What are the best practices for creating mobile learning?
Designing in a mobile learning environment presents several challenges when planning, developing, and implementing learning in schools and workplaces. Instructional designers require an understanding of current professional procedures in design for every diverse learner and implement these procedures to form favorable interactions and outcomes. Creating programs and content for mobile learners is not optional but a necessity (Baldwin & Ching, 2020). In addition to design challenges, educators need to understand these mobile tools and technologies. They should also acquire the equipment needed and tools required to design and create designs within this mobile environment (Qarkaxhja et al, 2021).
Addressing the problem
The issue or challenge that affects a workplace or classroom must be specified and pinpointed when searching for mobile learning solutions. Applying best practices for each unique problem requires careful consideration. The implementation plan that is presented in this blog focuses on improving communication between parents, students, and the choir director for Grade 3-5 choral ensemble in District L. using a mobile app.
Understanding your learning audience
As with many instructional design challenges, the learner and the learner’s needs must always be at the forefront when considering these mobile learning solutions. Always ask: What does the learner need to know? What is the goal of this class or where does the learner need to be at the end of any training or seminar?
Designing the plan
There are simple steps in creating a working mobile learning plan. They include:
Describing and understanding the workplace environment
Pinpointing the problem
Focusing on the target audience
Describing the purpose(s)
Setting and laying out 1-2 specific goals
Which mobile technology or technologies are needed to launch the plan?
What ethical dilemmas could challenge the implementation plan and an explanation of how you will address the challenges using best practices?
How will you implement the mobile technologies plan in the workplace environment?
The steps in the process, including how you will obtain approval from the administration if needed (American College of Education, 2024)
Connecting to the purpose
Specific purposes of a program or plan must be articulated by an instructional designer to find an appropriate solution and the designer must commit to connecting to that purpose to be successful. In this communication mobile implementation plan's case, the main purpose of this application is to improve communication between and with the district's elementary choir students.
Setting specific goals
Creating specific, timely learning goals is key to implementing a plan that works in a chosen learning environment. The three main goals that apply to this mobile learning involve:
Improved communication with choir students and families
Increased retention and enhanced recruitment efforts through clear messaging inside app
Organizing contact info database while maintaining privacy within the app
Ethical considerations
here are a few ethical issues to consider when designing learning in a mobile environment. These include:
Cyber-bullying
Potential public access to events and materials intended for a limited audience
Sharing of digital materials for professional purposes
Archiving and record keeping
Parental and student informed consent (Aubusson et al, 2009).
Implementing the steps of the plan
As with any plan, breaking down the process into specific steps will create a pathway to success once completed. The plan for this mobile technology implementation is as follows:
Determine through IT department and establish that technology is conforming with district policy
Confirm with board office that Remind app use is acceptable
Communicate with office staff, supervisor, and both school principals that Remind will be main source of communication
Invite office staff, supervisor, and principals to join choir communication group inside Remind app
Request, welcome, and establish district elementary choir group for students, families, and music department
Train new community on access, communication, and navigation using Remind app
Test and implement new app and communications conduit
Justification for using specific technology
When searching for the best practices in mobile learning and finding the ideal solution, as stated previously, all learners and their needs must be made the priority. In choosing the Remind app as the best technology for this problem several factors jumped out including:
Students and families receive messages regardless of their internet connection or access to a smartphone—and they can get back to the director or teacher just as easily
Mobile notifications mean students and families never miss your messages
Message every student, and their families, in each of the classes, teams, and study groups with just one click
Students, parents, and other caregivers can opt in with a single text
Fits seamlessly into workflow with app integrations
Schedule Remind office hours to let students and families know when you're available, and model healthy boundaries when you're not (Remind.com, 2024)
Here is the mobile technologies implementation plan created for the district choir communication problem facing the music department in district L.
Mobile Technologies Implementation Plan
(CLICK on FULLSCREEN BUTTON [ _ ] to VIEW document)
Here is some more info about Remind and the Remind app:
This is the front page of Remind.com
This is a getting started page at Remind
Here is a YouTube video about Family Engagement with Remind:
References:
American College of Education. (2024). Trends in Instructional Design: Module 5 [Video - Who Needs Mobile Learning?] Canvas. https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1946624/external_tools/118428
Aubusson, P., Schuck, S., & Burden, K. (2009). Mobile learning for teacher professional learning: benefits, obstacles, and issues. ALT-J: Research in Learning Technology, 17(3), 233–247.
Baldwin, S. J., & Ching, Y.-H. (2020). Guidelines for designing online courses for mobile devices. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 64(3), 413–422. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00463-6
Chat. Remind. (2024). https://www.remind.com/chat
“Communication Platform for Education.” Remind, www.remind.com/. Accessed 12 May 2024.
“Family Engagement with Remind: District Administrators.” YouTube, 15 Apr. 2022, youtu.be/qlPc01MbGmA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlPc01MbGmA.
Huey, M., & Giguere, D. (2023). The Impact of smartphone use on course comprehension and psychological well-being in the college classroom. Innovative Higher Education, 48(3), 527–537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-022-09638-1
Qarkaxhja, Y., Kryukova, N. I., Cherezova, Y. A., Rozhnov, S. N., Khairullina, E. R., & Bayanova, A. R. (2021). Digital transformation in education: teacher candidate views on mobile learning. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 16(19), 81–93. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v16i19.26033
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