Create Mobile Websites with Wirenode May 26, 2008
Posted by Leonard Low in Applications, Interactive, Mobile LOs, Mobile Phone, Products, Social, Web 2.0.add a comment
I’ve previously written about Winksite, a service that allows users to create free mobile websites using a CMS-like interface (simply switching on or off various tools and editing options). Now there’s a new free mobile web site hosting and authoring service called Wirenode, which (instead of a CMS-like, “Web 1.0″ interface) uses a Web 2.0/AJAX interface to create mobile websites and integrate Web 2.0 services including Twitter, LinkedIn, RSS, image galleries, or other “widgets”. The integration also works back into Web 2.0, with a Wirenode widget available for Facebook and Mobile Facebook. Awesome!
Unlike Winksite, which is almost completely textual in both content and presentation, Wirenode incorporates media and interactivity, which may even be uploaded by the user, and there’s even an analytics tool for users who like to see how many visitors/students are checking out their mobile site.
It’s a terrific tool to help teachers or students create and present information in a mobile format, and a must-see for other educators interested in utilising mobile devices for enhancing and supporting teaching and learning.
(via Learning Elearning)
Tags: wirenode, m-learning, mlearning, mobilelearning, mobile learning, mobile-learning, mobile, website, site, web, mobileweb, 2.0, web2.0, mobile2.0
Students share their experiences of m-learning May 19, 2008
Posted by Leonard Low in Pedagogy.add a comment
I’ve been following Dean Shareski’s blog posts on mobile learning this year. Dean’s ongoing experiences with learners using mobile phones as learning tools continue to demonstrate what’s possible when it comes to using the advanced capabilities of cellphones in learning contexts.
In Dean’s latest installment, he suggested that classroom teacher Carla Dolman be invited to do a session on her use of cellphones at the recent TLT conference. She brought along some of her students to help her, and between them they fielded the Big Questions so often asked by educators at any session on mobile learning:
Dean relates that not only did the students handle these tough questions, but they were even able to facilitate a hands-on learning experience, demonstrating to these educators how they shared files via Bluetooth. A favourite quote from the New Zealand film “Whale Rider” comes to mind, the scene where the tribal chieftain, Koro, addresses his granddaughter Paikea: “Wise leader, forgive me. I am only a fledgling new to flight”.
Dean’s hoping to create an online version of the students’ presentation, to share their insights with a wider, online audience. I’m anticipating it keenly. For the meantime, you can view this video of Carla and some of her students talking about their experiences with mobile learning in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhAH6nncCKw
Tags: mlearning, m-learning, mobile learning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, edtech, edutech, educational, technology, cellphone, cellphones, mobile, phone, phones, classroom, education, school, learning, teaching
Andy Ramsden: Are QR Codes the Future of Mobile Learning? March 27, 2008
Posted by Leonard Low in 2D Barcodes, Pedagogy.1 comment so far
I posted the following response to Andy Ramsden’s blog post on this topic:
I’ve been researching the use of 2D barcodes (and particularly QR Codes) in education for over two years now. I’ve been very interested in their use in education as I immediately recognised their power for linking situated learning opportunities with instructional and interactive learning opportunities when I first read about them. I’ve since investigated alternatives such as RFID, and I still think that 2D barcodes have some big advantages, especially when it comes to things like cost and ease of (re)production - 2D barcodes can be printed for free, whereas RFID tags cost around $1 each in small quantities.
Where I see QR Codes becoming obsolete is through the rapidly improving processing capabilities of mobile devices, which are on the cusp of becoming capable of reading and interpreting printed text. Once phones become able to recognise a printed URL, for example, the use of a QR Code to “represent” a URL becomes superfluous… an unnecessary (and non-human-readable) duplication of information. Text-recognition will also be far more flexible than QR Codes; potentially, semantic constructs could be used to allow the recognition of an infinite variety of different types of data, the same way that OCR currently works on desktop computers.
In brief, I’m still very interested in QR Codes as being the current best and most cost effective technology for mobile data capture; but I’m already looking towards a future where QR Codes will be obsolete.
