Running Head: Mobile Learning

Mobile Learning:
Embracing the Mobile Lifestyle to Cultivate Life-long Learners
Elizabeth Powers
University of North Texas

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Abstract

The use of mobile technology is ubiquitous in modern America and in many parts of the
world. While it has very helpfully put a plethora of information at the fingertips of both students
and educators, it has also come with some unexpected, negative consequences. Mobile devices
provide opportunities for great distractions and can increase inappropriate behavior such as
bullying and cheating. For mobile devices to be used successfully in the classroom, educators
must utilize effective instructional learning theories. When used appropriately, mobile learning
can increase student motivation, engagement, and learning. Since mobile devices are not going
away, educators need to embrace this technology and use its strength to help students become
life-long learners.

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Introduction

Everyone has many facets to their lives and, until the introduction of the personal computer,
nothing had the flexibility and complexity to unify all of them. Since the use of personal
computers became ubiquitous, people have used software that provided them with productivity
tools such as word processing, spreadsheets, and email, as well as social connectivity tools to
help them invest in the lives of their loved ones even across great distances. For many years,
people have used computers to fill this function of the unification of their lives. However, the
challenge they faced was that the use of the computer was restricted to the time when one was
sitting at ones desk. About ten years ago, wide scale adoption of smartphones began to occur.
Smartphones brought together the productivity tools of the personal computer, the social
connectivity tools of the personal computer and the telephone, and the time management tools of
a calendaring system. While full sized computers have much bigger screens and are more
efficient for many functions, there is something to be said for the mobility of the modern
smartphone. It is a compact, portable, and durable computer which provides access to remote
services quickly, easily, and nearly everywhere. Educators and students are now using mobile
devices in a myriad of different ways in their private lives. Is it possible that with cash-strapped
school districts looking for ways to improve and harness their students technological savvy
while saving money, they might be overlooking the (tiny) elephant in the room? This paper will
address the challenges and benefits of mobile learning to determine if mobile learning has a
useful application in classrooms from kindergarten to college.
Definition of Mobile Learning
What is mobile learning? As a student in an online discussion board for a masters in
learning technology at the University of North Texas recently opined, is the use of technology

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in the classroom playing Angry Birds and saying the students are learning physics? Is it creating
a PowerPoint presentation that is brought to school on a flash drive, plugged in to the educators
computer and displayed on a SMART board? Is it listening to a story on an app? While these are
examples of a type of mobile learning, they do not necessarily improve student engagement,
interest, preparedness, or enjoyment of the learning process. Mobile learning is defined in this
paper as learning that is centered on a mobile device such as a smartphone, iPad, Chromebook,
tablet, phablet, or Surface that engages a student mentally by increasing their enjoyment of the
learning process, creating greater retention of new concepts, and providing opportunities for
growth (Furio, Juan, &Vivo, 2014). The purpose of mobile learning is the same as learning in
any other formatto equip and engage students so that they become life-long learners.
Concerns about Mobile Learning
Is inviting a mobile phone into the classroom like inviting an unwanted guest for dinner?
There are several legitimate concerns about mobile technology in the classroom. The primary
reasons that people resist mobile technology in the classroom are the worries about distraction,
cheating, cyberbullying, and sexting (Keengwe, Schnellert, & Jonas, 2012; Barnes, Marateo, &
Ferris, 2007). These problems are not attached exclusively to mobile learning, rather, they are
found in the interaction of students with mobile technology.
Distraction
When an individual drives down the street and sees someone driving who is also talking on
their cell phone or texting, they often try to give that driver a wide berth. It is understood that
when other people are texting or talking on a cell phone while driving, they are less aware of
traffic. Most people, however, think that they are better drivers than others, and they can handle
the challenge (National Safety Council, 2012). However, there is extensive evidence that even

