Mobile learning and professional development

Future building academic work in higher education

Abstract

Educators use social media to enrich student learning experiences in the classroom and use personal mobile devices to extend their workplace and productivity across time and space. As learning becomes more mobile, social and informal, the divide between spaces, places and digital devices is merging. Given the disruptive effect learning mobility is having on the foundations of education, knowledge, learning and academic work, this exploratory paper investigates the possible relationship between mobile learning and professional development as potential enablers (or barriers) to academic motivation and engagement in transforming their professional practice. This paper holds the central tenet of 'educators are learners', adopts an 'as-lived' experiences approach which looks at the ways people experience, in this case, mobile learning in natural settings, and is fundamentally concerned with contributing to the body of knowledge on the changing nature of the higher education teacher's academic work in the modern academy. The principal questions guiding this exploratory paper are 'What alternatives are there to current professional development methods that support educators in ways of learning about mobile learning to transform professional practice?' and 'Why are some academics naturally motivated to engage, share and actively participate in alternatives?'