Epic | E-learning Debate, 27th January

Professor John Traxler: Professor of Mobile Learning at the University of Wolverhampton. Also, Director of Learning Lab, Director of the International Association for Mobile Learning and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning. Author of numerous books and papers.

Mr Kim Whittlestone: Senior Lecturer in Independent Learning at Royal Veterinary College with an interest in mobile learning. Kim played a major role in the establishment and development of e-learning centres at the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge.

Arguing against the motion

Professor Mike Sharples: Professor of Learning Sciences and Director of the Learning Sciences Research Institute at the University of Nottingham. Inaugurator of the mLearn international conference series, President of the International Association for Mobile Learning, and key member of the STELLAR European Network of Excellence in Technology-Enhanced Learning.

Dr Mike Short: Vice President of Research and Development for O2, and Chair of the UK Mobile Data Association. Visiting professor at Surrey University and member of the board of Coventry University. Previously, part of the UK Home Office Internet Task Force.

The Argument for

Introduction
This motion is about 'mobile learning'. Mobile learning used to be defined in terms of learning with mobile devices, any mobile devices, not just smart phones. It is now defined in terms of learning: learning and mobility, learning across contexts, learning adapted and aligned to societies increasingly characterised by mobility and connectedness. Mobile learning is transforming what we know and how we know it, what we learn and how we learn it.

The Argument against

Introduction
The pedagogy of mobile learning isn't new. Nearly 100 years ago, the educational reformer John Dewey advocated inquiry-based learning. In the mid 20th century Paolo Friere proposed learning through conversation and dialogue. And more recently Clark Abt introduced the notion of 'serious games' as a way to learn. All these liberating theories of pedagogy benefit from modern technology, such as smart phones, to turn them into successful practices.

Comments For

I'd have to agree with this statement. Yes, we all appreciate different learning styles and giving the learners the best experience possible but this as previously been given very little thought. Until the development and mass distribution of mobile technology learning has remained very structured. For example, instead of picking up and reading a book to learn a new skill or gain knowledge the learner can choose which media suits them. Now they can opt to listen to the content via a podcast for example. The principle of teaching hasn't changed, but as the technology has developed so has the pedagogy of mobile learning.

Comments Against

I would have to disagree with this statement. The learning, in my opinion, is the same as it always was, written out. Only now it can be read whenever and however the "learner" wants too and whenever... So it has everything to do with new technology and NOT a new method of pedagogy. As always, eople are learning through reading what they see before them, not by a new means of learning, simply whenever they want and not however they want!

The E-learning Debate at Learning Technologies 2010

The motion: This house believes that learning on smart phones is less about new technology than it is about a new approach to pedagogy

Voting

Arguing for the motion

Arguing against the motion

The Argument for

The Argument against

Comments For

Comments Against

The E-Learning Debate at the Oxford Union, 6 October 2010

Smartphone learning