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with the use of hands-free devices, people do not have the mental bandwidth to do two complex
tasks simultaneously. People cannot multitask (National Safety Council, 2012; Strayer, 2007).
What they do instead is switch from one task to another quickly (National Safety Council, 2012).
This gives the illusion of doing two things at the same time. However, while driving, when
complex visual information is coming at the driver, and the driver is also receiving spoken or
written information, the brain cannot switch between these things. As a result, it reduces the
input from one of the sources (National Safety Council, 2012). That source is usually the road.
People who are involved in accidents while using hands-free devices look at but do not see as
much as 50% of the environment (Strayer, 2007). The National Safety Council (2012) indicates
that 28% of accidents on the road in 2010 were caused by mobile devices. Distraction from
mobile devices while driving is an undisputed challenge.
In the same way, a math educator cannot expect to compete with a student who has
Facebook on his phone while she discusses the merits of the x and y variables. Nor can a biology
educator expect the students to understand the difference between DNA and RNA while they are
texting each other about Friday nights events. Students do not have the mental bandwidth to
absorb two complex concepts at once (National Safety Council, 2012; Strayer, 2007), so the
brain determines which is the more important input, and algebra or biology usually take a back
seat. Students may hear their instructor talking, but they are not absorbing it. Then, when it
comes time to do their homework, they are confused because they did not hear much of the
information when it was presented.
Cheating
The concern educators have about distractibility is quickly followed by their concern about
cheating. Not only do students today cheat more than they did 10 or 20 years ago, it also

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appears that they see cheating as more acceptable than their peers of prior generations
(Murdock, Miller, & Kohlhardt, 2004, p. 765). Eighty per cent of engineering students at certain
universities admitted to cheating during college (Lord, 2014). It is interesting to note that
students cheated more when grades were based on scores than when grades were based on
mastery (Murdock et al., 2004). Additionally, they felt morally justified in cheating when the
educator was perceived as being a bad instructor (Murdock et al., 2004). One of the most
effective ways to address cheating with students, surprisingly, is to just talk about it. A strong
verbal warning about the consequences of cheating immediately before a test reduces it by as
much at 13%, although creating multiple styles of the same test can decrease it by as much as
25% (Lord, 2014).
Cyberbullying
Another challenge facing schools in the area of mobile integration is the very real problem
of cyberbullying (Keengwe et al., 2012). Cyberbullying has been defined as "willful and
repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices
(Hinduja & Patchin, 2010, p. 208). Students are being challenged by bullying in ways that would
not have happened even ten years ago (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). Furthermore, people who
would not have acted as bullies in person now feel empowered to bully others online from the
safety of their own home. The anonymity factor emboldens students because they think they will
never get caught (Keengwe et al., 2012). They can say terribly hurtful things, and often the only
result they see is that a bullied student is shunned, or their peer group congratulates them on their
clever assault against a bullied student, both of which validate their decision to be a bully. Cyber
bullying has led to numerous suicides in addition to the impact it has on the self-confidence of
the victims and their success in school (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010).

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Sexting
Another area of concern which is related to cyberbullying is sexting. Sexting involves
students taking suggestive pictures of themselves or others and sharing them. The victims of
these photos do not always have knowledge that these photos were taken, or they may have taken
the picture of themselves to share with a boyfriend or girlfriend. When the relationship ends, the
receiver of these images may share them with others in retaliation. What began as a childish
prank or an impulsive response to being jilted, however, has devastating, long-lasting
consequences for all involved. The victims will have to recover just as much as if the assault had
been physical, as victims of cyberbullying indicated a significantly greater incidence of suicidal
ideation (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). The perpetrators, on the other hand, depending on what state
they live in, may have committed a felony under the codes regarding the creation, possession and
distribution of child pornography (McEllrath, 2014). They may have to register as sex offenders
when renting an apartment or in filling out a job application. The perpetrators also report a
statistically significant increase in suicidal ideation and attempts (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010).
School has suddenly taken a back seat to life-altering decisions made in a moment.
Additional Concerns
In addition to the previously-mentioned negative aspects of mobile phone use in schools:
distraction, cheating, cyberbullying, and sexting, there are other concerns that ought to be
considered. Some researchers have noted a correlation between heavy phone use and depression.
Students are extremely attached to their phones (Keengwe et al., 2012; Choliz, M., 2012). In a
study done with students between the ages of 20 and 24, it was noted that of those who had

