Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Gender-sensitive Mobile Learning Projects within Educational Settings

Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Gender-sensitive Mobile Learning Projects

within Educational Settings

Julie Evans Chief Executive Officer

Project Tomorrow @JulieEvans_PT

Dr. Kari Stubbs Vice President of Learning and

Innovation, BrainPOP @karistubbs

Welcome!

Today’s discussion topics: • Getting to know each other • Afternoon pop quiz: Girls Go Mobile with Learning • The Mobile Learning Project & Gender Sensitivity

o Designing o Implementing o Evaluating

• New ideas and additional resources

@ProjectTomorrow @brainpop #mlw2015 @unesco @UN_Women

Mission: To ensure that today’s students are prepared

to become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and

engaged citizens of the world

Project Tomorrow, a global education not for

profit organization

Our Programs: Focus on STEM Education

o Research & evaluation studies

o School & community programs

o Policy advocacy for STEM and digital

learning

Research & evaluation studies: Mobile Learning

Speak Up Research Project 521,000 K-12 students, parents & educators 8,216 schools in US and around the world

VOCES DE MÉXICO Project 594 5th & 6th grade students + parents & teachers 7 schools in Mexico

Making Learning Mobile – Chicago Project 120 5th grade students 3 year study with a school in Chicago

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BrainPOP

Girls Go Mobile with Learning

Research data from the Speak Up 2014

Surveys


Girls in all types of communities place a high value on having a mobile device to help with learning – just like the boys

% who say it is important for students to be able to use a mobile device for learning

Urban Rural Suburban

Gr 6-8 Girls 75% 75% 76%

Gr 6-8 Boys 74% 75% 73%


Girls and boys have similar access to mobile devices

Mobile Devices Girls Boys

Smartphone 45% 46%

Tablets 62% 59%


Smartphone 70% 66%

Tablets 58% 53%


Smartphone 84% 80%

Tablets 40% 36%

Grades 3-5

Grades 6-8

Grades 9-12


But they have different expectations for using those devices for schoolwork

Girls are more interested than boys in using mobile devices to:

Write school reports Work on projects with classmates Read stories and books for schoolwork Take notes in class Email classmates about homework Access online textbooks Organize schoolwork

If we asked middle school girls (ages 11-13) which mobile device they think is the best for various schoolwork tasks, what device would they choose? Would they choose a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop?

Your afternoon quiz: Girls Go Mobile with Learning

Research from the Speak Up 2014 Surveys

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Enter code: unesco1



Task Laptop Tablet Smartphone

Write a report

Communicate with their teacher

Take notes in class

Watch a video

Read an online article or book

Create a video



Task Laptop Tablet Smartphone

Write a report X

Communicate with their teacher

X

Take notes in class

X

Watch a video X X

Read an online article or book

X

Create a video X

Today’s discussion topics: • Getting to know each other • Afternoon pop quiz: Girls Go Mobile with Learning

• The Mobile Learning Project & Gender Sensitivity o Designing o Implementing o Evaluating



Mobile Learning Projects in Educational Settings

Purpose Devices Mobile-enabled content Enhanced connectivity Support for students and teachers In school or out of school time Desired outcomes – research questions Metrics for evaluating impact Lessons learned to share

Mobile Learning Projects in Educational Settings

From our research experiences: There is a gender component to the use of mobile devices and content Therefore, it is important for mobile learning projects to be gender-aware and responsive.

Gender terminology Relative to education and learning

Gender sensitive

Gender

responsive

Gender transformative

Gender

awareness

Gender blind

Gender biased

Gender unequal

Defining gender sensitivity: Considers gender norms, role and relationships

Takes into account impact of policies, projects and

programs on women/girls and men/boys

Tries to mitigate negative consequences of the gender impact

Defining gender sensitivity – and specific to girls:

Know her

Design for her

Measure the unique impact on her

Be accountable to her

What if designing, implementing and evaluating a gender-sensitive

mobile learning project . . .

was like having a ?

