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Virtual Professor goes WIRELESS / Handhelds |
Updated June 1, 2007 | ||
What is "Pervasive eLearning" ?
Wikipedia doesn't even have the phrase yet. Nor does
the eLearning Guru's glossary
of eLearning! So let me try my own definition & description:
The phrase Pervasive eLearning clusters the aspects of eLearning that go beyond "online" to a 'next generation' paradigm that makes use, specifically, of the most mobile aspects of technology. It also involves, of course, a somewhat different media perspective (and skill set) than PC based eLearning has been using. It also involves the necessary rethinking of teaching/learning methods -- yet another learning curve for educators: How do you make coursework available to (and/or created specifically FOR) handhelds, mini PCs, smart phones, etc? According to the IEEE (hosts of the PerEL 2006: the 2nd International Workshop on Pervasive eLearning in March 2006), "...aspects of Pervasive eLearning include:
"Pervasive eLearning is to be seen as a key technology for tomorrow's e-knowledge society. Here, content, context and community as well as a technical basement are equally important aspects for the realization of a global campus. PerEL 2006 will discuss new techniques for the support of mobile teaching, learning and working from a pervasive point of view."
m-Learning.org: " m-learning is mobile learning: using mobile technologies (such as mobile phones and hand-held computers) to enhance the learning process. With a background of more than 4 years of trialling, research and development, m-learning has helped thousands of learners from all walks of life to develop their skills, confidence and motivation to learn." 08/18/06 Articles & Information: WIRELESS & HANDHELDS in EDUCATION iPod content interactive for education: Mobile Musings, a blog at K12Handhelds.com (more about them further down this page). This post offers links to programs that offer "...various ways to incorporate more interactivity into iPod content." 06/01/07 Learning with Handheld Technologies: "This handbook on learning with handheld technologies arises from a two year study by the Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol... . This study comprised observations and interviews with some of the leading practitioners of handheld learning in the UK, and desk-based research to identify other developing projects in this area. In the course of the project, a number of key recommendations and observations emerged which have been distilled by the researchers on the project in this publication." The handbook includes recommendations on:
Education in the New Digital Landscape: "Instant Messenger (IM) Generation and have grown up with video games, cell phones, pagers, computers, the Internet, and other digital wonders that define their world. For them there has never been a time when these technologies haven’t existed. They are what Marc Presnky calls “digital natives.” Digital natives process and interact with information, and communicate in fundamentally different ways than previous generations before them."11/10/05 Integrating Handhelds into the Curriculum: [K-12] I don't usually include info about books on this site. But this integration idea appeals to me and I think the page is worth looking at. The books aren't expensive and come with CDs containing packaged lessons, guides, etc. Book titles include integration Across The Curriculum, ...into the Writing Curriculum, ...101 Great Educational Uses For...., Tips n Tricks for...., Handhelds for Teachers & Admin. 02/22/06
Handheld Computers in Education: This article from wwwTools for education covers definitions and background into, then offers a long, categorized & commented set of links to several excellent resources and articles on the topic. An excellent starting point! 01/29/06 The Handheld Educator: Top 10 Reasons To Use Handhelds: A one-page summary of Best Practices for Handhelds in Education. "Teachers rely on best practices, the strategies learned from experienced educators and researchers, so they can use the most effective methods to teach their students. Many components make up a best practice. Some techniques are ageless and withstand the test of time. And some that are new and innovative, like using handheld computers, show great promise." 01/29/06 eLearning On The Move: "Over the past seven or eight years, universities and colleges in the US have been introducing wireless technology into campus life. In the UK and at universities in other countries around the world, pilot projects that started at the end of the 90s are now giving rise to "wireless ready" learning environments, overcoming the restrictions of hard-wired technology. In the ever-more competitive national and international markets for students, this is a campus facility that universities are increasingly dangling before the eyes of potential freshmen." 01/29/06 Technology-Enabled Teaching/eLearning Dialogue ~ 'What if' Pervasive Computing? "In summary, I believe that the preponderance of current evidence argues for accelerated deployment of pervasive computing to capture the productivity of time between tasks, the creative contribution of assembled community to idea creation, and for timely access to information to satisfy the itch of curiosity. I hope we all balance this enthusiasm with an appreciation and acceptance of the unanswered questions about learning--how can vetted information sources retain the credibility deserved by their multistage creation? What is the relationship of attention to retention, focus to further formulation, and information access to knowledge building?" 11/10/05 Handhelds in the K-12 Environment: A blog created and maintained by Kathy Schrock (Kathy was one of the first classroom teachers to mine the potential of the Internet, having teamed up with the Discovery Channel to create her great resource site, Guide for Educators.) 01/06/04 Tutorials, Tips, Tricks How PDAs Work: From the fantastic HowStuffWorks site, an excellent article for those of us who don't yet own a handheld. Explains the various types/brands, their differences in technology and use, and more. "In this article, we take look at the PDA -- where it's been, how it is converging with other devices, and where it's headed. We also examine how PDAs work and give you some pointers on how to select one." 01/29/06 K12 Handhelds.com: A site devoted to the use of handhelds in education. Page topics include the two below, as well as Products, Classroom Solutions, Bookstore, Grants, Cool New Stuff, Professional Development, Events. 01/29/06
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