m-learning tools – Page 12

Sydney Opera House lit for World Autism Awareness Month, courtesy of Autism Speaks.org

April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day. It’s a big day in the autism community as it reminds those who haven’t been affected by this condition that it still exists, and the number of those affected with the condition rises all the time. On April 2nd, many major world landmarks are even lighting up with light blue lights, to celebrate and remind us of the day, and to mark the start of World Autism Awareness Month.

What does any of this have to do with m-learning? EVERYTHING.

In the last year or two, it’s been mobile devices–especially iPads and other tablets–that have proven to be excellent tools and teachers for autistic kids. Unlike other devices of the past, today’s tablets have proven to be more affordable and learner friendly for autistic kids. Did you see the segment on 60 Minutes months ago where they showed children who they didn’t think had an understanding of language use iPad apps to “speak” and show that they comprehended language better than had been thought? This is a major deal, because this would enable autistic people to truly have a voice, even if they couldn’t physically speak. Communication is a huge part of life, and this helps them communicate. This is major stuff!

Additionally, higher functioning autistic kids often needs help with their homework and schoolwork, and need something more tactile and something that provides instant feedback even faster than a computer would. More than even a typical kid (“normal” is a relative term in the special ed world, because, what is truly “normal”?), autistic kids don’t necessarily like being stuck in front of a computer sitting still. Working in an environment that is comfortable helps with producing a productive learning environment, and even a laptop can’t pull that off well sometimes.

But the use of smartphones and tablets? Autistic kids LOVE them! They have the bling of a video game with the general conveniences of a desktop or laptop. Apps are affordable, and there are so many for special ed educators to use with autistic children, and get a positive response. If the best in special ed elearning is applied to mobile devices, I’m sure that large strides can be made for the betterment of these children. Portability–or rather mobility–of the device is key.

I think there’s a big market and opportunity in creating mobile learning apps and texts for people with autism. As mentioned, it seems that the population is growing due to better diagnoses over time, so early intervention with the right tools are essential, and those involved in mobile learning have a huge opportunity to make a difference!

If you don’t create learning apps or software for kids but would like to donate your time to help, check out the Hacking Autism site, which is sponsored by Autism Speaks, and I believe in prior years was also sponsored by HP.

Why do I take such an interest in this? As you may have guessed by now, autism is a big part of my daily life. My almost 11 year old son was diagnosed at age 9 as being on the cusp between having Asperger’s a syndrome and high functioning autistic, being so high functioning that he eluded many people who tried to diagnose him earlier. He was categorized as high functioning autistic in the end as he had speech problem when he was very small that required a lot of speech and occupational therapy, even though his speech issues have been resolved. (In fact, much like his mother, he often doesn’t stop talking now.)

I look at the capabilities of what apps on an iPad can do that I wish it had been around when he was smaller. While he is a “digital native”, and he has been around computers all his life due to two parents in the IT/e-learning world , he is most smitten with my iPad. Granted, it’s so he can mostly play Angry Birds in Space right now, but since he has an interest in physics and science, I’ve put a lot of games that are oriented around the use of physics, and he responds. When he has writing assignments, he likes being able to type either directly on the iPad or using my wireless keyboard to write his homework. Just the other day, I showed him the entry from the Khan Academy about the odds of winning the MegaMillions, and he thought it was cool. I could show him all these things right from my iPad, and not have to drag him to my laptop or his desktop. He loves interactivity and loves to watch videos, as he’s mostly a visual learner.

I foresee more and more uses coming about with the use of smartphones and iPads for kids and adults with autism as time goes on.

Oh, and one more thing. Through my son, we’ve figured out that I, most likely, am also on the autism spectrum as well, most likely a high-functioning Aspie. Imagine figuring that out in your early forties! While most who have known me even for most of my lifetime would say, “Really? How is that possible? You are so NORMAL!” I would contend that I had many of the same social and learning issues as my son, but to a lesser degree than him, as a child. I still have problems understanding some social signs, and it’s like mental gymnastics when I get overwhelmed with things even now. My brain just shuts down. As a result,I understand it when my son gets frustrated too. (Imagine my poor husband, when he has to deal with both of us having meltdowns of various degrees!)