1. Planning the Dinner Party = Designing the Project

2. Hosting the Dinner Party = Implementing the Project

3. The After-Party Activities = Evaluating the Project

The Gender-Sensitive Mobile Learning Project

Designing the Project Implementing the Project Evaluating the Project


Planning the Dinner Party = Designing the Project

Dinner Planning

Plan menu

Invite guests

Buy food to prepare

Select wine or music to accompany dinner

Arrange flowers on the table

Plan for activities or discussion

Set the table

Taking into account your guests’ needs


Dinner Planning Project Planning

Plan menu Identify research questions

Invite guests Identify participants

Buy food to prepare Select the content to support the goals

Select wine or music to accompany dinner

Select the devices that support the content

Arrange flowers on the table Plan for professional development

Plan for activities or discussion Define the outputs and outcomes

Set the table Set up the logistical plan of activities

Taking into account your guests’ needs Being gender-sensitive

Key Components of a Mobile Learning Project Design

Identify research questions

Identify participants

Select the content to support the goals

Select the devices that support the content

Plan for professional development

Define the outputs and outcomes

Set up the logistical plan

Weaving gender-

sensitivity throughout the design

plan



Creating the logical framework:

1. What is the purpose?

2. What are the goals?

3. What are the inputs and outputs?

4. What are the outcomes?

5. What are the activities?


Creating the logical framework:

1. What is the purpose?

2. What are the goals?

3. What are the inputs and outputs?

4. What are the outcomes?

5. What are the activities?

Informed by what we already know

Making Learning Mobile Project

Falconer Elementary School in Chicago, IL

• 127 5th grader students + 4 teachers

• Samsung Galaxy tablets with 4GLTE

Project Goals: To evaluate benefits of mobile learning – by providing

students and their teachers with tablet to use at school and at home o Special emphasis on literacy development


Informed by what we already know: Chicago Project

• 29% of girls say their ICT skills are advanced vs. 39% of boys

• Girls’ favorite subject is Art (32%); boys’ favorite subject is Physical Education (32%)

• 50% of the girls say they like doing writing assignments for schoolwork; only 34% of the boys agree

• 79% of the boys though say they write better using a computer vs. 51% of the girls



• 29% of girls say their ICT skills are advanced vs. 39% of boys • Girls’ favorite subject is Art (32%); boys’ favorite subject is Physical

Education (32%) • 50% of the girls say they like doing writing assignments for schoolwork;

only 34% of the boys agree • 79% of the boys though say they write better using a computer vs. 51%

of the girls

How do we design gender responsive activities that take this knowledge into account?

Worksheet: Thinking about gender issues in mobile learning projects

Type of gender-responsiveness

Your assessment Group discussion notes

Gender-unequal

Gender-blind

Gender-specific

Gender-sensitive

Potential activities/outcomes for this project:

1. All students are required to complete their writing assignments on the tablet.



2. Students who complete their writing assignments on the tablets will have additional Physical Education time.




3. Students can use their tablets for taking notes in class, accessing their digital textbooks or working on class projects with others in addition to the writing assignments.




3. Students can use their tablets for taking notes in class, accessing their digital textbooks or working on class projects with others in addition to the writing assignments.

4. For any of the writing assignments, the students can choose to write about a topic that interests them.

Making Learning Mobile Project

Falconer Elementary School in Chicago, IL

• 127 5th grader students + 4 teachers

• Samsung Galaxy tablets with 4GLTE

To learn more about this project: http://info.kajeet.com/downloadmlmreport




Hosting the Dinner Party = Implementing the Project

Dinner Hosting

Welcoming your guests

Preparing the food

Serving the dinner

Introducing your guests to each other

Facilitating dinner conversations

Everyone has a good time

Wishing them a good night

Taking into account your guests’ needs

The Gender-Sensitive Mobile Learning Project Dinner Hosting Project Implementation

Welcoming your guests Launching the project

Preparing the food Installing the content or downloading the apps

Serving the dinner Students use the content on the devices

Introducing your guests to each other Building network to support the project

Facilitating dinner conversations Establishing processes for usage

Everyone has a good time Monitoring usage

Wishing them a good night Making adjustments to the project plan

Taking into account your guests’ needs Being gender sensitive


Key components of a mobile learning implementation

Launching the project

Installing the content or downloading the apps

Students use the content on the devices

Building network to support the project

Establishing processes for usage

Monitoring usage

Making adjustments to the project plan as needed

Weaving gender-sensitivity

throughout the implementation

plan

Evaluating the gender-sensitivity of digital content

Questions for Consideration Guide (Worksheet)

Characterization Are there differences in the types of roles or activities ascribed to the characters based upon gender?

Imagery and Language Is the use of language, words and phrases within the content free of traditional stereotypes or gender bias? Are loaded words used?

Storyline Are women/girls or men/boys represented as central characters within the content storyline or the game?

