Kearney, M., Burden, K., and Ria, T. (2015) Investigating teachers’ adoption of signature mobile pedagogies. Science Direct. () 48-57
This study examines the use of contemporary mobile learning pedagogies in education asking how educators use distinctive pedagogical features of mobile learning in collaboration, personalisation and authenticity. There was a group of 107 schools who participated in a survey taken place in 2013 primarily in Australia and Europe. The research data found that the data found the contructus of authenticity were high, and the constructs for personalisation and collaboration were lower. The data was taken from across school discipline areas and was therefore thought to provide a more accurate snapshot of mobile learning in schools. The study found a number of issues as the definition of mobile learning was quite broad, and therefore, there were many different learning pedagogical values and individualistic approaches. This study states the importance of understanding the educational pedagogies before ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ of implementing technology devices.
Prescott, J., Bundscuh, K., Kazakoff, E., and Macaruso, P. (2018). Elementary school-wide implementation of a blended learning program for reading intervention. The Journal of Educational Research. 111(4), 497-506
This study examines the use of a blended learning program for literacy instruction using a technology program called Core5 integrated with a blended literacy program. Core5 provided a personalization and systematic approach including: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The activities in the program were led by videos and students progressed at their own pace. A reading performance test was done before the program started and after the program was used in grades kindergarten to grade 5. Results indicated that all grade performance showed significant growth. This study found that kindergarten to second grade showed bigger gains in their reading abilities than did the grades 3-5, although they too showed growth. The researchers admitted they would have some classes in these schools as control groups and therefore they found the limitation of being able to separate the use of the blended literacy program coupled with Core5.
Nikolopoulou, K., Gialamas, V., and Lavidas, K. (2020) Teachers’ readiness to adopt mobile learning in classrooms: a study in Greece. Technology, Knowledge and Learning. (), 53-77
This study researches teachers’ readiness in schools to use mobile learning in the K-12 classrooms. There was a questionnaire given to 920 teachers in Greece with four ideas, possibilities, benefits, preferences and external influences. This study explores teachers gender, age, years of teaching, school grade, and training with technological devices on use of mobile technologies. There was a questionnaire given out in 2018-2019 that went out to 500 random schools with two parts. The first part examined the demographics while the second part examined 28 items of Mobile Learning Readiness Survey asking teachers willingness to introduce and teach with different mobile devices in the classroom. This study found that teachers who participated in technology training, teachers with more years of experience had a more positive response to using technology in the classroom. This study also found that primary school teachers were using technology more than high school teachers in comparison.
Canter, L., King, L., Williams, J., Metcalf, D., and Rhys Myrick Potts, K. (2017) Evaluating pedagogy and practice of universal design for learning in public schools. Exceptionality Education International. 27(1), 1-16
This study asks the question of how education can meet the demands of effectively educating when the population of students is becoming increasingly diverse while meeting the skills needed in the 21 century. This study used participants from eleven classrooms in six different schools, three elementary classrooms, four middle school classrooms, and four high school classrooms. The study focused on changes in teachers’ understanding of the Universal Design for Learning and changes to instructional practices, including the use of technology in teaching. It was a mixed methods research design with the use of survey, direct observation, and interviewing. There was a pre- and post-survey that showed the teacher understanding and level of knowledge of technology. Conclusions found that having a teaching partner helped with the integration and building of knowledge of how UDL worked and the integration of technology. While teachers who were individuals had a higher usage and understanding of working with technology but a lower understanding of the UDL program.
Hi Alison,
These are interesting and useful studies you’ve highlighted here. Do you see an intersection between mobile-enhanced pedagogy and UDL? I think many time attention to either can lead to advances in both (though they are not contingent).
Do you see these works impacting your own teaching? I particularly like the point made about UDL implementation working better in teaching pairs. Any sort of new approach will generate questions and issues.
I would love to implement more of a UDL design into my classroom because it would allow for more flexibility, especially with my students with a learning disability. This year I had 6 students with a sever learning disability in my class. At the end of the year I introduced speech to text and text to speech as well as utilized audio books. I found students had a better success rate, however, access to technology was very challenging. As it is we have 60 Chromebook to share with 8 intermediate classes as well as some primary. One of my co-workers received a grant and was able to purchase 8 Chromebooks for her classroom and implements them daily. I think even with this it would open up a much more flexible access to learning.