New Demands of Reading in the Mobile Internet Age

Changing contexts of literacy in the mobile Internet age demands that readers use higher-order strategies to identify, understand, and evaluate numerous web sources. Sophisticated use of these strategies is a hallmark of competent readers, who are able to make informed decisions about their own reading in the unknown, untested information space on the Internet. The focus of this chapter is on these new demands of reading in Internet settings. The chapter begins by describing changing views of texts and evolving understandings of reading in the digital world. It then describes the core reading strategies that contribute to successful reading in Internet settings, including text location, meaning construction, critical evaluation, and metacognitive monitoring. Conclusions are drawn regarding considerations for designing instruction that fosters students’ higher-order reading strategies in the mobile Internet age.

Does Mobile Technology Have a Place in Differentiated Instruction?

Although mobile technologies are relatively new, they have quickly become ubiquitous in education, despite a limited evidence base for their efficacy in instructional design. This chapter discusses differentiated instruction for the inclusive classroom and how this can be best accomplished using mobile technology as an educational tool. Using mobile computing devices such as the iPad in differentiated instruction has many advantages, but is not without challenges. Many of these challenges can be addressed using suggestions from previous research in the areas of differentiated instruction and educational technology. Future research is necessary to provide a solid evidence-base supporting the use of mobile technology with diverse learners in all levels of classroom instruction.

Journalism and Media

This chapter investigates how fast-changing mobile technology has transformed the traditional approach to journalism education at some major mass communication schools, media organizations, and institutions in the United States. This traditional approach to instruction, referred to here as its pedagogical niche, is defined as instructional methods, content, and tools used in mass communication academic, practice and training units. The first and primary objective of this chapter will be to determine how journalism academic institutions are using the rapidly changing media and communication technologies, particularly mobile tools, to reinvent themselves and to enhance their curricula and teaching effectiveness. The second objective is to determine how media organizations have adapted to the increasing use of mobile technologies in journalism.

iTeach Literacy with iPad Devices

This chapter presents two unique cases of pre-service and in-service teachers utilizing iPad devices during literacy instruction, identifies numerous affordances and constraints of employing these devices, and offers suggestions for preparing teachers to integrate the iPad into literacy instruction. It is argued that iPad devices have the potential to truly transform literacy teaching and learning if used properly. If teachers are well prepared to use iPad devices effectively for literacy teaching, then their students will be able to utilize this mobile technology to enhance their literacy knowledge while also gaining technological skills essential for participation in our global society.

Mobile Learning Applications and Differentiated Instruction

Mobile learning devices allow for learning anytime anywhere (Kinshuk, et al 2009). Currently instructors are attempting to keep up to date on the new developments in technology so that instruction is on the leading edge. Many instructors desire to be at the forefront of creating meaningful opportunities to use mobile devices rather than being passive recipients of developed curriculum and plans related to the use of these tools; plans that possibly address a “one size fits all” approach. For example, rather than technology being a tool to administer the same exams technology can be used to develop the exam so that it is student centered and responds in real time as the student completes the exam, perhaps modifying questions based on the student’s incorrect and correct answers. It is important for instructors to participate fully in the emerging technology of mobile learning applications (apps) and to create opportunities for differentiated instruction. Mobile learning apps hold the promise to be able to adapt to various learning styles of different instructors and different students to provide personalized learning experiences.

E-Book Readers for Everyone

Mobile Technology (MT) provides many opportunities to individuals, such as talking with people, watching movie clips, and reading books whenever or wherever they want. This also allows individuals to frequently connect for learning. One of the most popular uses of MTs for learning is their use as E-book readers. This chapter consists of four sections about how mobile technologies are being used as E-book readers by learners. Furthermore, this chapter will discuss an ongoing E-book reader project in Turkey called “FATIH”. General information about E-book readers will be provided in the first section of this chapter. The second section gives an overview of various studies on E-book readers. In the third section of the chapter, the authors discuss a recent instructional project in Turkey and its possible international implications. The last section of the chapter offers the summary of presented concepts and their future applications.

Mobile Technology and Differentiated Learning

As the world falls in love with the iPad and other touch screen tablet technologies, no one is more excited by the possibilities than those of us who teach students with significant disabilities. The mobile tablet’s intuitive interface, variety of accessibility options, and almost limitless possibilities for individualized intervention make this technology a true game-changer for children and adults with special needs. This chapter explores the landscape of tablet use to increase the education, communication, and independence of students with moderate to severe disabilities. Current research on effective teaching and learning practice that can best be employed through mobile touch screen technologies is presented.

Podcasting and Pedagogy

This chapter explores the engagement of tertiary students in interviewing “green” experts. Using Engeström’s expansive activity model, the study finds that integrating podcasting into a course with strong links to other activities and resources helped students assimilate and develop the concepts of the course. The project promotes functionalist values of independent, experimental learning and deep engagement with learning material, it invokes authentic field experience, accommodates different learning styles and it provides considerable motivation. The study suggests that mobile learning embodies the means to change relationships between learner and expert and that such connecting is a key attribute of contemporary subjective association and recontextualization. The chapter provides a brief review of the literature on podcasting in education, followed by the teaching and learning context and the application of Engeström’s “expansive activity model” (1994, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010). I describe the student group undertaking the exercises in a Level 5 Sociology course, and the project (which subsequently extended into a later course: “The Sustainable Business Environment”, because many of the podcast students had pre-enrolled in that course). The paper discusses the methodological approach that was used, offering two strands of analysis: students’ use of the podcasts and how the latter were placed in their learning about sustainable development. The discussion section elaborates the model and offers suggestions for advancing the educational use of podcasts. Last, I offer some thoughts on how Engeström’s model might be extended in education to develop not just new objects, but also the new use of objects.

A Multiple-Case Study Examining Teachers’ Use of iPod Touches in Their Pedagogical Practices for English Language Learners

Mobile technology has been noted as a valuable resource for students in K-12 education and potentially for English Language Learners (ELL). ELL students enter schools with different levels of English proficiency and teaching such a population often presents a daunting academic challenge. Using mobile devices for learning, holds certain potentials as the literature indicates. Benefits of mobile technology such as flexibility, accessibility, interactivity, and motivation and engagement have been documented. This multiple-case study examines ELL teachers’ use of the iPod touch in their instruction at elementary, middle, and high school levels to understand how such mobile devices are used and the teachers’ perception of using them.

Mobile Learning for All

Educators have a legal responsibility to ensure access to learning for all students under legislation such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, many educators are not aware of the variety of tools already available to help them meet these legal requirements. In this chapter the authors provide an overview of the built-in accessibility features of mobile devices that can help educators meet their legal obligations for providing access to the curriculum for all learners. These accessibility features, along with complimentary apps for mobile devices, are discussed as supports that can be provided within a Universal Design for Learning approach that calls for flexible curricula that meet the individual needs of all students, including those with disabilities and diverse learning styles.