Mobile Learning Overview
Mobile Learning
Seen as a way to potentially transform education and engage learners through flipped classrooms aided by ubiquitous connectivity, Zayed University officially launched and implemented the iPad Mobile Learning Initiative at the beginning of the academic year September, 2012, in partnership with the two other national higher education tertiary institutions, United Arab Emirates University and the Higher Colleges of Technology. This is a one-to-one mobile initiative which will fully integrate the iPad into the learning and teaching experience inside and outside the classroom. Zayed University’s planning process and pilot project for this initiative began in earnest in April 2012. It started within the pre-baccalaureate program, is now in the degree program, and is moving up through the entire institution semester-by-semester.
Zayed University started its iPad implementation in the foundational English language program, the Academic Bridge Program, with approximately 3000 students. The project is unique because of its scale and because it will be the largest iPad project to work with second language learners. The full implementation will be phased in and is expected to have reached full implementation within approximately 3 years time. Besides the iPads, classrooms are being equipped with a mirroring device either through a mirroring application or through AppleTV which allows for collaboration among students and teachers. The university has also devoted considerable resources for the development and utilization of media-rich iPad-mediated materials such iBooks, interactive PDFs, and interactive Apps like NearPod and Socrative.
Though project evaluation is not complete, evidence suggests that both faculty interest and student engagement have increased. Initial survey research showed that the majority of faculty did recognize the potential transformative nature of mobile technology, and faculty participation in professional development opportunities has never been greater. From an institutional perspective, even if the faculty member has yet to fully comprehend the benefits of mobile technology, the iPad has provided an opportunity to discuss issues of pedagogy. For student learning the benefits are obvious. iPads are a mobile technology which allow students to have ubiquitous access to their learning materials and peers, potentially increasing engagement. The main role for the CEI is to guide faculty development around issues of mobile learning.
The next steps in the project are to continue the stepwise implementation of the iPads into the baccalaureate and then to launch iTunesU. Initial steps have already been taken within first semester baccalaureate courses and another pilot is being launched within all of the colleges.
