Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

Which is best, handheld or portable?

My definition is quite simple. A Handheld device you can use standing up or sitting at a desk. A Portable device you have to sit down to use, as it has a keyboard. So a PDA is a handheld device, a laptop and other devices with a folding keyboard are portable device.

I much prefer handheld devices, although I have a portable which I'm writing this with. Handheld devices allow anywhere anytime learning, whereas portable devices you can take anywhere, but can you use it on a field trip standing on a beech?

On the other hand, how often every year do you stand on a beach?

At present we have a set of handheld devices in my class. But with the cost of portable devices dropping, would portable be better?

The key is not for us to decide which is best, but let the learner choose which is best for them for that learning activity they are doing at that moment in time.

It may be a handheld device is their device of choice, but for another learning activity they may actually prefer using a full size keyboard and a large monitor.

There is no such thing as a "best" device in my opinion.

An interesting one Philip, particularly as it potentially has an impact on the naming of this forum and our annual conference.

During everyone of the 3 conferences we have run so far there has been a debate over what our community and event should be called with some saying it should be called just "learning" and other wondering what "handheld" means, e.g. is it just PDAs, iPods, PSP's, smartphones, etc rather than, say,  Tablets PCs.

Well, the emphasis has always been on learning so that's a given but we needed a tag upon which to differentiate ourselves so people had a form of semantic shorthand because the reality is that our "handheld" covers a multitude of technologies and we certainly didn't mean to be in anyway insensitive to those who may not be using their hands to use these technologies. Our full description is "learning using mobile and ubiquitous technologies", so we tend to include all the pocket sized devices as well as domestic game consoles such as the Wii or PS3 (which certainly aren't pocketable) I would include MIDs and devices such as the EEE PC in our category also we just don't want to particularly get bogged down with static desktop PC's or laptops that weigh a lot. Our point was to shift the discussion away from "mobile learning" and towards "learning while mobile" where the learner can access their work and materials from anywhere, anytime and on anything.

For me I'd like to access digital material on devices relevant to my surroundings. I don't believe we will ever have a single convergent device because films just look better on a 50" 1080p HDTV from a Blu Ray disc with 7.1 surround audio than from an iPod. However when I'm on the 453 bus going home the iPod is probably a better option. Taking photos using a mobile phone to build a library for a project that is being built on a UMPC or MID and then shown to parents on a Nintendo Wii is, for me, where we need to aim.

What is key, in my opinion, is architectural independence and interoperability, so that digital stuff creative on device X can still be used seamlessly on device Y and Z both now and in the future. A lot of investment is going into projects where little, if any, thought is going into how the learners data is going to be future-proofed and transferable should they change school or move. There are some certainties and one of those is that the device a learner will be using to access their digital work in 2015 will be significantly different and more powerful than anything we can imagine now.

In terms of naming conventions it's not really about "handheld" or "anytime" it's really about "everywhere" and "anything".

I use to use who makes the best baked beans?

To which the answer is "me".

My baked beans are slowly cooked in the oven with spices, chilli, smoked bacon and fresh tomatoes...

James

Great to have some feedback.

It would be good to let the learners choose their preferred device but in our case (and probably most cases) that's not practical. We have the chance to buy just one device per child. We can't buy both- money and practical technical issues just intervene.

So we have to make a choice.

So is the critical questions what are the learners actually doing with the device?

Well, at the moment its winter so the chances of going out and using them are limited. So it is sitting round in the classroom and using the devices. Quite a bit of typing, which on a handheld isn't so much fun. Mind you, it only really matters when the child can type.

However, the handheld bit was critical when we went to BETT last week. Walking round the exhibition interviewing those on stands, the children just could not have been using portable devices. But on the N800's they could take the photos and make handwritten notes quickly and easily. If we had only had decent wifi we could then have uploaded straight to the Learning Platform. However, as it was we had to use portables as a means of transferring the information.

Perhaps the handheld device when paired with a bluetooth keyboard is the ideal device. You can type when you want to, but be perfectly portable at other times.

Philip

Let's not forget that the 'mobile' in mobile learning alludes to the learner as in 'learning whilst mobile'
As todays learners move through physical space, they take with them a range of digital devices and move across technological space i.e. choosing the appropriate devices for the task.

Ok, I'll be really boring and reply to myself.

Since the original post I've been thinking a lot about this. Was our project right to go with handheld devices, rather than portable? After reflection, I think it was.

With our Nokia N800 the children can move around and use them anywhere in the classroom, or in the school. They use them standing up and sitting down. They've taken them to the seashore and to BETT, taken photos taken notes. They are not tied down by the constraint of being sat down and typing. Yes, typing is important, it is one of the main means of communication, but it's not everything. Most children can't actually type anyway, so a small keyboard is as good as a big one in many respects. What is really good with a handheld device is when you've also got a bluetooth keyboard- so when you are sat at a desk you can type if you need to, but are not constrained otherwise. I know that means you have two boxes, but they are both small ones!

Disagree if you dare! (well at least I won't have to reply to myself if you do!).

P