independent article on mobile learning

Not expressing a view but article appears to miss the trends in the FE & HE and sooner or later schools for supporting learners own device but nice to see couple of sound trail blazing projects placed centre stage. But of course you decide.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/is-it-time-to-get-personal-the-technology-about-to-transform-classroom-learning-977900.html

Great twitter tools two sources

Thanks to Leon Cynch for sending this link to me from http://www.deontee.com/about/

47 great twitter tools
http://www.deontee.com/47-top-twitter-sites-services-software-and-tips/

I also love the playmobile figure browsing twitter.


Also you might like to look at http://everythingtwitter.com/ great stuff on both sites.

Twitter stealth technology ?

Is Twitter a technology that is emerging by stealth. In recent months I've seen:-

• Teachers asking for ideas for teaching classes
• Travellers asking for restaurant and things to do ideas
• Conference attendees broadcasting thoughts ideas
• Conference presenters asking questions of the audience in the room and in the wider world via Twitter
  
• Bloggers getting ideas from twitter
  
• Facebook users using it to update status and Twitter at the same time
  

Google is still the search engine of the masses but for specialist questions amongst a circle of friends (followers in Twitter terms) Twitter is a very powerful tool that is creeping up in its use.

You may only have 160 characters but it encourages short targeted questions

See you on Twitter ;-)

Official Google Blog: Introducing Google Earth for iPhone

Credit to Ollie Bray http://olliebray.typepad.com/ for putting this out via twitter. It's works on
the touch to.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/introducing-google-earth-for-iphone.HTML

Great news if your interested in using the tool for:

• geography
• ecology/biology
• outdoor pursuits
  

Teachmeet be inspired

Great post by Tom Barrett  who attended a Scottish teachmeet last month and its seems hasnt been the same since. I attended my first the year before at the Scottish learning Festival like Tom I was inspired I've done four since . Toms post puts it so much better than I could
http://tbarrett.edublogs.org/2008/10/25/teachmeet-be-inspired/

I pushed them at Mlearn on my papers on the fly session Ive blogged them Ive bluddgendon people to help support them. So on just go and have a look http://teachmeet.pbwiki.com/

Think underground the teaching equivalent of guerrilla gardening with some people that ive met once and kept in touch with via Twitter my twitter

In fact teachmeet isn't precious about the idea the whole thing could work in your college your area or even your class people have all got things there passionate  about and want to share.

My email signature has a strap line "One can resist the invasion of an army but one cannot resist the invasion of ideas" Victor Hugo.

Teachmeet be inspired but be at one virtually or in person !!

Russel Stannard of University of Westminster we salute your willingness to share

Russel  has just won an award from Jisc for his work on video in  the use of producing learning materials www.teachertrainingvideos.com he used camtasia very effectivelly as a recording software

you will find loads of stuff from using blogger, producing podcasts, second life, RSS feeds how to use itunes to get podcasts.

Well deserved and a train resource he has made free to all

Should I close my blog

According to Robin Hamman of Headshift I should dont all shout yes at once !!! From Radio four link to programme page below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7685000/7685597.stm


Read interesting comment from Rory Cellan-Jones at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008/10/is_blogging_dead.html

The Sky's the Limit: Kids' Top Tools for the Classroom

Ok its from the George Lucas Educational Foundation website the man that brought you stars (for wish myself and my two boys are VERY grateful!)

the answers from young people they asked as to classroom technology is enlightening worth a read.

http://www.edutopia.org/student-opinions-classroom-technology

Google gmail mobile 2.0 marks a further march into the mobile space

No prizes for me telling you doesnt run on windows mobile but this version of gmail for you smart phone users must be worth a look.

http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2008/10/introducing-gmail-for-mobile-20.html

 the fact it works offline is the keypoint

Cotton knickers for africa

No its not spam its Lisa Velentines blog that is always worth a look http://lisavalentine.wordpress.com/

Lisa is one of those great people work to promtoe learninh  note I didnt add the "e" working for the JISC RSC's.

She described my networking at a recent event handheld learning as furious Ooh!! maybe I better calm down a bit !!


