Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Gender-sensitive Mobile Learning Projects within Educational Settings

Designing, Implementing and Evaluating
Gender-sensitive Mobile Learning Projects
within Educational Settings
Julie Evans
Chief Executive Officer
Project Tomorrow
@JulieEvans_PT
Dr. Kari Stubbs
Vice President of Learning and
Innovation, BrainPOP
@karistubbs

Welcome!
Today’s discussion topics:
• Getting to know each other
• Afternoon pop quiz: Girls Go Mobile with Learning
• The Mobile Learning Project & Gender Sensitivity
o Designing
o Implementing
o Evaluating
• New ideas and additional resources
@ProjectTomorrow @brainpop #mlw2015 @unesco @UN_Women

Mission: To ensure that
today’s students are prepared
to become tomorrow’s
leaders, innovators and
engaged citizens of the world
Project Tomorrow, a
global education not for
profit organization

Our Programs: Focus on STEM Education
o Research & evaluation studies
o School & community programs
o Policy advocacy for STEM and digital
learning

Research & evaluation studies: Mobile Learning
Speak Up Research Project
 521,000 K-12 students, parents & educators
 8,216 schools in US and around the world
VOCES DE MÉXICO Project
 594 5th & 6th grade students + parents & teachers
 7 schools in Mexico
Making Learning Mobile – Chicago Project
 120 5th grade students
 3 year study with a school in Chicago

Girls Go Mobile with Learning
Research data from
the Speak Up 2014
Surveys

Girls in all types of communities place a high value on having a mobile
device to help with learning – just like the boys
% who say it is important for
students to be able to use a
mobile device for learning
Urban Rural Suburban
Gr 6-8 Girls 75% 75% 76%
Gr 6-8 Boys 74% 75% 73%

Girls and boys have similar access to mobile devices
Mobile Devices Girls Boys
Smartphone 45% 46%
Tablets 62% 59%
Smartphone 70% 66%
Tablets 58% 53%
Smartphone 84% 80%
Tablets 40% 36%
Grades
3-5
Grades
6-8
Grades
9-12

But they have different expectations for using those devices for
schoolwork
Girls are more interested than boys in using mobile devices to:
 Write school reports
 Work on projects with classmates
 Read stories and books for schoolwork
 Take notes in class
 Email classmates about homework
 Access online textbooks
 Organize schoolwork

If we asked middle school girls (ages 11-
13) which mobile device they think is the
best for various schoolwork tasks, what
device would they choose?
Would they choose a smartphone, a
tablet, or a laptop?
Your afternoon quiz:
Research from the Speak Up 2014 Surveys

www.brainpop.com
BrainPOP
Enter code: unesco1

If we asked middle school girls (ages 11-13) which mobile device they think is the
best for various schoolwork tasks, what device would they choose?
Would they choose a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop?
Task Laptop Tablet Smartphone
Write a report
Communicate
with their
teacher
Take notes in
class
Watch a video
Read an online
article or book
Create a video

If we asked middle school girls (ages 11-13) which mobile device they think is the
best for various schoolwork tasks, what device would they choose?
Would they choose a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop?
Task Laptop Tablet Smartphone
Write a report X
Communicate
with their
teacher
X
Take notes in
class
X
Watch a video X X
Read an online
article or book
X
Create a video X

o Designing
o Implementing
o Evaluating

Mobile Learning Projects in Educational Settings
 Purpose
 Devices
 Mobile-enabled content
 Enhanced connectivity
 Support for students and teachers
 In school or out of school time
 Desired outcomes – research questions
 Metrics for evaluating impact
 Lessons learned to share

Mobile Learning Projects in Educational Settings
From our research experiences:
There is a gender component to the
use of mobile devices and content
Therefore, it is important for mobile
learning projects to be gender-aware
and responsive.

Gender terminology
Relative to education and learning
Gender sensitive
Gender
responsive
Gender transformative
Gender
awareness
Gender blind
Gender biased
Gender unequal

Defining gender sensitivity:
 Considers gender norms, role and relationships
 Takes into account impact of policies, projects and
programs on women/girls and men/boys
 Tries to mitigate negative consequences of the gender
impact

Defining gender sensitivity – and specific to girls:
 Know her
 Design for her
 Measure the unique impact on her
 Be accountable to her

What if designing, implementing and
evaluating a gender-sensitive
mobile learning project . . .
was like having a ?

