of learning with mobile devices. • (Mobl21.com, n.d.)

8. Reflective Learning and Critical Thinking Learning ‘involves detection and correction of error (Argyris and Schön, 1978:2; Smith, 2001). Single-loop learning vs. Double-loop learning Source: http://www.afs.org/blog/icl/?p=2653

9. Reflective Learning and Critical Thinking • Reflective Learning develops ‘critical thinking, self-awareness, and analytical skills’ (HEA, 2009) • Web-based tools expose students to valid and relevant elements of reflection throughout the course of their learning (Silva de Mattos, 2014) Web-based tools are well known to enhance student reflection, critical thinking, and even help with group work!

10. About this Project

11. Objectives 11 To identify the main channels used by students to access course materials and conduct their independent research; To investigate pedagogic approaches linked to flexible learning, and assess how Pinterest can enhance the learning experience of distance learning students; To assess Pinterest as an enabler for m-learning and flexible learning, particularly in the contexts of assessment and reflective learning.

12. About this Study – Key Steps 12 • Step 1: Understanding students’ current access and use of technology Questionnaire’s objectives: understand the technologies that students registered for this module have access to and what technologies students use most for their learning • Step 2: Student reflection Information from the students’ individual reflection will be used and compared to the students’ Pinterest board (quality of pins, relevance to the topic, and overall learning). • Step 3: Understand students’ overall experience on flexible mobile learning Students will be asked to complete a questionnaire at the end of the moduleabout positive and negative aspects of the task set

13. Understanding students’ current access and use of technology Step 1: Analysis

14. Variables of this Research 14 • Level 6 Issues in the Global Economy, BABA SDL programme was selected for the study. Semester B 2013/14 • Countries taking this module and involved in the research: UK, Trinidad, Mauritius, Singapore and Ireland • Total number of students: 163 • Total number of groups: 37 • Students were asked to use the group discussion section on Studynet and Pinterest as part of their assessment • We are still in the process of collecting all the data

15. Registered Students andCompleted Questionnaires 15

16. Age Group 16

17. Work Experience (Years)

18. Place of Study

19. Internet Access..

20. ..Internet Access

21. ..Internet Access

22. About Students’ Computer Equipment

23. About Students’ Computer Equipment

24. About Social Networking Sites 24

25. Your Overall Access to Technology

26. Key findings so far... 26 • The majority of student enrolled in the BABA SDL (which is a part-time programme) is mature and working, and they have access to a wide variety of technology. • The most popular mobile technologies amongst students surveyed are laptops and smart phones, spending an average 3-5 hours a day connected. • They have accounts on Facebook and Pinterest, and they are happy with the level and the quality of technology available to them for the purpose of their studies.

27. About this Study – Key Steps 27 • Step 1: Understanding students’ current access and use of technology Questionnaire’s objectives: understand the technologies that students registered for this module have access to and what technologies students use most for their learning • Step 2: Student reflection – Submission deadline: 6th May Information from the students’ individual reflection will be used and compared to the students’ Pinterest board (quality of pins, relevance to the topic, and overall learning). • Step 3: Understand students’ overall experience on flexible mobile learning Students will be asked to complete a questionnaire at the end of the moduleabout positive and negative aspects of the task set

28. Assessment – Issues in the Global Economy 28 • Group work (10% ) – Pinterest (5%) and Group discussion on Studynet (5%) Students were expected to weekly engage into collecting and organising research on Pinterest, and contribute to the group discussion on Studynet. • Assignment One (20%) – Group Assignment 2,000 word essay on a choice of two topics previously discussed in Pinterest and Studynet • Assignment Two (70%) – Individual Assignment • Essay, 1,500 word (55%) • Reflection on SA1, 400 words (5%) • Reflection on how Pinterest and the group discussion section on studynet have enabled the student to communicate and discuss the weekly topics with your group, 600 words (10%)

29. About Pinterest – Pin your Interests –

30. What is Pinterest? 30 • It is an online tool used to collect and organise ideas, undertake research and create all sorts of projects. • It is about ‘social bookmarking’ , but much more visual. It offers better ways to store your important links and references – everything can be categorised and stored in public or private folders to review and/or read later. • Can be accessed from a laptop, a computer, a smartphone (via web browser or application)

31. How students will be assessed As a group, you are going to be assessed on: • Quality of the links created 1 Mark • Accuracy of the description of what the pins are about 2 Marks • Originality of the content 1 Mark • How current and relevant the pins are 1 Mark • TOTAL MARKS 5% Links should come from reputable sources. This means genuine corporate or organisational websites, governmental websites, academic publications and/or websites. Youtube links to relevant documentaries and infographics are also acceptable.

32. Pinterest & Group Discussion on Studynet STEP 2: Reflective Learning

33. What students were expected to do on Pinterest 33 • create a Pinterest account for their group • create a board • follow the Module Leader board • pin relevant articles, news, etc onto their own board LINK: Student’s Work, Pinterest

35. STEP 3 …and beyond 35 • Finish collecting the data • Make further links with the literature review • Share and discuss further with colleagues • Consider if Pinterest usage can be considered as an element of assessment, and if so, the weighing it should have as part of the students’ learning process.

36. Thanks for listening 36 Q&A

37. References • Smith, M. K. (2001, 2013). ‘Chris Argyris: theories of action, double-loop learning and organizational learning’, the encyclopedia of informal education. [http://infed.org/mobi/chris-argyris-theories-of-action-double-loop-learning-and-organizational-learning/. Retrieved: March, 2014] • Argyris, M. and Schön, D. (1974) Theory in Practice. Increasing professional effectiveness, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Landmark statement of ‘double-loop’ learning’ and distinction between espoused theory and theory-in-action. • High Education Academy (HEA) (2009) ‘Reflective Learning’, Available from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/hlst/resources/a-zdirectory/reflectivelearning • High Education Academy (HEA) (2013). ‘Group Work’, Available from http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/internationalisation/ISL_Group_Work • Silva de Mattos, L (2014) ‘Blogs in Higher Education: encouraging self-reflective learning in group assessments for Business Students’. Blended Learning in Practice, available from researchprofiles.herts.ac.uk/portal/services/.../2945083/906791.pdf‎ • Mobl21.com (n.d.) ‘Mobile Learning Basics’, available from http://www.mobl21.com/Basics_Of_Mobile_Learning.pdf‎