Introducing mobile technologies

Preparatory staff development issues

Abstract

This paper explores some of the staff development issues relating to the implementation of a mobile technology project involving academics and students in a Faculty of Education at a regional university. This project has been established to explore new pedagogies that may be associated with the use of mobile learning technologies in teaching and learning activities. The staff development process was approached through the provision of opportunity for staff to own and use mobile technology in their professional and personal contexts prior to their engagement with students. These provided a lead-up time for staff to think differently about how they could engage their students in the completion of assessment activities. We explore the process of how staff members became familiar with smartphones and ipods and examine some of the issues relating to this development and readiness for using them with students. The work required to adequately prepare staff to be comfortable with their implementation with students allowed us to identify issues that would enhance the use of new and or unfamiliar mobile technologies.