Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

Becta's surveys show that roughly 60% of families already have broadband, 20% can afford it but need some encouragement, but 20% of families have real difficulties in affording it. So the general idea of helping the "last 20%" of families to get online is a good one, and providing financial support direct to the families is better than some alternatives (e.g. giving them cast-off school computers and locked-down access through a school intranet). But the most important issue is to make sure that the initiative truly enables children to be creative online, rather than a machine that's monopolised by the parents.  I would be more convinced by a commitment to narrow the new digital divide between creative and restricted web access, by providing funds for wireless home access and for children to buy personal UMPCs for use between home and school.

It's sad to see just how myopic some people are about mobile learning. What's powerful is its support for the mobility of the learner. As humans we are continually learning, but the technology we currently use fragments that learning into incompatible chunks. Mobile learning is about connecting that learning, across time, location and communities - not just about delivering instructional content to small devices

Some major companies are already looking at how to develop and market new consumer devices aimed specifically at mobile learning applications - and without giving away secrets, it's likely that we'll see some exciting examples soon. More generally, I think we have now reached the point with handheld computers - with the ultra-mobile PCs costing less than £200, and mobile phones that have powerful multimedia functionality - that we were at 20 years ago with pocket calculators.  Insurance and classroom management of personal technologies are problems to be solved,  but not research issues. One central research issue is how to connect the learning at home with learning at school, using small consumer devices as the bridge. Extending school into the home isn't the solution, nor is allowing unrestricted social networking and gaming in the classroom. We need to explore new forms of pedagogy and technology that build on children's informal knowledge and social skills in the classroom, and that augment the home as a site for exploration and inquiry. To give a concrete example - we're exploring how mobile technology can help young children to understand about the connection between the heart and fitness using a personal heart rate monitor linked to handheld technology and new software for science inquiry, to explore heart rate and exercise at school, in the playground and at home.

Dear colleagues,

The mobile learning entry in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-learning) has been something of an embarrassment [from the Discussion page: "I think it is far from satisfactory at the moment! (Comment: Leonard Low 22 August 2006)" "I agree - this article is terrible"]. Along with a couple of colleagues I recently wrote a revised entry which, while not comprehensive, at least reflects better the range and international scope of mobile learning.

Unfortunately, it has already been extended by a commercial company to advertise its products (in the History, Technology, and References sections). Since Wikipedia only works by consensus amongs the community of readers and editors, I hope that some of you will take the opportunity to revise the Wikipedia entry - both to alter my entry to better reflect the consensus, and also to make sure it isn't dominated by advertising. It is important - since Wikipedia is now the first port of call for many people looking for an introduction or reference to a topic area.

As the Wikipedia guidelines say: "be bold".

Mike Sharples

Here's the call for papers for IADIS 2007. Good to see that it's building on the Kaleidoscope Big Issues in Mobile Learning wokshop and report, so I hope to see you there to continue the discussion (and Lisbon in July sounds like a nice place to be). Please forward to colleagues and news groups.

Mike

-- CALL FOR PAPERS - Deadline for submissions: 26 February 2007 --

IADIS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE MOBILE LEARNING 2007 Lisbon, Portugal, 5 to 7 July 2007 (http://www.mlearning-conf.org/) part of the IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems (MCCSIS 2007) Lisbon, Portugal, 3 to 8 July 2007
(http://www.mccsis.org)

* Keynote Speakers (confirmed):
Professor Martin Owen, Futurelab, United KingdomProfessor Elliot Soloway, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, University of Michigan, USA Professor Cathie Norris,University of North Texas in Denton, USA

* Conference background and goals
Big issues in Mobile Learning: An International Perspective

In June 2006, under the auspice of the Kaleidoscope Network of Excellence Mobile Learning Initiative, European researchers convened for the Big Issues in Mobile Learning Workshop. The Workshop aimed to provide a forum for reflecting on the issues that have triggered the staggering growth in mobile learning and for identifying what are the big challenges facing mobile learning.

An outcome of the workshop is the Big Issues in Mobile Learning Report which indicates that mobile learning is concerned with "a society on the move". It is learning across contexts rather than just learning with portable devices. The report points to the need to move away from 'porting' existing activities into mobile devices, to design with evaluation in mind, to consider the complexity of the dialectic relationship between learner & technology, to explore new conditions & ways of learning supported by mobile technology, to investigate innovation in a social context and to consider the tensions between mobile technology and learning in schools, among others (Sharples, 2006).

The IADIS Mobile Learning 2007 International Conference seeks to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of mobile learning research. In particular, but not exclusively, we aim to enrich the Big Issues in Mobile Learning debate with an international perspective and with empirical research that will further contribute to forge understanding of the Big Issues in Mobile Learning.

