Fostering reflective practice with mobile technologies

Abstract

During 2 school days and 2 days off, 37 college pupils were offered a daily re- flection and reporting exercise about how (intensity and channels) they learnt in the day. This pilot experiment had 2 purposes: a) to assess the extent to which the mobile phone can be used as an instrument to develop awareness about learning and b) to explore how young people attend to their identity as (life- long) learners when they are prompted to reflect on this theme. Results show that students accepted to answer questions about learning on own mobile appli- ances and outside school hours. The study also provides indications that getting aware of and reflecting about their identity as (professional) learners is not a common and/or understood practice for the participants. These findings, which questions the common life of young people from a learning perspective, are dis- cussed in the light of the call to breed mindful, responsible and committed learners.