Using Mobile Devices in Adult learning

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (2008), “technological innovation, long a hallmark of academic research, may now be changing the very way that universities teach and students learn” (p.4) and today, “a third of American adults now own tablet computers” (Vaughn-Nichols, 2013) and the popularity of the tablets are increasing by leaps and bounds. According to the data research of “Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project tracking surveys” in May 2010 only 3percent adults owned tablet computers, however in May 2013 34 percent of American adults ages 18-44 own tablet computers (Vaughn-Nichols, 2013). Additionally, Pew Research Center, contends that in May 2013 “96 percent of Americans own cell phones and out of that 96 percent, 56 percent own smartphones” (Brenner, 2013), thus as an ABE/GED/ESL adult educator it is only logical to incorporate mobile devices that are affordable and most of the learners would current own, hence a tablet computer and smartphone. Furthermore, I have provided a graph to depict the current growth mobile devices in America.

Thus through today’s technology podcasting has been made relatively easy to use for lectures, digital storytelling, construction of content knowledge, phonics and building vocabularies for the ABE/GED/ESL adult learners and it all can be done through their smartphones at any time that is convenient for them. Moreover, for learners’ that are more visual and need more stimulation the tablet computer is perfect for the classroom because it is not too big and does not require much, just WiFi and an outlet for charging if necessary. The tablet can be used for math, science, social studies, digital text books, and language arts to name a few subjects. Harrington (2013)contends that the Galway Adult Basic Education Service provides an educator with great ideas for integrating the iPad into the classroom and offers classes globally. Nevertheless, I was intrigued with the IPad Project a short video of the ESL adult learners making digital postcards on their individual tablets, titled “Writing Matters” (Harrington, 2013).
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CdgHqsPxLWw
 

In sum, using the smartphones and tablet computers in the classroom has so many benefits for the learners on several different levels. Moreover, the content material will always be innovative because the education apps for adult learning seems to be evolving these days as fast as the technological devices and there is quite of bit of free and low cost apps available. For example, Google Search-advantages are the ability to access Google docs, task, reader, and calendar (Free), Evernote-advantages are is capability to record notes for research or class and it also saves web-pages, images, text documents, and audio files (Free), Blackboard Mobile- is design to permit access to a school’s Blackboard software and to use this app an education institution must enable mobile access (Free), and Dropbox-advantages are the capability to save images, text documents, PDF files, and videos to web-based data storage for access later (Free), however some of the apps are too advance for my current adult learners but are great for others.Nonetheless, implementing the aforementioned technologies into the classroom will increase the retention of the adult learners and build their academic and employment competencies, so they can successfully pass their GED exam and become gainfully employed.

References:

Brenner, J. (2013, September 18). Pew Internet: Mobile. Retrieved from Pew Internet and American Life Project: http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/February/Pew-Internet-Mobile.aspx

Harrington, K. (2013, November 18). iPad Project. Retrieved from Galway Adult Basic Education Service: http://www.gabes.ie/index.php?gb=31

New Media Consortium. (2008). The future of higher education: How technology will shape learning. Economist Intelligence Unit, 1-27.

Vaughn-Nichols, S. J. (2013, June 16). A third of American adults now own tablet computers. Retrieved from ZDNet.com: http://www.zdnet.com/a-third-of-american-adults-now-own-tablets-com...