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The mobile learning potential of
the Sakai CLE and Open
Academic Environments
Dr Philip Uys Tim Klapdor
Director, Strategic Learning and Teaching Innovation Media Technologist
Division of Learning and Teaching Services Division of Learning and Teaching Services
Charles Sturt University, Australia Charles Sturt University, Australia
<puys@csu.edu.au> <tklapdor@csu.edu.au>
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Key tenets of mLearning
- mLearning deals with the mobility of the learner (anywhere, anytime)
- It also integrates other uses of mobile devices (e.g. polls in the classroom)
- Universities are using the students’ devices (not the university’s) , and we are moving
into their world in a more direct and personal way
- mLearning via the Sakai CLE and Sakai OAE supports
- Personalised learning par excellence
- Supports authentic, situated, contingent and contextualised learning
- Supports emergent learning
- Supports social constructivist learning via direct communication and social media.
It is difficult to define mobile devices because of the greyness of such a definition, but here
is an attempt:
A mobile device is typically a pocket-sized or handheld computing communication device having a
display screen with touch input, keypad or keyboard. Mobile Devices are typically wireless enabled
allowing access to the Internet and use mobile Web 2.0 tools to connect and engage with some
computing capabilities.
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mLearning within CSU’s online learning environment
http://www.csu.edu.au/division/lts/docs/role/ltsystemsdashboard.pdf
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Para-analysis
(Buchan, 2010)
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Synopsis
The presentation aims to encourage discussion about new options for student
learning through the use of mobile devices via the CLE and OAE.
These new options relate to students accessing learning materials; accessing
learning support materials; performing learning tasks; participating in learning
interactions; performing assessment tasks; and evaluating teaching.
Typical personas, real life examples, issues espoused in the literature will be
discussed and built upon.
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Structure
Introduction
1. Students accessing learning materials
2. Performing learning tasks
3. Participating in learning interactions
4. Performing assessment tasks
6. Students accessing learning support
6. Evaluating teaching
7. Issues: Ethical; Educational; Technical; Other
Closing
Note: The six areas are not watertight and overlap, separated merely as a framework
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Introduction
1. Focus on student learning
 Not student access to general administrative information e.g. time tables, maps
 Not staff use (although implications and overlaps)
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2. Some recent studies
•Abilene Christian University (Tim Klapdor visited): initial findings from 2008 to 2009 were
above 80% satisfaction and the last two years this has risen to over 90%.
•http://www.acu.edu/technology/mobilelearning/documents/ACU2009-10MobileLearningReport.pdf
•Oklahoma State University reported 75% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement,
“I think the iPad enhanced the learning experience of this course.”
•http://news.okstate.edu/press-releases/929-ipad-study-released-by-oklahoma-state-university
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3. Some international developments
• The Horizon Project is a long-running qualitative research project that seeks to identify
and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning,
research, or creative expression within learning-focused organisations. For the last three
years mobile learning has featured as the number one emerging technology both
internationally and in Australasia
• Mobile devices (such as Phones, Smart phones, PDA’s, Tablets, Netbooks and Portable
Gaming Platforms) are more common and we are seeing an increase in usage of
handheld ‘mobile’ devices by staff, community members and students. Many of these are
Internet capable, able to connect to the Internet via a wireless connection, or via the 3G
mobile phone network..
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• A changing trend in hardware towards mobile computing in a variety of forms. A
multitude of Mobile Operating Systems are in development including Apple’s iPhone OS,
Google’s Android, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile and various Linux based systems. These
are being launched in conjunction with the next wave of Tablet hardware (See: Apple iPad
http://www.apple.com/ ; Motorola Xoom http://bit.ly/kYOFbk and Samsung Galaxy Tab
http://bit.ly/muWjfJ). There is a considerable market push towards Tablets and
Netbooks
• A typical Smartphone has not only a wireless internet connection but a GPS,
accelerometer, compass and multi-touch interface which can be developed to create a
much more personal experience where content can be delivered, created and
contextualized by a student’s physical location.
http://www.lukew.com/resources/articles/MobileFirst_LukeW.pdf
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• Tremendous growth in the number of new mobile devices, specifically tablets,
expected over the next few years. Gartner predicts word wide rollout of 54.8 million tablet
units in 2011, 103.4 million in 2012 and 154.2 million in 2013 on top of the 11 million sold
in 2010. Source.
http://printceo.com/2010/11/gartner%E2%80%99s-optimistic-predictions-of-tablet-growth/
•In the 3 years (2006-2009) mobile web traffic on the AT&T network in the USA
increased 50 times, up 4,932%. AT&T, Morgan Stanley Research
•At the March 2011 introduction of iPad 2, Apple CEO Steve Jobs shared recent numbers
on Apple's "post-PC" sales and market share.
http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1103pijanbdvaaj/event/index.html
• Apple recently shipped their 100 millionth iPhone.
