Mobile Learning

Mobile learning has different meanings for different communities. It is also related with e- learning and distance education. One definition of mobile learning is: Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies. In the other words, mobile learning decreases limitation of learning location with the mobility of general portable devices. Mobile learning is convenient in that is accessible from virtually anywhere.

In the field of education, it is very important to bring new technology into the classroom. It is a light weight device as compare to books, PCs, etc. It could be utilized as a part of learning approach or a blended learning approach but it needs to be used appropriately, according to the groups of students involved.

As we all know that everything is double fold. It has also included some technical, social and educational challenges.

Technical Challenges: -

·       Connectivity and battery life

·       Screen size and key size

·       Ability for authors to visualize mobile phones for delivery

·       Possibilities to meet required bandwidth for nonstop

·       Content security

·       Numbers of files supported by a specific devices

Social and Educational Challenges: -

• Accessibility and cost barriers for end users
• How to assess learning outside the classroom
• How to support learning across many contexts
• Content’s security
• Frequent changes in device models
• No restriction on learning timetable
• No demographic boundary
• Disruption of students personal and academic lives
• Access to and use of the technology in developing countries

Blogs

A blog is a discussion or an information site that is published on the World Wide Web and it is constructing the discrete entries typically displayed in reverse chronological order so the most recent post appears first. Until 2009 blogs were usually the work of a single individual, occasionally of a small group and often were themed on a single subject. Recently multi- author blogs have developed, with post written by large number of authors and professionally edited. Moreover, blogging can be seen as a form of social networking. Bloggers do not only produce the content to post on their blogs but also build a social relationship with readers and other bloggers.

Many blogs focus on particular subjects, other functions such as more personal online dairies and still other functions more as online brand advertising of a particular individual or company.

A typical blog combines text, images and links to others blogs, web pages and other media related to its topic. The readers have an ability to leave comments in an interactive format and it is very important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual but some focus on art, photographs, videos, music and audio is another type of blogging and featuring very short posts.

Types of blogs –

·        Personal Blogs: - The personal blog is an ongoing diary by an individual. It is the most common traditional blog. Personal blogger feel proud on their own postings, even if their blog is never read.

·        Corporate and organizational blogs: - A blog can be private or it can be for business purposes. Blogs are internally used to enhance the communication or externally for marketing and branding. These are used to improve the public relations and are called corporate blogs.

·        By genre: - Some blogs focus on particular subjects such as political blogs, health blogs, travel blogs, gardening blogs, house blogs, fashion blogs, project blogs, education blogs, classical music blogs, quizzing blogs etc. The most two common genre blogs are art blogs and music blogs.

·        By media type: - A blog which comprises videos is called a vlog, one comprising links is called linklog, a site containing a potfolio of sketches is called a sketchblog or one comprising photos is called a photoblog.

·        By device: - Blog can be defined as a type of media which is used to compose it. A blog written by a mobile phone could be called a moblog.

·        Reverse blog: - A reverse blog is composed by its users rather than a single blogger. This system has the characteristics of blog and allows writing on it. These can be written by several authors on a topic or opened up for everyone to write.

Reference: -

Thelwall, M., & Hasler, L. (2007). Blog search engines. Online Information Review, 31(4), 467-479. doi:10.1108/14684520710780421

MOODLE

Moodle (Modular Object- Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a free source of e- learning software. It is also known as a Course Management System, Learning Management System or Virtual Learning Environment. Moodle was originally developed by Martin Dougiamas to help educators create online courses. It is mainly focused on interaction and collaborative construction of content and is in continual evolution. The first version of Moodle was released on 20 August 2002.

Moodle has several features considered typical of an e- learning platform. It has some original innovations like its filtering system. Moodle is very similar to a learning management system. It can be used in many types of environments such as in education, training and development and business settings.

Moodle is a platform that enables teachers and students to create digital content. Resources can be shared and and created collaboratively. It allows teachers and learners to collaborate, communicate, share resources and evaluate process. Teachers can create their own courses and set them according to demand of the subject matter and students.

Some typical features of Moodle are:-

     ·          Assignment submission

·        Discussion forum

·        Files download

·        Grading

·        Moodle instant messages

·        Online calendar

·        Online news and announcements

·        Online quiz

·        Wiki

Developers can extend Moodle’s construction by creating plug- ins for specific new functionality: -

§        Activities (including word and math games)

§        Resource types

§        Question types (multiple choices, true and false, fill in the blank etc.)

