The document summarizes the University of Northampton's approach to supporting mobile access to its virtual learning environment (VLE) and other systems. It discusses drivers for going mobile, challenges around inclusion and accessibility, and choosing a supplier that can meet current and future needs across different audiences and platforms. The university launched a mobile app in 2011 and has seen over 22,000 logins to date. Feedback from users has been positive, citing benefits like access to schedules and course materials anytime from their phones.

1. Going Mobile – The University of
Northampton approach to supporting
mobile access to the VLE and other key
systems
Rob Howe
The University of Northampton
Nov 2012

2. Drivers
Why mobile?
– Strategic planning and pedagogy
– Marketing
– Demand?

3. Challenges or opportunities?
Why not?
1.Inclusion (device and
connectivity)
2.Accessibility (choice,
personalisation, control)
3.Usability and training
See the Learntech blog for more on this

4. What are the needs?
Different audiences (students, staff, prospects)
What’s possible?

5. Choosing a supplier
• In-house or external?
Major updates to Apple and Android Mobile OS, Jan 2010 – Mar 2012
Add in Blackberry and Mobile Web versions to this…

6. Choosing a supplier
• ‘Most of the people, most of the time’... Audiences,
platforms and the pace of change
• Creating learning opportunities
• Works ‘out of the box’
and customisable
• Cost

7. Creating a one-stop shop
CIS (Timetabling) Marketing
Course info Mobile web page Jpg files Flickr Youtube
Web Library
Staff directory
team Systems
Talis integration
Events listings
LearnTech
News feeds Blackboard Learn

8. Creating mobile learning opportunities
• Putting Mobile Learn through its paces
– Lots of in-house testing
– Blackboard support resources
– Getting help from external experts

9. Creating mobile learning opportunities
• Introducing Mobile Learn to staff
– course design considerations
– support resources
– inspiration / case studies:
http://bit.ly/uonmobileart

10. Launch & promotion
Welcome weekend (21st and 22nd September 2011)
• Print marketing
– Posters
– Door hangers
– Stands
• Web promotion
– University website
– Blackboard
– Facebook
– Twitter

11. Is it working? Measuring adoption
Analytics:
1000 downloads of iNorthampton 3178 unique users of Mobile
one week after launch Learn (≈32.5% of downloads)
Around 14,000 downloads to date Over 22,700 logins to date

12. Is it working? Feedback from users
Being able to post
Being able to post
via a mobile means
via a mobile means • Twitter Bloody good idea!
Bloody good idea!
work in progress can
work in progress can (#iNorthampton)
be recorded in situ
be recorded in situ • Email
and shared
and shared • Blog
spontaneously.
spontaneously. @UniNorthants now
@UniNorthants now
• Spot surveys have their own app.
have their own app.
• Focus groups Snazzy.
Snazzy.
• Pilots
Can access NILE when ever
Can access NILE when ever
II need to and if II need to
need to and if need to Am not tryna gas but
Am not tryna gas but
check something quickly II
check something quickly thank God for the
thank God for the
can do. Also comes in handy
can do. Also comes in handy Northampton app
Northampton app
if can’t see properly in
if can’t see properly in because now II left my
because now left my
lectures as can bring them
lectures as can bring them timetable at home, II
timetable at home,
up on my phone.
up on my phone. would have been lost.
would have been lost.

13. Recent Student Update (Oct 2012)
• Based on 295 responses from new students during
induction October 2012.
• 82% own a smartphone (4% are planning to get one this
year).
• 35% had used the app within the first 3 weeks of starting.
(31% of these students indicated that it influenced their
choice of University !) – more (and earlier) promotion
needed ?
• Timetables, Maps and access to the VLE were the most
popular elements at this stage.

14. Top five tips
1. Identify needs (and decide which ones you can meet)
2. Bring together a project team with range of experience
3. Find a provider who can satisfy the immediate need and
provide extensions for the future (SDKs)
4. The app stores are your friends (?)
5. Stay in the loop

15. Questions?
Contact details:
Rob Howe
Rob.Howe@northampton.ac.uk
01604 892483

16. References etc.
Useful links
•More about the iNorthampton project:
http://www.northampton.ac.uk/mobile
•Guidelines on accessibility for the mobile web:
http://www.w3.org/Mobile/
•TechDis on mobile learning:
http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/techdis/investinyourself/freeresources/accessiblemobilelear
ning
•Traxler, J. (2010) “Students and mobile devices.” ALT-J Research in Learning
Technology [online] 18.2, p149-160. Available from:
http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/10759
[Accessed 10th February 2012]
•More info on JADU MyAPI (presentation by Steve Martin):
http://speakerdeck.com/u/s2martin/p/inorthampton-and-jadu
Image credits
•Photography by Rob Farmer, University of Northampton
•3d characters from http://www.canstockphoto.com/3pod
With thanks to Julie Usher (Solutions Engineer, Bb Mobile) for original work on this
presentation