I can think of some examples where QR Codes might still be preferable to unencoded text recognition; but in most cases, I believe the impending ability of cellphones to read printed (and hand-written) text will replace QR Codes for situated mobile learning approaches, even before such use becomes popular in education!
I guess my answer to Andy’s question must be “no” - I think QR Codes are a *current* strategy for mobile learning, for those educators interested enough to use them; but I definitely can’t imagine them being the *future*.
Tags: mlearning, m-learning, mobile learning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, education, andyramsden, andy ramsden, qrcode, qr code, 2d barcode, 2dbarcode, qr-code, semacode, datamatrix, learning
Exploring Cellphones as Learning Tools February 6, 2008
Posted by Leonard Low in Mobile Phone, Pedagogy.5 comments
Dean Shareski blogged a case study for the use of mobile phones in school teaching, with some good insights into the proportion of grade 8/9 children with cellphones at school, how they used their cellphones, and how learners without cellphones were considered.
Dean documented engagement, responsibility, and innovation/problem solving amongst the students; and also comments about the class teacher as a learner in this situation, and how it challenges educators and institutions to reflect on their own policy and practice when it comes to mobile devices in educational settings.
Tags: school, secondary, high, middle, education, mobile, cellphone, cell, phone, m-learning, mlearning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, mobile learning, teaching, students, policy, professional, development
Principals Trying out Cell Phones January 22, 2008
Posted by Leonard Low in General, Pedagogy.5 comments
Dean Shareski passes on an email from a local principal:
I’m sure we are not going insane, but some would probably disagree. Carla and I tried something new and, well a little bit rebellious today. We invited the grade 8/9 ELA class/students to bring their cell phones into class (if they didn’t have one we used mysask for text). Our goal, using cell phones for learning. Our objectives, appropriate use of cell phones (manners and ethics), using the calendar/scheduling, using text to discuss literature (lit circles), tracking progress and assignments/projects, and engaging the new learner. Guess what, it worked like a charm and the kids are peeing themselves with enthusiasm. Welcome to Web 2.0!!!! I needed to share.
Awesome stuff. Damien’s remarks in the comments are also worth reading:
I like that this principal is looking into educational applications, but I think the most important takeaway here is that s/he’s having a discussion about mobile phone manners and ethics. Although I think it’s very rude when students text during class, I honestly don’t think many of them think much of it, and probably think we teachers blow the issue out of proportion (to be fair, some do). I applaud this principal for having this dialogue outside of a punitive context and for at least considering the educational and organizational possibilities.
Wow. Educators having a dialogue with students and discussing mobile phone manners and ethics? Might those students might get insights into the acceptable use of mobile technologies (useful for the rest of their lives, no less) that they wouldn’t otherwise get from a blanket ban on mobiles at school? Great work…
Tags: phones, mobiles, cellphones, cellphone, mobile, phone, school, schools, ban, education, principal, cell, m-learning, mlearning, mobile learning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, policy, policies, technology, technologies
Why Does Technology-Based Teaching Fail? December 6, 2007
Posted by Leonard Low in Pedagogy.3 comments
Recently, I’ve been sharing some of my research into the pioneering educational technology work of Alan Kay, who was able to effectively translate his understanding of cognitive psychology and learning theory into new ideas for making computers easy to learn - and learn on. His insights into educational technology continue to be highly relevant today - here he is in 1987, answering the question “Computers have not been a big success in … computer-aided instruction. Why is this so, and what can be done to improve it?”
Alternate link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=bC7x_qntM0g
No matter how powerful - or mobile - computers get, pedagogy must be considered before technology when developing learning experiences and activities.
Source: Alan Kay: “Doing with Images makes Symbols,” (1987) - Part 2
Extracted from video at The Internet Archive (Open Source Video) [Part 1] [Part 2]
Tags: alankay, alan kay, cbt, cai, education, technology, educational, edtech, edutech, mlearning, m-learning, e-learning, elearning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, mobile learning
The Undiscovered Country November 30, 2007
Posted by Leonard Low in General, Pedagogy.1 comment so far
“The best way to predict the future is to invent it” — Alan Kay
When Alan Kay conceived the Dynabook, more than 30 years ago, it inspired a wealth of innovations, and is still a worthy “holy grail” for developers of mobile learning platforms today. Uniquely, Kay coupled immense technical vision and skill with equally brilliant pedagogical and philosophical considerations - his vision for the Dynabook was as much art as it was science.