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extremely high phone use, a significant number felt that that their constant availability was, in
fact, a negative state of affairs (Thome, Hrenstam, & Hagberg, 2011). These same students
were found to regularly struggle with sleep disturbances and symptoms of depression (Thome et
al., 2011). In another study, students demonstrated signs of dependence on their mobile devices
as some people are dependent on drugs (Choliz, 2012). Humans crave connectivity and are
communal creatures. In an age when society seems more fragmented, it is understandable that
young people look to their phones for connection and seem lost without it (Choliz, 2012). The
challenge students are experiencing is that the digital solution they are finding does not satisfy
their basic need for connection (Kross, et al., 2013).
Keep your enemies closer
Mobile technology, therefore, seems fraught with challenges. Would it not be the greater part
of wisdom to avoid this device? The reason educators should not abandon this tool is that these
challenges are not specifically a result of mobile learning opportunities. These challenges exist
because mobile technology exists, and mobile technology is here to stay. By choosing not to
engage with this powerful device, educators fail to demonstrate the proper use of the tool. By
acquiescing to the inappropriate behavior of the students, educators enable them to continue it.
Educators must harness these powerful tools for their students benefit. Running from a problem
never solved it, but turning and facing a problem, turning it into an ally, has often solved it. The
great Chinese general and military strategist, General Sun-Tzu, famously said in The Art of War,
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. This wisdom also applies to mobile
technology.
Positive Impacts of Mobile Learning

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There are many benefits of mobile learning which must not be ignored. Mobile learning
engages students where they are (Murray, 2010). It motivates them with learning that is
structured like a game, a comic book, a movie, or a Facebook feed (Styslinger, 2014). It enables
them to collaborate with a tool that they have been using in a social function already (Little,
2013). Because mobile learning is done with the student in an anytime, anywhere (Hlodan,
2010, p. 682) mindset, it lays the groundwork for the student to become a life-long learner by
harnessing an activity they are already actively engaged in. Furthermore, modern students are
steeped in technology in their personal lives and want to learn in that capacity (Barnes et al.,
2007). Since students posses a self-driven desire to learn in this capacity, educators will be able
to harness their enthusiasm and energy by enabling learning through these devices.
Increases Engagement and Motivation
Student engagement is greatly increased through the use of mobile learning. A study was
done in 2004 in the UK to measure the way students responded to a learning situation in which
they physically interacted with the environment while taking cues from a mobile device (Facer,
Joiner, Stanton, Reid, Hull, & Kirk, 2004). The students were to play the role of lions and
survive on the Savannah. They had several threats to deal with, including elephants, water
buffalos, fire, and tribal people. They had to hunt for food, maintain an appropriate level of
hydration, rest to conserve energy, and learn to work collectively to conquer certain threats.
Other threats they learned to simply avoid as there was no way to succeed in an encounter with
them. Because they were physically involved by moving around an open field and taking cues
from their mobile device so they could adequately respond to the simulated environment, their
level of motivation and engagement was higher than had they been using avatars (Facer et al.,
2004). For example, when the students were running away from a predator, they were physically

