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”M-learning: The Cutting Edge” Ericsson Education, Dublin 22 November 2002 Torstein Rekkedal

M-learning for PDAs: Enhancing the Flexibility of Distance Education – Experiences with a Learning Environment for Mobile Distance Learners. ”M-learning: The Cutting Edge” Ericsson Education, Dublin 22 November 2002 Torstein Rekkedal Director Research & Development NKI Distance Education

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”M-learning: The Cutting Edge” Ericsson Education, Dublin 22 November 2002 Torstein Rekkedal

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  1. M-learning for PDAs:Enhancing the Flexibility of Distance Education – Experiences with a Learning Environment for Mobile Distance Learners ”M-learning: The Cutting Edge” Ericsson Education, Dublin 22 November 2002 Torstein Rekkedal Director Research & Development NKI Distance Education Norway

  2. M-learning for PDAs: Overview • NKI Distance Education and Online Education • Basic philosophies when developing system for m-learning • Developing the environment for m-learning • The two courses developed and trialled • Experiences

  3. NKI • The NKI Group – a non-profit foundation in education: • The Norwegian School of Information Technology (NITH) • The Business Training Centre (NA) • NKI Publishing House • NKI Distance Education • NKI Distance Education: • Each year around 15,000 active students • 100 programmes and 400 courses • 60 programmes and 380 courses on the Internet

  4. NKI and Online Education • NKI Distance Education/NKI Internet College • Online distance teaching since 1987 • In continuous operation • Integrated research/educational development/technological development • ’Mainstream’ technology • 4500 students in 34 countries • 380 courses/60 study programmes

  5. NKI basic philosophies concerning distance learning • Student autonomy and flexibility

  6. Flexibility in distance education • Models of teaching and learning • Distance Education: • Individualised Flexible Teaching or • Teaching in ’The Extended Classroom’

  7. NKI basic philosophies concerning distance learning • Student autonomy and flexibility • Flexible and individual distance teaching with the student group as social and academic support for learning. Views of knowledge and learning • The result of learning is a change in the student’s perceptions • Learning is a qualitative change in understanding • Learning is an active process • Learning is a socially supported individual process

  8. Technology: Content and communication: Pocket PC/PDA Learning content to be downloaded Mobile phone Online access to forums for reading/writing Portable keyboard E-mail communication with attachments Designing the Environment for Mobile Learners • Studying online and offline • Technical solution:

  9. Students’ and tutor’s use of technology when mobile When mobile the students must be able to: • Study the course materials • Make notes • Write assignments • Access Forum to read • Access Forum to submit contributions • Send e-mail to fellow students • Receive e-mail from fellow students • Submit assignments by e-mail including attachments • Receive assignments corrected and commented on by the tutor

  10. The trials The courses: • The tutor in distance education (Norwegian version) • SPICE 603 Online Teaching and Learning

  11. The trials Experimental conditions: First trial: Simulated learning situation Second trial: Real course with real students in real setting Evaluation methods and procedures: Field study Qualitative process evaluation Final ’quantitative’ questionnaire

  12. Results The participant’s study situation Students and tutors working with the course at home, at the office and on travel • Assignment for submission via mobile technology: Few problems, acceptable costs Downloading and synchronizing learning content Technology: Broadband, LAN, modem, ISDN and mobile – few problems Reading and studying on the PDA: E-book version preferred before HTML Contribution to Forum via PDA and mobile phone: Direct access to Forum, preprepared message, fast connection

  13. Conclusions • Mobile technology may increase the flexibility of distance teaching • The technology functioned according to expectations • Participants’ views varied – from enthusiastic to quite reserved • Institutional challenges for systems development to cater for mobile and not mobile learners • Technical problems exist, but are continuously reduced through software and hardware developments • The students expressed very different views concerning reading from a small screen • We need better solutions for browsing web pages • Portable keyboard is necessary for efficient use of the PDA as a teaching and learning tool • Mobile communication is still expensive – especially from abroad • We are uncertain whether a future solution for mobile learning is solved by • Mobile phone and pda • Hybrid (pocket phone/computer) • Laptop with mobile connection • Other solutions (?)

  14. Thank you! • NKI Internet College:http://www.nettskolen.com/ • Powerpoint Presentation:http://home.nettskolen.com/~torstein/m-learningCuttingEdge.ppt • Presentationhttp://home.nettskolen.com/~torstein/m-learningCuttingEdge.doc • Torstein Rekkedal home page:http://home.nettskolen.nki.no/~torstein/

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