Dan Winkler, Mimio Chief Technology Officer
When it comes to using mobile devices in the classroom, we’ve found there are many common concerns among teachers. Everyone recognizes the great potential of the technology for bringing learning to a more personal level and for getting students engaged by using devices they already know well. But most teachers worry about overcoming the technical challenges of mobile devices in the classroom. We believe that our latest release of the MimioMobile™ app addresses the key challenges, as explained below.
How difficult is it to set up and implement mobile devices in my classroom?
One of our main goals when creating the MimioMobile app was to find a way to easily integrate the student and teacher mobile software experiences into the daily workflow of our other interactive classroom technologies. Our QR Connect process connects student and teacher devices to the MimioStudio™ software with a simple point-and-click. You scan a QR code with the teacher or student mobile device, and you’re up and running. By spending time on details like these, we reduce the technical barriers so that
teachers can focus on teaching.
Can mobile educational apps be fun and effective learning tools?
Our MimioMobile application is designed to be fun and playful for students and teachers. It’s got a very clean user interface, and animations are incorporated throughout the app. Using the app on a daily basis, you’ll find that these "minor details" make the app much more fun to use. With the collaboration and assessment features of MimioStudio software, you can teach more effectively and gauge your students’ progress while keeping your students engaged.
Will mobile devices be a distraction in my classroom?
We know that some teachers and administrators worry that mobile devices will be more of a distraction than a benefit in the classroom. That’s why we designed the application so that the teacher has complete control over the classroom and all of the student mobile devices while using the MimioMobile app. Every classroom activity is initiated by the teacher (voting, collaboration, and desktop control), and the teacher is able to see which students are not on task.
Will I be able to be as proficient with the technology as my students?
A lot of educators worry about this, especially since many students have been using mobile devices since preschool. Most apps require you to explore them and figure out how they work by trial and error. This may not be so easy for people new to mobile technology, or realistic for teachers who are pressed for time and standing in front of a classroom full of impatient students. We wanted to make the MimioMobile app as easy to use as possible, so we created our Help Overlay. A startup screen walks the user through the few steps it takes to connect to the classroom. And every activity has a Help screen that can assist the teacher in navigating the more advanced aspects of the application.
