While m-learning is an exciting medium, it is complemented by the personal computer and the laptop (and now, the ipad and other interactive books) which are able to present learning in more sophisticated ways, particulary when group work is involved. For all of these platforms, the Internet provides enormous resources. "It is a vast and flexible resource centre where structured lessons, grammars, lexicons, fonts and other resources can be developed, shared, and added to." (Yeoman, 2000)
Where does media richness come into this? Media richness is concerned with the quality of information that is received when using technology to source the information. "Originally, Daft and Lengel created a media richness hierarchy with four criteria:
1 The availability of feedback
2 The capacity of the medium to transmit multiple cues
3 The use of natural language
4 The personal focus of the medium.
In descending order of richness, they produced the following spectrum: face to face, video, telephone, email, postal letter, note, memo, flier and bulletin." (Shepherd, 2006)
It would seem that this model was created exclusively for language teachers. Providing feedback and the use of natural language are central concepts in language teaching theory. As these theories evolve, a learner centred approach to language teaching is emerging as the leading model. (Savignon, 2007)
In terms of learner feedback and media richness, m-learning and e-learning lie somewhere between 'face to face' and 'video.' Interactive screens are entirely learner centered. They are perfectly tailored for providing information in a teaching environment, and by using these new technologies together the students will have a rich experience in effective learning.
Media rich learning would particularly benefit students that have no English exposure outside of the classroom. Communication technologies enable these students to participate in virtual classrooms. Similarly, geographically isolated students can benefit from media rich distance learning. Online mini-worlds such as 'Second Life' are dynamic, invaluable resources for both teachers and students.
The virtual classroom promotes collaborative learning and collective intelligence, and as
access to the Internet increases, language learning opportunities and problems such as literacy can be addressed through media rich platforms.
Marina Lu, in the conclusion of her study on the effectiveness of using mobile phones to increase vocabulary notes that the the mobile group in her study had greater vocabulary gains than their paper-group counterparts. (Lu, 2008) In order to enrich vocabulary learning, a useful mobile application would be one where the user uses the camera on his mobile phone to display the surrounding environment. With recognition software, the phone could attach the correct English word to the images on the display, for example, 'Window', or 'Taipan.' Direct learning using a phone and an external environment is the ultimate in media rich experience.
Universities are receiving grants for m-learning. Bond University has received a grant to develop games for the Android device. In 2005, the University of Wisconcin recieved a grant for mobile language learning. "In converting from analog to digital, a campus team decided to change the whole language-learning environment." (Gilgen, 2005) The use of games for interactive learning is becoming ubiquitous. Educational games are the way of the future.
Interesting Web Sites:
Web Site of the Nobel Prize
EDUCAUSE
The possibilities for educational games and language learning are exponential. During this decade we will see a change in the teacher-student relationship. The teacher will be there to guide the dynamics of learning, but it will be the classroom itself that comes to life by allowing students to transcend its walls and removing traditional limitations.
We are surrounded by 'Media Richness.' In this classroom (DMS302) we are subjected to podcasts, twitter, blogs, ilearn, turnitin and powerpoint. We have access to ipods. Our leader is digitally savvy. We have been subjected to Media Richness Theory and we have survived the experience, and suffer only positive side-effects.
In the language classroom, channeling information-media will ultimately heighten the cognitive learning processes of the modern language student.
Mobilese
Educational. (2004, January 23). Retrieved March 21, 2011, from Nobelprize.org: http://nobelprize.org/educational/
Educause. (2010, January 15). Retrieved March 21, 2011, from Educause: http://net.educause.edu
Gilgen, R. (2005). Holding the World in Your Hand: Creating a Mobile Language Learning Environment. EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine , 30-39.
Lan, Y.-F., & Sie, Y.-S. (2010). Using RSS to support mobile learning based on media richness theory. Computers and Education , 723-732.
Lu, M. (2008). Effectiveness of vocabulary learning via mobile phone. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning , 515-525.
Lusk, E. J. (2006). Email: Its decision support systems inroads - An update. Decision Support Systems , 328-322.
Mobilese. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2011, from You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9lgNCv3-MA&feature=related
Savignon, S. J. (2007). Forty years of language teaching: The new millenium. Language Teaching , 1-15.
Shephard, M. M. (2006). Media Richness Theory and the Distance Education Environment. The Journal of Computer Information Systems , 1-10.
Webster, J., & Hackley, P. (1997). Teaching Effectiveness in Technology-Mediated Distance Learning. Academy of Management Journal , 1282-1309.
Yeoman, E. (2000). Aboriginal language-learning in cyberspace: A typology of language-related web-sites and their potential uses. Canadian Journal of Native Education , 120-134.
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