Mobile Learning Project Draft
Kris Witte
Ignatia/Inge de Waard
Hi Kris,
Thank you for sharing your project. Here are some of my thoughts that came up while reading your project.
It is clear to me you are getting together a good action
plan, based upon expertise, search for niches, the understanding of having a
strong network and knowing the importance of searching for outside knowledge
where needed.And I love the train-the-trainer idea.
You mention you will use iPads for all your workers/learners. I am not sure you should immediately go for iPads. The thing is, there are less expensive tablets on the market, just as performing and which are ‘open’, meaning they can easily be used to add information from the cloud. iPads use iTunes to get everything synchronized making it sometimes more rigid. The iPads are often also much more expensive. So a thorough calculation of the tech needs in combination with cost analysis might save you a lot of money.
The iPad also does not allow USB connections, which is still a really handy way to work ubiquitously.Especially when you want to roll out this project, or scale it up. I feel it would be better to think BYOD from the start. You might still deliver tablets of some type, but if you make your content BYOD, it will enable more people to access it, even if they do not have a tablet (yet).
Building content for BYOD or ubiquitous access might also give you a hands up with funding. Because it will save you a lot in costs and at the same time will offer one less barrier to gain access to the material.
The reason I focus so much on the ubiquitous aspect is that – when reading your project – it could well be that the material your staff is using, will also in part be what their end clients will be using: material to understand culture, language, administration… but if that material is build for iPad, it is not necessarily build for smartphone/webbased delivery. This becomes more important when I read that you will start from product development. At that point I would not focus too quickly on the type of delivery device, but let the target population’s infrastructure be your guide for which type of devices you will use.
Also, if you work with different partners, the IT responsibles might have questionmarks with having to cater to one particular device. I know that is the case at my institute. iPad is not necessarily seen as an asset from an IT point of view. But it can be of course, but it is good to make sure from the start.
On the content: the video’s are a good approach, but pictures with simple text can also be a good first option (lower production cost and time). There are some mobile projects build for integrating people from other cultures into the dominant culture of a certain area. So it is a good thing to build a network and see what others have done to build upon that, but also address niches as you mention.
As you have experience in online learning, I would go for a mix media approach, addressing a number of learner preferences and different learning goals. This diversity will also trigger interest by a divers stakeholder public.
Good luck!
