Mobile devices

44 Mobile devices

Overview

Table 9 Proportions of respondents’ organisations providing mobile devices for all staff/students (n=125)

Mobile devices such as PDAs, laptops and Tablet PCs have the potential to make a substantial contribution

Teachers Other staff Students

to the implementation of the e-strategy, particularly when used in conjunction with wireless networks/

5% 2% they enable the technology to be available when

internet access 65 . This is at least in part because

Achieved

and where the learner needs it. Mobile devices have

Working

the potential to enable learning to become ‘more

situated, personal, collaborative and lifelong’ 66 .

Implementation and uptake

Not working

53% 66% Respondents to the questionnaire identiied whether

towards

their organisations were providing, or planning to provide, a number of mobile devices. Figure 4 summarises the responses.

Table 10 Proportions of pre- and post-16 organisations not working towards providing mobile devices for all staff/students

Figure 4 Provision of mobile devices (n=125)

Teachers Other staff Students

Post-16 (n=38)

centage of 40% Per respondents

Our data indicates that 8% of post-16 organisations

have achieved ‘laptops for all’ staff. This corresponds with data from a recent Becta survey 67 , which showed

Laptops/ Tablet PCs

PDAs

Mobile telephones

Other

that only 24% of FE and sixth-form colleges had achieved designated computers, of which 24% were

laptops, for teaching staff. The same Becta study 68

showed that 45% of the post-16 organisations did

not view providing teaching staff with a designated computer as a priority, which corresponds reasonably closely with our igure of 55% not working towards laptops for all teaching staff.

Figure 4 seems to indicate that mobile technologies Mobile phone use was more prevalent in post-16 play a substantial role in meeting organisations’

organisations (37%) than in pre-16 ones (13%) in visions in our sample. Respondents were also asked to

our sample. However, this differential looks likely indicate the extent to which their organisations were

to decline as 23% of pre-16 organisations said providing ‘laptops for all’ (where laptops could mean

they were planning to implement the use of mobile laptops, Tablet PCs, PDAs, mobile phones or other

phones, compared with 11% of post-16 ones. user devices). Table 9 summarises the proportions of

respondents who said that their organisations have The interviews indicated that where mobile devices achieved or are working towards ‘laptops for all’ for

were being used by students in the post-16 sector, different categories of staff. There were substantial

activities tended to be small scale and linked to work- differences between the pre-16 and post-16 phases,

based learning or to providing access for groups who which are highlighted in Table 10.

otherwise might be excluded from education. This sometimes involved the use of storage media such as

lash drives/memory sticks and CD-ROMs rather than which student research and collaboration are key mobile computing devices.

components. Originally their interest in mobile devices was stimulated by the results of a survey of 200

In the pre-16 sector, mobile devices were also often learners with experience of using the LA’s learning implemented on a small scale and targeted at speciic platform. Respondents complained of lack of access groups of students (underachievers, for example).

69 This relects data from Becta to computing facilities, the need to get permission to which shows that use the facilities and the requirement to share devices.

in 2005 over 90% of primary schools had fewer PDAs were seen as ‘individual, anytime/anywhere than 21 government/LA-funded laptops, compared devices which empowered learners rather than placed with around 30% of secondary schools. The Becta 70 organisational and other restrictions on them’ and

data shows that around 3% of secondary schools

which learners were highly motivated to use.

had 101 or more government/LA-funded laptops in 2005. While these igures should underestimate

The LA therefore set up a pilot project in 2003

the numbers of laptops available because they

which involved providing PDAs to around 500

do not include laptops funded by the schools learners and their teachers. In the pilot the learners themselves, another Becta-funded survey found

were strongly motivated to use the PDAs, often that in 2005 primary schools had an average of 12

asking for even higher levels of use than originally laptops available in 2005, and secondary schools

planned. Learners showed a responsible attitude

towards the equipment, which was a powerful that the average numbers of school-funded PDAs/

had an average of 75 71 . The Becta survey 72 indicated

tool when used appropriately. A major inding was smartphones were 0.2 for primary schools and

that the results were best when learners used the

3.0 for secondary schools.

technology in most lessons for part of the time rather than in a few lessons all of the time. They

In our sample there were a small number of LAs that were providing mobile devices on a much

see this as a key measure of the extent to which the technology is embedded. Cross-curricular

larger scale; in one case this involved working towards providing all 40,000 teachers and learners

approaches appeared to be more conducive to effective embedding of the PDAs.

with a PDA within ive or six years. This relects the indings in Futurelab’s review of the literature on

There was greater variation in the reaction from mobile devices, which notes: ‘Learning and teaching

teachers, with some staff making very effective use with mobile technologies is beginning to make a

of the PDAs, while others were more reticent. A key breakthrough from small-scale pilots to institution-

factor was the extent to which teachers were willing wide implementations.’ 73 to adopt a cross-curricular approach as opposed to

Where mobile devices were being used by staff in

one that was subject focused.

both pre- and post-16 organisations in our sample, Technical issues encountered related to limitations this was generally linked with administrative tasks

with some PDAs that had restricted functionality, such such as registration, or with use in conjunction with

as the inability to run Flash. There were also some

a data projector. Where mobile devices were being problems with the robustness of the PDAs – especially provided, they appeared to be very popular with

their screens. It was essential for broken devices to learners and teachers. The issue here was not lack

be replaced quickly so that learner motivation and of uptake, but problems with providing the numbers

credibility in the eyes of teachers did not evaporate. of devices that users wanted, alongside concerns

This required a ‘hot swap’ system to be in place. about support and various limitations of the available technologies themselves (see p47 Gaps and

Perhaps surprisingly, the cost of providing PDAs for all the learners in the LA was not seen as a major

other problems ). issue. They felt that a combination of available grants,

Example 8 – PDAs for all

industry support (related to the scale of purchases) One interviewee described their LA’s plans to provide