Catching up over the long weekend

In preparation for 3 upcoming workshops the first week in June, I have been reorganizing and reviewing my various notes during this long weekend. Thus just some random entries on my mind...

If you missed the LearnTrends e-Learning Tour last Thursday, you can access the recording here. Our mobile portion is the first video. You will see various types of mobile learning, hear an interesting podcast option, and learn about the iPhone/iPod Touch initiative at Abilene Christian University. It appeared that we had about 125 attendees and lots of good questions and follow up since then.

Any of you researchers with iPhones available who are crunching data and looking at different ways to visualize it, check out RoamBi. There is a TryMe application on the site to view from a desktop if you don't have an iPhone. Oh, did I mention that the app was free?

I have been excited about 2D barcodes for learning for some time, but now that they seem to have almost arrived in the U.S., there may be other options as well. This week there was an article in USA Today entitled "New '2D barcodes' puts info at the tip of your camera phone" which discussed some 2D initiatives with companies such as Nike, Sears and Hardee's. I have thought that once these readers were readily available on phones that it would be much easier to utilize them for learning. These codes are very popular in Japan and certainly could make it much easier to access specific content.

The USA Today article cites InfoTrends/CAP Ventures stating this year 89% of new mobile phones shipped to the U.S. will have cameras.

What else is there just around the corner for what I have been calling Point and Learn?

• You may have seen Mobile Search by petitinvention. If not, check it out here.
• There is also Wikitude here.
• This month Nokia rolled out their Point and Find project in a limited area, but it could have a lot of potential uses for learning.
• Check out the iVisit real time object recognition for the blind YouTube video for some very powerful capabilities.

Background video is available today even on the first generation iPhone that I have. A new app entitled Email 'n Walk was created for those who are engaged with their phones and don't look where they are going. Thus a view of one's surroundings through the working screen (see screen capture above.)

Not utilizing the camera, but GPS is an interactive 3D map from UpNext (UpNext NYC) to explore and search Manhattan. The app is available for the iPhone as well, and includes connections to Twitter and Facebook. Something like this could be used for new student or employee orientation to a campus.

Busy Week for Mobile Learning

Where do I start?

This week I went to Washington DC for a couple days, so have been trying to get through all the updates that weren't otherwise posted on mLearnopedia.com. I haven't read through all of the following, but wanted to share these great resources.

• Stanford University started an iPhone Application Programming course this week and has made the slides and video available through iTunes U here. You can subscribe to the new lectures which are posted each Wednesday and Friday for this ten week course.
• A new 320-page book entitled “Mobile Learning: Transforming the Delivery of Education and Training” edited by Mohamed Ally and published by Athabasca University is available for sale or as a free PDF download. (Click on eBook for the PDF download.)
• The International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM) has released issue Vol. 3, No. 2 (2009) with some very interesting papers. The objective of the journal is to publish and discuss fundamentals, applications and experiences in the field of interactive mobile technologies in learning and teaching as well as in industrial and other applications. There is no fee, but you will need to register.
• The abstracts from the 3rd WLE Mobile Learning Symposium: Mobile Learning Cultures across Education, Work and Leisure in London, UK, on 27 March 2009 have been posted.
• Weeding through all the joke posts on April 1^st, I am glad that I didn't miss Tom Kuhlmann's blog titled “Here's What You Need to Know About Mobile Learning.” It definitely is a lot of fun!
• For an overview of all the major mobile stats, check out Tomi T Ahonen's post “The Size of the Mobile Industry in 2009,” a short overview of major stats.
• AT&T announced its second annual Big Mobile On Campus Challenge, a national higher education contest for mobile application development with a $10,000 Scholarship award available. “The contest recognizes innovative and creative mobile applications that enhance academic performance, build campus community and help to improve campus operations.” There are three categories: mobile learning, mobile identity and student system integration.

Lot's of reading for the weekend and beyond...

Ambient Insight Webinar Series

Today Ambient Insight announced their new "Learning Technology Innovation" Webinar Series, hosted by Elluminate.

This is a series of six webinars through the end of the year provided by Sam Adkins and Tyson Greer. These folks follow the mobile learning market very closely and are one of my most trusted resources.

You can register for the free seminars at the Elluminate Events page. I have registered for all and already have them on my calendar.

Mobile Learning Shootout at Training 09 Expo Learning Trends Lab

Last week in Atlanta vendors competed in a Mobile Learning Tools Shootout

In January we tasked the vendors with taking a mobile demonstration site, http://crisisresponse.mobi, to the next level. I had created this initial site last year to demonstrate a quick and easy mobile performance support site.

The guidelines were:

• We don’t want to tell you exactly how to structure your materials. Please feel free to create it anyway you’d like utilizing the features of your tool. Basically, do whatever you feel meets the Objective listed below.
• Please track your time to develop, as you will be asked this. Total time should be limited to 40 hours and will be part of the criteria used to judge.
• Due to lack of time at the event, all development is to be completed prior to the Shootout. Because you are building the materials in advance, please feel free to make it as robust as possible with media, interactivity, etc.

Objective: Upon accessing this material the user will be able to quickly recall the procedures and issues related to their crisis.

The participating vendors were Humentum, emantras and OnPoint Digital.

Congratulations to OnPoint Digital CellCast Solution who won in all four categories: Authoring - Ease of Use; Platforms Supported; Development Time; and Overall Improvement to the Basic Content. The solution provided showcased multiple capabilities available on multiple platforms and was created in under 7 hours.

See some screen shots to the right.

Upcoming Events

After the Holiday break, it is again conference time.

I would love to connect with any of the visitors to mLearnopedia if you are attending any of these shows. I will be there presenting and would love to have conversations about your mobile learning interests or experiences.

• ASTD’s TechKnowledge 2009 in Las Vegas, NV, January 28-30 where I will be presenting and conducting two hands-on workshops
  
• Training 2009 Conference & Expo in Atlanta, GA, February 9-11, 2009 where I will be conducting a mobile learning tools “Shoot Out”
  
• Guild 2009 Annual Gathering in Orlando, FL, March 10-13 where I will be involved in more mobile learning sessions
  

I am also trying to work in attending ACU’s ConnectEd Conference in Abilene, TX, February 26-27, but won't confirm for a couple weeks.

I hope to connect with you there.