Value of Mobile Technology

The value of mobile technology in teaching and learning

Computers are an incredible device for teachers and are a potent tool for learners. It is so easy to access a library of vast resources that can spark the imagination of the learner or teacher. In class, one of the most important points to make is that the majority of students enjoy using some form of technology in the classroom (Gillespie, 2006).

A great deal of real-life lessons can be learned using computers; from an athlete looking up the correct technique of a skill, to a sports coach looking for new and fresh ideas for drills.

Teachers should teach their learners to find useful and relevant resources which will aid their learning. Also, it is crucial that teachers educate their learners on the difference between trust-worthy (e.g. BBC News) and non-trustworthy (e.g. Wikipedia) websites (Edwards, 2012).

An example of mobile technology is that of ‘Moodle’. Moodle is a virtual learning environment (VLE) and is used by the organisation where my teaching placement is based. A virtual learning environment is a very clever network that can be used on almost any technological device e.g. iPad. As a VLE can be accessed on any device, the student can tune-in and tune-out of their learning at any time anywhere using the device of their choice e.g. a home laptop (Petty, 2014).

As a teacher using Moodle, I have been able to upload and share extremely important documents with my students. For instance, if a student was unable to attend a lecture due to illness he/she will be able to log-in to Moodle and check the work that was covered that day. It is however, very important that the teacher remembers to upload all course documentation e.g. lecture PowerPoints, assignment information and so on. This will give the learners the best chance of independent study and improvement (Petty, 2014).