Mobile learning: research, case studies and guidelines

I have created a number of posts on my Online Learning and Teaching blog that provide a range of resources in the area mLearning (mobile learning).

The postings are:

• TxT Me: Supporting disengaged youth using mobile technologies (report of a case study plus recommendations report)
• Hand-Held Devices in the Classroom (a great resource data base)
• The Handheld Classroom: Educational Implications of Mobile Technology (research paper with projects, issues and the potential future of mLearning)
• Enabling Mobile Learning (uses, lessons and trends in education)
• M-learning and the new students' thinking (for teachers in schools especially)

and

mLearning: Doing the unthinkable and reaching the unreachable by Tom Brown, University of Pretoria, South Africa - 2005 Conference presentation on mLearning in rural Africa - this is an eye-opening, entertaining and enlightening presentation!!

http://www.online-learning-and-teaching.blogspot.com/

Where to start with ELearning - tools for small business

There are two resources here: (1) an interview that describes an RTO case study and (2) a toolkit that provides links, tools and case studies.


Facing Your E-Learning Fears: Success Factors and Tools for Moving Small Organisations into Flexible Learning

Wendy Morrow and Kim Edgar

In this interview Kim and Wendy share their experiences of moving their small South Australian Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) into e-learning, outlining key success factors and describing the free tools they’ve developed and use to help others do the same.

http://tinyurl.com/aqt7j


E-learning on a Shoestring

Frankie Forsythe

This report is an E-Toolkit containing a wealth of ideas, annotated links and case studies on how to get started online and how to continue to develop creative online solutions! It features exciting pedagogy and an analysis of a range of low cost open source tools ideal for small RTOs. (October 2004. )

http://tinyurl.com/9flsz

Podcasting for Education - Trendsetters, Tips and Tactics

I recently created yet another personal blog as a resource for teachers exploring online learning:
http://www.online-learning-and-teaching.blogspot.com/

My latest postings are focused on podcasting and provide articles, examples, trends, links and tips for podcasting for education.

The trends show how universities are using podcasts (and related technologies) to provide free courses on a global basis and also to market their offerings. For example, iTunes is now the repository for podcasts from Stanford University and "vodcasts" from Princeton University.

Another important trend is the convergence of other technologies with "podcasting". For example, "Apple recently introduced vodcasting technology in conjunction with the video-enabled iPod as a way of sharing video files over iTunes".

Podcasting for marketing, profit and fun

Podcasting can be used for education, marketing, fun and profit.

The ebook, "Podcasting for Fun & Profit" is a comprehensive resource that shows you how to develop and publish a podcast.

The information in the ebook can be used to develop podcasts to market a course and/or your school/institute/training organisation. The information can also be used to develop podcasts to make money or to have fun (a great way to learn!).

This 83 page ebook is very comprehensive and is designed as a learning tool and incorporates a glossary of terms, chapter summaries, examples, graduated project tasks, action steps and "things you should know". It literally takes you by the hand through the processes of understanding podcasts, listening to them, creating podcasts and marketing your podcasts.

The core chapters are:

• What is Podcasting?
• Getting started by downloading and listening
• Podcasting software and equipment
• Podcast host sites
• Creating successful podcast for particular markets or niches
• 10 Ways to make money with podcasts

The graduated project tasks are as follows:

1. Get set up and listen to a podcast
2. Preparing to podcast
3. Become a podcaster
4. Develop your podcast
5. Keep you podcast going

The ebook, Podcasting for Fun & Profit, can be downloaded as a zipped file at:

http://tinyurl.com/8lksu

(For some inexplicable reason, however, it will be quicker to download if you use the "post title" or "ebook name" hotlinks given earlier)

Podcasting for Education - an Introduction

Podcasting is experiencing a major explosion at the moment in both education and internet marketing.

The term "podcasting" is drawn from a combination of the terms "iPod" and "broadcast".

Tony Vincent of learninginhand.com explains the concept further:

"Podcasting is a way to automatically download and synchronize digital audio files from the internet to iPods, Palm OS handhelds, Pocket PCs, or other devices that play digital audio files. These audio files are usually in MP3 format and can be recorded and distributed by anyone. Podcasts are free of charge, though you may need to purchase some software to make the download and synchronization process work seamlessly. There are podcasts recorded by educators for educators. There are also podcasts recorded specifically for students. And best yet - there are podcasts made by students!

A podcast will have a web address for an RSS feed [for broadcasting]. Software that downloads podcasts will check the RSS feeds of the podcasts you subscribe to. When a new podcast is added, the feed is updated and the software knows to download the new audio file and have it waiting for you."

Tony provides an excellent introduction for the beginner at his website:
http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/

You will learn about:

• finding podcasts
• subscribing to podcasts
• listening to podcasts
• creating podcasts

The section on creating podcasts covers:

• preproduction
• recording
• postproduction
• publishing

This is a great learning resource for people new to podcasting who want to employ this technology in their teaching!