Project Overview
The benefits of m-learning in language education have been widely documented. However, while projects using mobile devices and computer-mediated communication have been integrated into third-level language education, the use of m-learning in second-level education has been somewhat overlooked.
Learnosity took part in a pilot project in Ireland to investigate the possible impact m-learning could have on students learning the language spoken by their ancestors, Gaeilge (Irish). Although English is the first language of the vast majority of Irish people, students are taught Gaeilge from the average age of 5. Despite years of schooling in the language a great number of students leave school in their late teens with a less than satisfactory grasp of Irish.
During the five-week pilot project, which took place in a school Ratoath County Meath, we developed, consulted and managed a m-learning system with the aim to facilitate large-scale spoken examinations on mobile devices and motivate students with the fun and familiar props of a mobile phone and web-chat.
Irish Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, 11th March 2007.
The way in which to educate Irish students in their native tongue is a subject that has long caused controversy. Politicians and pundits alike have accused educators of neglecting to teach Irish (Gaeilge) in a way that appeals and impacts on Irish teenagers. They argue that this apparent lack of enthusiasm towards the Irish language is ultimately leading to the cessation of conversational Irish amongst young people and the language is slowly dying out with each new generation.
Earlier this year, in an attempt to silence those critics, the Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin announced a significant change to the proportion of marks awarded for oral (spoken) Irish in the State exams.
With these changes applying to students enrolling in First Year in 2007 it means that in 2010, there will be 40% of marks available for optional oral at Junior Cert and 40% for the oral exam in the Leaving Cert in 2012. This is a 4 fold increase at Junior Certificate level, and a 60% increase for the Leaving Certificate.
Problems with large scale Oral Assessment
To facilitate the change and emphasize the importance of student oracy, the Minister also initiated a pilot project to investigate the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of Irish.
The aims of the project centered around the promotion of student oracy, motivation, language competency while promoting the use of Irish for communicating. However, ultimately the aim of the project was to trial a possible ICT solution to facilitating a large scale oral examination.
Massive logistical problems exist in facilitating oral examinations at Leaving Certificate level. Traditional interview-style oral examinations take Irish teachers out of schools, allowing them to act as examiners in another school. This system takes large numbers of teachers out of their schools at a critical time of year, presenting huge problems both practical and political. Teachers unions object to the adoption of the optional Junior Certificate oral examination under the current regime, arguing that the absence of teachers at the vital time has a detrimental effect on exam students.
Given such circumstances, it is virtually impossible to provide oral Irish examination at Junior Certificate level on a mandatory or optional basis to a large candidature. Learnosity was asked to develop an ICT solution to facilitate such a large scale examination.
In a country where the number of mobile phones exceeds the population mobile devices can play a vital role in the teaching of languages. Not only does m-learning use technology that most -if not all- Irish teenagers are thoroughly familiar with, mobile phones have an added advantage in the field of language learning.
Clark Quinn, Director of Cognitive Systems at Knowledge Planet, citied in Shephard (2001)
Pilot Project
The second year Junior Certificate students (average age of 14) participating in the pilot project were supplied with a mobile telephone for the duration of the initiative. It is envisaged that in later pilots and the nationwide implementation of this application, students will use their own mobile phone. Only a small number of additional phones will be made available to schools for students not in possession of a mobile.
It's imperative to note that the school chosen to participate in the trial demonstrated how the project could succeed under extreme circumstances, without the cushioning of a school well-equipped with technology.
While the school had an excellent teaching staff and management, the chosen school had no technical support staff, the students were being taught in temporary buildings that included corporate boxes in a local horseracing course. The unconventional schoolrooms meant that teaching was called to a halt each time a race was scheduled.