Mobile learning - vocabulary wheel
Now and then on the bus I see university students using cue cards as flash cards. I can see this as a useful manual way of a prediction exercise for vocabulary definitions or translations. The digital counter part could be a hide and reveal in the form of a disjoint rollover, or click and check answer.
But why use digital if you can do it without batteries? And, why not distribute vocabulary lists and other declarative material to students in more compact forms than the 8.5" by 11" sheet?
Cue cards are good because they are hand-sized, lined, and big enough to put long words or long definitions or drawings on one side. One problem is that a pile of them can be rather large to carry around in your pocket, and you have to find or buy cue cards or thick lined paper. The problem with cue cards as flash cards you need to fasten them together or they could easily scatter like a deck of cards if you get bumped by someone's elbow, purse or backpack. Hole punching the corner and putting a ring through it all could help.
This is where the vocabulary wheel can become handy. So what if
kid's are doing it in public school - using scissors is fun for everyone.
I thought of vocabulary wheels as cool after seing them used for slide rules, for circular slide rules, and such. You can make them by cutting round discs or circles out of cereal box cardboard. The size can be small enough to fit in your pocket or purse. For the pin I used those once ubiquitous canada maple leaf pins. In one circle you cut a notch or slot on each end of one bisecting line. The slot needs to be as long as wide as the biggest word you will view through it.
Of course there are limitations. Printing in the vocabulary can be time consuming, but you can use it as part of your memorization practice. Here we can use computers as a tool to help. How can we automate the making of the discs and printing the vocabulary? How about a vocabulary input page and an applet that lays the vocablary out to fit on the vocabulary wheel?
What kind of learning for my daughter?
Shortly after making the innaugural pulse, I became the father of a beautiful girl. I witnessed the whole event and cut the cord.
Will I subject my child to all the latest analysis, theory, methods and techniques of education?
Let's see if I can be provocative. I will say that this birth was not part of a course I took in class, or at a distance or by simulation software. This could be called
experiential learning, but I'd rather not view this learning I'm experiencing as subject to any of the competing learning theories in academia. This is part of Brian's lifelong learning.
One of the limitations of theories of learning is that they work with generalities, with finding common threads in the learning of large groups of people. I remember the way the classroom worked when I was young(er). Well, I'm referring back to the 60s to 80s, but I think it still applies. If there was good classroom discipline, the students whose learning preferences, styles or aptitudes agreed with the teaching content, ideology, method or philosophy were the ones who benefitted the most from the classroom time. If there was less control in the classroom, the squeeky wheel or more aggressive students took time away from task for the others. I think the average application of the popular theories optimized learning for only a fraction of the targeted learners.
I own my learning approach, methods and techniques. It is a learning practice of one, and so will by my daughter's learning. It has to work: nurture her desire to learn and learn productively. That might be hard to measure. I do, however, like the idea of providing a
productive learning environment. Maybe she will learn at
schome, or in a
personal learning environment, but I'm hoping she can learn anywhere anytime and without batteries.
Mobile Learning - a PDA laptop
The backlight on my laptop died (that's another story), but I found it too big anyways to open on my lap on a crowded bus. It also took forever to shut down or hibernate and bag it before missing my stop. I do however, have a Palm Pilot or personal digital assistant (PDA). I'm not very prolific at pecking away one letter at a time with the stylus, so I bought a wireless keyboard, but I found it next to impossible to hold in place on my lap on a bus.
Rather than pay more money for another peripheral, I improvised my own laptop. I'm trying out my setup for writing my thoughts and emails on my Palm Pilot while on the bus — when I can get a seat. I bought the self-adhesive velcro at a dollar store and put it on my Palm Pilot, keyboard and the top of my clipboard. Now I can maintain the wireless connection and type without having to worry about anything falling off my lap. I can also get off at my stop without having to put anything away.
The PDA and keyboard stay in place even with the clipboard upside down. The soft velcro seems best on the PDA and keyboard so they won't grab at everything, and the rough velcro seems best for the clipboard. I tested out the adhesion of the velcro to the clipboard and PDA over a mattress first).
