OllieBray.com

Ubiquitous Mobile Computing at the Abilene University

I went to an interesting  talk on Thursday afternoon at the Department of Informatics and the University of Edinburgh. The talk was on the introduction of the iPhone / iPod Touch at the Abilene Christian University in Texas, USA.

Every student that goes in to the University gets given either an iPhone or an iPod Touch. This is bought for them from the University. The difference is that if you opt for an iPhone the individual student has to enter into an 18 month contract with the mobile phone operator (in the US this is AT&T). There have been nearly 2000 devices distributed to students of which 68% are iPhone and 32% are iPod Touches.

The university then provides resources for its students via  an interactive website that it optimized for the iPhone /iPod Touch. Lecturers and university professors also suggest and develop Apps that the students might want to download to help them with their learning. The results were quite staggering in terms of how much the students believed that the devices improved their learning and gave them confidence in class.


One of the big questions from the audience was on cost and how ever did the Abilene University afford such an initiative. It seems that the university made three very clever but significant cost savings in order to fund the initiative.

1. Cut back on open access computer suites

One of the things that the University did was cut back on the open access computer facilities that were available to students. Particularly the facilities that were available in dorm rooms (halls of residence).

After research they found that these facilities were not being used as much as they were in the past because 98% of students going to the university brought with them their own laptop. They also found that the biggest usage of the open access areas in the student accommodation was between 11pm – 3am when students were playing first person shooter games with each other!

By cutting back on and not refreshing these underused facilities they saved thousands.

2. Cut back on traditional telephone

Another significant saving was with telephone bills. As most university professors and a large proportion of students were now using the iPhone and as calls from one iPhone to another (in the States anyway) are free they effectively created a free telephone service across the campus. They also saved by not refreshing the telephone infrastructure within the University. Why would they bother – everyone has a mobile and there is a Skype App.

3. Photocopying

If everything available electronically as pdfs or as podcasts, savings on photocopying were significant.

iPhone Vs iPod Touch

One really interesting part of the study was how it seemed that the iPhone was the more successful device with the students.

This was possibility down to a number of reasons:

• Anytime, any place connectivity (and learning)

• Students felt more ownership over their phones (even though they were given them, they were still paying for them on the contract)

• Phones were nearly always brought to class and charged up where as the iPod touch was left at home more or not brought fully charged (students seemed to embrace the social connectivity of the phones more – eg: they needed their phones to stay connected to each other)

• Although it wasn’t mentioned I’m guessing that the phone also has a camera which can be used as powerful tool for learning.

Is the project iPhone / iPod Specific?

One other question from the audience was about platform and if the project completely relied on the iPhone / iPod touch. Although there were a number of university lectures (and students) who were developing Apps specifically for the Apple platform. The main resources produced by the university were all web based but optimized for the iPhone. This meant regardless of the device students could access the material in different ways.

It also means that if a more appropriate device comes along the University can easily migrate their content.

Overall a very interesting study that I would like to replicate in a school. You can find out more about what the university have done over on their website.

Oxford University on iTunesU

When I am out talking to teachers and school leaders I often describe Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in two ways:

1. Sheep Dip CPD this is more traditional CPD when a large group of people gather together to hear from an expert on a topic. When they leave we assume that they are all experts in the topic because we have immersed then in it for the length of CPD session.

2. Drip Feed CPD this is more about learning at any time and in any place. It empowers professionals to find the answers to questions on a need to know basis. Importantly, drip feed CPD is continuous and is on-going though a personal learning network. This means that you find out answers to questions that you didn’t even know you need the answers too!

iTunesU is a good example of one type of Drip Feed CPD. You can subscribe to a topic or course that you are interested in on iTunesU and if a new episode is up-loaded by the provider it will automatically download to your computer the next time that your fire up iTunes.

At Learning and Teaching Scotland we have made all of our on-line video content available via iTunesU and you can to subscribe to different courses. If you’re a Scottish Teacher its worth keeping an eye on this service as we will soon be up-loading exemplification of good practice for A Curriculum for Excellence and we will also be adding more Games Based Learning examples.

Anyway, when I was at the FOTE Conference last Friday I listened to an interesting presentation from Peter Robinson of Oxford University. He was talking about Oxford Universities new materials that are now available on iTunesU.

