Molenet - Barnet College

Year 3 Micro Project- MENTOR ME -Mobile Enhanced Mentoring in Teacher Training 2009/2010

The utilisation of mobile devices to record and evaluate teaching practice, whether audio or visual, will permanently capture teaching skills, lecturer feedback and encourage peer and self assessment. Reflection can be recorded vocally or via a mobile learning kit and shared electronically via REFLECT to enhance the mentoring process. All mentees will be able to replay feedback and observations to discuss with mentors or use for target setting. The development of a mobile mentoring toolkit, along with subsequent research, will be shared with the wider educational community, including FE via MOLENET and JISC RSC and HE via ALT.

Aims

Mentoring is an essential aspect of teacher training but can be overlooked due to financial and time-related expense. This project aims to facilitate an efficient and effective mentoring process in teacher training, utilising personal digital assistants to record (audio/video/mobile Office) personal reflection and progress and improve communication between mentors and mentees. A mobile mentoring toolkit will be created to scaffold the process as well as adopting the IfL REFLECT’s mobile interface to share thoughts between mentee and mentor prior to face to face meeting. Thereby contributing to the integration of REFLECT and mobile learning in new teachers’ working practice.

Objectives

• To emphasise application of mobile devices in assessment pedagogy
• To video record and self or peer assess teaching practice
• To voice/video record feedback from lecturers either privately or in discussion
• To build a mobile mentoring toolkit for students and mentors to maintain regular feedback/reflection
• To motivate learners via the mobile mentoring process, increasing independent learning and building confidence in ability and technological skills.
• To enhance reflection and critical thinking skills, scaffolded by the mobile mentoring toolkit.
• To increase employability skills through students’ self improved work
• To facilitate a greater number of observations through the use of video.
• For mentors and mentees to learn from each other in the use of mobile devices
• To develop understanding of the pedagogic potential of mobile devices
• To personalise learning for all students
• To integrate the IfL REFLECT tool into teacher training via the mobile interface, consequently building skills in keeping CPD regularly.
• To integrate mobile learning into teacher training, and consequently cross college as teachers promote use in their own practice.
• To further utilise the college’s existing wireless platform and use of mobile devices by creating a sustainable project that could be continued in this subject area and adapted for others.
• To reduce the amount of paper used in the mentoring process.

Contribution to Local and Regional priorities

• Supporting Barnet Borough Council's high priorities to (adult) education, development and training (www.barnet.gov.uk) through enhancing the quality of teacher mentoring and consequently teaching skills, benefiting a wide range of students at the principle college in the Borough. Integrating the IFL's Workforce remodelling (2008) agenda through use of REFLECT alongside Professional Recognition and Professional Formation in teacher training.

• Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning – 2008-2014, by personalising learning via mobile devices and REFLECT e-portfolio, encouraging autonomy. Use of technology enhanced learning in HE (HEFCE, 2009). Addressing economic issues by facilitating excellent teaching (LLUK http://www.lluk.org/response-to-lord-mandelson-vision-for-higher-education-27-july-2009.htm)