In the early 1970’s, Kay had no mobile computers to work with. The smallest computers he had ever seen - the very first generation of “microcomputers” invented - were low-powered, bulky desktop machines with textual, monochrome displays, like this Datapoint 2200. Yet he had the ability to invent - technically and pedagogically - a mobile learning concept we are still pursuing, more than a generation later.
I wonder: if Alan Kay started fresh again today, would he take a new look at emerging learning models, such as George Siemens‘ theory of Connectivism… and through it, imagine compelling ways of learning that would drive the next 40 years of technological research and invention? If so, then what will be this generation’s legacy to the future of learning?
This could be Alan Kay’s greatest implicit challenge to the educational technologists and researchers of today. The vast majority of educational technologists are preoccupied with the use of today’s tools: internet-based Learning Management Systems, social web services, virtual worlds, and even mobile devices. In the struggle to master the tools of today - are we losing the vision to invent the future? Is there anyone out there proposing a fundamentally new model for enabling learning, with the power to spark our collective imaginations, the pedagogical imperative to be desirable decades before it can be achieved, and the ability to drive independant technological advancement towards the eventual fulfillment of that goal?
Somehow, Alan Kay glimpsed such an undiscovered realm, and ensuing years have slowly unfurled the petals of technical advancement that have allowed his incredible, completely fictional Dynabook to edge ever closer to reality. What revolutions for education, for technology, and for humanity, lie beyond the bounds of the mental and technological shackles we wear today - if we only dare to dream?
As surely for us as for Alan Kay, today’s most compelling dreams will determine tomorrow’s most engaging realities. The future will be just as we invent it.
Tags: alankay, kay, dynabook, pedagogy, technology, education, mlearning, m-learning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, mobile learning, edutech, edtech, educational, connectivism, georgesiemens, siemens
A Brief History of Learning With Mobile Computers November 30, 2007
Posted by Leonard Low in General, Pedagogy.5 comments
The idea of using computerised mobile devices to support learning was formally conceptualised a surprisingly long time ago. In his 2002 paper “Disruptive Devices: Mobile Technology for Conversational Learning,” Sharples identifies Alan Kay’s Dynabook, conceived in the early 1970s, as the first serious attempt to design a computer-mediated mobile learning platform. And what an attempt it was. Although the Dynabook was a concept, the ripples of the project - and Alan Kay’s (non-portable, “interim”) Dynabook prototypes - can still be felt today, and will probably be felt for decades to come. The incredible modern-day legacy of Kay’s work at Xerox Paolo-Alto Research Labs (PARC) includes:
- the development of personal computers,
- object-oriented languages and programming generally,
- the development of graphical user interfaces
- the object-oriented Smalltalk programming language (today the underlying programming language of countless applications, including current ground-breaking educational platforms such as Edusim, a virtual world application in Croquet [which was also co-founded by Kay]), and
- the One Laptop Per Child initiative (with which Alan Kay was actively involved, and which utilises the Smalltalk language and many of Kay’s original ideas for computer-based learning).
Just as groundbreaking as the technology itself was Alan Kay’s vision for how the technology would be used to support learning. His vision for the Dynabook was based in the then-nascent philosophies of (Social) Constructivism: the theories and models of learning being developed by his contemporaries Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner and Seymour Papert, (who had studied with developmental psychologist Jean Piaget ). Sharples (2002 p.3) distills the features of effective learning in constructivist terms via the essential elements of construction, conversation and control:
“Effective learning involves constructing an understanding, relating new experiences to existing knowledge . Central to this is conversation, with teachers, with other learners, with ourselves as we question our concepts, and with the world as we carry out experiments and explorations and interpret the results. And we become empowered as learners when we are in control of the process, actively pursuing knowledge rather than passively consuming it.” [Emphasis added]
Sharples’ mLearn 2007 presentation on the history of mobile learning summarises how the Dynabook concept would have accomplished these requirements, technically and pedagogically. It was to be an interactive machine that would be small and light enough to be carried everywhere by learners. It would have “book-like” qualities in terms of display, yet its interface would be dynamic, with the ability to create, edit and store visual, textual, and audio content. It would have high-bandwidth communication, both locally and globally, and it would cost under $500. It would be personal, interactive, and would support learning through play, collaborative learning, informal learning, dynamic simulations, and “anytime, anywhere” learning.