The Oxford University iTunesU Channel containes a huge amount of information and educational content that can be downloaded, listened to and watched for free. But what impressed me about their model was that academics still owned the content but they chose to donate it to the learners and make it accessible via iTunesU.

This idea instantly struck me as a model that would be appropriate to repeat for examination courses in schools.

Apple Distinguished Educator Conference on TwazzUp

 
Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) Conference in Liverpool this weekend.

But, I was able to follow what was going on using Twitter. The hash tag for the conference was #ADEcon09 and by putting this into a website called TwazzUp you can get a real feel for what was being discussed, the richness of conversation, photographs and links mentioned.

TwazzUp (even though I hate the name) is currently my Twitter hash tag conference aggregator of choice.

I think it turns all the 'tweets' into a really good on-line handout.

Which free on-line service do you use to aggregate your tweets?

New iPod Nano – huge classroom potential

To be honest I was a little bit disappointed with the Apple announcements on the 9th September. I wasn’t expecting to see the Apple Tablet but I was expecting the new iPod Touch to have a camera. Gizmodo offers some suggestions for this – what do you think?

However, I really like the new version of iTunes, particularly the App management feature and I love the look of the new iPod Nano. I think it’s got a huge amount of potential in the classroom.

So, in case you have been sleeping under a rock for the last few days. Here is a bit of an overview of the new features of the nano

Video: the new iPod nano now has a built-in video camera that lets you record video and to share it with people though iTunes to the internet via a number of social networking platforms including YouTube and Facebook. One disadvantage for schools is that the new nano does not take stills. I think this is a bit of a shame?

Pedometer: the new iPod nano now doubles as a Pedometer. It uses the built-in accelerometer to keep track of your steps and help you meet your fitness goals. The built in software allows you to create a daily step goal or you can set it to ‘Always On’ so it counts all the steps you take, all the time. This could be great for health and wellbeing and collecting real data in schools.

Voice notes: the new iPod nano has a built-in microphone that lets you capture an audio recording. Think about the possibilities for recording thoughts, learning, achievements or even a traditional classroom lecture

FM Radio: the new iPod nano includes an FM radio.

There are still a lot of people asking ‘why would Apple put an FM tuner into an iPod?’ After all they could have done this years ago – but have always refused to? The answer it appears comes from iTunes-Tagging. As well as being able to live pause a radio stream you can also tag tracks that you are listening to on the radio by hitting the center button.

Why is this important? Well, if the radio station supports tagging, the information about the song will be saved and you can see the list of songs that you have tagged on iTunes. Guess what! There is then also an option to buy these songs! Very clever Apple.

For me one of the most powerful things about the new nano is that after Christmas 2009 there will literally be 1000’s of these little devices in school classrooms. How can we support teachers, give them ideas and encourage them to use the technology that will soon be in the pockets of a lots of children?

Anyone got plans to use the new iPod Nano with a class?

Apple Event on the 9th September 2009 - iTunes turns social?

As predicted Apple are holding a product launch event on the 9th September. This is quite traditional for the company. However, the big question is what new products will we see and will Steve Jobs be back doing the keynote?

The September event tends to be an iPod event and as the advert suggests I’m sure this event will centre around the iPod as well. I’m pretty sure we will see a new range of iPods launched with more storage and a camera. There will be a camera in the nano as well as the touch. I wrote about this earlier in the year.

The event is also likely to see the launch of a new version of iTunes (ITunes 9). Again the rumor mills suggest a number of new features of iTunes 9 of which I think the most likely are the introduction of social networking tools or someone else’s social networking tools (eg: Facebook). This will allow you to share your playlists with your friends. If you think about it this makes a lot of sense – Apple knows that the future of the web is social. I also think that Apps will have a more prominent place within the next iTunes platform and the interface may change significantly.

I will be surprised if we see the fabled Apple tablet at the September event. The latest rumors suggest that this will most likely be launched at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in January. Traditionally Apple hasn’t launched new products at this event due to the close proximity of MacWorld. However, now that Apple have pulled out of MacWorld I think it’s likely that they will complete on the main stage at the CES.

