Diskusjon.no - mLearning forum

Wittgenstein · Joined: 26 Nov 2002 Posts: 2

It is thanksgiving in the US on Thursday and it is night when it is day in Norway. So I guess you will have a lively discussion without me tomorrow. I want to post one consideration that I think is centeral in this:
Is mobile devices most apropriate for a push model of learning: from instructor to learner. Or is it most proper for knowledge capturing by the student and then later integration and use of the captured knowledge for use in a relevant situation? Even in a peer to peer perspective.
One of the more promising projects I've seen is that of student portfolio. I worked at Stanford Learning Lab a couple of years ago and this concept of capturing knowledge and information during studies and integrating it in a personal portefolio worked out pretty well. The next step is to apply this information to the learning situation and the personal development of the student. nice concept, even worked out pretty well.
Basically it raises the question: is mobile devices better for knowledge capturing than m-learning. What possibilities does that raise ? It fits pretty well with the problem of contextuality and fragmentation.
How much can we push via handheld terminals, at what price and with what results ? Opinions?

Socrates · Joined: 26 Nov 2002 Posts: 2

I think this is an interesting perspective. I am myself the manager of two projects on m-learning, using PDAs, one in a school and one in a hospital. In both these projects there is much focus on data capturing, the ability for pupils and employees to collect data "on the spot", and then sharing it with fellow pupils or employees. Also in my project, the pupils will use this as input to their portfolio. The overall idea is that the PDAs may be used to help them reflect over their own learning, and is pedagogically interesting in relation to the concept of construction of knowledge.

I furthermore believe the communication potential of these devices to be of great importance (and not so much spoken of). Especially for people using them at work, the possibility for immediate expert help, colleague support, surveillance and guidance, but also the possibility for discussing and sharing of knowledge and experiences anywhere and any time, both syncronous and asynchronous.

Kant · Joined: 25 Nov 2002 Posts: 5

> "Socrates" wrote:
> I furthermore believe the communication potential of
> these devices to be of great importance
> (and not so much spoken of).
I also believe that it could really add value to mobile learning if there were document formats allowing to add personal written remarks, sketches and even spoken words (in compressed format) and easily share this stuff with co-learners or the tutor. This means, transmit only the added "bytes", not the material itsself.

But I believe that there always will only be few situations in which people will prefer to use expensive, small and light mobile devices in their jacket instead of cheap, big and heavy ones on a desk (at home or work) for learning. To figure out these situations and the characteristics of the material that best fits the learners' needs in both situations will be the main task to promote m-learning in the future.