Educators Struggle to Design Mobile-Learning Content

Figuring out how to put cellphones into the hands of students -- complete with data plans and security features -- is often seen as the most daunting step for districts eager to tap the potential learning benefits of mobile technologies. But once those logistics are conquered, another big question looms: How can educators find or develop meaningful, standards-based lessons that fit the visual and data constraints of a small-screen device?

In the push for mobile learning as a way to utilize tools that students are adept at using and are enthusiastic about, the quest for creating and finding high-quality content is proving a challenge. But as more schools decide to incorporate portable technologies into the school day, demand is growing for curricula developed with a three-inch display window in mind. And as more educators start to move beyond the simple mobile applications for education, like multiple-choice quizzes, flashcards, and polling, they are learning that adapting existing lessons to the miniature viewing area of a cellphone or personal digital assistant, or PDA, does not always work.