Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

It's about time! There seems to be this fear to engage with the 'dark arts of the Linux world' amongst many organisations - certainly within the educational sphere.

I'm encouraging my son(14 yrs) to do his homework on Open Office running on one of my Ubuntu machines and he's finding the Powerpoint equivalent so much easier to use! How long does it take to make the teaching staff realise it's easier I wonder!!

After hundreds of years using PC based machines I've finally turned to Apple - having bought myself a Macbook last week and I'm in love!  It's so easy to use, wonderfully simple and it's instant on - it takes less time to get started than my Smartphone (symbian) or PDA/Phone running Windows!!  Impatient woman as I am this makes a great difference...

I wonder why it's taken me this long to convert.... fear?!

As a MOLEnet mentor I'm seeing many colleges embracing hardware they might otherwise not touch - and introducing RIM or Apple servers etc so perhaps this is an era of change..... we'll see

Many thanks for this link. I will certainly recommend this link and video to the next phase of e-learning newbies I train. Sometimes it's difficult to encourage post16 educators that the young learners of today will become the adult learners of the future and that they need to be ready for them.

I'm also going to put it on my Ipod and show delegates tomorrow at an e-learning/m-learning training event I'm delivering! Cheers

OO I got excited reading this! I have used Margi Presenter to Go (in my drawer gathering dust now) and a PPC in the past with a dismal display and such fiddle to get it work properly so I'm quite keen on playing with PSPonTV - so thanks for the idea.

However, the PSPonTV website offers the view that families will watch projected games. I would have thought it better to use a Playstation to link to the TV if gaming is the aim.  I have several PSP films (on UMD) and I doubt if a projection to a large screen would improve the poor image I've experienced.

If it's for web surfing as a group then I would imagine a projection could be useful but I would always opt for a laptop/projector for good connectivity, ease of navigation amd much more versatile.  I'm still getting to grips with the little joystick (or whatever it's called) on the PSP that allows you to move anywhere.




 

Picking up on David's entry previously I'd like to say that I'm currently a proud owner of David's PSP Maths resources and am busy trying them out with my son (aged 13), his friends and any colleagues I meet who might be interested in mobile techie stuff.

I must admit I had to do a scary thing by updating the operating system - which leaves you no choice to 'return to default'. This also allows a Flash player which my older version didn't have so I'm quite pleased with that.

My main point re PSPs is that I'm using mine to show people how video can be displayed on the device - that's the main reason I stood in GAME and pondered over DS Lite or PSP....the graphics capability was far superior over the DS.

I have created various types of video - using my phone, cheapy camera, Sonyhandycam, taken mpeg4s off the web, downloaded Utube video, MS Photostory creations etc - so as to discover the ease of process converting to PSP format. I wouldn't say it was easy peasy at first but now it is - just renaming files correctly is one move forward.

Why video you might ask - well I'm in the post16 sector where adults use video to support their learning for a variety of reasons. In particular video can help adults with learning difficulties remember a sequence of actions eg in a health and safety situation or I currently have a super video showing NVQ care workers how to handle elderly people

If anyone wants any of my videos for demo purposes I'm happy to deliver.

Hi everyone
My book has now been printed!

The title is ‘Handheld Technologies for Mobile Learning’ be me, Di Dawson and you can find the book on Amazon  at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handheld-Technologies-Mobile-Learning-E-Guidelines/dp/1862013209/sr=8-7/qid=1171294301/ref=sr_1_7/026-6311848-8165207?ie=UTF8&s=bookshttp://www.niace.org.uk/publications/H/handheld.asp.

Or you can find it at NIACE’s bookshop at http://www.niace.org.uk/publications/H/handheld.asp

The eguideline is one of a series that NIACE produce so it’s also worth having a look at the rest of the series at the NIACE Bookshop online.

The website I created for NIACE to compliment the book is at www.niace.org.uk/mobiletechnology  (if you haven’t been there already 

Hopefully my copy will be winging its way to me soon

Hi there

As an old lady and one who used her PSP regularly I have to say that it’s great!

I don’t play games – never have – but I have bought a Talkman for it. It’s software including a microphone which has 3000 phrases in 6 languages. Some of the games can be shared using the WLAN. Really useful revision for any age.
 
I use mine to demonstrate the use of video for 16+ learners. I have various versions including ones I’ve taken using my mobile, some taken off DVDs and others I’ve converted from *.avi or *.mpeg4 vid files from dv cameras.  I use the Xilisoft software (DVD to PSP) but since discovered ConvertMovie which also converts to mp4 for the Ipod as well!

I also use  it to web browse  especially in the evening when I can’t be bothered to turn my pc on again so I can check emails etc.

But text entry is a pain… Can anyone recommend a keyboard which will work with a PSP?  I do find the text entry frustrating, as it’s not quite logical like any of my mobiles. I’m forever deleting what I’ve just spent ages typing in!

I'm also happy to evaluate any software created for PSPs

Many of the seminars at the Learning Technologies exhibition and conference (Olympia 31st Jan or 1st Feb )  focus on mobile learning - eg 1st Feb at 4pm offers:

Mobile learning, PDA, and iPod delivery of learning content – a case study in accountability           

"With the allure of video distribution to pda no longer just a dream, video instruction to the Palm OS and iPod / iTunes platform was a foregone conclusion - almost. How do you know when users have downloaded the content? And watched it?

In this session Steve Ash will be giving a case study of e-learning on mobile devices: rapid deployment, cost effectiveness and most importantly accountability."

 :)This will be the first time I'm attending  so I'm hoping these seminars will be interesting and useful.

Is anyone going?

Hi Graham

Apologies for delay in posting - time has flown since the great HH event. It was certainly inspiring!

I didn't have a powerpoint but I did present a link to a relevant website which I've developed - http://www.niace.org.uk/mobiletechnology

The associated book 'Using handheld devices with adult learners' will be launched in January 2007.

Perhaps anyone can suggest suitable events from January where I can attend and present this publication to the world?

Hi Dave

Gosh - where do the days go - you posted this on 7th!

I will keep you posted about the book  (draft version has been submitted now!) - am now working on the web site which has the advantage of allowing for a greater amount of content so still am gathering case studies, ideas etc.  I've recently ploughed thru Emerging Technologies - great stuff! and picked Andy Black's brain last week for specific quotes to include.

I was in Wolves Uni yesterday at a Podagogy event - John Traxler had recommended it and it was really great to see how Ipods were being used in T&L in HE. 
Re cameras in PDAs - I would agree that demand needs to steer the tech market if at all possible. I would hope the Loox continues to include the camera even if only due to the demand by schools sector.  Mind you my 2megapixel camera on my phone is brilliant - far better than any image I've seen off a PDA - even the Loox.

I'm still looking for real techie stuff for the future but I would agree with you that it's best to consider what you want to do, then decide on the device to use.Dave Whyley recently gave me similar advice and it's absolutely relevant.  BTW My handbag always has video Ipod, smartphone, pda and mp3 player/recorder!

I'll keep posted to this and the other discussions for certain!

Hi
As a newbie to this site I'd like to add that a handheld surely must be portable ie without needing to be plugged into the mains.

It's a shame as while I'm doing some research for a guide I'm writing for NIACE I found the Nabaztag. perhaps you've seen it? A WiFi gadget which picks up email and organises you    But it looks as if it must be plugged in.... shame as (talking as a female who likes gadgets) it could be cool to walk around with a talking rabbit all day!  Don't worry the guide is mainly about PDAs, mobile phones and MP3 players inc Ipods but I have included a section about 'the future of handhelds'  What would you include in this section. I've already seen the Cube - do you classify that as a true handheld device of the future?