In my last post about mobile learning, I looked at the theories and pedagogical strategies that could support m-learning. In today’s post, I will start to catalog the types of learning that mobile technologies and devices can potentially support. This will provide the foundation to discuss using m-learning as one of a number of learning channels (what used to be called “blended learning”).
As I progress through this series of articles on mobile learning, I will continue by looking at design and development approaches that are appropriate for m-learning. If I can find any research on the topic I will conclude this short series by investigating the benefits of m-learning on learners. I will also be learning Spanish, cataloging last year’s vacation snaps, doing the garden for Spring, and training for a 10K run in April. But that’s not important right now.
Now read on…
According to Gartner’s Nick Jones:
The opportunities of m-learning are driven by the ubiquity and familiarity of mobile devices, and because they allow just-in-time access to learning material whenever and wherever the user wants it. The low cost of entry-level mobile devices and basic services, such as SMS, is also attractive when delivering educational material to low-income learners.
(M-Learning Opportunities and Applications , p.5)
We can say that m-learning can be used to provide a range of different types of learning including:
Media delivery: Converged Media Devices (CMDs) play audio and video. They are excellent platforms for delivering simple multimedia learning material. For example, podcasting is an easy technology to work with and can be consumed on a wide range of devices. Many CMDs can display information formats, such as web pages and interactive content which support immersive learning experiences. Many mobile devices can also access media resources such as YouTube.
Contextual and exploratory learning: Some of the most innovative m-learning applications are contextual or exploratory, involving information related to particular tasks or locations. Museums and galleries have deployed a number of educational systems of this sort. Recent examples include tagging exhibits in art galleries
Storage and delivery of reference documents: CMDs and e-books from vendors such as Amazon and Sony can display a variety of document formats. Most e-book readers support PDF. CMDs typically support PDF and a non-editable productivity document formats, such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Such devices can be used as a pocket archive of reference documents. For example, some organizations deliver parts of their disaster recovery plan onto employees’ mobile phones so that, in the event of an emergency, each employee has access to a quick and up-to-date reference of what individuals need to do. E-book readers are less pocketable, but can provide a convenient way to store and deliver large numbers of documents in a small volume. In the consumer domain, there are many instances of mobile devices used as a delivery channel for documents that previous generations would have consumed on paper. Popular examples include city guides and maps.
Time-sensitive learning. Industries such as financial services and healthcare have a business requirement to ensure that employees read specific documents, such as new regulations, immediately after they are published. Mobile devices are good delivery platforms for small but urgent documents. They provide a number of ways, such as mobile e-mail, for employees to receive documentation and confirm that they have read it.
Information feeds and fragments. Many learning activities deliver small amounts of information regularly — for example, health education. SMS works well on all mobile devices; a high-end Web-friendly mobile phone and MIDs can display feeds using formats such as Really Simple Syndication (RSS). A variation on this theme is using the mobile device to support learning by providing a quick way to look up information fragments — for example, on-device dictionaries for language translation.
Web and portal content. The Web is a delivery tool for many types of learning and reference material. Although most of this is in formats that are not well-adapted to small screens, MIDs and high-end smartphones, such as the iPhone, with larger screens and full HTML browsers can display Web content tolerably; and it’s possible to develop or adapt content for smaller screens (see Note 2). Some mobile devices and platforms have the capability to access material in corporate document management systems, such as SharePoint.
More…
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References:
Jones, N. (2008) M-Learning Opportunities and Applications. ID Number: G00163293 Gartner Research [Internet] Available from: http://www.gartner.com (Subscription or purchase required) Accessed 17 February 2009
Kineo and UFI/Learndirect (2009) Mobile Learning Reviewed. [Internet] Available from: http://www.kineo.com/documents/Mobile_learning_reviewed_final.pdf Accessed 17th February 2009
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