presentation

Mobile Learner Supportpart of the Virtual Learning Environment Programme

Project Leader: Rhodri Thomas [email protected]

Device-independent

• Working with what students have

• Classes of devices/behaviours

• Providing flexible options

Task 1 – ‘Learning tools’

• Discuss in pairs what aids you have to hand that enable you to complete a learning task – be it practical, informal, incidental or more concrete.

• If you have any technology with you, have a real look at what’s available – if you have a phone/device, take a look at the applications on-board.

camera

video camera

dictionary

calculator

thesaurus

games

books

calendar

art equipment

music

‘tape’ recorder

note-pad

The classroom in your pocket

Learner-centred

Mobile ‘Channel’: Podcasting

VLE iPodcastmodule

Podcast publicity

KMi Podcast Directory iTunes U

Mobile ContentLearning objects

– Formative– Self-contained– Reusable

Multi-format– Rich text eBooks– DAISY Talking Books– Flash / Java

Mobile CollaborationSocial

– Presence– Status updates– Instant Messaging

User-generated– Rich media capture– Sharing with peers

Location-based– GPS

Mobile blogging ‘moblog’User-generated

– Rich media & sharinghttp://moblog.co.uk/ | http://www.cellspin.net/

MediaBoard examples– Leeds Met HSC

http://www.m-learning.net/preview/LeedsMet_mediaboard/

– Ashton Park school– IOE – Learning Exchange

Location-based activities

• Fieldwork & connecting

groups• Mapping media to a grid

• Adding GPS data:– Geotagging– Twitpic– Shozu– Google Earth/Maps

[Science ERA project]

[FELS Santiago residential]

Task 2 – ‘Learning while mobile’

• Discuss in small groups what situations you or your students find yourselves in where access to learning resources might be helpful while on-the-move.

• Would access to certain online services be helpful, if so which?

Interfacing with other learners

Synchronisation & Offline

‘Offline Moodle’– Providing local version of course content

– Synchronising forums – allowing personal storage for future reference

Mobile Internet methodsText-only

– No imagery– Basic styling– WAP-browsing (v1)

Cut-down– Some imagery & styling– WAP-browsing (v2) XHTML

Resized– Content processed by server

or client applications

Mobile Internet technologiesBasic phones

– Small screens used for menus

‘VGA’ devices– Higher resolution for multimedia

Full screen– Apple iPhone/iPod touch– Nokia Internet Tablet

‘Zoom view’– Apple iPhone/iPod Safari– Opera Mini/Mobile– Microsoft Deepfish [in development]

– Google Android [in development]

Research & Development

• Emulation– Testing/Support– Staff development

• New user interfaces– Devices & environments– Embedding in systems

• Connectivity– Standalone vs. companion?

Future OU strategy

• Staff Development– Hands-on– Awareness-raising

• Mobile Learning activities– Face2Face – AL partners– Residentials

• OU-on-the-go?– Mobile access to services

EPD

Follow-up Task – Opera Mini

Try out your own

phone web browser

first, then compare

by going to:

http://mini.opera.com

Click to download

There are 3 options

[ Phone, PC

or via SMS] ~120kB

Try out these sites:wap.tfl.gov.uk or wap.nationalrail.co.uk

m.facebook.com or m.flickr.com

bbc.co.uk/mobile

library.open.ac.uk

More on Knowledge Network

See the difference between

Opera ‘desktop’

and mobile views

You can also use the emulator at: http://www.operamini.com/demo/

Mobile Learner Support

Project Leader: Rhodri Thomas [email protected]

http://conclave.open.ac.uk/mLearn/