Mobile learning and socially constructed blended learning through the lens of Activity Theory

Abstract

The pandemic has drastically changed the education landscape. The pedagogical practices, policies and procedures ingrained and refined over many years were suddenly rendered less effective. Overnight, new practices, policies and procedures had to be drafted to support teaching and learning. More than a year on, educators have found a new home, new pedagogies and practices have been refined and continue to be, policies and procedures are agile to support a volatile environment academia dwells in during the pandemic era. Building upon the work the Mobile Learning Special Interest Group (MLSIG) presented last year at the conference, we investigate the role mobile learning is and could play in emerging pandemic pedagogies. Eight vignettes are presented from universities around the world that are analysed using Activity Theory to understand the role of mobile devices and social tools for developing blended synchronous learning (BSL) and HyFlex learning.