Animal Science studies at Shuttleworth College
have been given a digital boost with the use of iPhones,
revolutionising the teaching and learning experience. Exotic
animals can now be studied with the use of thousands of web based
applications that can be used in any location at any time,
including classrooms, home, community or whilst on the move.
A successful bid by Bedford College led to
extra funding of £20,000 from the LSC (Learning and Skills Council)
to support the MoLenet (Mobile Learning Network) approach to
encourage the digital mobile learning experience. The result
is 44 iPhones being used by staff and students at Shuttleworth
College, where animal care meets the digital age.
Students can now use a wide range of
applications to download facts about animals and use video and
sound to record animal behaviour and handling techniques. The
information can then be used in presentation format on a whiteboard
and downloaded to MoLenet where the information is shared with
schools and colleges across the country.
Work can also be downloaded onto Moodle
(Bedford College's virtual learning environment) giving staff and
students instant access without the use of reams of paper.
Tracey Duffy (Learning Technologies Adviser)
said:
“The iPhones certainly have the wow factor
with students and I am delighted with the way staff and students
have got involved and engaged with this project. Everyone has
taken to the new technology with great enthusiasm and we can
already see the benefits.”
“Myself and the Director of ILT, Mr Roy
Currie, were delighted to win the bid for this extra funding and to
work on this project with MoLenet who are a big player in the
learning technology community across the country.”
Carl Groombridge (Animal Unit Manager)
added:
“This is the closest to a magical learning
experience you can get and our students have really taken
ownership. It has improved their potential learning so much
and I do not know what we would do without the iPhones
now!”
Students were keen to have their say on the
use of iPhones and what it means to them in studying animal
care and behaviour:
“You can research while learning by using the
iPhone to search the web and use thousands of
applications.”
“We are doing presentations and watching those
of other people - sharing information in Bedfordshire and across
the country”.
“We can show techniques of animal handling,
their needs, behaviour and habitat”
“It makes learning easier and fun and we can
make more interesting presentations of our work”.