Great blog worth a look loved the Coast to Coast video as a keen cyclist myself

Happy Birthday IPOD 7 years old !!

Well a point to ponder on how little time they've been around to so dominate the market !

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/10/dayintech_1023

Mobile Learning @ BTC a blog worth following

This US based project might be worth some of the UK colleges Universities looking a mobile learning.

This is a relatively new project funded under Best Practice innovation grant with some interesting aims outcomes :-

http://wordpress.btc.ctc.edu/mlearning/

Objectives and Outcomes:http://wordpress.btc.ctc.edu/mlearning/about

1.        Improve access to
course materials by providing instructors and students with a handheld
device, such as an iPod Touch, which can be used to access content
anywhere there is a wireless Internet connection.

2.        Reduce production of
printed materials to develop a more sustainable instructional delivery
model.

3.        Provide tools to
generate increased instructor/student and student/student interaction
using more learner-centered pedagogy.

4.        Develop and publish
replicable implementation model to be promoted internally and within
the SBCTC system.

5.        Promote creation and
distribution of Open Educational Resources by modeling the process for
other institutions.

6.        Discover and document
how students are using these devices personally, so we are better able
to address future learning needs and interests.

News Centre : Department for Children, Schools and Families

Subject: News Centre : Department for Children, Schools and Families

A interesting time to live in Suffolk and Oldham http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0234

MUVEnation launch teaching and learning with MUVE's

Thanks to Steven Warburton for sending this my way

The European funded MUVEnation project has just
launched ‘Teaching and learning with MUVEs’. This is a one
year postgraduate programme, delivered online, for future and
in-service teachers who want to use innovative methods and tools to
address learners motivation and participation issues in compulsory
education. What impact can 3D virtual worlds, such as Second Life,
really have on our learning and teaching settings?
http://muvenation.org/about/programme-description/

The
course is free, but there are only 80 places. Participants will receive
a formal letter or certificate of completion from their assigned
institution For a full overview of the programme description and
objectives please visit. We have four levels of participation - from
the full course to those who are more experienced and would like simply
to observe and participate in discussions
http://muvenation.org/about/programme-description/

The
programme will be taking place in Italy, United Kingdom, Germany,
Spain, Belgium and France. If you are interested in participating then
please see the registration details here on the site, the closing days
for applications is the last week in October.
http://muvenation.org/participate/

We look forward to hearing from you,
The MUVEnation team

Programme description

Source: muvenation.org

Just Another Mobile Monday

Well just look at this ipod touched docked into a docking station
concept at moment but intersting.
http://justanothermobilemonday.com/Wordpress/2008/10/18/olo-computers-redfly-for-the-iphone-concept/

screen shots from a iphone Ipod touch

Simple trick hold down home button and quickly depress the power button and it neatly takes a screen shot of the screen and puts it into photo. A short post but a neat one .

IGoogle gets a makeover

Well the google blog says its launched in the US well I've got news ts launched hear as well as my igoogle homepage captured as a screen shots shows.

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-igoogle-publicly-launched.html




The telling quote is"We're very excited about these changes because it makes iGoogle a more
useful homepage and a better platform for developers. And this is just
the beginning: expect to see more canvas gadgets created by developers
and more new features on iGoogle soon.

so is it linked to chrome and other recent developments.

4IP got any big or not so big ideas

Read the text below I have idea for British Sign Language resources on mobile devices anybody fancy chipping in with ideas to make it happen..read about it below text is from the website


4iP is keen to get proposals from as wide a range of people and companies as possible. Nobody is too small, nobody too big.




In short, 4iP is looking to support great ideas for websites, games and
mobile services which will help people improve their lives. If you want
to learn more about the kind of ideas 4iP is seeking you can read our guidelines.




If you have a proposal ready to go, please set up your account and get cracking.



We aim to get back to you within twenty eight days with our initial thoughts - you can always log in here to check the status of your proposal(s).