• Apple has sold 15 million iPads - that's more than every tablet PC ever sold.
• There are 65,000 apps specifically developed for the iPad.
• There are more 350,000 apps available on the iPhone.
• More than 10 Billion Apps have been downloaded from the App Store.
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• Relevant to CSU: the iPhone is the clear market leader in Australia with over 74%
market share followed by Android with 13% ; in terms of tablets the iPad has a 92%
share. iOS devices, which includes iPhones, iPods and iPads, account for more than 5%
of the total web traffic in Australia.
• In the final quarter of 2010 Fortune reported that Smartphones outsold PCs for the
first time – a full two years before the prediction by Morgan Stanley – and according to
the UN Telecommunications Agency www.itu.int 77% of the world’s population now
has mobile devices.
• 99% of the students of the Catholic University of Mozambique has a cell phone,
while less than 10% have computers
• While mobile devices are often in developing contexts the primary device, these
devices are often secondary devices in developed contexts.
The technology is here in both developing and developed contexts,
ready, available and in wide spread use right now.
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5. mLearning at Charles Sturt University
• CSU Educational Technology Survey among students (July 2010 ; n = 4000)
o A large majority (87%) of students indicated that they wanted to revisit work from
lectures on their handheld/mobile device.
o Students were evenly split (50/50) among those who wish to access on campus
information; subject information; subject readings; assessments or notifications on a
handheld/mobile device.
o 42% of students already had Internet enabled mobile phones. (Note that this survey
was done very shortly after the iPad was launched in Australia).
o Since 2005 we have surveyed our first year students in the School of
Communication about a range of technology/media issues. Of the 207 surveyed in
2010 - 94% own a portable media player (e.g. iPod) and 80% use iTunes at least
weekly."
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• Investigation in 2010 identified need and options
http://www.csu.edu.au/division/landt/resources/mobilelearning/index.htm
• Podcasting tool in Interact
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• ePortfolio/PLE (Pebblepad) iPhone/iPod/iPad apps, as well as mobile web
http://eportfolio.csu.edu.au/pebblepad/mobile
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• CSU Replay (Echo360) which caters for lesson recording and vodcasts - access
planned via iTunesU (second half of 2011)
• Funding received for the mobile learning project for 2011 to 2013
o Mobile Interact (Sakai CLE in hybrid with Sakai Open Academic Environment)
o Mobile device trials
o Mobile learning materials primarily for distance students
o Mobile subject evaluation at the end of each session
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mLearning roject Objectives
• Improve access
• Leverage students mobility
• To improve learning & teaching
• Engage students
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• General mobile access available: mobile web available targeting iphones and android
phones http://m.csu.edu.au
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Mobile app this year will in addition have:
• campus maps
• contacts
• student news
• centralised messaging centre (up to 10 different sources)
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a. Learning Packages
Kevin (20) is a student stuck in public transport in a regional
location. While waiting to get home he uses his mobile device
(an android tablet) to download information regarding his
subject, including the subject study guide. He is then able to
make use of this time to read through the content.
b. eResources
Michael (23) is a final year Vet student. His study is based in
Canberra but he is going to do his 3rd clinical rotation in a dairy
practice in Orange. Cattle are not his strong point, so he uses his
iPad to download some readings and journals about common
procedures that he can review in the field, or listen in audio format
on the drive to the farm.
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c. eBooks
Martha (28) is studying by distance. Whilst on the train she is
able to browse books and resources in an online store on her
iPad. Before she reaches her destination she has read a few
samples and chosen to purchase an eBook of her prescribed
text so she can avoid lugging the large volume print copy to and
from work.
d. Pod/Vodcasts
Rachel (43) has two children and is enrolled in CSU through
distance education. She uses mobile technology mostly to
complete her readings while on the move. She is able to access
podcasts of her lectures while she is preparing dinner using
iTunesU, and on her hands free mobile phone while travelling to
work and socially
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e. Digital Object Management system (DOMS)
Susan (35) is a student doing two Early Childhood subjects in
Education. Susan is able to use her tablet to search for
resources that other students and staff have created that are
stored in the DOMS (and accessible via Interact). She has found
a couple of great resources and is able to quickly add them to
her own collection for assessment and review purposes. Susan
is able to quickly share the resource with other students by
sending them links.
