A mobile ecology of resources for Covid-19 learning

Abstract

Mobile devices and a vast array of accompanying applications offer significant affordances to create, consume, share, collaborate and communicate—affordances that could be easily leveraged to facilitate meaningful learning. A positive disruption arising from COVID-19 that aligns with the affordances of mobile learning is the uncoupling of time and space in the learning process. Traditionally formal learning is a process that is predominately viewed as an experience that is ‘timetabled’— scheduled to eventuate at a ‘place’—lecture or a tutorial (or similar) in a room or lecture theatre. In this concise paper, an ecology of resources is discussed along with guiding principles for designing and facilitating uncoupled authentic and student-determined learning post the emergency remote teaching phase.

Analysing mobile learning designs: A framework for transforming learning post-COVID

“…The focus of the MLSIG has been upon the development of authentic mobile learning experiences that facilitate learner agency. The MLSIG has contributed to the field of mobile learning research and practice through guest-editing and publishing case studies in several special issues of technology-enhanced learning journals (Cochrane et al, 2020;Cochrane & Farley, 2017;Cochrane, Smart, & Narayan, 2018) as well as a variety of technology-enhanced learning conference contributions (Cochrane et al, 2016;Narayan et al, 2019;Narayan et al, 2020). In response to the impact of COVID-19 on higher education, the MLSIG produced a series of mobile learning design case studies (Cochrane et al, 2021;Narayan et al, 2021).…”

Mobile learning and socially constructed blended learning through the lens of Activity Theory

“…The case studies shared in this concise paper highlighted that mobile devices and collaborative tools were imperative in the design for learning in HyFlex and BSL modes. It acted as the mediating agent (bonding agent) that connected the different ecologies represented in Figure 1 into a cohesive ecology of resources for the students to interact and act in (Narayan, Cochrane, Birt, & et. al, 2020).…”

“…al, 2020). While the students are still engaging in a task or learning activity, they, however, did so at a time and space deem appropriate by them-ensuring the ecology co-constructed by the student cohort was active and accessible whenever the students needed it (Narayan, Herrington, Cochrane, 2019;Cochrane, Narayan, Birt, & et. al, 2020).…”

“…Last year the Mobile Learning Special Interest Group proposed the mobile ecology of resources concept (Narayan, Cochrane, et al, 2020) to provide guidance to educators for using mobile affordances for designing for learning amidst a global pandemic. It focused on the notion of 'uncoupled learning' where learning was not tethered to scheduled time and space.…”

Mature Students’ Experience: A Community of Inquiry Study during a COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Distance, blended and online learning moved away from being a relatively small, niche approach to university study, to being the norm, as universities sought to cope with the changing demands of the COVID-19 pandemic ( El Refae et al, 2021 ). As campuses closed across the UK, the absence of face-to-face teaching (or extremely limited periods of interaction) meant that virtual learning platforms (VLEs), online communication platforms and other web-based learning technologies ( Bower & Torrington, 2020 ) became increasingly vital as the emergency situation unfolded ( Narayan et al, 2020 ). The University of Warwick responded as many other HEI’s in the UK, in the early part of 2020, the vast majority of learning moved online.…”