Author Archives: Sharmeen Islam

Mobile Learning: Taking Online Learning to the Next Level 

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Three students on a sofa using different devices. The first student is looking at a tablet. The second student is on their mobile phone. The third student is on their laptop.
Image by Clemens Locker on Flickr

While online learning methods have existed for decades, the past couple of years have necessitated a greater shift from in-person classroom learning to incorporating online tools and learning management systems. We have seen how offering courses in a digital medium has provided flexibility and accessibility to students, but it has also introduced us to the strengths of asynchronous learning. As we continue to enhance online instruction in this new “normal,” it is essential to explore the next frontier of digital learning: mobile learning. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, offer unique opportunities to enhance online learning experiences. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of mobile learning and discuss how you can incorporate it into your online courses.

So, what is Mobile Learning, and why should I incorporate it in my course?

Mobile learning refers to any learning that can be done on a portable device like smartphones or tablets. These portable devices have been treated as peripheral tools that students use if they do not have immediate access to a computer and are seldom considered as the primary mode that students use to do any coursework. However, instruction during the COVID pandemic and the pivot to online instruction brought attention to the issue of digital poverty, or a lack of access to computers and the internet in lower socioeconomic communities. Students experiencing digital poverty were more likely to attend in-person courses before the pandemic and were unable to attend synchronous sessions to the same degree throughout the pandemic due to lack of access to computers and the internet. According to Pew Research Center Mobile Fact sheet, low-income households use home broadband less than other income brackets but are the most reliant on mobile devices. So, while students from low-income households might have limited access to computers and the internet, they are more likely to have access to a portable device like a smartphone. This presents an opportunity to explore a new tool for online instruction. 

 Benefits of Mobile Learning 

Here are a few key benefits of incorporating mobile learning as part of course design: 

  • Just in time learning: Mobile devices allow students to access course content anytime, anywhere. If they encounter any difficulties understanding a concept, they can review content immediately on their device. 
  • Alternative communication modes: Mobile devices allow students additional communication channels, enabling students to contact instructors in a method that is convenient to the student. Students can text their instructors to seek clarification or address issues promptly as an alternative to traditional email communications. Instructors should still set parameters such as digital office hours, when they can respond promptly or indicate an estimated turnaround time for a response. Allowing students to message as issues arise will decrease the number of issues that may fall through the cracks. In addition, students can build community among themselves by utilizing apps that allow texting and group chats in real time, like Slack or Discord. 
  • Self-paced learning: Mobile devices allow students to learn on the go and at their own pace. They can listen to lectures or access readings while performing daily tasks or during downtime, maximizing their time and fitting learning into their busy schedules.  
  • When broadband or Wi-Fi is unavailable: Students who want to do coursework while traveling can have the freedom to download and interact with course content when Wi-Fi is not available. This is especially useful for students who work in areas where Wi-Fi is limited. 
  • Digital literacy: Incorporating mobile device use in coursework will allow students to gain experience in a marketable skill, especially in careers that require working outside of a traditional office setting (i.e., geology, social work).

How can Mobile Learning be incorporated in online courses? 

Here is a short list of suggested ways you can kickstart incorporating Mobile Learning into your online courses:  

  • Break up long lecture videos into bite-sized learning clips, preferably 3-5 minutes long. Focus these short clips on one topic or objective. This will not only allow students to pace out the content to fit busy schedules but will also allow students to be able to later refer to content when they need to review. Don’t forget to clearly label these clips so students can find them in a keyword search.  
  • Make videos, transcripts, and reading resources accessible and downloadable so students can access them on the go. 
  • Incorporate asynchronous discussions so students can take time to respond to peers and craft robust responses. For more on asynchronous discussions, please refer to last month’s post.  
  • Allow for multiple channels of participation by offering a balance of low-stake discussions and submission assignments. Give students a choice of formats to allow them to decide how to best complete an assignment. Mobile devices allow students to record video, audio, take pictures, or share social media they might find relevant to course content, and thus gives students the opportunity to submit more creative and robust coursework. Microsoft 365 also allows students to save content they have created on their mobile device(s) to the cloud that can then be shared out or worked on when a computer or the internet is not accessible.  
  • When scheduling synchronous Zoom meetings, include information on how to download the Zoom mobile app and how to join meetings from their mobile device(s).  

Word of Caution

There are a lot of third-party tools in the market that advertise being mobile compatible. Unless the tool is one you are familiar with and how it behaves on mobile devices, it is best to avoid adding third-party tools just for novelty. If there is a tool you would like to try out in your course to increase engagement on mobile devices, use it for a low-stakes activity so you can see how it behaves and whether it is a good fit for your course goals. If you have questions about how third-party tools can be integrated in Sakai or would like to schedule a consultation, please reach out to ITRS (Instructional Technology & Research Support). For assistance designing mobile learning activities for your class, reach out to the Office of Online Learning at online@luc.edu to schedule a one-on-one consultation with one of our instructional designers. 