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running away. This contributed to their enjoyment significantly as these activities bring their own
inherent pleasure. The students thoroughly enjoyed the game, frustrated only by the limits of the
technology they were working with (Facer et al., 2004). This study was done in 2004, which at
present was eleven years ago. Hardware technology has significantly improved with the
introduction of the Wii and Kinect. Additionally, improvements in wifi and cellular technology
since that time as well as motion tracking software have also made significant leaps. Should this
experiment be done again, the author is certain the students would find current technology much
more realistic and engaging. The challenges of this program are also its strengths. It is an outdoor
activity which requires the collective participation of the entire class. Furthermore, the students
cannot take it home as it is location specific. This is still a valuable tool because educators do
engage in whole-class activities, and this would be an interesting group activity for either a
science class or a PE class. Additionally, while Furio, Juan, Seguit, & Vivo (2014) found in their
study that learning did not significantly increase through the use of mobile technology,
motivation significantly increased. This alone is a reason to pursue the integration of mobile
technology in the classroom.
Cecilie Murray (2010) authored an article that discussed several projects across the world
that used the introduction of mobile learning devices to determine how student engagement
would be impacted. The greatest challenge they found was that some students did not like that
they had to think on their own and preferred being passive learners to being active learners
(Murray, 2010). Overall, they found that student engagement was higher, peer tutoring happened
spontaneously, students were more involved in learning and came up with new ideas to explore,
and educators filled the role of coach and subject matter expert more often. According to
Murray, mobile learning, and mobile devices motivate students and improve their engagement.

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This has been demonstrated by improved attendance, more active participation in class, better
preparation and organization for class, more regular completion of school work and homework
and enjoying learning as a fun activity (Murray, 2010).
Encourages Collaboration
Because students associate mobile devices with connection and with friends, they tend to
naturally collaborate when working with such tools. Students collaborate easily on the iPad,
Chromebook, or Surface simply because of the screen size (Little, 2013). iPads lend themselves
to several students working together to create a group project, or a team assignment such as
using BookCreator to write a story together or using Videolicious to make a movie introducing a
new classmate. Smartphones, on the other hand, lend themselves to collaboration with each
individual having an equal opportunity to contribute (Little, 2013). One way students can use
smartphones to collaborate is with the program Kahoot!. Kahoot! is a fun and interactive
program where an individual can create a quiz and others sign in to the program to answer the
questions. It is easy enough to set up that the students can create their own quizzes to test each
other. Classrooms can challenge neighboring classrooms to contests as well. This is just one
example of the use of smartphone collaboration which is available to educators.
Exploits Social Networking
One of the opportunities mobile learning brings to us is the opportunity to take advantage of
social networking. Students are accustomed to using their phones for social media. If educators
turn that into learning, they have enacted a coup d'tat. Some educators have used Twitter as a
way for a class to take collective notes (Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2009). This keeps everyone
engaged and at the same time supports students who have a difficult time taking notes by giving
everyone access to a great set of notes at the end of the class (Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2009).

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Twitter has also been used to provide on-the-spot support which students needed while working
on their assignments (Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2009). The instructors in the second instance
included their students, professionals in the field, and themselves in the Twitter feed. This
allowed the students to pose a question when the student needed the answer and those who had
time could respond. Several times they received help from the professionals in the field while
they worked through the challenges in the class (Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2009). Another useful
tool for educators is Seesaw, an app that is similar to a Facebook feed, but built around a
students work. Students take pictures of physical work or attach digital work and, with their
instructors permission, upload it to their feed. This is a great way for young children to be
able to share what is going on in their classroom.
Supports Life-Long Learning
Because educators are connecting students with a form of learning that they will access for
the rest of their lives, they are giving them the tools to become life-long learners (Skiba, 2011).
The students are learning how to ask their own questions and find answers to them both
independently and collaboratively. They are learning how to present their findings in both formal
and informal presentations as well as how to refine their presentation as they see themselves on
video. All of these experiences will be with them as they leave the confines of the classrooms,
take jobs, and continue to grow. Through mobile learning apps and software, educators are
equipping them to be successful workers.
There are many educators who have deep understanding of the intricacies of English
grammar and impart this to their students. However, due to the unfortunate emphasis in recent
years that educators teach students to get their thoughts on paper, but not burden them with the
rules of grammar, some educators have been sent out to teach without the foundation of the

