Mobile Learning

Students at Auckland’s Howick College are using free software to convert computer files into mobile phone study notes for a pilot study called ‘mLearning’ which is examining the result of using mobile phones as a teaching aid. Howick College teacher Nathan Kerr says pupils are given a sample exam question to answer using PowerPoint, or a video assignment to film and edit through Microsoft’s MovieMaker. When the teacher is satisfied the relevant content has been pulled together and understood, it is condensed into a format that can be transferred on to any mobile phone with a media player. “[New Zealand teachers] are a lot more innovative and part of the reason is many teachers in New Zealand are given a free hand, with guidelines, while overseas your professional development as a teacher has been worked out by experts — it’s top down,” added Kerr.