1. Planning the Dinner Party
= Designing the Project
2. Hosting the Dinner Party
= Implementing the Project
3. The After-Party Activities = Evaluating the Project

The Gender-Sensitive Mobile Learning Project
Designing the Project
Implementing the Project
Evaluating the Project

Planning the Dinner Party =
Designing the Project
Dinner Planning
Plan menu
Invite guests
Buy food to prepare
Select wine or music to accompany dinner
Arrange flowers on the table
Plan for activities or discussion
Set the table
Taking into account your guests’ needs

Dinner Planning Project Planning
Plan menu Identify research questions
Invite guests Identify participants
Buy food to prepare Select the content to support the goals
Select wine or music to accompany
dinner
Select the devices that support the
content
Arrange flowers on the table Plan for professional development
Plan for activities or discussion Define the outputs and outcomes
Set the table Set up the logistical plan of activities
Taking into account your guests’ needs Being gender-sensitive

Key Components of a Mobile Learning Project Design
Identify research questions
Identify participants
Select the content to support the goals
Select the devices that support the content
Plan for professional development
Define the outputs and outcomes
Set up the logistical plan
Weaving
gender-
sensitivity
throughout
the design
plan

Creating the logical framework:
1. What is the purpose?
2. What are the goals?
3. What are the inputs and outputs?
4. What are the outcomes?
5. What are the activities?

Creating the logical framework:
1. What is the purpose?
2. What are the goals?
3. What are the inputs and outputs?
4. What are the outcomes?
5. What are the activities?
Informed by what
we already know

Making Learning Mobile Project
Falconer Elementary School in Chicago, IL
• 127 5th grader students + 4 teachers
• Samsung Galaxy tablets with 4GLTE
Project Goals:
 To evaluate benefits of mobile learning – by providing
students and their teachers with tablet to use at school and
at home
o Special emphasis on literacy development

Informed by what we already know: Chicago Project
• 29% of girls say their ICT skills are advanced vs. 39% of boys
• Girls’ favorite subject is Art (32%); boys’ favorite subject is Physical
Education (32%)
• 50% of the girls say they like doing writing assignments for schoolwork;
only 34% of the boys agree
• 79% of the boys though say they write better using a computer vs. 51%
of the girls

• 29% of girls say their ICT skills are advanced vs. 39% of boys
• Girls’ favorite subject is Art (32%); boys’ favorite subject is Physical
Education (32%)
• 50% of the girls say they like doing writing assignments for schoolwork;
only 34% of the boys agree
• 79% of the boys though say they write better using a computer vs. 51%
of the girls
How do we design gender responsive activities
that take this knowledge into account?

Worksheet: Thinking about gender issues in mobile learning projects
Type of
gender-responsiveness
Your assessment Group discussion notes
Gender-unequal
Gender-blind
Gender-specific
Gender-sensitive

Potential activities/outcomes for this project:
1. All students are required to complete their writing assignments on the
tablet.

tablet.
2. Students who complete their writing assignments on the tablets will
have additional Physical Education time.

tablet.
3. Students can use their tablets for taking notes in class, accessing their
digital textbooks or working on class projects with others in addition to
the writing assignments.

tablet.
3. Students can use their tablets for taking notes in class, accessing their
digital textbooks or working on class projects with others in addition to
the writing assignments.
4. For any of the writing assignments, the students can choose to write
about a topic that interests them.

Making Learning Mobile Project
Falconer Elementary School in Chicago, IL
• 127 5th grader students + 4 teachers
• Samsung Galaxy tablets with 4GLTE
To learn more about this project:
http://info.kajeet.com/downloadmlmreport

Hosting the Dinner Party =
Implementing the Project
Dinner Hosting
Welcoming your guests
Preparing the food
Serving the dinner
Introducing your guests to each
other
Facilitating dinner conversations
Everyone has a good time
Wishing them a good night
Taking into account your guests’
needs

Dinner Hosting Project Implementation
Welcoming your guests Launching the project
Preparing the food Installing the content or downloading
the apps
Serving the dinner Students use the content on the
devices
Introducing your guests to each other Building network to support the project
Facilitating dinner conversations Establishing processes for usage
Everyone has a good time Monitoring usage
Wishing them a good night Making adjustments to the project plan
Taking into account your guests’ needs Being gender sensitive

Key components of a mobile learning
implementation
Launching the project
Installing the content or downloading the apps
Students use the content on the
devices
Building network to support the project
Establishing processes for usage
Monitoring usage
Making adjustments to the project plan as
needed
Weaving gender-
sensitivity
throughout the
implementation
plan

Evaluating the gender-sensitivity of digital content
Questions for Consideration Guide
(Worksheet)
Characterization
Are there differences in the types of roles or activities ascribed to the characters based upon
gender?
Imagery and Language
Is the use of language, words and phrases within the content free of traditional stereotypes or
gender bias? Are loaded words used?
Storyline
Are women/girls or men/boys represented as central characters within the content storyline or
the game?
Results
What types of messages are articulated in the digital content about gender differences? Are
those messages positive or negative?

