Download The Development of Courseware for Smartphones

The Development of
Courseware for Smartphones
Judy Nix
Ericsson Education Ireland
Based on Research for the EU Leonardo Funded Project
Mobile Learning: the Next
Generation of Learning
Fernuniversitat
Distance Education
Corvinus University of
Budapest
Mobile learning is the provision of
education and training on hand held
devices: PDAs, smartphones, mobiles
and MP3 players
Why develop courseware for
mobile devices?
 664.5m mobiles phones shipped in 2004
 50% of all employees in the developed world spend
half their time outside the office
 Nearly all higher level education students in Europe
use mobile phones in their everyday lives
 It is predicted that multi-purpose handheld devices will
outsell laptop and desktop computers this year
 3G networks will provide the infrastructure through its
“always on” environment
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The Approach
 To mirror existing eLearning development methods by
employing the same tools and technologies to
ultimately facilitate adaptability.
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How? – Development Tools
 Macromedia Dreamweaver
MX Version 1.0
- Site definition Wizard
- Validator
- Previewing facility
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Development Tools
 Opera Browser 6.31
- Supports XHTML
- Supports Cascading
Style Sheets (CSS)
- Describes what the
content looks like
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Development Tools
 Adobe Photoshop 5.5
- Images can be save in GIF
- Transparent areas can be
included
- Web colour palette can be
specified.
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Technologies
 The Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML)
1.0 Transitional
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Technologies
 Cascading Style
Sheets (CSS)
Levels 1 & 2
-
-
-
CSS enables authors to separate
presentation type from
document content
Style rules define presentation
& formatting can be contained
in a single files.
Facilites the implementation of
well structured, maintainable
xhtml documents.
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Technologies
 Java Script
- a scripting language for creating simple code to
control the behaviour of web document objects
 Document Object Model (DOM)
- the
ability to change the appearance of a web page
dynamically
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Design &
Development
 Web Based Design
 A user interface screen
was created with a
column container that
holds all the content
 The container holds a
table element and the
course material iframe.
 The user-interface page
was designed to behave
dynamically
 At any one time, one
specific icon or heading is
displayed at each location.
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Design & Development
Challenge of how to present diagrams in a concise,
uncluttered way.
Key colour codes were employed in some areas
A scaled down , simplified image-map version with different
clickable areas was used to provide links to separate full size
sub section view of the original graphic.
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Student Evaluation
n
1.Occupat
ion
5.Mobile
Device
Ownershi
p
%
%
n
Non-Technical Employee
Technical Employee
Teacher/Trainer
-
-
18
-
25-29
37
n
3
-
30-40
16
6
Male
12
4.Level of
Education
5
24 or younger
7
3.Gender
n
Manager
1
2.Age
Group
%
%
3
95
-
7
16
-
37
High school Matriculation
One to three years post secondary
Four or more years of post-secondary
-
3
16
-
Mobile Phone
17
16
PDA
89
-
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Both
-
14
2
11
-
Over 50
Female
63
%
Other
41-59
31
n
84
-
Student Evaluation
 78% found the equipment easy to use.
 56% agreed that the experience was fun,
 45% agreed that m-learning increases the quality of elearning.
 50% agreed that learning objectives can be met by mlearning.
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Recommendations
 Research is needed to ensure a fun experience for
everyone within mLearning
 Design and graphics are very important
 Communication functionality and how it can be built
into the overall package
 Feedback and assessment needs to be developed
further
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Conclusion
 Through the use of web based technologies, courses
can be developed and adapted for mobile devices
 3G with its on all the time evironment will improve the
background environment
 More research is need
 Students have the devices – lets give them something
to learn on them!!
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