Education goes mobile

Mobile devices have changed the way our society communicates with one another, completes tasks in the workplace and handles simple day to day responsibilities. But mobile devices have also had a major impact on education and the way we learn. With the use of smart phones and tablets on the rise, we’re really just beginning to understand what this means for students.

According to the Daily Sundial, a recent study conducted by Ball State University found that 99.8 percent of college students own cell phones, with 27 percent of those being smart phones, which is above the national average of 19 percent. I remember when I was in school, we were banned from using mobile devices in class and would go to great lengths to hide them, but now teachers are realizing how useful of a tool smart phones and tablets can be. Some colleges, such as Indiana University and California State University-Northridge, where the Daily Sundial is published, are even beginning to incorporate the technology into lesson plans.

One student quoted in the article worries that the technology will be more of a distraction than anything else. I think once people get used to the idea, they will be more open to it and willing to use the technology. Like anything new, there will be an adjustment period.

In a recent Mashable article, Trevor Bailey, director of worldwide education at Adobe Systems, even goes as far as saying that tablet publishing is going to revolutionize higher education. Bailey shares these 2011 Pearson Foundation survey results:

• 86 percent of college students who own a tablet say the device helps them study more efficiently
• 76 percent of college students report that tablets help them perform better in their classes

I don’t own a tablet, but can only imagine the possibilities. If they were around when I was an undergrad, it would have been a game changer. We barely even knew what social media was at the time; Facebook had only been around for a couple of years and Twitter did not exist, let alone mobile applications.

That same Mashable article talks about how studies have proven that interactive learning can increase retention. I completely agree. Whether you are an auditory or visual learner, it’s always easier when you actually get to work through the material – or “learn by doing.” In large classrooms, how often is this even an option without technology? 

The article makes a really good point saying that “digital publishing can help transform passive learners into active participants.” It’s so true. Typically if you aren’t sitting near the front of lecture halls, you get lost in the crowd, but if everyone has a tablet, that won’t be the case.

We talked at great length in class last week about how mobile technology is the future. Studies like those mentioned above prove that to be true. Universities that don’t stay up to date on the latest in technology will fall behind, and fast. It’s constantly changing and expanding what we can do and I think the digital divide will grow unless schools step up.