Workshop 1 Details

Practical how-to workshop sessions @ 14:30

1. The iPad in Education

The workshop will cover the following topics:

How relevant is the iPad to education?
The potential of GPS and 'Geo' location services
Apps on the iPad
Produce your own iBook in 10 minutes!
iPads for management - corporate systems in your hand

Mick Mullane (LSN MoLeNET mentor) and John Whalley (LSN MoLeNET mentor)

Mick Mullane has been working with iPods and iPhones since they were first released. Along with Elaine Coates Mick delivered the first 'iPhone in Education' days for MoLeNET looking at podcasts, apps, and even wandering delegates around streets using the inbuilt GPS. Mick has recently presented the use of the iPad in education at an Apple training event and is investigating the corporate uses of iPads linked to MIS systems.

John Whalley has been involved with the introduction and use of both iTouches and iPhones for learning in colleges over the past couple of years. From this he recognises the potential of the iPad in this area and has been using the iPad with a view to its educational relevance since it became available in the UK . John has been experimenting with simple ways in which staff can use it as an e-learning tool, particularly with respect to its use of iBooks and the potential for interactivity in this area.

2. The Mobile Learning System (MoLeSYS)

A highly intuitive online authoring tool specifically designed to create, recycle and publish learning activities and quizzes for a range of Internet enabled mobile devices.

Some existing products, both commercial and free, allow teachers to create simple learning materials and quizzes to run on some handheld devices. Limitations as to the format in which materials can be imported and exported/saved, limitations as to the number of compatible devices, especially hand-held devices and also licence restrictions and fees preventing wider availability.

Furthermore the complexity, usability and efficiency of existing tools is often a barrier to frequent and widespread use by teaching staff, and many existing tools are designed for use by those with more specialised developer skills. There is also a barrier if the tools and skills required to author and deliver learning content for mobile devices remain separate from the tools and skills required for delivery to desktop computers etc.

MoLeSYS has been developed to answer this need for efficient and effective solutions designed for use by teaching staff to create and recycle learning material and activities for use on a wide range of mobile devices.

The session will demonstrate the features of the tool and how you can create and deploy learning activities and quizzes for your learners.

Danny Atwere (Development Adviser, LSN)

MoLeSYS Development Team
Tony Malone – Insite
Malcolm Stewart – Visionradio
Paula Taylor – Riverhall Consulting

Danny Atwere has over 10 years experience with LSN leading on national teaching and learning initiatives. Danny’s role at LSN has involved supporting the development and implementation of three major national technology initiatives – QUILT, NLN and MoLeNET. Danny also has 12 years teaching experience prior to joining LSN and has led the development of the MoLeSYS tool.

3. Using Gaming and Games Devices to enhance learning

Discover how games device can be used to excite, motivate and support learners in almost all curriculum areas. This workshop aims to link learning theory to how games are used in practice and offers you an opportunity to create materials for games devices.

Di Dawson (LSN MoLeNET associate)

Di Dawson has a particular interest in the use of gaming devices and games particularly using handheld devices such as Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. She has examined the skills people use when playing games, both traditional and electronic, and has explored how these skills can be transferred into learning.

4. How BlackBerries can be used in Further Education

The session will provide attendees with an overview of the current adoption of Smartphones and how your college could leverage the adoption of BlackBerry Smartphones by your students to provide a cost effective efficient method of mobilising their learning experience. We’ll look at real world examples of how students have benefited and our future plans for the BlackBerry Academic Program.

Contents:
Industry trends
BlackBerry Smartphones
BlackBerry Messenger
BES Express
BlackBerry as a tool within education
BlackBerry Academic Program

David Corke (Aylesbury College) and David Thornton (Senior Channel Sales Manger, Research In Motion)

David Corke has a decade of experience in further and higher education in various roles, including teaching, research, funding and systems management. Prior to working in education, David worked in the IT industry on high performance computing, networking and disaster recovery projects.

Dave Thornton has nine years with Research In Motion working with organisations from all sectors to ensure that they get the most out of BlackBerry and fully exploit the potential of the platform. Prior to joining RIM ten years experience working with Microsoft Solutions Partners delivering network and messaging solutions.

5. Talking technologies – making the most of mobile inclusion:

Technology breaks down barriers; but for learners with learning difficulties or sensory impairments the barrier to inclusion may be the technology itself.

This session looks at a range of technologies from mainstream to specialist, cheap to expensive, simple to sophisticated. They all have one thing in common – they talk. The session covers DAISY players, INTEL Reader, Penfriend Optical identification, iPhone/iPad accessibility, accessible USB audio players and LiveScribe Pulse pen. This session will be of particular interest to people supporting learners or creative people wanting to explore some new mainstream opportunities.

Alistair McNaught (Senior advisor, JISC TechDis service)

Alistair McNaught co-authored the JISC TechDis / LSN Upwardly Mobile DVD and has particular interest in the use of ebooks on mobile devices. He is part of the e-book steering group of the Right to Read Alliance and is currently working with publishers to improve accessibility of e-book platforms. This particular workshop has been developed as a result of his contributions to an International Computing and Communications camp for visually impaired students from Europe, Japan and the United States.

6. Mobile learning and Assessment – pulling it all together

This session will explore some of the m-Assessment techniques that have been used by projects and others during the last three years. It will take a look at some of the tools and techniques that have been employed: We will experience active learning and assessment techniques; we will take a light hearted journey through some of the underpinning theory. We take a look at how RSS and a new m-portfolio system could help us to pull it all together. Expect to use your mobile devices during this workshop.

David Sugden (LSN MoLeNET mentor), Lilian Soon (LSN MoLeNET mentor)

David Sugden

David has been involved with projects in the north of England since the beginning of MoLeNET in 2007. He has supported their developments and shared good practice across the sector. He is actively involved in researching, exploring and disseminating mobile learning tools and techniques and has delivered mobile learning workshops across the country. He is particularly interested in the way in which mobile tools can help all learners to learn. He is an TechDis Accredited Trainer.

Lilian Soon

Lilian has been involved with mobile learning since 2001, from SMS and pdas to the wonderful world of Web 2.0 and the mobile internet. She enjoys action research and will test out ideas for use of technology in teaching and learning with tutors and learners where possible. She was northern lead for the LSIS eCPD programme, is an associate adviser for the JISC RSC YH where she advises organisations on accessibility and mobile technology as well as e-learning, and she is a JISC TechDis accredited trainer. She developed the original text wall (and invented the term) for use in education. She is currently on a mission to teach more people about RSS and its uses so that they can experience for themselves what a wonderful tool it is.