Learning with wireless mobile devices and social software

Thomas Cochrane
Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation
Unitec

The paper outlines the beginning of research into the synthesis of mobile personal technologies, social technologies, and constructivist pedagogies, and briefly explores the potential for creating student-centred collaborative learning communities using wireless mobile devices (e.g. PDAs, Ultra Mobile PCs, mobile phones and smart-phones) and social software (e.g. blogs, RSS, instant messaging, moodle, elgg etc…). Instead of simply re-purposing content to fit small screen wireless devices, a wide range of social software tools can be used to facilitate social constructivist pedagogies informed by constructivism, social constructivism, communities of practice, and a conversational model of learning. Many social software services provide mobile versions of their services, and there are a growing number of dedicated services for mobile devices, as well as Java, Symbian, Palm OS, and Windows mobile client applications. Several example scenarios are outlined.

Keywords: social software, wireless, mobile, cell phones, PDAs