In this video, recorded at mLearn 2007, Gavin Cooney, CEO of Learnosity.com, provides a personal demonstration of an application that allows a learner to call in, authenticate themselves, and then verbally respond to various questions. The responses are stored for marking and can be retrieved and even podcast. YouTube link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=F3PkIdF1R04
Now we seem to be getting somewhere here! Thanks to Leonard for this great look into ways in which mobile devices can be used for assessment, using one of the core functions of mobile phones, the VOICE! It brings together the strength of voice communications with situated approaches to learning (and in this case assessment), favouring the connectedness possible between ’student and content’ + ‘content and teacher’ AND time + space!
After following Bee’s blog post about u-learning and watching to Scoble video, I skipped over to YouTube and picked up the designing learning spaces (or more accurately, the ‘antinormalizer’) video Bee refers to, about re-scripting spaces in which we learn (blog post is here).
Take a look – it’s left-field and will no doubt get you thinking about how learning spaces can change as we engage more and more with ubiquitous technologies like mobile phones. It certainly got me thinking about how we use spaces (think of how often you go to a shopping centre these days and what it’s actually made up of!). Perhaps we’re underusing our spaces, or perhaps we could reconfigure our spaces for multiple uses more?
Likewise, if you want to find out more about m-learning and mobile phones in learning, you might want to get over to CIT Reid campus in Canberra where Alex Hayes is presenting – quick, he’s already started!
This is a resource to inspire and support you to take the e-learning path in your teaching practice. We present six excellent case studies for you to read. They are all examples of trade teachers from the building trades currently using e-learning tools to improve the flexibility and the impact of their teaching. In all cases, they have found that their students’ motivation and enjoyment in learning has significantly improved. We also provide a model that will guide you through your e-learning journey. This model is built on discussions with trade teachers who have already gone down this path.
The project promotes a Do-It-Yourself model of e-learning for trade-based industries, which shows the practicalities of delivering training in the trades. I’d encourage reading the model overview PDF. It elaborates on the model itself and presents a strategic approach to e-learning in an accessible way, not only for the trades but for any teacher or learner in VET! If you’re familair with action learning, this model presents itself in a similar way to an action learning cycle.
Oh, and if you just want to get in there and DO something, there’s plenty of neat tools available!
Mobile learning (m-learning) content developers are advised to consult and use the general VET e-standards found on this website in combination with these specific m-learning recommendations.
* Mobile audio
* Mobile video
* Wireless data connectivity
* Mobile content
Further background information and support is also available.
The process has been an interesting one, especially given the rapid growth in the area of mobile technologies and their use in teaching and learning. As we compiled the report and the guide there were already new tools, models and reports coming out! Still it does highlight that standards are usually preceded by practice, because innovation and experimentation waits for no one!
As is stated in the Guide itself:
Henry Lichstein (2002) claimed that standards follow practice, not lead it. So, you are encouraged to use the m-learning standards and this Guide to assist you in decision making around m-learning but don’t let them constrain you in experimenting and trialling new ideas and strategies in teaching with technology. Your new practices may well inform the standards of the future (pp.4-5).
And a big thank you to the reference group for keeping us on our toes, keeping things real and mostly keeping the project on track with what is really important, that is, teaching and learning!
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