Saturday, August 15, 2009

m-Learning Devices

The Don't Waste Your Time blog posted a poll regarding the best devices for delivering m-learning. The list was comprehensive, but made me think about when is it not e-learning and becomes m-learning. There are gray areas such as laptops and netbooks. Technically they both should be included, being very mobile, but I am still hesitant to include these as m-learning devices. Probably because what is typically accessed on these are e-learning courses and not courses designed specifically for mobile devices. As far as the other devices like phones and PDAs, you must apply “m-learning” design due to such things as the small screen, limited processing speed, lack of Flash players (in some cases), etc.

I can be swayed a bit on netbooks due to some design considerations needed. However, if m-learning is defined by the design approach not the device, then laptops are off my list.

Here is the list from the Don't Waste Your Time...poll:
  • Phone / iPod Touch

  • MP3 Player

  • Mobile Phone

  • Smart Phone

  • Laptop

  • Netbook

  • eBook Reader (Sony, Kindle, etc)

  • PDA

  • Games Console (PSP, Nintendo DS, etc)

    • Thanks Don't Waste Your Time.. for this comprehensive list. Myself, I cannot think of any devices to add, but if anyone out there does, please feel free to comment. And take the poll too.
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    4 comments:

    1. Robert Kennedy IIIAugust 17, 2009 at 6:33 AM

      Jeff,

      I went over to David's blog and checked out the poll results there. I thought the results were a bit skewed due to the non-inclusion of certain devices and the breaking out of other devices that are, for lack of a better term, crossover devices. For instance, the iPhone IS a smartphone, PDA and mp3 player. There are other phones that fit that description as well. Some people's ideas of a device name/description might vary. I had an HTC Mogul (aka, PocketPC 6800) which was also referred to as a PDAphone. So, in my mind, when you say PDA these days, those are the first things I think of.

      I say this because if you break out the iPhone as a separate device, then technically you can include Blackberry phones as well ESPECIALLY because they are marketed more as a business user phone and business users are exactly the people who would be using m-learning......well, at least they are a good portion.

      ReplyDelete
    2. JeffAugust 17, 2009 at 10:41 AM

      Robert, good points. Regarding Blackberry, I think you are right about including it on its own-right if iPhone is. In fact, I believe last year's e-Learning Guild survey identified Blackberry as one of the top devices for m-learning.

      Thanks for the comment.

      Jeff

      ReplyDelete
    3. zezydutAugust 22, 2009 at 6:43 PM

      zezydut...

      Crash Kildow Video ...

      ReplyDelete
    4. Vinayak KadamAugust 31, 2009 at 6:43 PM

      I am trying to narrow the gap between various intellectuals with various idealogies through this forum. Cordially invite you all to join this forum and help me in my cause.

      www.mobile-learning.org

      ReplyDelete

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