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3. Performing learning tasks
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a. In the Learning Management System
Andre (42) is a 4th year education student on practicum in a
small country town teaching year 2 children. He uses an iPad to
access his Learning Management System modules, and have a
sense of it being a personal and personalised experience, and
communicate with other students in the class using the chat tool.
b. ePortfolio/Personal Learning System
Liz (24) is a final year student in B. Information Studies (DE only),
currently studying Social Networking in Info Studies subject. She is
able to update her ePortfolio using her smart phone to keep a
record of any meetings that she will have in regards to work or
study. She also uses the Pebble Pad application on her smart
phone to document emergent/unintentional learning.
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send x-ray with comments to academic for upload/upload in LMS
c. Mobile Capture
Mick (44) is a mature age student, family man and farming outside
Broken Hill. He is in his second year of study doing an joint agricultural
/health science diploma by DE. Out in the field, where there is no network
connection, Mick is still able to use his phone to take photos of examples
from his study guide which are also geo-tagged. When he is back at the
homestead he is able to upload them to the forums for discussion with his
peers. This supports contingent learning (reacting to the environment and
changing experiences), situated learning (learning takes place in the
surroundings that make learning meaningful).
Mick also sends x-rays from outstations with comments
to the academic for upload in the LMS, or sometimes
upload it himself at the homestead.
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4. Participating in learning
interactions
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a. Learning Management System Forums
George (22) is on practicum for his nursing subject. He uses his mobile
device to to access the online forums to see how his peers are going and
to share his experiences. During his rounds he has had to deal with a
particularly difficult patient and during his break post how he and his
supervisor dealt with the situation. This stimulates a long thread of other
students sharing stories and techniques that they have picked up. He
also loads it up to his blog. Other students are able to read these and feel
more prepared if they are placed in similar circumstances. This supports
authentic learning (meaningful learning tasks are related to immediate
learning goals).
b. CHAT
Andre (42) is a 4th year education student on practicum in a small country
town teaching year 2 children. He uses an iPad to access his Learning
Management System modules and communicates with other students in the
class using the chat tool. In addition, he belongs to a Mixit study group
where he also participates actively in chats. He is also a bof on using his
mobile phone to participate in Twitter discussions.
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c. Messaging System - the Learning Management
System
Pete (41) is an academic teaching a distance education cohort in the
Outback, with only two residential schools per session per year. His
students in the region have intermittent Internet access at best and the
mobile networks are far more robust. Pete sends notifications to students
(using SMS) regarding the availability of new Internet resources as they
are posted so students know when they need to get online.
d. Web Application Client
Liz (24) is a final year student in Bachelor of Information Studies currently
studying a Social Networking subject. The class is immersed and engaged
with variety of Web 2.0 tools integrated in Sakai OAE. Using a web
application client, the class is able to aggregate and share content on their
Galaxy Tablet from a variety of sites and applications in one central location.
For Liz this is a great time saver. She can also use tools she is already
using and familiar with. This supports personalised learning (learning is
customised for the preferences, history and abilities of individual learners or
groups of learners).
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5. Performing assessment
tasks
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a. Self Assessment Tools
James (29) is studying a health science degree. James is about
to undertake a multiple choice test on the train as part of his
subject revision. To access this, James uses his tablet and an
environment specifically designed for mobile use. Once
complete, James will get instantaneous feedback from the test
and see where he may need to focus his studies for the exam
b. Individual and Group assessment
The academic upload x-rays in the LMS. James and other
students,are then requested to comment on the x-rays. They
access the LMS from their mobile phones and submit their
comments for feedback by other students and the academic.
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c. OLE Access – online assignment submission
Sam (28) is a trainee parks manager completing a Bachelor of
Environmental Sciences. Sam is struggling to connect to anything
because of his location (very remote). Sam struggles with a poor internet
connection on his homestead but is able to get mobile reception in some
locations with higher elevation. Sam is able to take his tablet computer
and submit his assessments using his mobile connection saving a long
trek into town. Mobile learning thus addresses geographical or spatial
distance.
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a. Subject Outline/Syllabus
Patrick (37) is a post grad MBA student part time that works in
the city with a 45min commute each way. During his commute
he remembers that one of his assessments is due next week but
can’t remember the exact date. Using his smart phone he logs
into the Learning Management System, checks his subject
outline and then marks it into his calendar with a reminder for
the weekend.
