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How administrators can leverage mobile technologies

mobile-devices

Four ways administrators can leverage mobile technologies to boost student engagement

From tablets to computers to mobile phones, our access to information–and each other–is continuous. Young people not only embrace this constant access to information, but they have come to expect it. I would even argue that today’s students aren’t that interested in “going online.”

Booting up, opening browsers, logging on, navigating–they will do that when needed. But their preference is really to engage on mobile devices. One-third of children between the ages of eight and 10 have their own mobile phone, and teens aged 13 to 17 are the fastest growing age bracket for smart phone adoption. Even kids in higher poverty areas who don’t have access to other forms of technology have higher rates of cell phone access.

Yet, despite all of this, most students are still being asked to “power down” when they enter into classrooms. They go from a having constant connections outside of school to a static learning environment. The National School Board Association found that nearly 65 percent of students use mobile devices in schools, even when prohibited.

(Next page: Four ways to leverage mobile technology)This mobile evolution has placed K-12 schools in uncharted territory with officials asking questions like:

It is widely known that student outcomes improve when parents and family members are more involved with teachers and schools. And districts are struggling with bridging the gap between the way students and parents live and the way they engage with their schools. So how can districts leverage mobile to increase engagement? Here are four tips:

When we talk about expanding education beyond the walls of the classroom and involving the greater K-12 community, mobile can get us there. So, ask yourself, what are your districts’ learning goals, and how can mobile be a part of the solution?

Mark Strassman is the senior vice president of industry and product management for Blackboard [1].