Results What types of messages are articulated in the digital content about gender differences? Are those messages positive or negative?

BrainPOP Jr.

● Over 300 cross-curricular

topics for children 5 to 8

years old

● Aligned to: US Common Core and state standards; Canada Alberta, BC and Ontario standards

● Each topic supported with

age-appropriate activities,

exercises, games, quizzes

and lesson ideas

● Web, Android, iOS and

Windows 8

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GameUp

● Over 100 educational games

from 40+ game developers including museums, universities and non-profits

● Games and coding exercises connected to curricular topics

● Over 4 million hours of game play since 2011 launch

www.brainpop.com/games www.brainpopjr.com/games

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BrainPOP

GameUp – Do I

Have a Right?

BrainPOP Jr –

Harriet Tubman




The After-Party Activities = Evaluating the Project

After party activities

Clearing the dinner table

Cleaning up the kitchen

Putting away the good dishes and glasses & leftover food

Taking time to reflect

Sharing news from your friends

Sharing memories of the fun time

Planning changes for the next party


After Party Activities Project Evaluation

Picking up after the party Collecting data from participants

Cleaning up the kitchen Organizing the data collected

Putting away the good dishes and glasses and leftover food

Suspending judgment on the results until you analyze the data

Taking time to reflect Analysis of the data

Sharing memories of the fun time Synthesizing analyzed data into project results

Planning changes for the next party Examining the outcomes in light of the goals

Telling others about the party Sharing the evaluation results


Project Evaluation

Collecting data from participants

Organizing the data collected

Suspending judgment on the results until you analyze the data

Analysis of the data

Synthesizing analyzed data into project results

Examining the outcomes in light of the goals

Sharing the evaluation results

Weaving gender-sensitivity

throughout the evaluation plan

• Surveys

• Interviews

• Observations of usage

• Focus groups

• Class participation #s

• Journals/diaries

• Artifacts

• Attendance data

• Discipline data

• Achievement data

• Usage statistics

• And more ….

Mobile Learning Projects: Data collection vehicles

• Surveys

• Interviews

• Observations of usage

• Focus groups • Class participation #s

• Journals/diaries

• Artifacts

• Attendance data

• Discipline data

• Achievement data

• Usage statistics

• And more ….

The Gender Sensitive Mobile Learning Project

• Focus groups – be careful about:

–Use of language, words, phrases in focus group questions

– Time and place for the focus group

–Relationships between participants and others

–Cultural norms, attitudes and behaviors

The Gender Sensitive Mobile Learning Project



Urban school within Chicago Public Schools 93% of the families are low income and Latino 44% of the students are English language learners 37% of Falconer students say that their Internet access at

home is slow or their only access is at school Falconer girls have had less access to mobile devices at home

than their peers in Chicago or nationwide 48% of the parents have concerns about their child having a

tablet to use at school and at home



Goal of the focus groups: To understand how the tablets are impacting student learning – from the perspective of the student directly

How do we design a gender responsive focus group environment that takes into account what

we know about our participants?

How do we design a gender responsive focus group environment that takes into account what we

know about our participants?

Let’s brainstorm this! What are some things that you would do – or not do?

Worksheet: Thinking about gender issues in mobile learning projects

Type of gender-responsiveness

Your assessment Group discussion notes

Gender-unequal

Gender-blind

Gender-specific

Gender-sensitive

A. Conduct 3 focus groups per year

B. Same participants each time – set up as a research team

C. Separate focus groups by gender

D. No men/boys in the focus group with the girls

E. During the school day

F. Relate tablet usage to personal interests

G. Questions for girls focused on collaborations, for boys on individual activities

H. Audio record on tablet

Focus Group Protocals for the Chicago Project

Reflection

Today’s discussion topics: • Getting to know each other • Afternoon pop quiz: Girls Go Mobile with Learning • The Mobile Learning Project & Gender Sensitivity

o Designing o Implementing o Evaluating



http://www.tomorrow.org/UNESCOworkshop.html

How can this information and ideas help you in your work? Program development Investment strategies Policy decisions Evaluations of impact Ideas for new projects

What is the most interesting thing you learned today in this workshop?

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Thank you for this conversation!

Copyright Project Tomorrow 2015

This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted

for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes,

provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced

materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written

permission from the author.

Julie Evans [email protected] @JulieEvans_PT

Dr. Kari Stubbs [email protected] @karistubbs

mailto:[email protected]

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