§        Data field types (for the database activity)

§        Graphical themes

§        Authentication methods (can require username and password accessibility)

§        Enrolment methods

§        Content filters

Reference: -

Wilkin, C. (2012). Do you moodle? ten good reasons to use virtual learning environments to enhance learning. Teaching Business & Economics, 16(2), 15-16. http://search.proquest.com/docview/1014012755?accountid=39660

Adobe Connect

Adobe Connect is software used to create information, general presentations, online training materials, web conferencing, learning modules and user desktop sharing. It is entirely Adobe flash based. The meeting rooms are organized into pods and each pod performing a specific role such as chat, whiteboard, note etc. Adobe connect was formally part of the Adobe Acrobat family and has changed names several times.


FEATURES:-

1. Unlimited and customizable meeting rooms   
2. Multiple meeting rooms per user
3. Breakout sessions within a meeting
4. Audio and video conferencing
5. Meeting recording
6. Screen sharing
7. Notes, chat and whiteboards
8. User management, administration and reporting
9. Polling
10. Central content library
11. Collaboration Builder SDK 

                                           
Adobe Connect is the best way to attend a meeting when access to computer is not possible. With the recent changes to Adobe Connect mobile, it is now possible to attend or to host a meeting using the same application. Whether you are using a tablet or mobile phone, Adobe connect Mobile is optimized for your device.

Reference - 

Stewart, B. L., Ezell, S., DeMartino, D., Rifai, R., & Gatterson, B. (2006). VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A collaborative pilot case. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 7(4), 377-385,447-449. http://search.proquest.com/docview/231066561?accountid=39660

Teaching attributes

                     Qualities Of a Good Teacher

These teaching attributes are based on the Sir ken Robinson video. Click here

Spontaneity	During his lecture he has not got enough time for spontaneity but in the end of the lecture you can find the spontaneously quickness in his words.
Timing	He was very careful about this matter. He brooks his speech into small sub topics and expressed his views under the time limit.
Confidence	He was very confident about the content of the lecture. He explained each and every topic in deep way and also creates an eye contact with his audience.
Subject mastery	He is the master in his subject and his audience knew about that. His explanation was totally relevant according to the topic.
Vulnerability	He also expressed the vulnerability in his lecture. He compared his cooking performance with his wife. He tried to explain that he is not perfect in each and every task.
Teaching aids	He did not use lots of teaching aids. Most of the time he used his gestures and some hand movements.
Making use of classroom	He knew that how can he create the environment according to their teaching session. He did not stick on his lecture. He also created humour during his teaching.
Starting	His starting was totally different than other lectures. I was totally surprised to watch him but after that he welcomed everybody and started talking about creativity.
Stopping	In the end of his lecture, he talked about the fundamental principle of education that are important for the acadamic growth of students. He also talked about the future requirements that are necessary for the development of the students.

Michael Wesch

Michael Wesch born in June 22, 1975. He is associate professor of cultural anthropology at Kansas State University. He is also a media ecologist exploring the effects of new media on human interaction. 

I have watched a video about A Vision of Students today. This video signifies the attitude of the students about their daily life and also describes the important facts of the student life.

This video summarizing the most important characteristics of the students today such as how they learn, what they need to learn, their goals, hopes, dreams, what their lives will be like and what kind of changes they are experiencing in their life. This video is created by Michael Wesch with the help of Kansas university students. Click here to watch this video.

Neil Postman (1931-2003)

                           Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman (1985)

 Neil Postman was a great educator. He was born in 8 March, 1931. He was an American author, media theorist and cultural critic. He is best known by the general public for his 1985 book about television, Amusing Ourselves to Death. He was also a humanist who thought that new technology can never substitute for human values. He was born and most of life he spent in New York City. Postman wrote 18 books and more than 200 magazines.

He distinguishes the Orwellian vision of the future. Postman thinks that television images replace the words. They are confusing the people such as reality shows and even news they are not telling the truth. Moreover, we spend more time on television and computer. People control by inflicting pleasure. He also commented on the presentation of the media in terms of shows and other stuff. He refers the relationship between information and human responses.

In my views, this video is quite interesting in terms of new world because this is totally true we are going to addict for media. We use Face book, mobiles and lots of other technology. Now in these days media is not providing the information. They are busy to earn T.R.P of the shows so they can make money from these shows.

If you want to learn more about this book and want to watch this video then click here.