Towards a Didactical Design Using Mobile Devices to Encourage Creativity

Abstract Mobile devices (iPods) were used to investigate whether technical devices can support students in terms of group co-ordination and work organisation. The investigation involved a postgraduate course in industrial design at a German university. During one phase of the project, spread over some weeks, the student task required collaborative work connected to the corporate practice of an industrial firm. However, the implementation of the iPod project was deemed a failure. In this article we outline the study and give explanations as to why the mobile device usage did not seem to support learning. The project failure arose from limited ‘anywhere–anytime didactics’ and an apparently incorrect interpretation of the students’ needs. This has led to the formulation of a new ‘creativity-supported didactic’ to enhance learning with mobile devices which can be used in further work.