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English grammar rules themselves (Aarts, Clayton, & Wallis, 2012). When educators recognize a
gap in their education, they remediate it. Aarts, Clayton, and Wallis, in 2012, published a paper
about the response of educators to a website that taught English grammar. The response was so
great that it has been turned it into an app for the iPhone called iGE, which stands for the
Interactive Grammar of English (Aarts et al., 2012). Now educators, and others who want to
truly master English grammar, can learn it anytime, anywhere (Hlodan, 2010, p. 682). The
most significant element in this situation, however, is not an app but a mindset. Educators
appreciate the learning process as not something confined to specific hours, but a natural and
constant part of their lives. As they themselves continue to learn and model what it is to be a lifelong learner for their students, their students may in turn be inspired to incorporate this mindset.
Bridges the technology gap
One of the most promising aspects of bringing mobile technology into the classroom is that
it can help to bridge the technology gap (Murray, 2010). Poorer school districts that do not have
the money to support significant infrastructure changes will only need to provide a large
bandwidth of internet access throughout the school and access points at different locations.
Additionally, they will need to have a back-up plan for times when the internet goes down, or
they lose connectivity. Families that have less discretionary income can take advantage of
government programs designed to provide equal access to technology. These programs provide a
free or inexpensive cell phone or laptop for families that qualify (Komando, 2012). Alternatively,
there are grants for the purchase of technology for schools in low-income areas (US Govt.,
2014). Apple, Google, Microsoft, and many other technology companies have made pledges to
improve accessibility for students from low income families through the ConnectED program,

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unveiled in February of 2014. As a result, there are grants available to schools and school
districts to make use of these resources (White House, 2014).

Does Mobile Learning Follow Sound Learning Theories?

In Merrills 2002 article, First Principles of Instruction, he evaluated a number of
educational learning theories. He found that several of these theories held similar principles.
Based on Merrill's article, effective instruction follows these five principles:
1. Learning is promoted when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems.
2. Learning is promoted when existing knowledge is activated as a foundation for new
knowledge.
3. Learning is promoted when new knowledge is demonstrated to the learner.
4. Learning is promoted when new knowledge is applied by the learner.
5. Learning is promoted when new knowledge is integrated into the learners world.
(Merrill, 2002, p. 44-45)
These effective instruction principles are as applicable to mobile learning as they are to
traditional learning. His first principle, Learning is promoted with learners are engaged in
solving real-world problems (Merrill, 2002, p. 44), is readily applied to mobile technology.
Using the internet to identify a butterfly that visits a garden that a first grade class has planted is
an example. Using mobile reading apps is another example. Student motivation to stay engaged
is high when they solve real-world problems through mobile device technologies
His next principle states that existing knowledge must be accessed to provide support for
continuing learning (Merrill, 2002). One of the ways that prior knowledge is activated is through
the use of the web-based software, Kahoot!. With this tool, mentioned earlier, an instructor can
quiz the students on what they already know to determine how strong a foundation they have. It

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allows them to access prior knowledge in a fun way, that is much more fun and engaging than a
traditional list on the whiteboard of what they know, want to know, and learn.
In the third and fourth principles, he states that learning happens when knowledge is
explained to the learner and practiced by the learner (Merrill, 2002). This involves demonstration
and duplication. Students are allowed to see what is expected and to practice it. There are many
examples of these principles of learning in educational software and applications such as Explain
Everything and Educreations Interactive Whiteboard. In both of these tools, students and
educators can record their explanations and the corresponding writing on an actual or digital
whiteboard. Students use this tool to explain their thinking. These are then available to the
student through a mobile app. This is a powerful way to engage students. Additionally, Kindoma
is an iPad app that allows two people to connect screens to read a book together. This will
connect students with authors, mentors, grandparents, or peers in another place.
Merrills last principle revolves around integrating learning into a students world (2002).
Students are already using mobile technology in their lives and are casually integrating this
through the spontaneous use of the internet to find answers to many questions. Adding an
intentional mobile learning component to their already frequent use of the devices will make the
integration of learning natural (Hlodan, 2010).
One of the theories Merrill covered was the theory discussed by Burton & Brown (1979).
Burton & Brown (1979) discussed the essential element of scaffolding. Scaffolding simply
means that as a learner is starting off, they need a lot of support, however, as they gain
confidence with the subject, support is gradually removed, leaving them with the self-assurance
to move forward independently.Therefore, a caution must be offered for educators. Educators
frequently present information and technology with which they are very familiar. As a result,

