Mobile learning outside the classroom

Source: SmartBrief EdTech in partnership with GreyED Solutions

Learning outside the classroom is a great experience—and easy to do. It doesn’t matter if your classroom includes one-to-one tablets, mobile device carts or student-owned smartphones. Your students can move out of the classroom to local events, historic sites and ecosystems with their mobile devices in hand. In three steps, your students can go mobile with their learning:

  1. Pre-research information about the site, including maps, directions.
  2. Record information on site through photos, videos, sketchnotes, and other documentation.
  3. Report out and share with the world. Create books using Book Creator or iBooks Author. Adventures at Stone Lab is a great example of what students can create following a field trip. Students can document information on wildlife through Citizen Science websites such as Project Noah. Post images and videos for projects to Instagram and Twitter and include hashtags and explanatory text.

The possibilities are endless. Now get outside!

Julie Willcott is a science educator from Maine. She teaches high school and college students the core scientific disciplines of chemistry, physics, and biology as well as interdisciplinary courses on agriculture and forensics. She has published courses on iTunes U including “Chemistry, Forensics: Profiling, Forensics: Evidence, and Greenhouse Management” and has authored several multi-touch books. Willcott presents around the world on the integration of technology into the classroom and the enhancement of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) teaching and learning. In recognition of her innovative integration of Apple technology in the classroom, she was selected as an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2013. Visit her at juliewillcott.com and follow her @willcottjulie.