Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

Sounds intriguing, not too long to wait now.


My view is that think of ALL that discussion and stuff which was happening and it was extremely valuable I am guessing to the people that were talking and sharing.

For me the unconference does a few things, it extends this time for discussion and demonstration, but also provides a space for that demonstration (ie don't just talk, show as well); it also allows for the less extrovert to view (and possibly join in) the discussions; you could also capture some of this discussion and demonstrations as well.

Of course in the format you used in HHL 07 in providing the lounge spaces, it should also be possible to capture the discussion and provide the necessary resources for people to show and tell.


I believe that the concept of an unconference is nice and simple and I also believe that the execution of such an event is fraught with difficulties and challenges.

If I was running such a breakout session, I would use a cabaret table layout, label the tables with themes identified in advance and include an "anything" table as well for those that  wanted to discuss/show things outside the labeled tables.

If this was a 90 minute session I would either allow people to move around or have a "runaround" time after 30 minutes to allow delegates to move tables.

It would certainly help to have facilitators at tables, but if delegates knew such a session was running they would probably come more prepared than having it thrown on them at the last minute.

I would also try and capture "stuff" from the tables either via a blog or audio or video recording, but this would just be icing.


My comments were not aimed specifically at HHL, but much more at e-learning/ILT conferences in general, as stated by Spike Town in the original thread.

Alas I couldn't go to HHL 07 (leg operation), but it is my intention to go to HHL 08. So my comments are much more aimed at conferences in general and feedback I received from others about HHL 07, hearsay evidence I know...


My thinking was less about presenting, much more a show and tell. In other words don't bring a presentation, bring what you do, bring a "handheld" device with stuff your learners use, bring up a website which demonstrates how your learners are using mobile learning, etc... Of course this could be a presentation as well.


I always get something out of every conference I have been to, usually an idea, or a concept or something I can take back to my college to improve the learning experience of my learners.

I want to get the same out of HHL 08, evidence, ideas , stuff to take back.

I also want to share what I have been doing to gauge others' views and opinions to see if they could benefit or if they have ideas which can improve on what I am doing (or what my college is doing).

I could run a session to do that, but what if I am only just starting out, would that be an abstract/topic that would pass muster with a conference committee, maybe, maybe not. An opportuntity to discuss with others either in a similar position or more experienced would be great. Can happen informally over coffee, could also happen in an unconference type session.

Cheers

James

Started a new discussion on Handheld Learning 2008 here.

http://www.handheldlearning.co.uk/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,58/topic,1281.0

Graham said


I think there is a difference in terms of the technologies that can be used to support a conference and the format of the conference, hence two separate replies.

I don't think it's an either or situation, which is why I used the term semi-conference.

You can still have the big keynotes from the great and the good, the formal programme, etc...

However why not also have breakout rooms available at times for attendees to get together to talk about various things, from pedagogy to technologies.

As anyone who goes to a conference will tell you, you go not just for the content, but the networking over coffee, lunch, dinner, in the corriders, between sessions, etc... These sessions would be a continuation of this.

It would help if there were guides/facilitators to support the discussions, ad hoc presentations, etc especially.

But it is not an either or conference, you can have both.

I know about the practitioners room, but this is still planned in advance, and people who had a good idea or wanted to discuss things further wouldn't have planned that far in advance.

I guess the difficulty will be in how this (if submitted as an abstract) would pass the committee which sorts the proposals.

For me a traditional conference is like a school or college with a very formalised curriculum and timetable.

Time to start thinking about personlisation and differentiation for the conference delegates?

Focus on the outcomes of the conference and not the content when selling the conference.

At the end of this conference you will be able to...

rather than

At this conference you will listen to the following...

Just some thoughts.

James

Graham said



Considering where Twitter was at that point I am impressed with 50 subscribers, I assume that doesn't include people like me who didn't subscribe but did read the tweets.

I wouldn't use these statistics as a reason for not using these technologies, maybe it was because it wasn't expected or people hadn't considered using them.

With ALT-C, in 2006, they had a wiki and with over six hundred delegates only six people contributed.

I did put this down to the 1% rule initially.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/jul/20/guardianweeklytechnologysection2

I was also one of the few people blogging the event as well (on my old WCC blog).