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they have little recollection of what it was like to be exposed to the information for the first time.
Many of the students will not be familiar with either new technology or new concepts. With both,
educators must remember to provide scaffolding to ensure their students confidence and success.
Scaffolding is also an essential component when using the constructivist theory of learning
studied by Jonassen and Rohrer-Murphy (1999). In the constructivist theory of learning, students
are presented a task, challenge, or problem to solve with minimal pre-teaching. The students
learn the principles they need through the challenges they experience in solving the problem. For
this to be an effective mobile learning approach, educators must make sure that the technological
foundation is in place before they expect the students to intuit the learning from an experience.
Technology can be extremely intuitive or very frustrating. Understanding the students
proficiency with the mobile technology of choice is an essential component an educator must
consider if using the constructivist learning theory in combination with mobile technology. At
some private schools, an excellent software program is used for their 5th and 6th grade math
classes, called Reasoning Mind. It is the students primary method of instruction. However, in
the 3rd and 4th grades, they are exposed to this software as a source of additional practice twice a
week. This scaffolding creates a knowledge base and familiarity with the program so that when it
is their primary source of instruction, they do not experience the frustration that often
accompanies a steep learning curve.
Practical Application
College
At the college level, it is easy to see the influence of both online and mobile technology.
Students are able to access the software that manages their classes through Blackboard on their
phone, tablet, or at their computer. Entire degree programs are online, allowing students the

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convenience of working on their degree before and after their full time jobs and eliminating all
the time spent driving to classes. In addition to the ease of access to whole programs, blended
learning has made its way to the college campus. At the University of Paisley, Scotland, the
Computer Science department had consistently had trouble helping the students to grasp the
concepts of database analysis and design (Connolly, Stansfield, & McLellan, 2006). This was an
essential skill for their adequate preparation in information systems. In an attempt to remedy this
problem, they created a games-based online program utilizing competitive teams. The fact that
the students could win the game increased their motivation to understand the concepts
significantly. This created both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to master concepts that were
challenging. The constructivist pedagogy they used worked well. The students had prior
knowledge to build on, and the resources to gain more as they needed it. In the end, this gamesbased method of teaching this difficult concept worked well for the school. The school was
excited about taking it to the next level (Connolly et al., 2006).
Another example of the benefits of mobile learning technology in adult education is in the
nursing field. Diana Skiba (2011) wrote an article for Nursing Education Perspectives that lists
ways in which faculty need to engage their students with mobile technology. She quotes the oftrepeated statement that by 2015 80% of people accessing the web will be doing so through
mobile devices (Skiba, 2011; Johnson, Smith, Willis, Levine, & Haywood, 2011). She speaks of
the advantages to the nursing students such as the ability to access information just in time on the
field and in clinical practice (Skiba, 2011). Another value for students is that mobile learning
promotes active learning engagement and collaboration. She addresses the concerns that faculty
have because they feel inadequately prepared to change their pedagogy, but ultimately she states
that they must move toward embracing this technology, even just in baby steps (Skiba, 2011).

