Using mobile/handheld devices for Learning

Using Mobile/handheld devices for learning:


The focus of this entry into my blog is on eTech Group's June 2009 report on Global Mobile Learning, IPod Touch and Studywiz Learning Environment. I happen to own the handheld Ipod Touch, if you are not familiar with this device I suggest you go here http://www.apple.com/ to find more information. Understanding the use of the mobile device and its application to learning is essential. According to research conducted by the Pew Research and American Life Project the use of handheld devices will be the primary way to connect to the Internet by 2020. Using mobile devices to access the Internet via mobile cell phone access is seen as more possible instead of the use of computers via broadband connections. It is estimated that approximately 4.6 billion cell phones are currently in use. Contrary to this report Brandon Hall Research reports that "by the end of 2009...2.6 billion mobile phones will be in use. That works out to 41 percent of the global population carrying mobile phones by the end of 2009," (retrieved from http://www.brandon-hall.com/publications/mobilelearning/mobilelearning-comesofage.shtml August 2009).

The ubiquity of mobile devices is changing the way we learn as well. The eTech Group's is a presentation of the application of handheld devices for lean ring. This study addressed several things including studying the potential of handheld devices such as the Ipod for learning. In this study the learning management system or learning environment, Studywiz was used. Information on Studywiz can be found here, this study was my introduction to Studywiz and this is something I will have to explore further. Two school were included in the study, the study was at the elementary grade level.

This study sought to answer several questions, two primary ones are:

How can a mobile device (such as the Ipod Touch) improve our student's understanding of themselves in a global context.

And...

What impact does movie learning and multicultural text have on student achievement and cultural appreciation.

Several activities were designed for the students to apply in using their handheld devices:



Putting Google links and projects in a blog
Browsing the Internet for research
Synching tunes with Itunes
interviews with local media
Calendar settings
Using video with the Ipod
Discussions in English
Using Studywiz Learning Environment
Quizzes
Audible for Audio Books
Numeracy Web Applications
Dictionary.com
Whiteboard


Students also created their own podcasts.

The Ipod was also used for:

Sending attendance logs by faculty to administration
Immediate communication from one teacher to another
Pushing emails in Studywiz environment
Encourage parents to log-in to Studywiz Learning Environment to read messages and blogs from teachers

Details on Studywiz:

After the class the students indicate increased confidence in:

Word Processing
Studywiz learning environment
Presentation software and Internet

Main activities included:

Researching school assignments
Blogs, wikis, chts
Downloading music and videos
Social Video sites
Increased the use and range of techniques
Increased the use of Internet research
Blogging downloading audio and videos and podcasts

The students agreed, when giving their feedback that the use of technology was important in improving their lives. Some of the challenges that the teachers found in applying the new technology was the need for time in using the technology and changing their pedagogy from that of a teacher centered focus to a learner centered focus.

There are many resources on the use of Mobile Learning/handheld devices for learning on the internet. I suggest you get out your Blackberry,I Phone, Ipod touch and search them out!


The full report can be found here: http://louiseduncan.globalteacher.org.au/files/2009/08/Mobile-Learning-Research-Report_Etech2009_Final.pdf

10 Free Online Photography Courses, Tutorials, and Seminars

10 Free Online Photography Courses, Tutorials, and Seminars

Digital cameras have opened up the world of photography for so many people, but even if you're only "pointing and shooting," there are lots of tips and tricks out there that can help you increase your knowledge and expertise.

Indeed, no matter what your photography skill level, you can find loads of free information online to help you take your photos to the next level and have all your friends asking who took those professional-looking shots.

Here are 10 free online photography courses, tutorials, and seminars that can help you become a better photographer:

1. Beginning Photography Tips & Techniques Video Series: eHow's 14-part series that explains the differences between using a 35 mm camera and a digital camera, how to load film into a 35 mm camera, various film formats, how to correctly use light meters, and other basic photography techniques.

2. Jodie Coston's Classroom: Ten free lessons from an award-winning freelance photographer covering composition, aperture, shutter speed, landscape, portraits, and more. Very comprehensive and also includes discussion sections.

3. Night Photography Lesson: Offered by School of Photography, this free online course explains the basics of night photography, including timed photos, flash guns, and self timers; other paid courses offered as well.

