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Mobile learning, which can be almost any type of learning that is facilitated through a personal device such as a cell phone or tablet, is pretty much a given in today’s classrooms. Any teacher who wants to keep information and strategies relevant to students has to use at least some form of m-learning in their lessons. This important ingredient in education is here to stay. Now we need to make sure that our learning spaces are designed to use mobile learning to its fullest potential.
Whether the subject is Science, Spanish or History, there are unlimited ways devices can be used to promote learning. Bearing this in mind, ideally every classroom should be designed for using cell phones and tablets in lessons. The better equipped you are, the easier it will be to use mobile learning. Some of the main considerations when setting up your spaces should be keeping devices charged and creating comfortable work areas.
Whether every student has their own device or they are working in small groups, chances are that any classroom you have won’t have enough outlets for all of the devices you need to be plugged in at once. The matter of safety is critical when talking about power sources, so you also want to make sure you don’t have wires stretched across the classroom. So how can you keep things powered up? Whether the school is providing the tablets or working on a BYOD (bring your own device) basis, the two main options are tablet carts and furniture with built-in plugs.
Depending on which devices are being used, an ipad or laptop storage cart is a wise investment. These carts keep tablets and laptops safely locked away when not in use. They also allow charging. With an ipad storage cart, devices stay safely locked away when not in use. When a teacher wants to use them in a lesson, tablets are easily removed, and come out all charged up and ready to go.
In addition to tablet carts, you can also choose furniture with built-in outlets and USB ports. This option essentially creates a personal charging station where students can use their devices while they are charging. If you are facilitating mobile learning in an information commons area, cushy club chairs with charging capabilities will fit in perfectly.
Of course, the classic power strip is always an option. Many of today’s power strips even include USB ports as well. For a really cool solution to m-learning in a typical classroom setup that includes desks, you can get a freestanding power data port which fits perfectly in the center of collaborative desks. Schools which rely heavily on tablets in the classroom should definitely explore this convenient option.
M-learning isn’t just taking a traditional lesson and putting it on the computer, it requires a lot of thought and effort. No matter what subjects you are using mobile learning for, having the right furniture and accessories will help teachers and students maximize this important educational tool. The time has come to get with the program and design educational spaces which support all of our classroom devices in the best way possible.
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