Amazing thinking for 1972. Many of Kay’s original ideas for the Dynabook simply weren’t possible at the time he conceived them, but have recently come to fruition - such as the Squeak Smalltalk environment which enables children to create and learn using computers (implemented on the OLPC, but boasting cross-platform capabilities). Here’s a real example of Squeak being used as a learning tool.
Both technically and pedagogically, Kay’s Dynabook was decades ahead of its time, as evidenced by Sharples’ early attempts at developing a mobile learning platform in 2002. Sharples’ “HandLeR” device was, at least, genuinely portable: a compact 800×600 tablet computer with a 233MHz processor, a physically attached camera, a wireless networking card, and a mobile phone card boasting a data connection rate of 9.6kbps(!) - rather expensive components at the time! Bob Harrison’s recollection of the 2002 inaugural mLearn conference (where his presentation entitled “Learn to Go” was accompanied by 12 Toshiba laptops on a trolley!) reflects Sharples’ initial struggles with making technology-assisted learning truly mobile. It’s interesting to consider that an average mobile phone today could exceed most of the specifications of Sharples’ prototype, which was put together just 5 years ago - at a fraction of the cost, and in a vastly more compact physical form.
Although small, pocket-sized “electronic organisers” were available in the 1990s, these had, at best, a three line text-only display. Palm Pilot PDAs, introduced in 1996, were the first multi-purpose, customisable handhelds suitable for a range of creative learning activities; and in 2001, SRI International awarded over 100 “Palm Education Pioneer” grants to US teachers who had a vision of how Palm handhelds could be used to improve teaching and learning. Many of the findings of the PEP grants have been confirmed by later “handheld learning” studies. Examples of pertinent findings include the strengths and weaknesses of various models for allocating handheld computers to students, to the degree of success with which various learning activities (e.g. inquiry-based learning or extended writing) can be accomplished using handheld devices.
In the last two years, however, worldwide sales of PDAs have declined, partly as a result of the introduction of smartphones (which converge advanced application, information and media capabilities with mobile phone functionality) and mobile phones (which increasingly generally incorporate the most basic functions of a PDA, even in entry-level models). For educators, the booming popularity of mobile phones has introduced a new paradigm to consider. Due to the expense of mobile computing equipment, past models of mobile learning have almost always meant providing students with the hardware and/or software to accomplish learning activities. But the vast majority of students already own their own mobile phone. Many recent mobile learning approaches have attempted to embrace the use of students’ own devices, despite the inherent issues of attempting to design learning activities that are equally accessible on a multitude of different, non-standardised, makes and models of handset.
Today’s handheld mobile devices have specifications and capabilities that resemble those of desktop personal computers built just ten years ago . The current crop of PDAs and smartphones have high resolution displays, processor speeds in excess of 600MHz, and memory capabilities exceeding those of premium hard drives from the mid-1990s. Instead of requiring an add-on webcam, current mobile devices often have built-in cameras, as well as the ability to create and edit documents and media: they have become powerful tools for enabling learners to create, collect, and share content.
The other new market that has reduced the demand for PDAs is in ultra-mobile and ultra-portable computers: UMPCs, tablet PCs, and small form-factor laptops. Of particular note in terms of education are the One Laptop Per Child project and similar commercial models (such as the Intel Classmate and the Asus EEE) generated by the initial ovation that greeted Nicholas Negroponte’s vision for cheap, rugged laptops for learning.
The current generation of mobile devices have brought us closer to realising Alan Kay’s vision of cheap, integrated, connected, computers supporting constructivist learning activities. As I’ve previously blogged, they can provide a digital, connected learning environment, offering compactness and convenience of information, remote and instant access to a range of people and resources, and data capabilities that were never previously possible.
