Review: Still entranced with my iPod Touch for mobile learning
February 28, 2010
At this point in time—six weeks into my study of mobile learning— I’m not sure that there’s one particular resource or organization that has changed my understanding of mobile learning, particularly since I’m still in the process of formulating my understanding of and attitude toward this concept. However, I would like to speak to the resources that have most impressed me as influencing the emerging field of mobile learning.
The more I learn about the iPhone/iPod Touch, the more impressed I am with this device and the proliferation of related applications for mobile learning. These have also led to development of similar applications for other smartphones (e.g., Blackberry apps), and the growth in this area seems to be strong.
Some of the iPhone/iPod applications that I’ve been trying out include the following:
Doppler: This application ($.99) allows me to access my RSS feeds subscribed via Google Reader on my iPod Touch. We’ve already discussed whether hand-held devices are suitable for reading extensive amounts of text (and I probably wouldn’t spend hours reading this way), but I’m finding that this application designed specifically for the iPhone/Touch is surprisingly user-friendly for reading and includes options for interacting with the blog post (e.g., sharing, going directly to the web item to add a comment, etc.). This app allows me a mobile option for keeping up with the various elearning blogs I follow.
(Other apps that are user-friendly for reading include The Guardian, Wikipanion, Science Glossary, among others.)
Dragon (Dictation): This app (free for a limited time) allows users to dictate a message which is then converted to text for email or text messaging. Like the parent software, the application learns to recognize the user’s voice. I see this application as providing another option for learners out in the field when responding to a learning activity.
Italian 24/7 Tutor (and other languages: ): These free applications provide some basic language tutoring with text, audio, and interactive exercises. I certainly wouldn’t see this app as replacing a language-learning course, but it could provide further opportunity for learners to practice.
I could go on and on, but the main point I wanted to make is that there are many, many learning applications already developed that could be incorporated into formal learning situations to support mobile options for students.
iStanford: You might have already reviewed this application, since it was mentioned in the article that Richard posted for Week 6-7 of our course, “How the iPhone Could Reboot Education.” While the iStanford application might not currently fit what I would consider mobile learning (i.e., in the sense of delivering learning content or providing a mobile forum for learning activities), it nonetheless supports the larger context for learning by providing mobile access to the administrative/student service side of learning (e.g., campus map, course catalogue, add/drop courses, etc.). This development is now part of Blackboard’s mobile solutions, so I would see this application being developed further and perhaps becoming integrated with the Blackboard learning management system to deliver further learning content.
I’m not sure whether the iPhone will “reboot” education, as the Wired article suggests (and I don’t think that the “TiVoing of education” is the direction I would want education to go), but I certainly see it (along with its many applications) as a powerful tool for informal learning as well as a tool that could be incorporated into formal learning contexts outside the classroom.
