Wireless and Mobile Technologies, 2016, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1-6 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/wmt/3/1/1 © Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/wmt-3-1-1 Influence of Age and Training on Planning Instruction Using Mobiles Phones by Pre-service Social Studies Teachers Gloria Adedoja * , Abimbade Oluwadara University of Ibadan, Nigeria *Corresponding author: sadedoja@yahoo.com Abstract Effective planning of instruction enables the teacher to set out different strategies that can make both teachers and students achieve stated objectives. Teachers are expected to put a lot of effort into planning their instruction, and with the emergence of different technologies (hardware/software), planning can be done with considerable ease. These technologies such as computers, mobile phones, tablets, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and so on create a platform for teachers to explore, gather facts, sort, edit and re-arrange information about a topic before teaching it. Therefore, in this study, pre-service social studies teachers were trained on how to plan instruction using the Mobiles, this was done using a Mobile Learning Lesson Plan (MLLP) template, the influence of age on how pre-service teachers plan instructions using mobiles was also examined. The template is a blueprint of what is to be taught using the mobile phone, it enables teachers to organise, plan, design, and evaluate the lesson effectively. The results show that after the training, the pre-service social studies teachers were able to acquire requisite skills to plan instruction using mobile phones. Also, age does not significantly influence on the ability of pre-service social studies teachers to plan instruction using mobiles. Keywords: planning, mobile learning, Pre-service social studies teachers, age Cite This Article: Gloria Adedoja, and Abimbade Oluwadara, “Influence of Age and Training on Planning Instruction Using Mobiles Phones by Pre-service Social Studies Teachers.” Wireless and Mobile Technologies, vol. 3, no. 1 (2016): 1-6. doi: 10.12691/wmt-3-1-1. 1. Introduction Instruction can be defined as specified techniques or means of controlling or manipulating sequence of events to produce a change of behaviour through learning and can only happen if the outcomes of learning are specified in measurable and observable terms [1]. The process of instructing involves determination of desired learner’s behaviours; the analyzing, relating, ordering or arranging of learner activities that will develop the desired level of performance and the creation of responsive environments (human and non-human mediation) that motivate and induce the learner to interact with the structured environment, and provide feedback to the learner and teachers for the guidance of learner activity. Planning is an integral aspect in the process of instruction. The method of executing lessons and assessment must have been determined at the planning stage. There must be adequate planning before the instruction when the instructor critically analyses the learners, and the media, using appropriate methods in their interactions to convey the content of instruction in order to realize the desire outcome. The outcome is the desired new knowledge, skills, attitudes and changed behaviour. Success in interactions between the components is largely determined by effective planning and preparing for the lessons. According to Pouliot [15], Planning helps teachers in five basic ways: 1. By helping them feel comfortable about instruction and giving them a sense of understanding and ownership over the teaching they plan. 2. By establishing a sense of purpose and subject matter focus. 3. By affording the chance to review and becoming familiar with the subject matter before actually beginning to teach it. 4. By ensuring that there are ways in place to get instruction started, activities to pursue, and a framework to follow during the actual delivery of instruction. 5. By linking daily lessons to broader integrative goals, units, or curriculum topics. The processes of planning and providing instruction are important activities for teachers and planning to use technology for instruction demands more effort from teachers because technology is already an integral part of the curricula at all levels of education. It behoves the school authorities to give teachers the opportunities to become familiar with a range of technologies and to develop the required skills which would support their learning. Technology brings out systems approach to instruction and helps to check the end product – by checking on achievement, to see if the objectives earlier stated had been achieved or not.