Weekly Spark: mLearning

This week's Spark* is presented by NUTN's Corporate and Military Resource Group (CMRG). If you're interested in issues related to corporate and military partnerships in distance learning and educational technology, please be in touch with the CMRG chairs to let them know of your interest: Betty Keese (betty.keese@navy.mil), Carol Thompson (carol.r.thompson1@navy.mil), Theo Stone (tstone@umuc.edu).

Since the CMRG is presenting a Phone Forum this week on Mobile Learning ("mLearning") in higher education, here are a few mLearning resources to "spark" your thinking on the topic:

A good place to start is the Wikipedia entry on mLearning:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-learning

Going Nomadic: Mobile Learning in Higher Education, by Bryan Alexander, in EDUCAUSE Review [pdf]:
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0451.pdf

Learning on the Move: mLearning is Next, from Robin Good's blog
http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/01/17/learning_on_the_move_mlearning.htm

Don't forget to register for Thursday's Phone Forum, during which your colleagues will be discussing questions like Does mLearning (mobile learning via cell phone, iPod, or PDA) have a place in higher education?; Is mLearning working? If so, what seem to be best practices? Feel free to respond to this email with your thoughts on any/all of these questions!

More information, including how to register, can be found at:
http://nutninteractives.blogspot.com/2007/11/mlearning-in-higher-education-thursday.html

-The NUTN Interactives Team
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* What is The NUTN Weekly Spark? Each week, via the NUTN email list, one of our NUTN Resource Groups will send out an idea, a resource, a discussion starter, a challenge, or something else to get you thinking. We invite you to jump in and respond, or just glean whatever ideas and resources you can from each week's Spark.

Accessibility and Mobile Technologies: Wednesday, November 28

Register now for Accessibility and Mobile Technologies, a NUTN Phone Forum
Wednesday, November 28, 2:00 pm Eastern Time

In this Phone Forum, we'll explore the issues of accessibility as they relate to students at a distance who use handheld and wireless devices. Starting our discussion will be Ian Webber, Interactive Media Developer for RIT Online Learning.

Please join us to discuss:

• What do we need to know about accessibility as we port learning content to mobile devices?
• What are some of the technical challenges?
• What can we expect in return for our efforts, in terms of learning gains and access?

It's free to participate for NUTN member institutions! (Long distance charges to Dallas, TX apply)

To register (NUTN members only): Send an email to nutn.interactives@gmail.com, indicating the title of the event (above).

mLearning in Higher Education: Thursday, November 15

Register now for mLearning in Higher Education, a NUTN Phone Forum
Thursday, November 15, 2:00 pm Eastern Time

Find out how other institutions use handheld devices to create mobilelearning ("mLearning") opportunities beyond the classroom. Please join us to discuss:

• Does mLearning (mobile learning via cell phone, iPod, or PDA) have a place in higher education?
• Is mLearning working?
• If so, what seem to be best practices?

It's free to participate for NUTN member institutions!(Long distance charges to Dallas, TX apply)

To register (NUTN members only): Send an email to nutn.interactives@gmail.com, indicating the title of the event (above).