Thursday 4 September 2008

Fei-Yu Cheng's online presentation

We are just getting started with the online presentation by Fei-Yu Chung who will be talking about "Exploring the use of mobile phones for grammar learning". A very interesting presentation resulting in a preliminary finding that students seem to learn better in computer-based environment than with mobile devices. One reason for this is that they didn't tend to the given assignments always that seriously.

I think the message from that is that the pedagogy needs to be seriously re-thought. Bridging the gap between informal and formal learning is not done by just using the tools the learners use in their freetime. Instead, we really have to come up with pedagogical designs that are engaging and motivating and not just mobile and movable.

2 comments:

Leena Kuure said...

I am joining this discussion from Finland, through the virtual strand. Just a quick first note to Peppi's comment inspired by Fei-Yu Cheng's presentation. Peppi says: " - - we really have to come up with pedagogical designs that are engaging and motivating and not just mobile and movable." This is exactly what I have found challenging and exciting to think about. I believe that the motivation among learners arises from mobility and "immobility" alike IF the problems/tasks they are involved with arise from their own interests. I think the really interesting question here is how to deal with learning in the educational, on the one hand, and "informal" everyday contexts on the other in a balanced and sensible way when we develop new pedagogical designs. Hmmm - I'm not sure if I said what I was thinking :D

Leena Kuure

Peppi Taalas said...

Couldn't agree with you more, Leena!