Despite these advances, I don’t believe we’ve yet created Alan Kay’s visionary Dynabook. I am certain, however, that we are getting closer every day…
Tags: history, brief, learning, computers, mobile, m-learning, mlearning, mobile-learning, mobile learning, mobile learning, dynabook, sharples, mikesharples, kay, alankay, constructivism, smalltalk, squeak, pda, laptop, notebook, palm, olpc, educational, education, technology, edtech, edutech
Defining Mobile Learning November 30, 2007
Posted by Leonard Low in General, Pedagogy.2 comments
Some of the best research into defining the meaning and purpose of mobile learning has come from Prof. Mike Sharples (University of Nottingham), who has collaborated with a number of other distinguished academics and organisations to research the definition, pedagogy, and practice of mobile learning. Sharples’ numerous publications and collaborations, the majority of which deal with the use of mobile technologies in education, span more than half a decade of experience and research (detailed in full here). Recommended background reading includes the following:
- Sharples, M., Taylor, J., & Vavoula, G. (2005a) Towards a Theory of Mobile Learning. In H. van der Merwe & T. Brown, Mobile Technology: The Future of Learning in Your Hands, mLearn 2005 Book of Abstracts, 4th World Conference on mLearning, Cape Town, 25-28 October 2005. Cape Town: mLearn 2005, p. 58. Available from Mlearn 2005 as a PDF file.
- Naismith, L., Lonsdale, P., Vavoula, G. & Sharples, M. (2005b) Literature Review in Mobile Technologies and Learning. A Report for NESTA Futurelab. Available from NESTA FutureLab.
- Sharples, M. (Ed.) (2006) Big Issues in Mobile Learning: Report of a workshop by the Kaleidoscope Network of Excellence Mobile Learning Initiative . LSRI, University of Nottingham. Available as 725K pdf file.
- Sharples, M., Taylor, J., Vavoula, G. (2007) A Theory of Learning for the Mobile Age. In R. Andrews & C. Haythornthwaite (eds.) The Sage Handbook of E-learning Research. London: Sage, pp. 221-47. Preprint available as 256Kb pdf file.
The work of Sharples and others has seen a gradual refinement of the way we think about mobile learning. Something of a watershed occurred in January 2005, when core members of the multi-million-euro, 30-month-long MOBIlearn project reflected (at the project’s conclusion) on how mobile learning is differentiated from other forms of learning mediation and support (Sharples 2005a p.4). Among the outcomes was a learner-centric view of mobile learning:
“it is the learner that is mobile, rather than the technology … with learners opportunistically appropriating whatever technology is ready to hand as they move between settings, including mobile and fixed phones, their own and other people’s computers, as well as books and notepads.”
Liberating the definition of mobile learning from a device-oriented one revolving around mobile phones or PDAs allows mobile technology to be viewed as a means of supporting learning mobility, rather than defining it. An extreme interpretation of this principle would mean that many kinds of learning, pre-dating handheld computerised devices, could be considered as mobile learning. For example, learners have listened to audio books on cassettes and portable CD players anytime and anywhere since the 1980’s - well before the iPod was even imagined. Getting away from devices altogether, a book or a pad of paper could easily be used as mobile, learning tools, while school “field trips,” to museums, galleries or places of interest have been an effective learning strategy for decades.
In reality, completely disassociating the term “mobile learning” from the use of digital devices in education in that way feels artificial. There are the obvious semantic and developmental links with computer-based e-learning, but apart from that, digital devices are (variously) very good at helping us to create, store and use information, and at connecting us with peers, mentors, and remote information tools and resources - to the extent that (in the case of mobile phones in particular), we take them everywhere. It’s been well documented that these inherent properties of mobile, digital devices make them capable companions for supporting and enhancing all kinds of learning activities, both in and out of the classroom.
For me, the great utility of the learner-centric paradigm derived by MOBIlearn is that it helps to maintain a pedagogical focus in the field, and provides a constant reminder of the underlying need for mobile learning approaches to be underscored by effective learning design and support.