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Her baby steps include asking students to look something up. The instructor could then analyze
the experience to see if the students were more engaged in the learning process. She anticipates
that the nursing instructors will see engagement and motivation improve in their classes (Skiba,
2011). This should encourage them to try more and bigger steps.
High School
The application of mobile learning in high schools is almost unlimited. There are many math
and science apps for educators to use as an interactive tool. There are full or partial classes to
take on Khan Academy, iTunes, and other, more class-focused sites. Google, iTunes, and
Microsoft have many apps to use in the classroom. Additionally, most schools have SMART
boards. On a SMART board, one can record the interactive display. If a microphone is plugged
in, the presentor can record their explanation, load it into iTunes, and the students can listen to it
again on their iPad or phone. Alternatively, the Swivl robot can record lectures and
presentations. It will automatically follow the speaker so that the presentation is captured in its
full, dynamic style. It can be uploaded to the cloud and viewed by students. The possibilities of
this are quite broad. In addition to educators being able to record lectures for students who have
missed a class, or for students to be able to refer to at a later date, students can record the oral
presentations they give. These can be compiled and become a part of their portfolio. An
additional application to consider is that some schools have their seniors complete a Senior
Project. These are projects that the students work on all year and then conclude with an oral
presentation of their findings. Being able to capture their passion for a subject matter and
communicate that to a prospective college would be very valuable.
There are some outstanding apps for Language Arts as well. For example, one of the most
important skills educators impart to their students is the students ability to read source material,

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comprehend it, and articulate that material in their own words. Several apps allow students to
demonstrate their proficiency in this skill in an engaging way. There are newspaper generators
that allow a student to summarize a book or an act from a play, title it, and even add a picture.
There are comic book apps that allow a student to generate a comic book summarizing the story
line and demonstrating their grasp of the deeper themes. The student will pick out the
background, decide on and name the characters, and then print or post online the newly-created
comic book (Stryslinger, 2014). These are apps that engage and motivate students while
teaching them higher level thinking skills (Stryslinger, 2014).
Elementary and Middle School
Elementary and middle school also have an abundance of apps through which engaging
learning can happen. There are a multitude of apps which reinforce or teach basic concepts like
reading, grammar, and math computation. There are apps, Shadowpuppet and Videoliscious, for
example, which allow students to make a video quickly and, with instructor permission, post it
on the class website. Seesaw, mentioned previously, is also very valuable at an elementary and
middle school level. In Seesaw, the students take pictures or videos of their work and it is posted
once they have instructor approval. The students enjoy posting their achievements. Good work is
no longer hung unseen on a classroom wall or shoved into the bottom of a backpack. Students,
parents, and educators appreciate this documentation of their work. It provides an outstanding
portfolio of students work. Even very young students can document their work by themselves,
so it is not another item for educators to do after school. Parents can get a real-time feed of what
is happening in the classroom, so they know their students are spending their days productively.
Students engagement is higher because they want to post things in their feed. Parent conferences
are improved because the parent is not surprised by the grades since it is not the first time that

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they have seen their students work. These are just a few examples of some of the many apps that
are available for elementary school.
Opportunities for New Research
There are several areas that can be further developed with more research. One of those areas
is to take advantage of the latest developments in wireless and tracking technology and update
the Savannah research project. In that project the students interacted, through a handheld mobile
device, in real time within an environment that mimicked the African Savannah. This study could
be redone using Microsoft HaloLens so the students actually "saw" the three dimensional world
of the Savannah, ran from predators, and hunted for food. It is the author's hypothesis that the
students would be significantly more engaged with the game and come away with lessons that
were deeply ingrained into long term memory. Additionally, the University of Paisley had plans
in 2006 to update and improve their blended learning classes for database analysis by integrating
new and emerging technology as well as investigating its usefulness for part-time students.
While the results of their intended advancements were not readily available, the author believes
that based on the impressive, initial results and the development of newer technology, it would
benefit the field to test this program with modern technology in American universities.
Conclusion
Mobile technology, like all emerging technologies, is in a growth phase regarding its use in
the classroom. It has become common in many peoples lives outside of school, and there is a
great disconnect between what students are using outside of the classroom to learn and grow, and
what they are using inside the classroom. With the abundance of apps to download and use in the
classroom, it makes sense for cash-strapped schools and districts to embrace a tool their students
already have. When educators bring mobile learning into the classroom, they turn what has been

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a distraction to their students into an asset for learning. They give the students something other
than social media to consume on their phones and instead turn it into a tool for growth. Since
mobile devices are not going away, educators must embrace and civilize it for their students.
Educators have to lead in this area, or they will follow.

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22
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