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THE PLACE OF SMARTPHONES AS A MULTI-MEDIA IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

THE PLACE OF SMARTPHONES AS A MULTI-MEDIA IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

INTRODUCTION

With smartphone use by teachers and students spreading wider every day, there are several practical reasons why, as a teacher, you should allow the useful little gadgets in your classroom.

Smartphones can be used by students to access the increasing multimedia resources available on the Internet and other information at anytime and anyplace reducing the reliance on memorized facts while at the same time increasing opportunities to engage in critical thought necessary to solve problems.

Teachers could use smartphones as a focal point for instruction while at the same time preparing students for careers requiring the use of sophisticated communication technologies.

Use of mobile devices provides learners the flexibility to make choices about when they engage in coursework and interactions with other learners.

According to (Norazah,2013) “information is easy to access with the smartphones and its constants connectivity to the internet”. This can help them to finish their project, thesis, assignment and tutorials. Moreover, students can save their time to find references from the library. So, with smartphones it only takes few taps and students could discover bundles of information on countless topics making learning easier.

More than ever, they use smartphones in their life in campus, on the bus, waiting in the line and so on. In the other words, smartphones have become part of students’ life on campus where they are using of this device for. Somehow, smartphones has become close friends to students. In the same way, students who have smartphones can avoid using stationery for their studying. These devices somehow help students to take notes without pen and paper.

Muyinda, Mugisa, and Lynch (2007) have stated that smart phones are common between people. Recently, the use of smart phones in communication has evolved; people use them to reinforce teaching and learning. UNESCO (2012) found that the spread of using smart phones globally and in African, Middle East, and World-wide has reinforced and supported teaching and learning. Huang et al. (2010) have pointed out that the smart learning applications help students study contents in a convenient way. Also, they help the students to interact with each other at any time and place.

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Ferry (2008) has indicated that smart phones help students to access and adjust web based contents, and they make students cooperate with others. According to Cui and Wang (2008), smart phones may be used to store and call data such as e-books which make teaching and learning more convenient and successful (as cited in Mtega et al., 2012; Rana, 2014). Khaddage  (2012) has concluded that using smart phone applications helps students to concentrate on their weaknesses, reduce their misconceptions, and reinforce learning. Also, it helps instructors determine students’ difficulties and misunderstanding. In addition, instructors can adapt activities, practice teaching, and reinforce assessment and feedback.

Smart phone applications can be used for educational practices such as SMS, GPS, camera, browsing, downloading, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, voice  calls, and gaming. Cui and Wang (2008) state that SMS messages are helpful for students to learn foreign languages; they are also important for instructors to connect and communicate with their pupils.

In addition, there are some browsers that students can use to check e-mails, read books, and watch lectures at any time and place. Students and instructors can also use the browsers to download some materials via their smart phones. In addition, students and instructors can share and store information resources via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Infrared.

THE PLACE OF SMARTPHONES AS A MULTI-MEDIA IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

Student comfort

Experts unanimously agree that using tools that students are comfortable with is among the most effective teaching methods. In today’s world, the smartphone has become as familiar to kids as basic pen and paper. It’s therefore easier in some cases to make a point clear by telling a student to take a look at their phone, rather than to flip through monotonous pages of a book. By the same token, in many cases learning materials may not be optimized for smart devices and a lot of work will still be needed before smart learning aids are taken seriously.

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Quick answers

While the use of smartphones as a ready source for answers is debatable, teachers often find it easier to teach when a student can get any questions they may have resolved by a quick glance at their smartphones. Not only does it save time, but it also exposes learners to additional information as they search for the answers they need.

Bringing life to a classroom

Through the audio and video capabilities of a smartphone, education can become more lively among disinterested kids and teenagers. Visual learning through video images, music and voice is an efficient way to get a difficult concept understood by a confused student and, consequently, make the teaching process more engaging.

Educational Apps

Smartphones give students access to a horde of learning applications, which are available in a wide range of subjects. From serious apps to game-like exercises, these packages encourage intuitive thinking and playful competition while enhancing the way learners grasp new ideas.

Organization

Aside from educational applications, the smartphone app store is well populated with scheduling tools. One such app is Remind, where students can sign up to receive text reminders whenever they have an upcoming assignment due, or a test coming.

Not only does it motivate young learners to plan their studying, but it also engages parents, who sign up just to keep track of their children’s homework.

Social learning

Through online groups, virtual chat-rooms and texts, smartphones encourage students to work in groups. They can share information and discoveries on common subjects and projects, and, therefore, move together towards a common goal, in a manner with which they are all comfortable.

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In addition, students can connect with other like-minded learners from around the world to broaden their minds and expand their scope of thought.

Fostering an interest in technology

When modern gadgets are incorporated in the learning space, even kids that were oblivious to how they work and what they can do will begin to grasp a little basic knowledge. Moreover, using smartphones on a daily basis gives students constant access to information about the current trends in technology, growing their enthusiasm from a young age.

 

MULTI-MEDIA DEVICES THAT CAN BE USE IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

·    Sound Card

·    Smartboards

Transparency

·         Projectors

  • Television
  • Radio
  • Projector
  • Graphics
  • CD-ROMs
  • Computer and its accessories

 

Conclusion

To sum up using smartphone applications in teaching and learning provides positive ideas and benefits that  motivate students to learn and understand better.

References

International Scientific and Practical Conference “WORLD SCIENCE”, 4(4), 48-12.

Mansour, Essam. (2016). Use of smartphone apps among library and information science students at South Valley University, Egypt. The Electronic Library, 34(3),371-404.

Mellner, Christin. (2016). After-hours availability expectations, work-related smartphone use during leisure, and psychological detachment. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 9(2), 146-164.

Misagal, Jollie N. Alson & Liezel V. (2016). Smart Phones Usage Among College Students. International Journal of Research in Engineering & Technology (IMPACT: IJRET), 4(3), 63-70.

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