TY - JOUR
T1 - Expanding the learning ecology and autonomy of language learners with mobile technologies
AU - Stockwell, Glenn
AU - Wang, Yijen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© (2023), (International Forum of Educational Technology and Society). All Rights Reserved.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - With mobile phones now in the hands of virtually all of our learners, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to imagine environments that do not include learning through mobile devices in even some small capacity. The interest in mobile learning is reflected in the enormous number of publications which have appeared over the past 10 to 15 years, but there are still questions about when, how, and why learners will choose to use or not use mobile devices as a regular part of their learning (Stockwell, 2022). Furthermore, the “disruptive” nature of mobile devices (see Hampel, 2019) has caused mixed reactions from teachers, some of whom feel that they are a distraction in the classroom, while others see a shifting of responsibility to the learners as a positive that can lead to autonomous behaviours that facilitate learning. Making the most of learning through mobile learning is dependent upon understanding the expectations of teachers, learners, and administrators, and to capitalise upon the affordances of the device, the learning ecology, and the short-term and long-term goals of the learners. This paper explores how mobile learning can play a role both inside and outside of the classroom, and the impact that it may have on both formal and informal learning opportunities. It includes a discussion of the shifting roles of teachers and learners, and then going on to explore the myths associated with technology in the development and sustainment of motivation and autonomy.
AB - With mobile phones now in the hands of virtually all of our learners, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to imagine environments that do not include learning through mobile devices in even some small capacity. The interest in mobile learning is reflected in the enormous number of publications which have appeared over the past 10 to 15 years, but there are still questions about when, how, and why learners will choose to use or not use mobile devices as a regular part of their learning (Stockwell, 2022). Furthermore, the “disruptive” nature of mobile devices (see Hampel, 2019) has caused mixed reactions from teachers, some of whom feel that they are a distraction in the classroom, while others see a shifting of responsibility to the learners as a positive that can lead to autonomous behaviours that facilitate learning. Making the most of learning through mobile learning is dependent upon understanding the expectations of teachers, learners, and administrators, and to capitalise upon the affordances of the device, the learning ecology, and the short-term and long-term goals of the learners. This paper explores how mobile learning can play a role both inside and outside of the classroom, and the impact that it may have on both formal and informal learning opportunities. It includes a discussion of the shifting roles of teachers and learners, and then going on to explore the myths associated with technology in the development and sustainment of motivation and autonomy.
KW - Autonomy
KW - Learning ecology
KW - Mobile learning
KW - Motivation
KW - Teacher roles
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U2 - 10.30191/ETS.202404_27(2).SP05
DO - 10.30191/ETS.202404_27(2).SP05
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85190873571
SN - 1176-3647
VL - 27
SP - 60
EP - 69
JO - Educational Technology and Society
JF - Educational Technology and Society
IS - 2
ER -