I had such a good time at this conference last year that I decided to attend again in 2025. It felt more important to attend last year, as some of what I learned went into my research, but nevertheless, it was good to attend to keep up with industry trends.
This year, the 21st International Conference on Mobile Learning and the 10th International Conference on Educational Technologies were held in Madeira, Portugal. It’s always a worthwhile event. I have to mention this first: the traditional Madeira miniature wine and the conference goodie bag were, as usual, a pleasant welcome. Being a joint conference, it offered a good range of perspectives and much to consider.
Generative AI: A Key Talking Point
One of the presentations that particularly stood out was Professor Mike Sharples’ keynote on “Social Learning with Generative AI.” This prompted some interesting discussions around the potential impact of generative AI on learning and collaboration.
Exploring Current Trends in Mobile Learning
The conference sessions covered a broad spectrum of topics within mobile learning and educational technologies. Some key areas included:
- Pedagogical Approaches and mLearning Innovation: There was an emphasis on the evolving mLearning methodologies, the available tools, and how to enhance personalised digital learning experiences.
- International Higher Education: It was valuable to see the focus on how web-based platforms, mobile technologies, and social media can support student mobility and the development of intercultural competencies.
- The Role of AI: AI’s influence in education was a recurring theme, with sessions examining the use of AI-generated rubrics in assessment and the continuing discussion around the opportunities and challenges of ChatGPT in higher education.
- Virtual and Immersive Learning: The potential of virtual reality, metaverse technologies, and simulations to transform teaching and training was also explored, which is consistently an interesting area.
The conference program also included an opportunity to go on a tour and dinner, which I think is always a great addition. It’s a lovely opportunity to have a bit of downtime, explore the local area, and really get to know other people.
Summary
I enjoyed the conference, but it has made me miss academia and research. Since finishing my PhD, I’ve had research ideas, but now that I’m technically not affiliated with a University, I don’t know where to go to continue my research. I’d love to do some small case studies on some of the projects I’ve worked on, particularly with the Inns of Court, but I don’t know how to become an independent researcher, I suppose? This is something I need to look into, as I don’t want to finish my PhD and never do any further research. I would also love to present some research at the conference, but again, I’m unsure how to go about this post-PhD (anyway, off topic).
I highly recommend this conference if this is your area of interest/study, or expertise. You get a global view of the topics, not just from UK HEIs. Everyone is always so friendly, and the conference is always so well organised. Please look at the websites below if you want to learn more.
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