Tony Tin, Colin Elliott and Doug Kariel Project supported by the

1. Mobile Library: Connecting Mobile Learners to the Library in the Digital Age Tony Tin, Colin Elliott and Doug Kariel Project supported by the

2. Today’s Presentation • Introduction – Athabasca University • About Mobile Library • Special Features • Technology/Design • Challenges • Mobile ESL Project • Food for Thought

3. Athabasca Universityhttp://www.athabascau.ca. • Canada’s Open University • Location: Athabasca, Alberta, Canada • More than 32,000 students • Mandate: Remove barriers for students • Leader in M-learning and M-library Research

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. Why a mobile library at AU? • AU students study from a distance • Quick and efficient access to electronic resources and library services is essential • Students have even more options for fitting learning into their busy lives. It allows individualization & self-pace

6. Why a mobile library at AU? • They pick the time and the place to learn using mobile devices to access course resources and information • Supports those with special needs

7. Special Features • desktop3.avi • Mobile friendly AU Library site: Supported device: PDA, Palmtop, Blackberry, IPAQ, Smart phones • The site includes mobile friendly: • Digital Reading Room • Digital Reference Centre • Digital Thesis & Project Room • Library catalogue • Search engine • Model adopted by UK Open University

8. 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

9. M-library Design/Technology

10. AIRPAC • Enables users to access the AU library catalogue through their handheld mobile device as long as they have access to the Internet.

11. AIRPAC (ctd) • Activities available: • Search catalogue • Request books from the catalogue • Place interlibrary loan requests • View their library account • Renew material

12. Future features for AIRPAC • Athabasca University Library will explore how to enable users to view book jackets, table of contents, and reviews of books through the wireless catalogue

13. Challenges for the M-library • Defining content for the M-library • Define the amount and type of information • Design of the format • Normal website vs. mobile version • content and information • text, images, graphics, tables, location • Separate the content from the format • XML and XSL • Display models • different display model and stylesheet

14. Challenges (ctd) • Lack of a standard • Handling of PDF documents • Handling of multimedia file types • Corporate restriction on private or education use

15. From Mobile Library to Mobile Content: Mobile ESL Project

16. 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 • 86 lessons and related interactive exercises • Repurposed for Canadian content • Downloadable in .doc or .pdf format

17. 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

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

19. The Mobile Benefit “You decide where class is and when class start.”

20. Food for Thought • “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have these devices built into you and powered by your body” -Martin Cooper inventor of the cellphone

21. Further Information • Website: http://library.athabascau.ca/ • Publications: http://library.athabascau.ca/drr/pub.php

22. Acknowledgement: • CLA Library Research and Development Grant