"As technology becomes more and more embedded in our culture, we must provide our learners with relevant and contemporary experiences that allow them to successfully engage with technology..."
(Education Scotland,no page, date unknown)
Today's children are more and more likely to have personal access to iphones, ipads, ipods, nintendos and android mobile phones. Andrew Pinder, Chairman of BECTA, the UK governments's education technology agency, stresses the need for "those working in the education system to recognise the technology already embedded within the lives of many learners, especially young people."(no page, 2008)
Each one of these devices holds the potential to allow effective handheld learning to occur. One of the most successful methods is through the use of purposefully designed "apps" which can be purchased and used in appropriate circumstances in the classroom.
Our task in ICT last week was to do as such. In our group we had to come up with an active task for a class of primary sixes to engage with for just over an hour using various handheld devices. The devices we had available for the task were ipods, iphones and an ipad.
As a group we decided to incorporate QR codes into our activity. QR codes are gradually becoming more and more visable in everday life. This is mainly due to the increase in people who have the devices to scan them. A QR code uses roughly the same princple as a bar code. Using a special "app" called a QR code scanner, members of teh public can use their handheld devices to scan the QR codes. Once scanned the QR code will either display a message on the screen of the device or take you to a specific web page. Using a website from the internet we were able to create our own personal QR codes for the children to scan. Using these, we created a treasure hunt activity. The QR codes were placed around the university campus and each QR code had an active activity for the children to perform and either video or take a photo of using the devices. Also on the QR codes was as a clue to the where abouts of the next QR code.
Too see an example of a QR code visit iright's blog.
This type of activity definately incorporated various opportunities for active learning outlined by Learning and Teaching Scotland by incorporating;
"
(Education Scotland, no page, date unknown)
After the children had finsihed the treasure hunt they were brought back to the university building and given the task to create their very own digital book on the devices. They were given a short explanation of how to use the videos and pictures they took and put them into their digital book on the devices. In addition they were shown how to add and edit text and different aspects of the digitial book.
In order to obtain feedback from the pupils we again used the handheld devices. By using the website polleverywhere.com we were able to create an online poll which the children could send their responses to. The findings were as follows;
80% of pupils enjoyed the activity
10% of pupils stated it was ok and
10% of pupils stated they did not enjoy it.
10% of pupils stated it was ok and
10% of pupils stated they did not enjoy it.
An overwhelming positive response to the days activites was recieved giving us conformation that the use of technology in classrooms is definately something which we should incorporate more into the curriculum.
References
Education Scotland (date unknown) About Active Learning; What is active learning?
Available http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningteachingandassessment/approaches/activelearning/about/what.asp
Accessed 07/03/12
Education Scotland (date unkown) Role of ICT in Learning
Accessed 07/03/12
Pinder, A (2008) Andrew Pinder on Handheld Learning
Accessed 07/03/12