Sharples, M. (Ed.) (2006) Big Issues in Mobile Learning: Report of a workshop by the Kaleidoscope Network of Excellence Mobile Learning Initiative. Available at http://telearn.noe-kaleidoscope.org/warehouse/Sharples-2006.pdf

* Format of the Conference
The conference will comprise invited talks and oral presentations. 
The proceedings of the conference will be published in the form of a book and CD-ROM with ISBN, and will be available also in the IADIS Digital Library (http://www.iadis.net/dl). The best paper authors will be invited to publish extended versions of their papers in the IADIS Journal on Computer Science and Information Systems (ISSN: 
1646-3692) and also in other selected Journals.

* Types of submissions
Full and Short Papers, Reflection Papers, Posters/Demonstrations, Tutorials, Panels and Doctoral Consortium. All submissions are subject to a blind refereeing process.

* We invite researchers, practitioners, developers and all those working in the mobile learning arena to submit work under the following Big Issues in Mobile Learning Themes (Sharples, 2006) and
topics:

Themes
. How to Enhance the Experience without Interfering With It?
. Affective Factors in Learning with Mobile Devices . How Can We Address the Conflicts between Personal Informal Learning and Traditional Classroom Education?
. Evaluating Mobile Learning: What are Appropriate Methods for Evaluating in Mobile Environments?
. How Should Learning Activities Using Mobile Technologies be Designed to Support Innovative Educational Practice?
. How Can We Integrate Mobile Devices with Broader Educational Scenarios?
. Other relevant themes to explore Big Issues in Mobile Learning

Topics
. Pedagogical approaches and theories for mLearning . Collaborative, cooperative and Contextual mLearning . Creativity and mLearning . Gaming and simulations in mLearning . mLearning in educational institutions: primary, secondary and third level . Informal and Lifelong mLearning . mLearning in developing countries . New tools, technologies and platforms for mLearning . User Studies in mLearning . The social phenomenon of mobile devices and mLearning . Speculative ideas in mLearning: where next?

* Important Dates:
- Submission Deadline: 26 February 2007
- Notification to Authors: Until 27 April 2007
- Final Camera-Ready Submission and Early Registration: Until 18 May
2007
- Late Registration: After 18 May 2007
- Conference: Lisbon, Portugal, 5 to 7 July 2007

* Conference Location
The conference will be held in Lisbon, Portugal.

* Secretariat
IADIS Secretariat - IADIS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE MOBILE LEARNING 2007 Rua Sao Sebastiao da Pedreira, 100, 3
1050-209 Lisbon, Portugal
E-mail: secretariat@mlearning-conf.org
Web site: http://www.mlearning-conf.org/

* Program Committee

Mobile Learning 2007 Program Chair
Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

General MCCSIS Conference Co-Chairs:
Piet Kommers, University of Twente, The Netherlands Pedro Isaías, Universidade Aberta (Portuguese Open University), Portugal Nian-Shing Chen, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan

Steering Committee
Mike Sharples, University of Nottingham,  United Kingdom Elliot Soloway, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, University of Michigan, USA Dan Sutch, Learning Researcher, Futurelab,  United Kingdom Josie Taylor, The Open University, United Kingdom Tom Brown, Telematic Learning and Education Innovation, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Here is the call for submissions for mLearn 2007 in Melbourne. Could you please circulate it to colleagues and news groups. The organisers are doing a great job (see the revamped website). It should be a major event - look forward to seeing you there.

Mike


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
mLearn 2007: Making the Connections
16-19 October 2007, Melbourne AUSTRALIA
http://www.mlearn2007.org

IMPORTANT DATES
Submission deadline: 1 June 2007
Final formatted papers: 30 Aug 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We invite contributions to mLearn 2007, the sixth international conferences on mobile learning. mLearn aims to stimulate critical debate on and research into theories, approaches, principles and applications of mobile learning. Submissions are invited for:
- Long papers (8 pages)
- Short papers (4 pages)
- Workshops (2 pages)
- Posters, Panels & Showcases (500 words)
- Doctoral Consortium (4 pages)

This conference is a forum for exploring innovative approaches to quality education and training by means of current and emerging mobile technologies.

We welcome contributions from researchers, developers, training professional and educators from: higher education institutions; training providers; research organisations; community and voluntary organisations; schools; learning and skills councils; education authorities; computer and mobile device manufacturers and service providers; government departments; libraries and museums.

The focus of the conference is about the use of mobile technology for making connections in a rapidly changing educational environment and social networking world.

