2015 Mobile Web takes over

A report compilled by Morgan Stanley and boiled down by Mashable confirms that indeed mobile web will overtake desktop web by 2015. Elearning design, therefore, can not be done without considering mlearning design. Another interesting finding was that facebook is the largest repository of user generated content in the world, could it be time that FB becomes the most logical place for a powerful LMS?

Related Article - Facebook, Google, as an LMS?

3 Dimensions to learning

James Cameron, who is not known for making a poor judgement call (when it comes to creating hit movies anyway) has suggested that 3D viewing will not only come to the lounge room in the next few years, but eventually will be viewed on your phone, tablet, computer or TV, without the need for glasses.

All this talk of iPads and 3D viewing and Neovet just had a thought. If elearning is still on the slow journey towards frequent us on mobile devices, how would a 3D interface raise the bar yet again!

Here are my future predictions for 3D viewing and elearning.

1. Touch devices will sense movement 'above' the screen, adding a third dimension to touch devices. Learners would have multi layered content and navigation tools providing a richer display of content across subject areas and giving a more powerful search and display experience.
   
   
2. Instructional designers will need to think laterally when constructing elearning content
   
   
3. Peer learners will have a 'space' to play with content together in real time.
   
   
4. Training providers will continue to be behind the 8 ball in keeping teaching technology up to standards with popular media technology.
   

Touch of Genius

The new arrival of touch technology in 2010 could change the way learning technologies are designed and displayed online.

School age learners and above are already natives to 'touch', 'drag' and 'scribble', with the popular use of the iPhone, Kindle and Nintendo DS all involving the heavy use of touch technology.

Now is the time to start road testing your learning spaces on touch devices. With the new mac tablet hitting the stores soon, you can expect a flood of touch devices and with it, an expectation from learners to be able to touch navigate to learn.

Google(ing) Facebook(ing) in Class

It happened, i'd heard about it, but it had never actually happened to me. and that's not all.

I'll explain.

Today while giving a lecture on models of Youth Work, a student quoted a Google search to me as an answer from a handheld device (a slide out text/email device like the Lotus). So technology was live and well in the class room, and the students response was well timed and appropriate.

After this we found that students have been talking in class, and in public, on Facebook through Facebook updates. I'd say 1/3 of our students are connected to the web in class through a handheld device. Snap! Are educators getting a move on to be ready for what this will mean for teaching and learning? I doubt it, but neovet wants to go there.

Hard Linking

QR Code Generator Kaywa is a nice and easy way to generate hard linked codes for Text, SMS, URL's and Phone Numbers.

Here is one generated for a course site I manage.

To find a good QR Code Reader, check out this list of good QR phone apps, or visit beetagg for a proven Blackberry solution to coder reading.

I can imagine this will be helpfull when m-learning really takes off and we can orientate students to their online training spaces with one 'snap' of their mobile phone camera. This could be placed on an orientation booklet, presentation slide or for marketing your course, how about on the back of a T-shirt.

Student Feud

Survey Tool SMS Poll is a great tool for real time polling. We are trialling it this term with a group of about 100 students in a lecture session to gauge the group opinion across a number of areas.

They have free trial for up to 25 votes per poll, and you can pay a little to boost your sample. The speed is incredible, enabling you to capture responses and present a poll graph back to an audience under 60 seconds.

Live polling might be no more than a gimmick to a small audience, but uses well with a larger group, can help create a high level of audience participation and fun!.

6 Technologies to keep an eye on

The 2008 Horizon Report is
a collaboration between
The New Media Consortium
and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative.

This annual report projects about half a decade into the future, what technologies will impact our lives and there relevance for Teaching, Learning, and Creative Expression. Interstingly the technologies listed in this years report are sort of already emerged.

• Grassroots Video
• Collaboration Webs
• Mobile Broadband
• Data Mashups
• Collective Intelligence
• Social Operating Systems
  
  Def worth a read, but they don't mention the Hover Board yet so I'm still waiting for that one.
  

Blue Poles - no not the painting!

Turning Point - is a study done from othe Flexible Learning Framework that looks at mobile devices, blue tooth techology and short film making...for learning.

Blue Tooth Hubs will most likely be placed in every TAFE and Uni in Australia within the next two years. Great idea! this will kick off mlearning and i think the average handheld device is nearly up to scratch.

Mobile Learning Engine

Mobile Learning Engine has the potential to create multi-platform learning tools that can be 'tweaked' using simple XML. I have to wonder thatl MLE and MOMO for moodle will become quickly outdated with the rise of full mobile web browsing (Mac iPHONE, RIM Thunder).

But then again, is it a more accessible 'bridge' option for mlearning solutions 2008-2009. I can't see the light beyond 2010, my crystal ball broke a while back now.

Bring your Mobile to class please!

Students at UTS are being asked to bring mobile devices to class to help with interactive learning. Full Story…

How fun it would be to do in class polling, pre and post class reflection questions.

Q. Who would want to pay for the Broadband or SMS costs?