Students can study their lessons at any time on a range of mobile devices
Most schools have banned mobile phones in the classroom - but Howick College isn't like most schools.
The college not only allows mobile phones, it is encouraging a group of students aged 15 and 16 to use them as a learning device in a project that could change the future
of learning.
Howick College, in conjunction with Vodafone and Waikato University, has been selected by the Ministry of Education to look at mobile devices - from phones through to portable PlayStations - and the effect they have on learning in and out of the classroom.
The project is the brainchild of teacher Nathan Kerr, who was named the most innovative teacher in the world at Microsoft's international awards in 2008.
While the concept of m-learning may sound confusing to people who remember lessons with only pen and paper, Mr Kerr said it was about encouraging students to learn in a way that interested them.
"In its simplest terms it's to get students to zap their lessons into handheld devices, be it mobile phone, be it PlayStation portables, be it Nintendo.
The reason is that then they can walk away with these lessons and they can review it anytime, anywhere.
"It allows them to learn on their time and on their terms to a big degree because this technology works for them."
Mr Kerr said there were about six million cellphones in New Zealand and many people under 25 had up to three phones.
"That started getting me thinking after watching the students in action. I started to realise that to them these mobile devices aren't just communication, they are communication Swiss Army knives - they have got all these different functions going on."
On top of functions like calculators, clocks and software uploads, cellphones are often free or available at very reasonable prices when compared with a laptop or computer.
With all that in mind Mr Kerr started "zapping" students' lessons into their mobile devices using free applications such as Powerpoint and Movie Maker so they essentially had their notes or learning resources with then all the time.
Students are now creating the learning movies themselves - something that makes learning fun.
The result has been that students can't wait to view their lessons and are looking them up on their phones as soon as they get on the school bus or during their breaks.
Principal Iva Ropati said the project was "hugely exciting for staff, and students enjoy exploring educational possibilities".
"Howick College prides itself on producing innovative thinkers who are future focused on leading education in the 21st century," he said.
"This project will help continue this proud tradition."
Ministry of Education curriculum implementation group manager Colin McGregor said the funding provided to Howick College would help staff to build on earlier work that had been recognised locally and internationally as "innovative and world-leading".
"The aim of the project is to expand earlier programmes and provide method, models and support materials for use by other schools" he said.
"Early work indicates that m-learning improves student interest and engagement in learning.
"Students have been very positive about using mobile technology because it is part of their everyday experience."