Further Readings 

Colin M., Eastman S., Merrill M., Rocky A. (2021) Leveraging Mobile Technology to Achieve Teaching Goals. Educause Review. Retrieved on July 10, 2023 at https://er.educause.edu/articles/2021/3/leveraging-mobile-technology-to-achieve-teaching-goals  
 
Singh H. (2020). Why Mobile Learning Is Now More Than Just A Nice-To-Have. eLearning Industry. Retrieved on July 10, 2023 at https://elearningindustry.com/why-mobile-learning-is-more-than-just-nice-to-have  

Three Ways to Increase Student Belonging in Online Courses

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Introduction

We often talk about persistence and retention in higher education, and for good reason–they are two of the leading indicators that we are achieving our central mission. While attention to how diversity, equity, and inclusion can help us achieve these goals, we should consider belonging more directly as a crucial factor in student success and enrollment. A sense of belonging speaks to a fundamental human need to be a legitimate and valued member of a community, and it can be more difficult to achieve for marginalized students and, at times, for those in online classes. In this post we outline a few key strategies that can be integrated into online educational settings and why promoting a greater sense of belonging for individual students will aid in student retention and persistence at LUC.

Why add belonging to course design?

As individuals, we have an innate desire to find community and belonging in whatever setting we find ourselves in, but there is a risk that marginalized students might not perceive that they belong at the institution and feel that many DEI initiatives are only for show despite the institution’s best intentions. For that reason, we need to take initiatives a step further by incorporating belonging and building community in our online courses. This is especially important since feeling like being in the out-group or isolated from a community has harsh ramifications for student wellness, which in turn can result in students leaving institutions. Students who do not form a sense of belonging can develop anxiety or depression, as well as feelings of jealousy towards students who do seem to fit into the university community, especially if preference is given to those who uphold the status quo.

The existence of a support system for students where they feel accepted and valued can decrease stress when students face adversity. The following are interventions that incorporate a degree of community building and creating a sense of belonging. Some of these suggestions already exist in online courses, while others are interventions that are gaining popularity in response to the growing interest in online course options.

Communicate expectations and support

In his interview with APA’s Speaking of Psychology, Geoffrey Cohen, PhD, outlines how addressing students’ desire for belonging and community can mitigate achievement gaps, imposter syndrome, and feelings of being an outsider. He discusses how clearly communicating expected standards and belief in a student’s potential can change how a student approaches their work, revisions, and even their relationship with instructors in building trust. Some examples of how to do so in your course are:

  • Giving feedback that acknowledges the student’s progress in the course, and how their efforts will help them move forward in the program and in practice.
  • Reassure students that hurdles in learning are opportunities for growth and that everyone encounters such challenges in their work.
  • Include multiple channels through which students can reach out to their instructors or classmates if they have questions about content.

    Build belonging into your Zoom Sessions

    Transitioning to higher education from high school typically involves forging new connections during the initial weeks of class and embarking on a distinct phase of adulthood beyond the K-12 experience. These connections serve as the bedrock for establishing a sense of community and belonging throughout college. The disruption of this traditional rite of passage for many students during the pandemic resulted in a focus on adapting to online instruction and engaging with peers through a screen which may have resulted in disengagement during lectures or feelings of isolation. While the return to campus has alleviated some of these feelings, online lectures remain a prevalent format due to their accessibility. To counter disengagement and nurture a sense of belonging, instructors can consider incorporating additional opportunities for interaction within online lectures beyond group work. Some suggested ways of creating spaces for interaction to foster feelings of belonging include:

  • Creating a “watercooler” space for students to engage in 15 minutes prior to a synchronous lecture session start
  • Plan to stay online after a Zoom lecture has wrapped up so students can ask questions that they might not have felt comfortable bringing up in front of other students. If the queue of students sticking around gets unmanageable, you can utilize the waiting room function in Zoom.
  • When utilizing breakout rooms for group discussions, decide between keeping students in the same groups so they can build relationships and a group identity over the course of the term, or randomizing students so every student can interact with a different set of people to decrease the chance of forming biases.

    Create spaces for collaboration

    Despite the longstanding presence of open-source learning, its adoption has not matched the potential benefits demonstrated by research. Contributing to a community of shared knowledge encourages students to invest in their peers’ learning while simultaneously benefiting from the information their peers share in return. Mutual exchange also acts to level the playing field when students can agree on standard knowledge as a community. This collaborative approach not only enhances students’ educational experiences but also instills a profound sense of belonging within the classroom.

  • Suggest ways that students can utilize shared documents and media for collaborative notetaking and study guides, such as a shared document in SharePoint or utilizing a shared notebook in OneNote.
  • Assign a reflection project where students can create media to address future students of the course. These can be saved in a folder in Panopto that can then be shared out to future cohorts of students.
  • Construct a repository of student papers that students can reference for different writing approaches or arguments for writing assignments using the Resouces tool in Sakai.

    Resources

    If you would like to learn more about belonging or DEI in general at LUC, visit the following resources.

  • The Faculty Center for Ignatian Pedagogy (FCIP) provides resources and programs around anti-racist pedagogy
  • The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers workshops and training courses on DEIB
  • Table on strategies for facilitating belonging in Zoom lectures: Tice, D., Baumeister, R., Crawford, J., Allen, K., & Percy, A. (2021). Student belongingness in higher education: Lessons for Professors from the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 18(4). https://doi.org/10.53761/1.18.4.2
  • For assistance with implementing OERs in your course, please contact Annette Alvarado, the Lewis librarian specializes in OER