Dial M for Learning: mLearning ideas

Some interesting trends have been searched out by Ron Edwards at the Ambient Connection blog.

Two Australian cities in the Top10 – you’ll have to go look for yourself – I’m not giving it away

I attended the education.au seminar So what’s changed? in Sydney yesterday. As expected, there were some thought-provoking points of view from Phillip Adams and James Farmer. And it was interesting to hear about some of the projects being undertaken by Futurelab in the UK.

You can join the discussion or listen to the podcast of each speaker. If my time was limited I’d listen to James Farmer to glean ideas for immediate use followed by Phillip Adams for some thought provoking general ideas. I’d suggest a visit to Futurelab to check out their projects rather than the podcast. Those discussed by Annika were:

Savannah – a strategy-based adventure game where a virtual space is mapped directly onto a real space. Children ‘play’ at being lions in a savannah, navigating the augmented environments with a mobile handheld device.

Space Mission: Ice Moon – puts pupils in the roles of experts in an Emergency Response Team after a disaster in space. Working in teams in the classroom, up to 30 pupils use video-conferencing facilities, web chat and interactive materials to help resolve the disaster.

Racing Academy – a massively multiplayer car racing and vehicle engineering simulation which allows students to engineer and race realistic virtual models of cars. Online facilities allow teams and communities to collaborate and compete on the web.

Speaker profiles:
Phillip Adams – a controversial broadcaster, writer and film-maker. As presenter of Late Night Live, he has interviewed thousands and can boast to be ABC Radio National’s largest driver of demand for podcast downloads (50,000 downloads for May 2006).

James Farmer – a Melbourne based online communications designer. James is the founder of edublogs.org, the largest educational blogging community on the web. James has worked as a lecturer in research and education design at Deakin University and is currently the Online Community Editor at The Age.

Annika Small – CEO of Futurelab UK, responsible for developing the strategic direction, establishing partnerships and exploring new opportunities for Futurelab. Annika has focused on developing compelling interactive learning resources for those excluded from traditional education.

A couple of interesting uses of podcasting in the medical arena from Sonosite. If you have the stomach for it, take a peek at their FAST Exam and Aorta Exam. In their words:

These dynamic and comprehensive Video Refresher Modules are intended to provide a quick review to any practitioner who has attended formal training workshops, but are still in the initial learning curve and in need of a refresher when performing the focused procedure/evaluation. These modules are not intended to replace hands-on and or didactic training programs, but enhance them.

You have to sign a disclaimer before you get to see them. You can watch online through Quicktime or Media Player if you don’t want to download to your iPod. Click here to access.

I’ve taken this piece directly from Cambridge News Online UK:

Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge is launching a BSc honours degree in new media production technology, or services and content for the “iPod generation”.

First students will start the new course in September, mixing creativity with practical technology.

Course leader, Dr Tim Rowsell, said: “The rapid decline in the cost of digital cameras and audio equipment, along with the rise in broadband use in the UK has led to a marked rise in new media production and consumption.

“Many new companies are expanding to exploit these opportunities, however, in order to pursue a career in these creative industries there is need for both technical and creative skills, which this degree is designed to provide.”

The degree course will include live streaming, studio recording, video post-production and effects, DVD production, workshops on commercial software, and satellite and mobile technology.

A fabulous series of articles from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI). Read an abstract and then downlaod a PDF which provides concise information on emerging learning technologies and related practices. Each brief focuses on a single technology or practice and describes:

• What it is
• How it works
• Where it is going
• Why it matters to teaching and learning

Covered so far:

1. Virtual Worlds
2. Google Jockeying
3. Remote Instrumentation
4. Screencasting
5. Virtual Meetings
6. Grid Computing
7. Collaborative Editing
8. Instant Messaging
9. Augmented Reality
10. Blogs
11. Video Blogging
12. Wikis
13. Podcasting
14. Clickers
15. Social Bookmarking

Now that should keep you busy for a while.

I’ve just discovered Pod Pedagogy – educational uses for the iPod. A blog covering news, tutorials, tips, and techniques.

It’s put together by Rodney McPhail from the Dept. of Biological Science at Purdue University, Indiana.

There’s a lot of good information and tips in non-technical talk that is easy to understand. Particularly check out the Tips & Tutorials section.

Further extending its curricular reach to the iPod generation, the University of California, Berkeley, recently announced “Berkeley on iTunes U“, a free service that makes video and audio recordings of a growing number of course lectures available both on and off campus through Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store.

“Berkeley on iTunes U” is now available and is open to the public as well as to all UC Berkeley students. Read more.

Podcast Alley has the most extensive listing of podcasts on the web – in a range of categories. It ranks podcasts based on the number of votes they receive each month.
The Education Podcast Network lists a wide range of topics in all subject areas. Most of the producers of these programs are educators.
Educational Podcasting is a UK directory that lists podcasts for educational use – suitable for use by children and young people at school, college and elsewhere. The directory also lists podcasts produced and published by pupils, young people, and educators.

Please share any good podcast directories through Comments.

I’m currently enjoying a few technology podcasts.

Digital Planet by the BBC. You can download and/or subscribe at their site.

NPR has numerous podcasts on a variety of topics. I’m currently enjoying NPR Technology but plan to try out a few more.

And lastly, The World’s Technology Podcast keeps me up to date on global technology of all sorts.

Our very own Learning Technologies User Group (LTUG)has just launched its first two podcasts thanks to the efforts of Anne Bartlett-Bragg. You can access these at the LTUG blog

I’m still searching for good educational podcasts – so stay tuned. Please list your favourites through Comments.

Thanks to James Farmer for bringing the excellent Teachers’ Guide To Blogging and Podcasting to our attention. The online guide is an excellent explanation of how to get started with both. Enjoy….

If you have any other great resources for either of these topics please post them by making a comment.