Finally – I am very confident that we will see Steve Jobs deliver the keynote at the September event.

Is 2009 the year of the Apple Tablet?

It seems that people have been talking about the Apple Tablet for years. I was convinced it was going to come out in January 2007 – which was of course the release of the iPhone. But rumors of such a device have actually been circulating the Internet since at least 2004, including a number of pretty interesting conceptual designs.

The above conceptual design (Apple Collection) from 2004 even suggested that the device would contain a CD ROM Drive. Obviously there is not a chance of this these days when we have access to so much WiFi. Apple has also proved that people don’t need CD/DVD drives with the success of products such as the MacBook Air and also the way they have revolutionized on-line music through their iTunes store.

eBook Reader

I am absolutely convinced that a device has been developed and that it will build on the success of the iPod Touch / iPhone. I am also convinced that Apple will start to use the iTunes store to sell a range of eBooks and that the device will rival other ebook readers out there (such as the Amazon Kindle).

Basic eBook readers are already available as Apps in the Apple Apps Store and I agree with John Connell that the Eucalyptus is one of the best ones on the current market. Its likely, of course, that any new device will have a custom eBook reader built into the OS, developed specifically by Apple. An eBook reader of this type could be a real game changer in terms of educational publishing – we have already seen Course Smart education textbooks appearing iPhone / iPod Touch platform. Them might seem quite limiting on such a small screen but this is a company that is just waiting for the next device to come along. I wonder if UK publishers have started to think about this yet?

Connectivity

Any tablet will have connectivity and I hope that this will include optional 3G connectivity as well as WiFi. With the first live music event being streamed directly to the iPhone just a couple of weeks ago and Livestation quietly launching their first mobile application to stream live content (Al Jazeera World News) a bigger device surely has the possibility to re-invent how we interact with television and new digital media. I don’t think it will be long until you can subscribe or buy access to live events through the iTunes store. In the same way that you can currently rent films for a short period of time.

I think that there is also a possibility that the tablet device will be able to download and cache web pages (via RSS) so they can be read off line. The Amazon Kindle already does this with the New York Times. But I suspect Apple’s version will allow you access to a lot more traditional and un-traditional media sources off line and they will also be in colour.

So what will it look like?

Unlike the first tablet PC’s I think it is unlikely that the Apple tablet will have a stylus. The problem with multi-touch of course is that it relies on your figures to make it work and if your wearing gloves they are almost impossible to operate. But we also know that Apple have already thought if that. Battery life is likely to be a problem. I think Apple will go for a non-removable battery (like the new MacBooks) rather than the option to be able to change to a new battery.

All the rumors suggest that such a device will be about 10inches  and look a bit like a big iPod Touch. I’m not sure about this and think that any Apple tablet will look and feel like a completely new device. Although I did like this conceptual design over on the Gizmodo site.

Here’s also a nice little YouTube video:


Release date?

So when will we see the Apple Tablet appearing in our shops? This question is still up for debate and it may never appear at all. Rumors have been flying around that we might see a September launch for this new product? Traditionally, September has have been iPod an iPod launch time for Apple and I think its more likely that we will see a new range of iPods being launched in early September. The new range is likely to include additional storage, voice control (like the new shuffle) and of course cameras (including a camera on the Nano).

We may also still see a tablet launched at this time.  But the latest rumours suggest that Apple may keep any device like this for a launch event in 2010. This may be to replace the traditional Keynote that occurs around the time of MacWorld in early 2010 (Apple have pulled out of the MacWorld event and key note).

One thing is for sure. Steve Jobs is likely to do the next be Apple launch event and as he is only recently back to work, you can guarantee he will want to put on an excellent show. So I guess we will just have to wait and see?

Additional special features

Its unlikely that the new tablet will have the same functionality as the proposed Apple iPhone 3Gi :-)

Twitter Learn: Learn French from Twitter (140 characters at a time!)

 

I met up with my award winning friend Mark Pentleton last week for a quick catch up – I actually hadn’t seen Mark since Handheld Learning 2008 when we were both presenting in the Spotlight Scotland Section.