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b. Learning Support Tools
Robyn (58) is a mature age student returning to study after 25 years in
the workforce. She is struggling with the Learning Management System
and with the DE materials that are so different from when she got her
degree. Fortunately she is able to access a range of resources and tools
to help her, including interactive tutorials so she is able to see how things
work. She has to contribute to a Wiki in one of her subjects and after
watching a video showing how wiki formatting is done she feels more
confident. She has downloaded a cheat sheet to her mobile that lists all
the codes so she can refer to it quickly whenever and wherever she
needs to.
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6. Evaluating teaching
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a. Classroom Feedback
Leanne (31) - first year academic teaching Accounting. It’s her first full
time teaching position and she is nervous about her performance and
she will be in charge of reviewing and updating the subject next session.
Leanne wants to ensure that she is engaging with the students, that they
are finding the subject information useful and the assessments beneficial
so she has deployed a range of feedback tools to her subject materials.
Students can “like” sections of the online modules as well as make
comments, which are recorded anonymously. Students have already
commented on a number of areas that are difficult to understand and she
now knows that they need further development. Students are able to
update their comments simultaneously, using a their smart phone.
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Ethical issues
• Inequity across different socio-economic
groups and ability to use the technology –
organisation could provide; alternatives
• Radiation: disputes around tumour
creation, impact on fertility - appropriate risk
reduction strategies (e.g. Cancer Foundation
of SA)
• Negative impact on sight and hearing
• Mobile use in class, and in assessment
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Ethical issues
•Privacy issue of being able to identify cell
identification numbers when “anonymous”
participation is required
• Fuelling addiction?
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Educational issues
• Integrated within blended and flexible
learning
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Educational issues
• Deep space learning versus shallow
learning
• Real communication vs mediated
• Appreciate varied learning preferences
• Respect cognitive load (“head space”)
• Limitations of multi-tasking
• Redefined role of the teacher/educator?
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Educational issues
• Informal/mobile language acceptable?
• Netiquette
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Technical issues
• Variable access (also regional and rural
Australia – National Broadband Network)
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Technical issues
• Variable platforms (apps against open
“web” philosophy)
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General issues
• Is it a fad? Gartner’s Hype cycle
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General issues
• Spaces are not neutral e.g. in assessment
and evaluation
• Security (“mobile crime”!)
• Political, socio-economic factors and
impact
•Understand mLearning within an
educational change management framework
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Four key change management
variables
1. People
2. Tasks
3. Organisational Structure/design
4. Technology
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LASO model
(Uys, P.M., 2007): top down and bottom up strategies need to work in unison
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In a time of drastic change
it is the learners who survive,
the ‘learned’ find themselves
fully equipped
to live in a world
that no longer exists
Eric Hoffer
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Conclusion
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The future is not some place
we are going to, but one we are
creating;
The paths to it are not found
but made, and the activity of
making them changes both the
maker and the destination.
Peter Ellyard as cited by Hogan 2003
Hogan, C. (2003) Practical Facilitation. A toolkit of Techniques. Kogan Page, London and Sterling,
VA.
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Ownership,
initiative,
ingenuity,
responsibility
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Thank you
Dr Philip Uys Tim Klapdor
Director, Strategic Learning and Teaching Innovation Media Technologist
Division of Learning and Teaching Services Division of Learning and Teaching Services
Charles Sturt University, Australia Charles Sturt University, Australia
<puys@csu.edu.au> <puys@csu.edu.au>
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Links
CSU Mobile Learning Investigation:
http://www.csu.edu.au/division/landt/resources/mobilelearning/index.htm
Uys, P. M. (2010, December). Implementing an open source learning management system: A critical
analysis of change strategies. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(7), 980-995.
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet26/uys.html
Uys, P.M. (2007). Enterprise-Wide Technological Transformation in Higher Education: The LASO
Model. International Journal of Educational Management (ISSN: 0951-354X), Emerald, UK.
http://www.globe-online.com/philip.uys/2006 08 uysLASOmodel.htm
CSU Educational Technology Dashboard
http://www.csu.edu.au/division/lts/docs/role/ltsystemsdashboard.pdf
CSU Educational Technology Framework
http://www.csu.edu.au/division/landt/resources/documents/CSUEducationalTechnologyFramework.pdf
Personal mLearning collection
http://www.globe-online.com/mobilelearning
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