Well you would have to have been sleeping under a log for the past week to not have heard about Apple’s new iPhone 3g. I myself was waiting in anticipation for the release of the much rumoured upgrade. Being in Australia we have not seen it come to our shores yet (minus the few 1000 unlocked ones), so it was exciting to hear that Australia will be receiving the new device on July 11th.
After watching the WWDC Keynote address I was particularly interested in the educational applications for this device. I have embedded a youtube clip of the two educational applications that have been developed. Both these applications are for higher education, but both demonstrate exactly what is possible with learning on a mobile device.
WWDC Medical Apps for iPhone Demo
While I am sure the device will open itself up to some wonderful learning applications, I think there is more to it as a learning device. The addition of GPS and high speed access anywhere anytime is truly a reliseation of what has been somewhat of a innovative educators dream for many years. I remember back when I was finishing my degree in 2001, talking about this idea of anywhere anytime learning and always being connected. We didn’t really understand that idea as wireless technologies were just not to the standard we see today. While many of these technologies have been available in similar devices for a while now - none have seemed to have been as functional and as easy to use as the iPhone.
So what will be the greatest challenge if this device is embraced as a learning device? Well probably that very thing. This device is a very open device and it allows levels of users access never really seen before. How will our schools manage this? Will we lock it down or just ban it all together? Or will we have a serious discussion on how we can create a learning culture that embraces the amazing possibilities of such a device. Gone are the days of schools being able to manage what students see at school. It is now too easy for a student with one of these devices to view and access any content they want. Therefore, it is obviously going to be something that we as educators and schools will have to embrace and decide how we will guide our students. Once again this is a school culture issue and probably another example of the desperate necessity for schools to embrace the change and begin developing ways in which they will handle such technological change.
I can see this device being used for incredible educational purposes. Having access to learning resources in your pocket, being able to connect with experts in a number of different ways all from one device. Mobile blogging has finally been demonstrated as something that will be easy to do with this device. Imagine having a group of students on a field trip all reporting back to another class at school using a device like this. I guess it is time to wait and see how these technologies are utilised and if they will be embraced.
Just wondering if anyone would be interested in being a part of an Aussie Educators Podcast. Something like what Bob Sprankle in the US does with his Seedlings show - but with more of an Aussie slant on things. They do a great job of sharing tips and picks of the week and I think it would be great if we had something for the Aussie’s (and I guess we can include the Kiwi’s). I have the setup to record the podcast (all join in via skype) and then I will mix and edit the show…..
Basically, I am thinking…
1) Once a fortnight to start with (maybe once a week)
2) A panel of 4 - 5 Aussie educators who have something to share
3) A set list of discussion points set before each show.
4) Picks of the week - Be it software or weblink etc
5) Target Audience - Educators keen to be at the cutting edge of learning technologies.
If you are keen and think you could ad something to a show like this leave a comment on the blog here. Then I will contact everyone and see if we can come up with a name for our show and a recording schedule that fits with everyone.
Well it has been some time but I have finally organised myself and got some video files organised for another podcast. These four files go through a Mathematics lesson I did recently with a “reluctant” group of year 9 (14 years old) students. I explain the context of the lesson further during the podcast. This was a bit of an experiment with the new iWork and iLife suite from Apple. I would do this again as a way of providing resource to students for revision etc. However, I wouldn’t use an exercise like this too often and would never want to use it for more than 10mins at a time.
Wow it has been a long time between podcasts…. However, I have got some great content for today…. I was recently disappointed to miss out on Jimmy Wales tour here in Australia. I found a recording of Jimmy’s presentation in Sydney which was broadcasted on national radio here in Australia. Thanks to the folk at educationau who always put on fascinating events for the education world here in Australia.
So sit back and enjoy episode 24!! More to come soon - I hope!!
Thought I would give a plug to a mates podcast and blog…. Quite an interesting concept here…. Check out theLIVEproject.
It is basically the journey of producing a live concert that neve actually happened by a band that never existed. Just check it out…. The site explains it well and the podcast is really well done.
Well it was my turn to host a skypecast today. I must say it was quite a busy experience and hosting the cast sometimes makes it hard to concentrate completely on conversation. Things started slow with just Brian Crosby joining in. He and I spoke over a number of interesting issues and were later joined by Miguel Guhlin. We were also going to try a live cross to Doug Symington’s Ed Tech Talk show that was being recorded at the same time. However, we ran into some troubles and everything got shut down. Hense the sudden ending to the skypecast call. Oh well, I guess we are all just still learning this stuff. I must thank those who participated you do more for my own professional development and thinking than anything else.
Episode 22 of my podccast - The Battle with Teachers and 21st Century Education - Part 2; Click here to download episode 22.
Side note…. I said that Wesley Fryer’s skype cast works out at 1300 Sunday Australian EST. It is actually 1200 Sunday Australian EST.
