Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

We found that social factors are a very big influence on whether devices are used...So is the _perceived_ age of a device. If it looks old tech then for the fashion conscious it _is_ old tech.  I think for many of "the kids" hey see technology as being cheap and disposable.

Not sure at what price there is a division between "throw about, throw away"(ta-ta its gone time to buy another one)  technology (like the way we treat phones) and laptops and other stuff that needs looking after.

(side note . tablets...slaptops....the other phrase we use for specific manufacturers )

Graham _ I am with you - lets not short change  our children.

However an aisde observation about the OX in particular.

The pre-load software makes big assumptions about the purpose of the OLPC. It has come from a lab that firmly believes in Constructionist Learning as the applications testify. I happen to like that - the system is born out of a philosophy. Those who I have spoken to in Brazil who are experiencing "as it was intended to be"  speak highly of it.

However this is not entirely the case. The Telecomms ministry who may be responsible for introducing the system into Haiti  may want cut down business apps. I know the competition in Brazil is also touting the fact that they run Open Office - and in turn characterizing the purpose of learning to use computers in school as highly instrumental.

What we need to avoid is "it's the stupid learning".
Martin

Hi Spike Town

Far be it for me to question our learned colleagues in academia however "one swallow does not make a summer" as our other learned friend Aristotle once said.

I think we should treat research that reinforces sociological stereotypes with some caution, at least until there have been sufficient studies. The convenient notion of the spoilt affluent middle-class who quickly lose interest in a new "toy" versus the poor disaffected under-class who bestows untold value on the "learning device" is troubling in my mind. From my, albeit anecdotal, experience you'd have to travel quite a long way up the so called affluence ladder before you discover an en masse treatment of an investment in technology as some sort of frippery. Likewise I'm wondering how far down the affluence ladder you travel before we get to the family described as giving extra value to a new device? Is this a family that doesn't have a TV? Or doesn't have satellite or cable TV? Do they have a mobile phone or a modern game console?

Again, I can only speak from anecdotal experience working in my local areas of Peckham, Deptford, Lewisham and Newham where you have a considerable social and cultural mix but from this I have seen what would one would consider low affluent households where children are avid PSP users as well as theoretically affluent households where parents have also struggled to fund modern technology for the younger members of the house. perhaps I'm blinkered and fooling myself but I have yet to see any social group own the exclusivity on placing a value or not on new gadgets entering the home. There are inevitably many other factors at play.

I think you're absolutely right, Spike Town, that the attitude to learning is the critical thing. At risk of not being politically correct there does seem to be amongst some parents, across all social groups, that it is the schools responsibility to socialise and inspire in them the desire to learn. These parents would be wise to notice the evidence of children where parents are active in their education do better even in poorly performing schools. And you're quite right, if parents don't care, the children won't and it will take a lot more than throwing technology at it to transform that problem.

Hi ST

My point is that doesn't really matter if the research is referenced, peer-reviewed or blind peer-reviewed, if there are insufficient studies we have little to go on. This is certainly not a criticism of our academics but more of a call to action to get more initiatives going. Tony Parkin, Head of ICT Development, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust said at the Handheld Learning 2006 Conference that "there were so many pilots it's a wonder why the plane hasn't taken off yet!". This is a crucial point, there are lot of practitioners, many of whom are members of this community, who are working unaided and getting results yet, apart from agencies sending swat teams to shoot videos and photo's for web site's, presentations and annual reports, are receiving precious little (unlike, for example, the IWB initiative) by way of concerted support.

Your last paragraph raises a good point. If these learners expectations have been raised by the supercomputer power of modern gaming consoles then it's no wonder that they power down when confronted with what by comparison appears to be a mickey mouse toy. Review this clip from the Nintendo Wii title "Endless Ocean" as included in the original article.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/HrJqBAOBTXA&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/HrJqBAOBTXA&rel=0</a>

I'm wondering how a learner used to this kind of experience adjusts to "traditional" ICT experiences?

Cheers

Graham

Endless Ocean, what a triumph. I play it with my 3 and a half year old - she hasn't got any robots or handheld devices though, Mr Prensky, sorry - and she absolutely loves it. She likes to hear the fish names and when we went to an aquarium, she even remembered some of them. A great extension to books and other creative toys.

It's so well-designed and produced as well, which you notice in particular when you look at similar games. I bought 'Arctic Tale' which is endorsed by National Geographic and it's appalling in comparison. Badly programmed (crashed the Wii three times so far), poorly rendered environments and creatures, odd narrative (if there is one) and rather restricted gameplay. There is so much more room for free exploration in Endless Ocean.

Not sure about the length of the lady's shorts though...

Wolf.