Case Study

Today I'm going to analyse one case study from chapter 2 of the book Integrating technology into secondary English language teaching. 

Case study 2.4: Mobile learning inside and outside of the classroom in Turkey

In Turkey, a teacher introduced the use of mobile phones in his classes. Students used their phones in a visit to a zoo, in which they used them to collect information (they took photos, recorded videos, etc.) Then, the students created a webpage where they posted what they've collected using web tools, like Voki or Go Animate.

In the classroom, the phones were also used. The teacher introduced some smartphones applications and also QR codes to access web pages.

One interesting activity was one in which the students were given a worksheet to practice listening. In the worksheets they had a QR code, so they used their smartphones to scan it and then it led them to a recording of the poem.

But the teacher mentioned some problems regarding the use of phones. Some phones are older than other, so maybe some tasks can't be performed by those old mobiles. Also the battery of the smartphones was an issue.

We can analyse this case with the TPCK model:

Technology: smartphones, smartphones applications.

Pedagogy: Students used their mobiles for a project in which they had to go to a zoo, and also to complete activities in the classroom.

Content: Integrating knowledge, listening of a poem.

This case is also an example of the SAMR model. I think that this case is in between the modification and redefinition level. Using QR codes to listen to a poem would never be achieved without this technology. Common task are accomplished through the use of technology. For example when the students went to the zoo, instead of writing the information in their folders, they used their phones, by taking pictures and recording videos.