Digital Reading Room: Present

1
Athabasca Universitys Innovation in Mobile and
Flexible Learning From M-Library to Mobile ESL
Tony Tin, Colin Elliott Tracey Woodburn
2
Athabasca University http//www.athabascau
.ca .

• Canadas Open University
• Location Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
• More than 32,000 students
• Mandate Remove barriers for students
• Leader in M-learning and M-library Research

3
Why advocate mobile flexible learning at AU?

• AU students study from a distance
• Quick and efficient access
• Affordablility/portablility
• Novelty of gadget/display
• Allows individualization self-pace learning for
  students with busy lives
• Supports those with special needs

4
What is a mobile library?

• The idea of a mobile library is to provide
  learners with access to the university library
  and to course resources using mobile devices

5
Special Features

• Desktop http//library.athabascau.ca
• Mobile friendly AU Library site Supported
  device PDA, Palmtop, Blackberry, IPAQ, Smart
  phones, iPhones
• The site includes mobile friendly
• Digital Reading Room
• Digital Reference Centre
• Digital Thesis Project Room
• Library catalogue
• Search engine
• Recipient of 2006 CLA Library Research and
  Development Grant award
• Model adopted by UK Open University

6
Special Features (ctd)

• Auto-detect and reformat
• Learning object reuse
• Easy web maintain/update
• Multimedia file support
• iPodcasting
• Wireless library catalogue
• Search
• Mobile content conversion on the fly

7
M-library Design/Technology
8
From Mobile Library to Mobile Content Mobile
ESL Project
http//eslau.ca
9
Overview of Project

• Develop and test innovative approaches to ESL
  learning using mobile devices and a variety of
  testing and practice methods
• Based on best selling Penguin series
• 80 lessons and related interactive exercises
• Repurposed for Canadian content
• Downloadable in .doc or .pdf format

10
Student Feedback

• Students indicated that the a good use of mobile
  technology for ESL would be whenever they have a
  few spare minutes
• One concern expressed was the cost of Internet
  access
• Reported positive experience with the ESL grammar
  course and the use of mobile technology in
  learning ESL grammar

11
Results

• CBC News Coverage
• Honorable Mention at the 2008 CNIE Conference for
  Innovative use of technologies to support
  E-learning

12
Building on the Success of the Mobile ESL
Project Mobile Workplace English (WPE)

• Provide mobile and iPhone friendly, interactive,
  English grammar lessons containing practical,
  workplace specific vocabulary and content

13
What is WPE? -Content

• 86 units with 155 interactive, multimedia (audio
  and video) exercises
• Vocabulary from 8 different workplace situations
• Health and Wellness Trades and Labour
• Utilities-Oil/Gas/Mining Food Services and
  Restaurants
• Retail and Sales Administration and Clerical
• Hospitality and Tourism Banking and Personal
  Finance
• http//wpeau.ca

14
Interactive Exercises

• There are 4 types of interactive questions

15
Interactive Exercises II
16
Multimedia (Audio) Exercises

• Five styles of interactive audio exercises
• Audio Vocabulary list (Health and Wellness
  Vocabulary)
• Audio dialogue followed by text questions (Ex.
  20.2)
• Multiple Choice - audio sentence then choose
  text answer (Ex. 28.1)
• Multiple Choice - read text then choose audio
  answer (Ex. 38.3)
• Audio lesson (Unit 51)

17
Multimedia (Video map) Exercise

• Unit 9 Ex. 9.3
• A short scene between a medic and an injured
  worker followed by text questions (0153)
• Unit 74 Ex. 74.1
• Look at a map of a city for a lesson about
  directions in a town or city
• Video

18
Future Directions

• Support different languages (Chinese, French)
• Add more audio/video content
• Link to Mobile Friendly Open Access materials
• Translations, Dictionary definitions
• Voice recognition
• New Google iPhone app

19
Food for Thought

• Wouldnt it be wonderful to have these devices
  built into you and powered by your body
• -Martin Cooper
• inventor of the
• cellphone

20
Further Information

• Website
• Mobile Library
• http//library.athabascau.ca/
• Mobile ESL
• http//eslau.ca
• Mobile Workplace English
• http//wpeau.ca
• PublicationsM-libraries libraries on the move
  to provide virtual access