Leadership for Mobile Learning Initiative

The heutagogical, connectivist orientation is closely aligned with Education 3.0. In a heutagogical approach to teaching and learning, learners are highly autonomous and self-determined and emphasis is placed on development of learner capacity and capability. The renewed interest in heutagogy is partially due to the ubiquitousness of Web 2.0, and the affordances provided by the technology. With its learner-centered design, Web 2.0 offers an environment that supports a heutagogical approach, most importantly by supporting development of learner-generated content and learner self-directedness in information discovery and in defining the learning path.  Source: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1076

  In other words, they can engage in self-determined and self-driven learning where they are not only deciding the direction of their learning journey but they can also produce content that adds value and worth to the related content area or field of study.

It should not be as simple as stating that one, as an educator, uses one teaching orientation over another.  Educators need to examine what they are teaching and the population to whom they are teaching.  For example, procedural knowledge such as how to do first aid or fix a car; or a fixed body of knowledge such as human anatomy (for the medical field) or the study of law is typically best taught through a more teacher directed, “pedagogical” style. It becomes teaching with intentionality and strategically using the teaching and learning philosophies and approaches to reach desired outcomes.

With the idea that pedagogy is in line with a instructivist-essentialism method of teaching-learning, mobile learning in this category typically falls into the dissemination of content knowledge via apps. 

I use a simple criteria to determine their efficacy, “Would the learner choose to use the app if given the choice or use it during his/her free time?

Many project-based learning characteristics (authentic, real world problems; networked learning; use of collaborative digital tools) would fit under the category of the andragogy of mobile learning.

The learners in a heutagogy of mobile learning environment

Determine what they want to learn and develop their own learning objectives

Use their own mobile learning devices and technologies to decide how they will learn.

Form their own learning communities possibly using social networking tool

Utilize the expertise of the educator and other members of their learning communities to suggest and introduce content-related resources.

Utilize the expertise of the educator and other members of their learning communities to suggest Web 2.0 and other online tools for that the students could possibly use to demonstrate and produce learning artifacts.

Demonstrate their learning through methods and means that work best for them.

Take the initiative to seek feedback from the instructor and their peers.  It is their choice to utilize that feedback or not.

Forming their Own Interest-Driven Personal Learning Networks (PLNs)

Curating

Developing a broad array of possible course assignments