Mobile Learning – what does it look like?

Although I’m aware of the range of mobile technologies – the hardware anyway – for long enough I’ve been a bit sceptical about the extent to which they would really be used by learners. The types of mobile devices I mean, include laptops & tablet PCs, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) & hybrid phones/PDAs/MP3/MP4 players with the all being used in conjunction with portable storage devices such as USB pen drives & SD memory cards.

I’ve seen plenty of students in HE with laptops but not many who bring them into FE institutions and can they plug them into the networks anyway? I’ve seen none using a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). From published research and indeed feedback from focus groups we've facilitated ourselves, it's becoming evident now that learners do not want to use their mobile phones for learning and, apart from the obvious expense of going on line, often resent the intrusion of text messages from the institution they’re attending. The screen is mighty small as well (an age related problem I fear).

I do have a PDA and have used it for my diary, address book, document store and in conjunction with a portable keyboard to take notes. It’s a great gadget and synchronises with my work laptop beautifully. It’s not until recently though that I have explored it’s online capabilities and that’s principally due to the availability of free wireless networks. Web pages that are designed to adjust to small screens make a difference too and the fact that you can switch your gadget on and start using it without having to wait for the thing to “boot up” makes such a difference. The ability to fire up your gadget when you like and where you like has great appeal but you know if I had to pay for the priviledge of going online I think I'd just wait.

At a meeting with colleagues from other RSCs recently a couple of them brought out their new Asus eeePCs. This is more like it – a 7.5 inch screen, Open office, Wi Fi enbled for the web, mail, internet radio and more. It comes in black, white, blue, green and pink and currently costs £199 for the 2GB and £229 for 4GB – cheaper than a half decent mobile phone. Switch it on and get started. Victor Keegan’s article in yesterday’s Guardian online describes it well.

So is that they key to mobile technology? The availability of wireless networks and a decent sized screen ? Do you know I think it might be.