BrainPOP Jr.
● Over 300 cross-curricular
topics for children 5 to 8
years old
● Aligned to: US Common Core
and state standards; Canada
Alberta, BC and Ontario
standards
● Each topic supported with
age-appropriate activities,
exercises, games, quizzes
and lesson ideas
● Web, Android, iOS and
Windows 8
www.brainpopjr.com

GameUp
● Over 100 educational games
from 40+ game developers
including museums, universities
and non-profits
● Games and coding exercises
connected to curricular topics
● Over 4 million hours of game play
since 2011 launch
www.brainpop.com/games
www.brainpopjr.com/games

www.brainpop.com
BrainPOP
GameUp – Do I
Have a Right?
BrainPOP Jr –
Harriet Tubman

The After-Party Activities =
Evaluating the Project
After party activities
Clearing the dinner table
Cleaning up the kitchen
Putting away the good dishes and
glasses & leftover food
Taking time to reflect
Sharing news from your friends
Sharing memories of the fun time
Planning changes for the next party

After Party Activities Project Evaluation
Picking up after the party Collecting data from participants
Cleaning up the kitchen Organizing the data collected
Putting away the good dishes and
glasses and leftover food
Suspending judgment on the results
until you analyze the data
Taking time to reflect Analysis of the data
Sharing memories of the fun time Synthesizing analyzed data into project
results
Planning changes for the next party Examining the outcomes in light of the
goals
Telling others about the party Sharing the evaluation results

Project Evaluation
Collecting data from participants
Organizing the data collected
Suspending judgment on the results until you
analyze the data
Analysis of the data
Synthesizing analyzed data into project results
Examining the outcomes in light of the goals
Sharing the evaluation results
Weaving gender-
sensitivity
throughout the
evaluation plan

• Surveys
• Interviews
• Observations of usage
• Focus groups
• Class participation #s
• Journals/diaries
• Artifacts
• Attendance data
• Discipline data
• Achievement data
• Usage statistics
• And more ….
Mobile Learning Projects: Data collection vehicles

• Surveys
• Interviews
• Observations of usage
• Focus groups
• Class participation #s
• Journals/diaries
• Artifacts
• Attendance data
• Discipline data
• Achievement data
• Usage statistics
• And more ….
The Gender Sensitive Mobile Learning Project

• Focus groups – be careful about:
–Use of language, words, phrases in focus
group questions
–Time and place for the focus group
–Relationships between participants and
others
–Cultural norms, attitudes and behaviors
The Gender Sensitive Mobile Learning Project

 Urban school within Chicago Public Schools
 93% of the families are low income and Latino
 44% of the students are English language learners
 37% of Falconer students say that their Internet access at
home is slow or their only access is at school
 Falconer girls have had less access to mobile devices at home
than their peers in Chicago or nationwide
 48% of the parents have concerns about their child having a
tablet to use at school and at home

Goal of the focus groups:
To understand how the tablets are impacting student
learning – from the perspective of the student directly
How do we design a gender responsive focus
group environment that takes into account what
we know about our participants?

How do we design a gender responsive focus group
environment that takes into account what we
know about our participants?
Let’s brainstorm this!
What are some things that you would do – or not do?

A. Conduct 3 focus
groups per year
B. Same participants
each time – set up as a
research team
C. Separate focus groups
by gender
D. No men/boys in the
focus group with the
girls
E. During the school day
F. Relate tablet usage to
personal interests
G. Questions for girls
focused on
collaborations, for
boys on individual
activities
H. Audio record on tablet
Focus Group Protocals for the Chicago Project

Reflection
o Designing
o Implementing
o Evaluating

http://www.tomorrow.org/UNESCOworkshop.html

How can this information and ideas help you in your
work?
 Program development
 Investment strategies
 Policy decisions
 Evaluations of impact
 Ideas for new projects

What is the most interesting thing you
learned today in this workshop?

Thank you for this conversation!
Copyright Project Tomorrow 2015
This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted
for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes,
provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced
materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the
author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written
permission from the author.
Julie Evans
jevans@tomorrow.org
@JulieEvans_PT
Dr. Kari Stubbs
kstubbs@brainpop.com
@karistubbs

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