4. PhotoFlexLightingSchool: Free lessons for those who wish to improve their photographs through increased knowledge of the use of lighting.

5. PhotographyCourse.net: Offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced film and photography courses covering areas such as optics, cameras, light, webpage layout, and digital photography.

6. Photo Seminars: Comprehensive list of available seminars, including those devoted to wildflowers, travel, winter photography, and a special 3-part series on garden photos.

7. PhotoWalkThrough: Collection of tutorials on how to use photo editing software, particularly Adobe Photoshop.

8. ShortCourses.com: "The On-Line Library of Digital Photography," which runs the gamut on digital camera information from basic camera equipment to pixels and image sensors.

9. SLR Photography Guide: Collection of tutorials on everything you need to know about using your SLR digital camera.

10. Suite101 Photography Basics Course: Four lessons covering the history of photography, your camera "toolbox," camera basics, and lighting.

Happy snapping!

Guest post by Michelle Fabio, About.com Guide to Law School, who also writes about online nursing education at OnlineNursingEducation.org and loves playing around with her digital camera. Check out her photos at Flickr!

Merlot Conference, Second Life for Education, etc., etc.,

HI all,

I have just returned from the Merlot Conference in San Jose! I have to say that my head is spinning there is so much going on at Merlot that it is not possible to sum it up in one blog post, but I will start with some general observations.

John Willbanks provided the opening Keynote. John is from the Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/) a non-profit organization that provides "edicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright.

We provide free licenses and other legal tools to mark creative work with the freedom the creator wants it to carry, so others can share, remix, use commercially, or any combination thereof." (retrieved from http://creativecommons.org/about/)


I had committed myself to facilitating four Second Life tours with the presenter in world, I was apprehensive to say the least! It was a trial and error/pilot project! While I think the technology worked beautifully there were certain things that I learned I could not do such as opening people's profiles, going in to mouselook, and doing searches while having my screen projected to the meeting room. If I did any of these things my computer locked up and I had to totally reboot the computer.

Saying that though I do believe the tour of Virtual Ability was well received and special thanks to Gentle Heron and especially Eme Capallini for Virtual Ability and conducting this presentation. I was pleased to see so many new people just coming in to Second Life at the conference..and doing so well as they got their "virtual world bearings" and were getting teleported and participating in the sessions. I hope they go back to Virtual Ability and participate in the orientation.

The next presentation was from Jonathon Richter, Wainbrave Bernal, who gave us a tour of the Merlot Campus and a presentation on the new CLIVE hud developed by SIFY...let me say this technology is amazing. This innovation in Second Life really had folks at the conference buzzing about the use of Second Life as a means to access Merlot resources!

On Saturday we had an excellent presentation from AJ Kelton Director of Emerging Instructional Technologies at Montclair State University. I give AJ a hard time but he is really the one who introduced me to the use of Second Life as content for learning, creating a learning environment and learning experience in world. The Theorist Project at Montclair State does just that.
Finally we toured Sci Lands, Jim Zeigler of Northern Michigan University introduced us to the Speech and Language Center in Second Life. With a larynx that an avatar can walk through, interactive quizzing, and more than life size ear that can be toured this is an amazing build. The person who built this learning environment is top notch and I encourage you to contact Jim for more details. His contact information is on the NMU website. As I checked NMU's website I see there are many innovations occurring in Second Life by educators there.

IN addition to this I would like to point out that some of these sessions are not so much about the build itself but what can be done and how it can be done in Second Life. Hopefully people picked up tips on navigation and communication through these sessions. In addition to this I hoped that they learned something about resources on the web regarding Second Life and how to use those to learn more about the program.



I would like to recognize the Elluminate sessions I also facilitated. The technology worked great but I learned a lot..it's best to block off a whole day for presenting these sessions rather than individual blocks of time for each. We did trials runs with each presenter prior to the session and that seemed to work fairly well.

I was thrilled with Judy Greaves presentation on the Library of Commerce there is a great deal of quality resources there to incorporate into your course and it is well organized and indexed. Other presentations using Elluminate included Turning Technologies on gaming and Ramona and Carmen on Web 2.0 tools application to teaching.

Overall a great conference I was honored to go and in spite of the technical hiccups I hope we see an expansion on the virtual conference next year!