Topics for submission include, but are not limited to:
- mLearning and mobile technology applications in teaching and learning
- mobile technology to support open and distance learning (ODL)
- assessment techniques and practices in mLearning
- design and development of material for mLearning
- informal, lifebased and lifelong learning with the aid of mobile technology
- building and implementing mLearning strategies in public and private organisations
- effective and efficient management of mLearning processes
- creating interactive and collaborative mLearning environments
- the impact of emerging hardware and software for mLearning
- innovation in learning theory and pedagogy
- social and ethical issues of mLearning
- mLearning for community based styles of networking and communicating

An edited, peer-reviewed post-conference publication will include a selection of invited papers from the influential submissions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
mLearn 2007
16-19 October 2007, Melbourne AUSTRALIA
http://www.mlearn2007.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are a few places available for a workshop, on 1st-2nd June 2006, organised by the Kaleidoscope European Network of Excellence, on Big Issues in Mobile Learning. This 2 day event will bring together leading researchers across Europe to explore major issues relating to the design, deployment, evaluation and ethics of mobile learning. Each day, a small group will examine one issue in depth through discussion, debate and sharing of knowledge and experience. The workshop will be held in the superb location of the National College for School Leadership, Nottingham. The places are available at a subsidised rate of £119 (approx €172), which includes registration, accommodation in the NCSL and all meals for the two days. For further details, see http://www.noe-kaleidoscope.org/group/mlearning/

Mike Sharples

Every new personal technology has been banned from the classroom. I'm old enough to remember the ban on ballpoint pens, and of course pocket calculators were initially forbidden on the grounds that children wouldn't learn to do mental arithmetic. Each of these technologies have been introduced, and managed, without causing chaos to the school system. But I think that future converged handheld devices are of a new order - they don't just allow children to do the same learning more easily, but to bring their world of informal online learning into the classroom. The skills that children are learning at home - social networking, gaming, file sharing, multitasking - just don't fit easily into conventional classroom teaching. So I'd suggest that it's not the devices temselves that will be disruptive in the long term (schools can find ways of managing inappropriate use of cameras, just as they can find ways of managing bullying), but the new patterns of personal and informal networked learning that they afford.

Mike

I'll check if the papers are due to be put online and get back to you. The proceedings are published by IEEE, so there may be an issue about making them available. I do hope we can have them on the website.

Dan (and others).
If you would like to add your name to the article, then the best way is to go to the g1:1 website (www.g1to1.org), join up with G1:1 (click the "logon" button" then "register as a member") and mail the discussion list (discussion@g1to1.org) to ask if you can have your name and affiliation added to the master copy of the  article, which will be posted on the site,

Mike

Just a quick report on the WMTE 2005 conference in Tokushima, and the meeting of G1:1 (www.g1to1.org) before it.

The G1:1 meeting was the latest in the travelling roadshow for mLearning research leaders. The main focus of this meeting was on setting up a component exchange - so that labs can swap software and methods, or submit software that other centres could test and report on. But the issue of the $100 laptop shceme was also raised. Inspired in part by Graham's posting to the Forum (which I showed to the meeting) on the importance of considering not just the hardware, but the learning and educational context, followed by some passionate debate, we agreed to produce an 'open letter' for release to the press. We've now produced the letter, with 25 signatories from  some 12 different countries. I've attached a copy to this posting, and it should be sent out to the media tomorrow.

The WMTE conference went well. It was superbly organised by Hiroaki Ogata and colleagues, with much banqueting and dancing. Around 150 people attended, with the UK the best represented country after Japan, and it was a valuable meeting of Asian, European and US perspectives. The best presentation was by Sanaz Fallahkhair from University of Brighton on her work with Lyn Pemberton and Richard Griffiths on Interactive TV and mobile phones for language learning. The best paper was from Chen-Chung Liu and Lin-Chuan Kao an evaluation of the use of large displays to support small group interaction with handhelds (so that the group could view and compare their handheld activities on the large screen). Other highlights included two special sessions on language learning ( a major theme of the conference), and a presentation from John Brecht of SRI on scenarions for the future of mobile learning that had been developed at a previous G1:1 workshop in Taiwan.

Mike

An excellent report Bob - that captures the spirit of Cape Town - where the sun shone every day and the conference organisation was superb. Bob is too modest to say that his passionate rebuttal of the pessimistic ("m-learning has failed") keynote talks was also one of the highlights of the conference.

mLearn 2006 is in the spectacular report of Banff, Canada. Start saving for the air ticket!

Mike Sharples

Here are some projects that we're involved with at Birmingham:
- MOBIlearn is the major European project on mobile learning. We have just completed successful trials of the MOBIlearn system at the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (www.mobilearn.org, www.mobilean.bham.ac.uk). We're also running trials at Nottingham Castle Museum, using our ultrasonic positioning system to provide location-based information.
- Caerus is our context-aware guide for outdoor locations. A full authoring and deployment system is available for 30 day trial at www.caerus.bham.ac.uk
- The Interactive Logbook is a project to develop a personal organiser and e-portfoliio for university students, see www.il.bham.ac.uk

Mike Sharples