Mobile Phone Wiki

The mobile phone wiki was an engaging activity, using Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats. I remember using these thinking hats in year five and six, but could not recall what each hat represented. It is a good learning tool in scaffolding people’s perspectives on teaching with mobile phones. I personally could see lots of negative aspects (black hat) and intuitive aspects (red hat) of teaching with mobile phones in the classroom. This activity allowed me to see others views on the topic and made me think about other people’s comments. This activity also enable me to extend and refine my knowledge, while breaking down information and putting my thoughts into different categories of thinking.

This mobile phone wiki activity could support learning through the scaffolding of perspectives of different topics. This will help students to critically think and look further into different topics, in this case, if mobile phones would work in schools as a teaching aid. Langer and Applebee said

                “ideas are allowed to develop in the learners own mind, through a series of related supportive activities; where taking risks and generating hypotheses are encouraged by postponing evaluation and where new skills are learned in supportive instructional contexts.”

This quote demonstrates that students will be engaged in the activity, by different methods of thinking and will look at different aspects before coming to a final conclusion about the topic.

Students will be more engaged in learning using a mobile phone, as it is an educational tool most students already have and know how to use, thus not wasting time showing students how to use the device. Mobile phones will provide hands on learning activities and acquire knowledge rather than just been told information.

According to Gray, knowledge is constructed by learners through an active, mental process of development. Therefore, constructivism is important as students are actively involved in this activity, which engages the students and thus have a better understanding of the activity.

The learning theory of cognitivism, plays a vital role in the mobile phones wiki, as cognitivism is the thought processes (Shirley, 2009). Thinking skills in students is seen as important in student learning. This activity allows students to improve their ability to think deeply and meaningfully, which is the essence of a good educational practice (Wee, 2010). The mobile phone wiki promotes independent thinking, by acquiring their own perceptions and facts they have found and placing them under each of the six different thinking hats.

Connectivism plays a role in this mobile phone wiki as students make a connection between new and old knowledge and similar and differing knowledge. Connectivism is seen more in group work and class discussions, but although this activity promotes independent thinking it also allows students to participate in group discussions, after the students have posted their perspectives in the wiki.

Students all vary in their background knowledge, language skills and learning styles and interests. The mobile phone wiki would support a diverse range of students by providing a variety of instructional approaches which will address the various learning styles of the students.  Students do not just have to read texts to get information; they can also use audio-visuals and posters which will help students to get perspectives on the use of mobile phones in schools. By doing this activity, involving a thinking routine and relating it to your students real life experiences or interests can engage students longer.

The design of this e-learning activity would support learning by getting students to think about what they have researched and read. Looking at Blooms Taxonomy of learning domains, this activity helps students to think creatively and evaluate and analyse their findings, thus will be extending and refining their knowledge through higher order thinking. Higher order questions require students to analyse, synthesise and evaluate materials in order to answer questions beyond simply recalling information or facts (Wee, 2010).

References

Gray, A. (n.d) Constructivist Teaching and Learning, SSTA Research Centre Report.

Langer, J. & Applebee, A. N. (1987). How writing shapes thinking: A study of teaching and learning. National Council of Teachers of English.

Shirley, R. (2009) The Cognitive Approach to Lesson Planning. www.suite101.com

Wee, J.D. (2010) Thinking in the classroom: some strategies to Consider.