Bonfyre

It is amazing how things can come a full circle. I had initially intended on using Bonfyre as the app for the 2015 mobile learning project. However, when full time students appeared less enthusiastic in getting involved in chat forums to get support for accounting problems. So why mention Bonfyre now? Having a conversation around running a distance learning program without 'who's on line' in webcourses or PRONTO, I was reminded that Bonfyre could provide a mechanism to create a chat forum. Weighing it up, I saw the benefit that it somewhat separates helps segregate private chats (what's app and viber) from the educational chats. Determined to set up some sort of chat support for students studying abroad I created a Bonfyre for the group on the 13th of September. As of the 19th of September, I have 7 of the 17 students joining. It is early days, the module only officially commences today.

New academic year... considerations for the year ahead

Reflecting on the mobile learning project. Socrative is certainly worth using in tutorials. I can't see it replacing my clickers in lectures unless there is a significant technical issue with broken clickers! But, there is a role for the Socrative app in tutorials and it is my aim to incorporate the app into a significant portion of my lectures in the semester ahead. I will provide an update when the tutorials progress.

e-Learning Excellence Update

A quick update... Having submitted the 3000 word case study for the competition, it failed to be included among the ten chosen for the final stage.

e-Learning Excellence Competition

I decided to submit an entry to the 2016 e-Learning Excellence Awards entitled 'Get Engaged with Accounting' which was accepted and I am now required to prepare a 3000 word case study. The mobile learning project really provided the extra layer to the case study. Clickers, Socrative and also other e-Learning initiatives will be evaluated in the case study.

Evaluating Clickers and the Socrative App

CLICKERS An end of year survey indicated with one group of first degree students that 60% strongly agreed and 40% agreed with the use of clickers. Another group had 43% strongly agreed and 52% agreed with the use of clickers and 5% with no opinion. Comments in relation to clickers included -Encourages to not lose focus in lectures -Helps you learn from your mistakes -It provided a new and unique way of answering accounting questions -Kept the class involved within the lecture -Sometimes I think I know exactly what I'm doing then with the clickers questions I realise my mistakes and how to fix them as they're all explained. -More interesting than just basic day to day lectures. -Everybody works at the same pace and everyone sees the correct answer at the same time. SOCRATIVE The same group reported for Socrative a 40% agreement to use, 40% no opinion and 20% didn't support its use. An other group indicated, in relation to Socrative, 29% strongly in favour, 14% in favour, and only 10% not supporting. The positive feedback was in relation to style of feedback / working at own pace / having the question in front helped keep concentration / able to move at a slower/quicker pace / it was more descriptive and interactive than the clickers / led you through what you should be writing / it would tell you if you went wrong and the solution that would give you the right answer / really good as a guideline !! just wish I could use it at home. I liked that it went along each step with me The issues reported by the same group were, harder to function & use than the clickers / very difficult to concentrate on it in a classroom environment / Everybody was working at a different pace and the class ended up splitting into multiple groups of people working on different parts of the question / The feeling of being way behind the rest of the class / if I'm stuck on a Socrative app question it might take longer to get help from the lecturer whereas with the clickers questions the class all move at the same pace. My own view... The tool however is really dependant on how much effort you put in to providing the detailed feedback.

Quick Update

A number of times during the run-up to the end of year exams students asked if I had Socrative guides for some of the questions. After one tutorial they asked could they use at home. This actually highlighted a major weakness with the approach - you can only deliver one poll at a time!!!

A very sucessful tutorial

The Socrative app was a fantastic tool during a packed tutorial. Having prepared a long sequence of sub questions to guide students through a full exam standard question I was able to let a large number of students work at their own pace. They reported that the feedback on why they got the answer wrong was hugely helpful. I felt that a significant portion of the group worked really hard and managed to progress well through the tough question.