Anyway, Mark is the brains behind the Radio Lingua Network that I think has completely revolutionized language learning via the use of audio and video podcasts. Mark and his small team have now produced podcasts in over 20 languages that form a range of language courses to allow people to learn at anytime and in any place.

Importantly, the lessons provide structure, depth and progression. Much of the material is also free to download and there is also a subscription service.

You can always find Podcasts like Coffee Break French and Coffee Break Spanish near or at the top of the iTunes Education Podcast Store (in a number of countries!).

During out meeting Mark started telling me about one of his summer projects called Twitter Learn. Basically, during the summer holidays you could sign up to Twitter learn in French, Italian and Spanish.

Each day you receive a number of short (140 character) tweets going over the lesson and phrases for the day.

Also each day there is a short (140 second) podcast to accompany the tweets that get sent out. The tweets link to the podcast but you can also subscribe by RSS via iTunes.

I just thought this was a great idea and can’t believe I missed the launch of it while I was away in the summer. I just love this idea of drip-feeding learning is short bite size chucks that in re-enforced by a variety of media.

This type of learning has huge potential for schools. The use of twitter sending short messages to a mobile device makes the learning highly personal and instant for children. The audio content then provides the ability to dip in and out of the learning and offers reinforcement and practice.

Really looking forward to watching this service evolve with time. Well done Mark!

Will the new range of iPods have a camera?

I continue to think that there is huge potential for the use of mobile phones in education particularly devices like the iPhone. I was recently talking about the use of the iPhone in education at the Apple Regional Training Centre Conference in Glasgow. As part of my work with Learning and Teaching Scotland we are also going to be undertaking some exciting iPhone in education projects over the next twelve months (more on this soon).

There are two things that stop schools making more use of mobile devices at the moment. The first is politics and the second is price. I strongly believe that we will eventually get around the politics and school no-phone policies as long as we continue to promote the responsible use message.

The price of these devices is a different matter. The iPhone (like other smart phones) is expensive and in most cases requires a contract. The iPod Touch offers similar functionality for schools and is cheaper. One of the biggest problem with the touch is that it has no camera.

However, this all may be about to change. According to the next web.com the next version of the iPod Touch and iPod Nano will have a camera built in. The evidence for this, they claim, are in the new cases that are currently being produced in China for the new devices.

If this is true and if Apple sticks to the pattern of previous iPod updates the new range of iPods are likely to double in storage capacity but retail prices will remain approximately same prices. Meaning we are likely to see a 32GB Nano and a 64GB Touch.

It’s unclear whether the iPod Nano will be able to record video, but the iPod Touch like the new IPhone 3GS undoubtedly will be able to. If the new nano and the new touch are able to record (and edit?) video this is likely to be bad news for manufacturers of point-and-shoot cameras a like the popular The Flip Camera.

Apple is likely to introduce the new iPods in September — maybe by Steve Jobs himself now he’s back  at work from his short medical absence.

Now all we have to do is see if these rumors are true? If they are there could be huge potential here for education!

 

Pictures from: Cult of the mac

iPhone and mobile devices in education

I was asked to speak yesterday at the UK Apple Regional Training Centre Conference in Glasgow. I’ve been an Apple distinguished educator for a while now and it was nice to be asked to contribute to the conference on my home turf! I presented on using mobile devices (particularly phones) in education.

Unfortunately it was bit of a flying visit and I didn’t get an opportunity to catch up with anyone due to other commitments.

I did promise to post my slides below – here they are!

iPhone and mobile devices in education

View more OpenOffice presentations from olliebray.

If you’re looking for links from the presentation or a write up on any of the iPhone Apps that I mentioned then click on the iPhone/iPod Touch Category in the left hand tag cloud to see any apps that I have reviewed (most were mentioned in the presentation).

A huge thank you to all the positive ‘tweets’ that I received as a result of the presentation. It really is appreciated.

Apple 2009 - World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC)

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is the premier technical event for developers and IT professionals innovating with Apple platforms. This year the conference is going to be on the 8^th – 12^th June.

The big question is will Steve Jobs be back to deliver the Keynote and what exciting new technologies will Apple announce? I still think we might see a larger version of an iPod Touch or entry level iPhone be announced in June ready for the Christmas market. See my previous post on the iPad Tablet Device rumoured for the Autumn.