Mobile Learning: hand-held innovations in flexible learning

Off to Perth today for the project workshop about the New Practices Project managed by Marcus Ragus. The project will explore how handheld technology can enhance work based learning. The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is one of the industry partners, thanks to a long-term relationship with TAFE Tasmania's Horticulture Team.

The project will investigate the varied hardware and software options, then put them through their paces in a number of pilots with learners and teachers. We're looking at models such as virtual learning environments, standalone learning objects with interactivity, communication and collaboration, evidence gathering checklists for both learners and trainers - this is just the initial list which is sure to be refined as the project progresses.

Being on the road means finding the space and time to work anywhere -Melbourne Airport in this case. Amazing how much of the office you can fit in a briefcase and this was just a start.

To Do

At the induction workshop last week Frances Howes asked each of us to make a 'to-do' list about our FLL project. This was influenced by some of the tips from past FLL's about how to manage our projects. I've decided to put mine here to act as a reminder.

1. Plan a workshop for Networking 2004 (by submission deadline)
2. Regularly feed out information to the broad TAFE Tasmania community - share the learning (at least one thing each month)
3. Make a commitment to regular reviews of my plan and assess progress (each month with mentor/s)
4. Reusable Reporting Objects - make the snippets, reflections, briefing papers, presentations work more than once (ongoing)
5. Keep a grip on reality - I'm sure my family and colleagues will help with this one (ongoing)
6. Read Strategy Papers etc as they emerge and ensure project is aligned / re-aligned as necessary - this came out of the latest Leadership Development Workshop (ongoing)

As you can see it's mainly about building myself a process for managing my project.

I wrote this in Word ToGo on my Palm to see if the formatting would carry over, but it doesn't. It is still relatively easy to do the formatting in mo:blog using the built in html tags. It's rare I buy software for my Palm (there's so much good free stuff) but mo:blog I just had to. It means I can write a post on my Palm m505, attach a photo that I've taken using a digital camera and then resized on my Palm, then use my mobile phone to upload it. Pretty easy considering what it can do.
The picture that is attached was from the flight from Melbourne to Perth.

Recording

To make sure that I get to the end of the year and don't suddenly have to scrabble around for documentation, I've pledged (?) to myself that I will update this blog on a regular basis. While I was away in WA (see here) I used my palm to compose posts and also attach photos.

After two days of intense workshop and project planning, we escaped to Kings Park for a breath of fresh air.

Whilst talking through the direction and outcomes for the project, something in the path caught my eye - it seemed to confirm that everything would work, it wasn't crazy, but it would require the following strengths:

How does this translate to my FLL project?
Well, doing the research and developling my skills will be great, but the real benefits will only come from being able to share my learnings, and translate them into real outcomes for the people I work with. And this must be my litmus test - I must be able to answer "what will it mean for learners, trainers and teachers, for team leaders, for support staff, for employers, for TAFE Tas, for Tasmania?" Then and only then, will the project reach its full potential.

Coffee

Not a bad place for coffee and fruit toast on Oxford St, Leederville

Arriving at Beyond the Break

Proudly wore my FLL name badge today - as well as the conference tag. Saw many others there too, and it was great to start catching up.

My trusty Palm handheld did a fine job today, as I arrived at Griffith Uni, I snapped these pics, then got into the more serious business of writing notes through many interesting presentations. At afternoon tea, I used the voice recorder when quizzing someone about their practice. I'll fill in the notes later, but am off to the conference dinner shortly, to 'network'.

Griffith Uni is really very very leafy.

Conference venue (or at least where lunch was found - very nice by the way)

Toowoomba

There is a japanese garden just next to the University of Southern Queensland Toowoomba Campus.

Distance Learning

This is the building which houses the Education Faculty at the University of Southern Queensland where I have been studying for the past 3 years. One of the bonuses of this trip was a visit to the library to browse - searching through an online catalogue works well for me when I know what I'm looking for, but I sometimes just want to see what's there. Nearly there with the study - one more subject and I will have completed my Graduate Diploma of Further Education and Training.

Soulfood

one of my favourite eating places from years ago was still there in Richmond.

Building Box Hill Insitute

On Thursday 19th August I visited Box Hill Insitute in Victoria with Roger Parry and Brian Gepp of Douglas Mawson Institute in SA. We met with Peter in Building Studies who outlined how they are gradually changing their practices in response to industry needs.

There is now one trainer from Building & Construction who is dedicated to workplace visits and assessments and the demand is gradually growing from industry. Building industry growth is creating huge demand for training across the three states talking together that morning - similar issues of tracking apprentices and grappling with flexibility exist. This confirmed my belief that without administrative processes and system that can adapt and change, flexibility in training and assessment will place loads on teachers that are not sustainable. When you scale from 20 to 200 workplace trainees, a 'workaround' system and processes can turn into chaos. Not that I saw that at Box Hill mind you! Just a comment on the need for scalability and systems to support not drive processes.

Mindmapping Photos

MindMapping workshop

13- 14 September, 2004 Sydney

Victorian Photos

Victoria, August 2004

Photos from Copenhagen