Thomas Cochrane views on Mlearn

Not the same as mine but still valid he like the SMS stuff well done Steve !!!!

http://thomcochrane.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/mlearn-2008/

Thomas Cochranes blogs

Thanks for you comment and even more for giving a blog link interested yes very so if you interested a real mobile learning with real people in a tertiary work based learning context you got to follow Toms work!!

http://tcblogtest.blogspot.com/

plus hes got another he didnt tell me about so have that to will add them to my blog roll later.

http://thomcochrane.wordpress.com/

100 facebook friends

Well Ewan Micintosh was my 50th facebook friend and interestingly he has a link to my 100th Carole Fetcher of intutitive media . Carole Ewan and Marc Prensky and Stphen Heppel and Keri Facer of MMU were on a panel at handheld Learning 2008 . I asked a question of them about the elephant in the room holding up progressing the education system via the Txttools sms system used very effectivelly at the conference . I will post there responese later . Whats really scary I looked up Carole earler on facebook today and nearly did a friends request but was halted by dodgy connectivity so Carole you got there first .


All in all top event handheld learning top event and meal out last night was great !!

Mlearn2008 Exceeds wildest expectations and rfid first

Excuse the lack of long post but just got say Mlearn2008 was the best conference I've attended in a while . why well here's my feedback

1) Quality of papers without doubt high quality throughout
2) Keynotes not on duff one amongst them and interesting mix of commercial, policy focused and awesomely academic.
3) Exhibitors only a few but quality people
4) Social activity two great evening socials
5) Attendees really great mix those awesome South Africans, New Zealanders (Selena Chan and Thomas Cochrane blew my head off !!) those Awesome Aussie and a real great mix of other people from around the world.
6) Dr Chris Dennett and his working like devils with rfid and bluetooth stuff. The first education conference in the world to use rfid to inform its audience throughout . example of one clip sent to my phone
I will blog it loads but just to tired now


well done organising committee anyone fancy Florida next year !!!

PBwiki plus dash of google gadgets

Just been wikkiing around using
http://pbwiki.com/ Pbwiki and have discovered you can add Google gadgets to it. This makes it a really powerful collaborative tools

James May big idea series on the BBC

If you havent seen this series yet please  have look at the related website at
http://open2.net/jamesmay/

watch the one on robotics on BBC iplayer . Robotics is one the fields I would love to work in.

Becta pulishesesearch on Web 2.0 technologies for learning at KS3 and KS4 - Project overview

Not passing cooment on this for obvious reasons but I do encourage you read it .


http://partners.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=rh&catcode=_re_rp_02_a&rid=14543

The mobile fest has started !!

Molenet
Went to the Molenet dissemination conference on the 18th September get a very bland report here Iam assurred video and more etailed reports will follow. Keypoint apart from great stuff done by colleges is that more money is up for grabs next year details here

Mlearn2008 starts next week well worth a look details here some really interesting slots a distinctly international flavour .

Then week after next at the brewery in London Handheld Learning 2008 including a great FREE day on the Monday . Nicely titled a Handheld Learning Festival day

Its going to be great but exhausting !!!

twitter leads me to nice OLPC story on BBC

under my alter ego on twitter Anyjb I discovered this story from digital maverick.

 I have had a loan of a OLPC thanks Seb and have had some fun with it. But I wasnt convinced but maybe I have been to hard and tainted by my long expereice of suing PC's Mac and some of the more ecent UMPC's .

So maybe I am wrong
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7647114.stm

have a read off to eat humble pie ;-)))

Jisc online conference Learning in a Digital Age - Are we prepared?

Well those of you that know me are well aware I love face to face events but I also love online conferences .

This conference coming up in early november looks just the best. Ive got to give a huge plug to this one administered on behalf of JISC by Geoff Minshull and Judith Mole of Directlearn the best online conference team this side of Ursa Minor .

The line is pretty excellent yet another chance to see John (Giant) Davitt sickinlgy I suspect he has good online as he is live. The rest of the programme is great view it here  .

Added the conference link in my sidebar . Sadly nobody asks me to do online events anymore ;-)

Nintendo DSi

yet another move from nintendo using phenomenally succesful DS platfrom. theyve added a .3 megapxel camera a sd card reader and mp3 player  Its all getting interesting again.

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/2008/nintendo_introduces_dsi_9691.html