I was surprised with the fact (and maybe I shouldn't have been) that six hundred learning technologists were not using the very technology they were presenting on.

However in 2007, things were very different, again not huge numbers, but certainly very different to the year before.

There were a lot more people blogging live from the event, including myself using my blog and microblogging.

http://cladonia.co.uk/weblog/2007/09#000020

(warning flash movie will play with music)

My blog response at the time to that post

http://elearningstuff.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/caught-in-the-act/

There was also a really good Yahoo Pipes feed which combined feeds from all the blogs which allowed a real sense of what was going on in the virtual side of the conference.

I am expecting even better things for 2008.

I do hope that Handheld Learning continues to use the technologies they tried in 2007 and I will certainly be there blogging, jaikuing and sending pictures to Flickr from my phone. I would expect there to be more people using them, in 2009 even more...

James Clay

PS What's the tag for Handheld Learning 2008?

This is a continuation of the discussion started here, however rather than threadjack that topic, I thought I would start another one.

I said



Graham replies

I agree it's always interesting how e-learning/ICT/ILT conferences rarely use the technology or the personalisation that they are promoting.

I remember at a learning technology conference, ALT-C 2005, when I ran a workshop in a workshop session. It went down really well (got mentioned in despatches) partly because it was a real workshop, in other words the participants participated and did stuff as opposed to listen and discuss at the end.

Previously a lot of workshops at ALT-C consisted of a presentation followed by a short discussion (well all the ones I went to were).

More recently at ALT-C we have seen workshops running rather than presentations.

Back to talking at the front...

However just because every conference you have been to has had people stand at the front and talk doesn't mean that this is a) effective for everybody and b) the only way to do it.

You may want to have a look at the phrase unconference (or semi-conference).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference

The (FE) ILT Champions are having an unconference or semi-conference on the 18th April this year and it looks like it will be very interesting and very informative and there will be no keynotes, no large presentations.

I wonder if Handheld Learning 2008 could be different this year?

Just an idea.

Hmmm

I use ActiveSync on my work computer and I don't have admin rights.

The IT services people needed rights to install it, but not to run it.

The group policy may need to be changed.

Though having said that, try a different track.

Rather than ask them to install Activesync, talk to them about the problem and how would they solve it.

Identify the real problem and let them come up with a solution, as they are IT Support aren't they?

or maybe we won't...

http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/03/jobs_flash_not.html

Excellent

We're planning to use it as part of our MoLeNET project too.

Hopefully soon we will see more mobile friendly services.

James

Could you expand what you mean by practitioners room.

I am assuming LA, means Local Authority perhaps?

CLC?

Thanks

I think it would be useful.

The reason I won't get an iPhone is purely it uses EDGE and not 3G.

I am quite happy to carry an iPod in one pocket and a phone in the other.

Bill Thompson wonders the same kind of thing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7200451.stm

A bit of a late reply.

What I do is use Keynote on a Mac, import the PowerPoint presentation and then add any audio etc that may be needed, before exporting as a Quicktime Movie.

This Quicktime Movie can then be converted into any video format for any device which a learner has, be that a PSP, iPod, Archos, DVD player, PS3, etc...

I (now) use VisualHub on the Mac as it encodes faster and tighter than other tools I have used, but also recommend Roxio's Toast.

James

I agree, it was walking around different colleges which made me realise that when it came to mobile learning, it wasn't about getting PDAs running learning content (though I am sure there are scenarios which they would enhance and support learning), but was much more about using the devices our students already have.

One end result of this was a presentation I gave at a JISC Online Conference, available here: http://www.online-conference.net/jisc/content/clay/conference/html/0000.html which looked at how to use a range of consumer mobile devices for learning.

Since then (what 18 months ago) the market has moved forward quite dramatically, it is now even easier for learners to access audio, video and web content on their mobile devices.

One of the key factors has to be how easy is it for the learner to access that content?

Another barrier to overcome is to realise that the mobile device is only one tool that a learner may use for learning. So though a learner may listen to audio, or view video on a mobile device, assessing their learning may take place using a traditional computer or a pen and paper. For me mobile learning is not about learning on a mobile, but as Graham says, learning when mobile. A (paper) notepad can be used when mobile.

Certainly this model is how my institution is moving forward in terms of mobile learning.

James Clay