Mobile Technology and Pedagogical Possibilities Amidst COVID-19 Hiatus: Implications for Teacher Development

Abstract

The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic challenged education systems worldwide to quickly pivot their teaching-learning processes from in-person to virtual modes in order to control the spread of the virus. In a short period of time, teachers were forced to adopt new remote teaching methods to ensure the continuation of education. This paper examines how teachers in Pakistan leveraged mobile technology as an alternative teaching strategy to provide access to education during these unprecedented times. Through in-depth individual interviews with selected teachers, the study explores the potential of mobile technology to transform traditional teaching methods into interactive learning environments. The findings highlight the importance of embracing new pedagogical possibilities offered by mobile technology and the need for effective teacher professional development in the post-pandemic era. The study offers valuable insights into how mobile technology can be effectively utilized in education, even in the most challenging circumstances.

The Conceptual Framing, Design, and Development of Mobile-Mediated Professional Development for Primary Mathematics Teachers

“…Mobile learning (m-learning) is an emerging trend and assumed even greater importance amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, where the education and training provision has predominantly relied on the use of mobile or portable digital technology whilst maintaining a physical distance (Naciri et al, 2020;Qazi et al, 2023). While these technologies provide greater affordances (Danish & Hmelo-Silver, 2020) and capabilities to deliver education and training in a contextualized, personalized, and geographically unrestricted manner, they have, however, often been matched with a more nuanced understanding of a design for effective learning in a technology-rich environment (Hall et al, 2020;Pishtari & Rodríguez-Triana, 2022).…”