I find that part of the reason that learning instructional design comes so easily to me is because I’ve had to figure out–the hard way–through my life how to actually learn. I had to figure out how to retain information, and how to figure out how to make study skills become a natural action. Since it was harder for me to learn how to learn, the information and those skills I did attain have stayed with me longer. I can look at content from the eyes of the end user as well as the author, knowing that if a certain desired response is being elicited, then the right word choice or presentation of information needs to be done. The digital age has helped me open up and find my voice and my ability to write effectively, when I thought, as a child, I was not a writer at all, and had major difficulties doing so. Having this “natural” ability with instructional design and a passion for technology are what have helped me in my career, and what will hopefully propel me forward as I continue to pursue an e-learning/m-learning career. In the end, it’s not about metrics and logistics of e-learning or m-learning, but the actual LEARNING that’s most important to me.

Autism is a big part of my life, and it’s a big reason why I’m so passionate about m-learning. It’s not just the wave of the future for typical learners, but the wave of the future for ALL learners.

[Updated 3/15/12 to include link to the webinar video.–TCGM]

Alas, poor Yorrick, I thought I knew m-learning well…

I attended a great webinar today hosted by Float Learning in which the subject of the webinar was, “Rapid Development Tools for Mobile Learning.” One of my favorite champions in the m-learning cause, RJ Jacquez, was one of the featured speakers, so I was anxious to listen and learn. During the webinar, while the hosts and featured speakers had their discussion–which I did listen to–there was also a very active chat session going on simultaneously. It was a challenge to keep up with it, but it was just as exciting, nonetheless!

Much of what the chat discussion talked about, as did the webinar, is how those who are developing m-learning materials really need to change the game, that going mobile doesn’t mean just converting regular e-learning courses for a mobile audience. As was said, who is going to look at a smartphone for hours on end watching PowerPoint slideshows go by? Nope, in this transition from e-learning to m-learning, it’s a real opportunity to rethink how e-learning is done for m-learning. iPad or the use of other tablets is not the same as using smartphones, just as mobile learning isn’t the same as learning from a desktop or laptop. As someone from the chat mentioned, with all the different phone and tablet formats, it’s almost like the height of the browser wars again. There are some great software publishers who get this, and some who don’t, understanding that there are so many formats to have to try to deal with, and again the idea of Flash dying a very painful death, this is really at the forefront of many whose job is to make these courseware conversions.

But it’s not just about converting things from Flash to HTML 5 friendly content. It’s actually about the content itself as well. A big point that was made was instructional design and content design are of equal importance right now. As I said before, no one really wants to watch a two hour lecture on their iPhone, do they? Not that it can’t be done, but it’s not very practical now, is it? Content design has to be rethought and redone–in some cases, from scratch–to convey the same information in bit size pieces that are more conducive to mobile formats for mobile devices.

The main thought was that as much as the world hasn’t completely caught onto this idea, e-learning professionals need to get on the bandwagon and truly promote what m-learning really is and “join the revolution”. Software tools are not there, and m-learning thinking isn’t quite there yet. Or at least, it’s not up to par as it should be in various learning arenas (traditional education as well as corporate education).

Or is it?

Shortly after attending this webinar, iTunes sent its weekly email of new and leading education apps. I usually just glance at it, but I noticed something that might have potential. When I opened the description, I couldn’t believe it. There was something there that could act as a model for exactly what those who were chatting in the webinar were talking about.

It was an app to learn Shakespeare’s Hamlet. (Click on the image below, and you’ll be taken to an iTunes webpage about it.)

Evidently, the company that published this app, Mindconnex Learning Ltd., is already on this, and understands what this is about. In this Hamlet app, the original text of the play is broken down into smaller, easier to manage pieces. There are sections that provide analysis and notes, character analysis…the works! It provides the unabriged text along with the learning guides needed to help understand such a complicated work in English literature. Mindconnex also has other apps for other works by Shakespeare, and not only has them created for iPad use, but also for iPhone use. How great is that? Mindconnex Learning has the right idea, and I wish them good luck as they continue to help set a standard for m-learning.

So, the next step seems to be that e-learning professionals have to get on board with m-learning formatting, which is just as much about formatting for the devices as it is formatting the instructional design to make it more usable on those devices.

Will this happen in the near future? Let’s hope so.