Monthly Archives: January 2022

If we want students to access content on mobiles then shortened URLs and/ or QR (‘quick response’) codes are our friends. These are the discussion questions I posed:

What are they for? How do you use/ engage with them in personal and professional capacities? How do/ could you use them for teaching, learning and assessment?

QR codes can give quick access to media content, to a Mentimeter poll or to additional information or activites to prepare for a session. They can be used to answer FAQs (this works especially well in labs) or to provide anticipatory support or additional instructions/guidance.

You can create either on a mobile but I recommend doing this side of things on a lap or desktop.

1. Twitter users only- a twitter handle in QR form

QR code with text that could be accessbile via printed worksheet or display

Photo album in Google images accessed via single link

There’s plenty of ‘how to’ guidance available online. I tend to use tiny.cc or tinyurl.com for URL shortening as it’s easy to define my own URLs and for QR code options you might like to try  https://www.qrstuff.com/  or https://www.qr-code-generator.com/ (sign up) which are ‘freemium’ sites but do offer a lot for free.

The apps you use and approach you take will depend on:

1. The phone you have
2. What you want to achieve
3. The existing wider suite of tools you use

The following audio I recorded on an app on my phone that I chose because I have used ‘Dropbox’ cloud storage for years and this integrates really well. It’s ‘press the big red button’ thing where I talk then once I stop the recording it automatically uploads to Dropbox for ease of sharing. The dropbox version is here but I have embedded it below for ease of access.

1. Do you want to generate an MP3 (i.e. most portable/ transferable audio file) or actually add to a podcast app? (if the latter and you are new to this try Anchor app via anchor.fm. Listen to this one http://tiny.cc/mcaudio2
2. To record voice and convert to MP3 choose a voice recorder – there are tons of Android apps to achieve this http://tiny.cc/androidaudio – likewise in Iphone App Store

Another idea is is to exploit chat options in mobiles. Whether this is through an artificial text type conversation or through setting up a backchannel this can chnage the ways we think about and interact with subjects.

1. Fake text chat:

Assumption 1: To summarise an idea you need to understand it

Assumption 2: Narratives aid understanding

Assumption 3: Creating characters and interactions to illustrate a key point, debate or argument can be fun as well as consolidating

The idea is that students  (who know one another well enough/ are comfortable doing so etc.) use actual messaging or Whatsapp or similar to create text threads that summarise an argument or debate between two or more appropriate characters, they can rename their own identities to do this or use an online tool like http://iphonefaketext.com/

animated fake text exchange between an Arsenal fan and the owner of the phone who is evidently a Spurs fan

Static image version of fake text exchnage

1. Teams (or other) backchannelAs with Zoom or Teams meeting chat in online sessions and meetings, a backchannel can elevate the quieter voices, change the dynamic of discussion and become a focal point for post-session continuation of discussion. Setting up and encouraging its use with their (and your mobile)UCL staff can try this: https://tinyurl.com/teamschannel1Slido makes a great cloud-based alternative
2. As an inclusive alternative/ accommodation.

The first two ideas here are about diversifying voices and providing opportunities to process information in different ways. Mobiles can, of course offer access where there might otherwise be no options. If the period of lockdown showed one thing it was that we can, if creative and flexible, provide connection and communication options that we might once never have considered. One such example using mobiles is set out below:

‘One case I experienced this year was with a BA student who didn’t have access to a laptop nor wi-fi. She has a young daughter and could only really work after she had gone to bed. I worked with her using WhatsApp voice notes, which she performed some evaluative assessment on but also doing tutorials via phone […] our final assessed tutorial was on a video call via WhatsApp, which was recorded audio and video. This student was close to giving up at the start of lockdown, but has walked away with a 1st Class BA Hons Degree.’

Jenny Coyle, Programme Leader of HNC and HND Acting and Musical Theatre, The City of Liverpool College University Centre. Source Barber et al., 2021 (Gravity Assist)

The first ‘talk teaching; talk tech’ on 24th Jan has, somewhat inevitably all things considered, been affected by the rampant Omicron but, assuming I continue to get only the one red line on the lateral flow tests, I hope that there will be at least a few of us there to launch the series. The first session is built around mobile phones and I’ll be interested to hear about how colleagues use theirs, get their students using them or about issues and concerns. To stimulate discussions I have produced a few starter ideas. I’ll be collecting ideas over coffee and biscuits via an in-session but asynchronous Mentimeter – contributions welcome via the participation link  

also share you best Mobile apps here

The first ‘station’ will be education or productivity apps. As I see it, Apps that have a direct teaching, learning and/ or assessment function can be divided into three broad types:

1. Used by anyone to collaborate

2. Used by students to access content

3. Used by teachers/ lecturers to create content

To start the conversation and to collect ideas I have selected a few to illluystrtae the types.

1. Type 1 example: Padlet is a very well-known and widely-used collaboration/ sharing app. I have set one up as a way of collating examples but it can be used for a wide range of collaborative activities. The task in session wass to try sharing an app you use on your mobile (via your mobile) tiny.cc/i7lnuz (obviously if contributing via mobile it’s best to download the app first).
2. Type 2: Quizlet flashcardsMuch easier to search for, adapt or create resources (terms and definitions or language/ translations) on a laptop or desktop but the app is excellent to access content for revision, matching games and self-marking. Try this: download the app (scan this code), search for Mart_Compton, scroll to ‘Pharmacy’ and have a play. This mirrors the process it may be easier to encourage students to adopt. For quick access without the app go here tinyurl.com/mcquizlet1.
3. Type 3 examples: (simple ones just to illustrate the point!):Image editor- suggest colleagues try ‘Photofunia’
   

   Quick edit pictures from ‘Photofunia’ for decoration or other creative endeavour

   

4. Word cloud creator try ‘Word salad’ (iphone) ‘Word Cloud’ (android)
   

   ‘Word salad’ word cloud made on iPhone