Tags: definition, mobile learning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, defining, m-learning, mlearning, sharples, mobilearn, learner, centric, learner-centric, education, e-learning, elearning, flexiblelearning, flexible-learning, technology, educational, mikesharples, mike sharples
Developing Us! M-Learning and More… November 19, 2007
Posted by Leonard Low in General, Pedagogy, Resources.2 comments
Advocating educational innovation is usually not an easy task. While some aspects of educational technology - such as online learning and teaching - have gained a foothold in many institutions, newer ideas like mobile learning or the use of virtual worlds are being explored and practiced by a much smaller number of educators.
There are many barriers to teachers trying out and using new and innovative approaches in teaching and learning. It can be hard to find the time to explore and develop new ideas; online “social learning” sites such as YouTube may be blocked; or teachers may not be able to access equipment or funds needed to try out new ideas (such as for mobile learning activities). And that’s if a given teacher even has the inclination to pursue innovative teaching and learning practices; while most teachers are at least interested in new ideas for teaching, there are many more who are just fine with doing it the way they’ve always done it, and see no reason to change.
As part of my work at CIT’s Flexible Learning Solutions (shortly to be re-organised as a unit within the Institute’s Centre for Excellence in Education), I’m currently working on a few ideas for getting more teachers interested in using innovative methods and activities for learning. I’d be keen to hear what other people think about these ideas…
The first of these is the concept of “Teaching Commons”. Our organisation has several distinct campuses - none of which provide space for teachers from various disciplines or campuses to mingle and share their ideas for learning and teaching, let alone exposure to new practices.
A Teaching Commons area would be a space on each campus where all staff could spend some time getting a cup of coffee and talking with their colleagues. As such, it would have a “social” atmosphere and would feel like a welcoming place to visit. Staff visiting other campuses would find it particularly appealing since there currently isn’t anywhere to log into the staff network if you happen to be visiting another campus away from your own department’s offices.
However, this would be so much more than an ordinary “common room”. The idea here is to dedicate part of the space to be a functional and flexible workshop area, with computers and a Smartboard, as well as the ability to connect additional laptops if required. Various staff who support best-practice teaching and learning at our Institute would use this as a regular base of operations for consulting with and assisting teachers; and we’d also run workshops in this area. Adorning the walls would be posters on different innovative learning approaches and new practices, and all-in-all, the space would be a regular hotpot of professional development, peer discussion, and teaching and learning support. By converging social and learning spaces for teachers, it would provide an ongoing opportunity for engaging, developing and supporting teachers in flexible learning practice.
This physical “teaching commons” space could be complemented by an online “teaching commons” space reflecting many of the same ideas and themes as the physical one. Allowing teachers to put up their own interest groups in a “groupware” environment such as ELGG would lead to the development of a healthy online community discussing both teaching and learning issues as well as what people did on the weekend.
Another project I’m working on is an activity for CIT’s “Developing Us” all-staff professional development day, scheduled for the 29th of January 2008. There is a choice of some 50 workshops to be held across three time slots, including a large number of sessions around professional development. To make the day more engaging, I’m developing a learning activity to play across the whole day… but this activity could equally be played out by a class over the course of a week or a semester.
[slideshare id=171496&doc=where-in-the-web-is-crimson-sanfierro-119544095753786-1&w=425]
“Where in the Web is Crimson Sanfierro? (CC)” is a Creative Commons game styled after the popular childrens’ educational game, “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (TM)” Instead of being a computer game about geographical locations, however, “Crimson Sanfierro” flips the paradigm on its head - it’s a game played across physical locations, about the web. Participants pick up “clues” from various sessions they attend during the day, and locations they visit… and use these clues to solve “cases”. They can get some additional information from the MySpace profiles of various fictitious suspects to help solve the cases, which are also all themed to fit in with the learning issues being explored on the day.
As we’ve yet to play out the game here, I can’t say too much more, except to say that I’ll say more after we’ve run the game. It promises to be a lot of fun.
Tags: teaching, commons, online, mlearning, m-learning, flexible, learning, flexiblelearning, mobile learning, mobilelearning, mobile-learning, education, innovation, teaching, learning, carmen, sandiego, crimson, sanfierro, professional development teachers, learners
