My presentation in TESOL 2014 was part of a great multicultural colloquium about mlearning contexts around the world. Even in such different contexts, such as in the US, India and Japan, there’s still so much in common, mainly in terms of iPad rollout programs and infrastructure challenges, such as a robust wifi system. PD for teachers is also an issue that should be considered in any educational setting.
I had the pleasure to present with Aaron Schwartz, from Ohio University, in the US, Paul Daniels, from Kochi University of Technology, Japan, and Claire Bradin Siskin, from the Regional Institute of English, Chandigarh, India. You can find their resources on the CALL-IS wiki.
As for my part, I tried to focus on the practical side of the use of the mobile devices in the classroom, mainly as a tool for motivation and engagement, to make students have a truly enjoyable and profitable experience with much language production. If not in all cases the use of cellphones and tables is transformative, one thing that I truly believe in is the fact that they can help students revisit and review what they’ve been studying, they can focus students’ attention on the task. Mobile devices can also help build a local class community, reaching students in many different ways, especially the introverted ones. The amplification of collaborative projects, mainly intercultural ones is at its highest, and teachers now have the opportunity to rethink and remix the concept of textbooks, making them more dynamic and contextualized. Some examples in this direction were shared in the talk through the use of some apps and web-based platforms that can be accessed in mobile devices, remembering that it is all about the experience.
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