Comments on: Least (Lowest) Common Denominator is Bad? http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/ An Online Reflective Journal on Mobile Learning Practice Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:35:35 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Duncan Ferguson http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1467 Duncan Ferguson Sat, 14 Oct 2006 11:25:45 +0000 http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/#comment-1467 You need to remember that the W3C is not some higher force from above but a "by the members for the members" organization. Many of the members are vendors of high end adaptation tools (Volantis, MobileAware, ArgoGroup etc.) hence the pro-adaptation rhetoric. I highly recommend reading the following document to anyone interested in mobile web development but with insufficient resource to implement a high end solution: http://www.passani.it/gap/ You need to remember that the W3C is not some higher force from above but a “by the members for the members” organization. Many of the members are vendors of high end adaptation tools (Volantis, MobileAware, ArgoGroup etc.) hence the pro-adaptation rhetoric.
I highly recommend reading the following document to anyone interested in mobile web development but with insufficient resource to implement a high end solution:
http://www.passani.it/gap/

]]> By: Leonard Low http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1209 Leonard Low Fri, 06 Oct 2006 02:38:19 +0000 http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/#comment-1209 Excellent Anne, I have bookmarked your blog and look forward to seeing more of your ideas and discussing them on your blog and on mine. :) Excellent Anne, I have bookmarked your blog and look forward to seeing more of your ideas and discussing them on your blog and on mine. :)

]]> By: Anne Paterson http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1208 Anne Paterson Fri, 06 Oct 2006 02:20:33 +0000 http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/#comment-1208 Hi Leonard, I don't think it comes down to the LCD about the device, I think its more about the functionality of the whole model - e.g SMS on its own is the LCD, but can be used in a variety of ways and integrated with other technology that is not LCD but still completely accessible for educators. Eg SMS can come from Outlook, it can come to and from an auto response database like the StudyTxt model or the Mobstr model which includes a web prescence. I guess what I am saying is the technologies may be LCD but the configurations and combinations of them available to meet learners needs is anything but - see my post on www.participatecontributelearn.blogspot.com on Post modern models of learning, and maybe the post before it so you get the full story! Cheers Anne Paterson Chief Education Officer Access and General Education Curriculum Centre TAFE NSW Hi Leonard,

I don’t think it comes down to the LCD about the device, I think its more about the functionality of the whole model – e.g SMS on its own is the LCD, but can be used in a variety of ways and integrated with other technology that is not LCD but still completely accessible for educators. Eg SMS can come from Outlook, it can come to and from an auto response database like the StudyTxt model or the Mobstr model which includes a web prescence. I guess what I am saying is the technologies may be LCD but the configurations and combinations of them available to meet learners needs is anything but – see my post on http://www.participatecontributelearn.blogspot.com on Post modern models of learning, and maybe the post before it so you get the full story!
Cheers
Anne Paterson
Chief Education Officer
Access and General Education Curriculum Centre
TAFE NSW

]]> By: Roger http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1203 Roger Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:22:10 +0000 http://mlearning.edublogs.org/2006/10/05/least-lowest-common-denominator-is-bad-2/#comment-1203 Leonard, I think it's dangerous to compare computer and mobile phones. In one case the paradigm is quite steady and there were only a small bunch of browsers and only one or two dominant ones. With mobile phones (which are replaced every 18 months) we have a vast difference and UI, screen size, buttons are different not only from handset manufacturer but from phone to phone. In February 2004 we opted for a solution with 4 basic type of phones and hoped to get somewhat decent renderings on the other ones. The results were not only not convincing, they were a disaster;) Since then we clearly take the other path. As for teachers, I think it's really a big difference between the web and the mobile. But then the web has also brought us weblogs and wiki's and I think less and less people bother to code their own pages in (x)html. They take a blog/wiki/cms and add what's needed. Leonard,
I think it’s dangerous to compare computer and mobile phones. In one case the paradigm is quite steady and there were only a small bunch of browsers and only one or two dominant ones. With mobile phones (which are replaced every 18 months) we have a vast difference and UI, screen size, buttons are different not only from handset manufacturer but from phone to phone. In February 2004 we opted for a solution with 4 basic type of phones and hoped to get somewhat decent renderings on the other ones. The results were not only not convincing, they were a disaster;)

Since then we clearly take the other path.

As for teachers, I think it’s really a big difference between the web and the mobile. But then the web has also brought us weblogs and wiki’s and I think less and less people bother to code their own pages in (x)html. They take a blog/wiki/cms and add what’s needed.

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