zondag, oktober 21, 2007
Learning 2007: mobile learning braindump
Mobile learning is on a lot of lips in the learning industry. It's not new, but still experimental with too small adoption rates. This is my braindump from the deep dive session on mobile learning hosted by Judy Brown, David Metcalfe and Fabrizio Cardinale at the L7 conference.
In the end, I was wondering what stopped adoption of more m-learning. Then it hit me that I never do it either. So why am I not learning the m way? I see two reasons: I don't need it and it costs to much. I have a computer everywhere I go: at work, at the customer, at home even here at the conference. Why go back to a more inconvenient device? So I might not be the target audience for big m-learning. And although I have an expensive e-ten Glofiish Windows Mobile 6 phone, I'm not paying the prohibitively expensive UMTS or other data communication subscription to it.
In short: m-learning has a future and a nice one, but we need to figure out what the best applications are and some barriers such as standards, the multitude of devices and technologies and cost schemes need to be addressed before the tipping point can occur.
- Think about linking people with people instead of people to a device.
- What is the definition of mobile learning? Are laptops mobile learning? Is reading a book in the bus mobile learning? For me it is a subset of e-learning but on particular devices as delivery medium. So all the usual characteristics as AnyX learning would apply as it is general for e-learning as a whole, but specific to small and portable devices. Those characteristics include reduced screen size but also presence awareness. Turns out the definition exercise is bringing us nowhere so use your own or the one on Wikipedia. Flashback to the days where we define 'what is a learning object?'. Don't get stuck on a perfect definition, move on.
- Non-office audiences make a great target for m-learning. Think of field technicians, field researchers, sales people. It is easier to bring work to learning than to bring learning to work.
- Tip: look for a pilot project where the devices are already there for example sales training or executive training on blackberries.
- Also a lot of potential for m-learning outside of the west. Think Africa and Latin America where mobile phones are the prime device and not computers.
- Problems with standards, networks, platforms. As any experimental product there is some room for standardisation. It is not long European cell phones will work in the USA. There are 700 different platforms and devices to build for, and they will be obsolete in 6 months. How do you deal with that? Carriers, platforms, devices all need more standards. Also m-learning benefits from standards such as separation of content in XML files, SCORM and OKI or SOA webservices.
- Not to mention the cost of mobile connections being a barrier. But those things are improving.
- Lot of interest for m-learning comes out of the health care industry.
- M-learning cannibalizes events and meetings.
- We saw lots of examples: performance support systems, pandemic preparedness training, museums, pod casts, city guides, job aids and checklists, class notes, games, wearable learning
- Blended approach: blend m with other forms of e-learning for example do the assessments via mobiles but the richer media forms via PC.
- An issue still remains: how to track the use of m-learning or podcasts? Some tools offer tracking or LMS like capabilities, but this remains an important item when selecting the technology and setting up the project.
- How to make m-learning that is as sexy as online gambling or sex? What will be the killer app?
- If you don't spend your dollar the right way, you will have to spend it again in some years.
- Elliott Masie dropped by. He predicts most of the m-learning applications will be in the field of performance support (knowledge in the hand). The device will connect to content, context and community.
- Elliott quote: "The office is one of the worst places to learn."
- M-learning should not just be about squeezing things onto smaller screens. In any innovation we first mimic another technology and set up a metaphor that limits thinking outside of the box. It will happen here as well.
- New hardware features coming: projection in devices, voice recognition, convergence of networks and devices.
- Some tools and sites: hotlava (also some tracking), zirada, iWriter, iQuiz, mob5, mobisite galore
In the end, I was wondering what stopped adoption of more m-learning. Then it hit me that I never do it either. So why am I not learning the m way? I see two reasons: I don't need it and it costs to much. I have a computer everywhere I go: at work, at the customer, at home even here at the conference. Why go back to a more inconvenient device? So I might not be the target audience for big m-learning. And although I have an expensive e-ten Glofiish Windows Mobile 6 phone, I'm not paying the prohibitively expensive UMTS or other data communication subscription to it.
In short: m-learning has a future and a nice one, but we need to figure out what the best applications are and some barriers such as standards, the multitude of devices and technologies and cost schemes need to be addressed before the tipping point can occur.
Labels: learning 2007, mobile learning
