Anytime, Anywhere, Always-On

Instructional Illuminations

Anytime, Anywhere, Always-On

KATE Photo mobilelearn2sm.jpg

The Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS) Master Plan lists four common characteristics of projects and initiatives. One of those areas of emphasis is “Anytime, Anywhere, Always-On, Differentiated Teaching and Learning.” The premise for this emphasis is that learning needs to occur not just during school hours or in a classroom, but in an environment that is flexible and accessible--without boundaries. The concept, which aligns “the education experience to highly productive organizations such as business or the military,” requires access to the proper technology tools. In the 90’s Kentucky received accolades for equipping every classroom with a networked computer and according to the current Master Plan is pursuing the “ideal of a student to workstation ratio of 1:1.” The 2008 District Technology Readiness Survey reported a ratio of 2.98 to 1 with 13% of these instructional devices stated to be laptops. Six percent of the devices stay with the students. In addition, 35% of Kentucky districts permit personally owned devices to be brought to school. Seymour Papert, Logo developer and one of the founders of MIT’s Media Lab, was instrumental in convincing Maine’s governor that any ratio below 1 to 1 doesn’t matter. Dr. Papert was quoted in an article by Mike Muir published in the November 2004 issue of ISTE’s Learning and Leading that, “It is only when you implement one-to-one computing that the power happens!”

There are a few districts in Kentucky who have accepted the challenge to provide a 1 to 1 ratio for students. McCracken County Schools is one of those districts currently implementing a new laptop initiative for all high school students in the district.  Jayne Ann Heath, Technology Integration Specialist for the District said, "McCracken County believed we couldn't afford not to do a 1:1 initiative."

One-to-one computing today doesn’t just include high-priced laptop computers. Other devices including mini-computers or net books, PDAs or personal desktop assistants, and cell phones can provide for integration of technology for use in school or just about anywhere else. According to the Pew Study approximately 71% of students ages 12-17 own mobile devices. National findings from the Speak Up 2008 reinforce the fact that many students have tools and want to use them to learn.  The KETS Master Plan also acknowledges that students have embraced wireless devices such as cell phones and iPods and recognizes that even though these devices may pose a classroom management issue, they are on the educational horizon and that “mobile learning devices that use electronic text will eventually replace textbooks.”

Even with the economy in decline, the debate on whether to allow personal devices such as cell phones in schools is certainly far from resolved. In a recent Edutopia article entitled Shaping Tech for the Classroom,  Marc Prensky suggested that “The biggest question about technology and schools in the 21st Century is not so much “What can it do?” but, rather, “When will it get to do it?” In a March 2008 poll conducted by ISTE’s Learning and Leading, readers were almost evenly divided on whether to ban cell phones from schools. Proponents include U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, who supports cell phone use as a “way to expand learning” and Liz Kolb author of Toys to Tools who writes about management issues as well as ways to use them as learning tools. Parents also seem to favor allowing cell phones in schools if only to be able to communicate with their children.

The Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 Edition identified mobile computing as one of the six technologies soon to affect education. The report highlights the changes in mobile device features that bring the “functionality of laptops.” They are multimedia devices with built in recorders, cameras, calendars and calculators, capable of web browsing, and running robust applications. Educators have struggled with managing a classroom of students with a few computers, but without research and preparation these will only be replaced by different challenges if schools move to 1 to 1 models. In a short-video by the George Lucas Educational Foundation entitled "Welcome to the Digital Generation," teachers can see the passion of today's students for "their" technology.

How can these devices be used to facilitate learning. In Marc Prensky's article, "What Can You Learn From a Cell Phone ," he suggests uses that include: “listening, observing, imitating, questioning, reflecting, trying, estimating, predicting, ‘what-if’-ing and practicing….”

Here are some suggestions for ways to begin to use mobile (1 to 1) devices for instructional use:

  • With the most basic devices, students can develop poise and confidence by questioning legislators or experts even if they only phone and leave a message on voicemail.
  • They can create podcasts with a free, easy-to-use tool such as Drop.io (http://drop.io/) on almost any topic (reflecting on a field trip with observations or reactions, presenting a role-play imitating a famous person, recording original creative works such as a song or poem).
  • Students can and do text with their phones. Poll Everywhere (http://polleverywhere.com) is a website that functions as a free student response system. Students can respond to teacher-created multiple choice or free text polls/surveys/questions by web choice or by SMS or they can create their own surveys to collect data for individual projects.
  •  Most phones include additional features such as note-taking and calendaring options that facilitate real-world organizational skills effective in the classroom.
  • Additional features such as cameras allow students to take photos of notes, document field trips, record observations of historical events or weather. Teachers can create class groups on sites such as Flickr (http://www.flickr.com) to share images using creative commons licensing. 
  • Downloadable or mobile versions of applications make student devices both productive and collaborative. Using Google Mobile teachers can share documents, presentations and spreadsheets with students.
  • Students with web-enabled devices can quickly access many websites by replacing the "www" in a url with a “m”.   
Additional sources of information on “Anytime, Anywhere, Always-On, Differentiated Teaching and Learning,” that could not be linked for easy access include:

Mike Muir, G. K. (2004). The Power of One to One. Learning and Leading with Technology , 6-10.

Readers Response: Should Cell Phones Be Banned From Classrooms. (2008). Learning and Leading with Technology , 6.