Delivering content on a PDA

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Delivering content on a PDA

• Andy Ramsden
• Learning Technology Adviser
• Learning Technology Support Service
• http//www.ltss.bris.ac.uk
• http//www.mobile-learning.blog-city.com

Innovative ways of delivering, creating and using
content on a Handheld
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aims of this presentation

• To demonstrate some of the content types that
  can be used on a PDA.
• From the design perspective look at some of the
  issues associated with the design and development
  of content for a PDA.
• Unpackage some uses of a PDA within an
  educational context

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what Im not

• An evangelist for mobile learning
• A technical person

What Id like you to be

• Open minded to the possibilities of mobile
  learning
• focussing on the technical issues associated
  with mobile learning, i.e., different devices,
  interoperability, and content management.

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my context _at_ UoB
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what content do you want on your PDA?
On a piece of paper list the types of content
youd imagine would be used on a PDA (mobile
device).
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some content types

• Word document/text file/PDF
• Still image
• Video
• Audio
• Simulation/game
• ebook
• Spreadsheet/database
• Email
• Web sites
• News summaries (RSS feeds)
• Interactive exercises
• ???

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what do you want to do with the content?
On a piece of paper write down the sort of
elearning activities you might expect students to
undertake on their mobile device(s)
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im not collecting your views however
Hold onto those bits of paper, and Ill hopefully
discuss some of them during the rest of this
presentation
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placing into context

• The design process
• User focused
• Iterative process
• Continual evaluation

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Developing content The Design ProcessRelaxed
Figure of 8 Model
Original aims objectives
Aims objectives
Software
Hardware
Staffing
Learning design
Usability
Evaluation
Legal issues
Budget
Accessibility
Audience
Pedagogy
Screen design
Publish
adapted from Cook, Ramsden, Sims Timmis (2004)
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publishing issues (content isnt static)
cable

• Implications
• File Size
• Connectivity

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Potential Use Geography - Microclimates
Idea School children. Identify existence of a microclimate at various points (weather stations) around the school.
What using (capturing devices) Climate stations PDA Excel / word / database Camera Voice memos (mp3)
Workflow (computer to PDA) Collect evidence (database voice) Upload electronic records to PC (s) (share when / where appropriate)
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Screen design issues

• Maximise the student satisfaction, w.r.t.,
• Reading
• Writing

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Screen design issues
Who is responsible? Who is responsible?
Student Staff
Colour screen / adjustable backlight / good resolution H v
Simplifying the material for the screen S v
Awareness of preferences and assistive technology S v
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enhancing reading on a PDA
Teacher Produces word document

• Benefits
• The player is free
• Multi-platform
• Low threshold technology

Teacher converts into Mobipocket version
Teacher uploads to VLE course
Student feedback on usability
www.mobipocket.com
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Potential Use Language Centre - UoB
idea Listening / reading / writing activities. Enhance the learning experience through changing the environment Undertake the formative assessment with feedback on the VLE course.
What using (PDA) Mobipocket document
Workflow (Computer to PDA) Write activities in word, convert to Mobipocket Upload to VLE
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writing text input on a PDA
When designing the activity minimise the quantity
of text required to be input on the PDA.
Implications Redesign the learning activity to
minimise text entry
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text entry is slow and prone to errors
Im having a great time. Hope is all well with
you chat soon. My new number is 55 whats
yours?
Graffiti users (n9) 1.94 min 1.8 av. Errors
Onscreen keyboard user (n4) 1.56 min 0.8 av. Errors
PDA keyboard (the project manager) 31 sec No errors
PC (the project manager) 26 sec No errors
Ramsden (2004), Mobile Learning, pg 87
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pushing the envelope

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writing your reflective log

http//ramble.oucs.ox.ac.uk/
http//www.pocketblogger.net/
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1-2-1 1-2-many communication

Skype is a little program for making free calls
over the internet to anyone else who also has
Skype. Its free and easy to download and use,
and works with most computers and on the Pocket
PC platform so says skype.com
http//www.skype.com/
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group working in the classroom

eBeam - http//www.e-beam.com/
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Using RSS to pull it all together

http//www.happyjackroad.net/pocketpc/pocketRSS/po
cketRSS.asp
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Find out about your students

Given the following would you recommend that a
lecture starts to use podcasting? What type of
podcasting would you recommend? How integrated
should be as a central delivery tool?
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Engineering students _at_ UoB

• Do you have access to your own computer when at
  University? Y 88, N 12
• If yes, do you have access to the internet
  during term time on this computer? Y 98, N
  2
• Do you own a mobile mp3 player? Y 60, N 40
• Do you own a mobile phone? Y 100
• Does your mobile phone play mp3 files? Y 45,
  N 55
• On average how often do you download music from
  the Internet?
• a) more than one song a week, 41
• b) about one song every two weeks, 28
• Have you ever subscribed to a podcast? Y 15, N
  85

Survey sample 50 (response rate 18) Nov
2005
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conclusions

Delivery of content to a PDA is relatively
simple, and becoming easier over time. Key issues
include infrastructure at the institutions and
support. Success is based upon using the PDA as
an extension of the PC, especially wr.t. the
transfer and storage of content, while aligning
the elearning task to the strengths of the
technology.
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now its your turn any questions?

http//www.mobile-learning.blog-city.com http/
/www.handheldlearning.co.uk andy.ramsden_at_bristol.
ac.uk