Mobile Learning Part 3 of 3 An Opportunity to Increase Teaching and Learning

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Mobile Learning Part 3 of 3 An Opportunity to
Increase Teaching and Learning

• Mary G. Beckmann
• July 2008

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Part III Multimedia

• Clients and multimedia venues
• Multimedia available for mlearning
• iTunes
• Terminology
• Video via iTunes
• Podcasts and audio books via iTunes
• Video sites
• Podcast sites
• Application and benefits of multimedia

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1. Clients and multimedia venues

• Clients compile and distribute multimedia for the
  consumer. A well-known client is iTunes
• iTunes is one of the most popular clients because
  iTunes has a variety of mlearning content and
  there is no need for additional software to
  convert content when transferring to a mobile
  device - iTunes does it all compiles, converts,
  and distributes

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2. Multimedia available for mlearning

• Podcasts and audio books
• Video tutorials
• Audio lectures from universities

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3. iTunes http//www.itunes.com

• iTunes offers a complete library of
• auditory books (MP3 files)
• university lectures, Stanford University for
  example
• music and music videos (MP3 files)
• Movies and TV shows
• There are other places on the web that we can go
  to for multimedia, but often converters and
  multiple steps are needed to transfer content
  successfully to mobile devices.

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4. Terminology

• syndication - this is a complicating term, but
  basically means that someone published something
  on their computer and makes it available to
  others, as in a podcast - it is distributed
  material
• subscribe when you download a podcast you will
  usually be provided with two choices - download
  one 'episode' or 'subscribe' - subscribing refers
  to signing up to receive all episodes, this means
  if you choose to subscribe to CNN Newscast, you
  might be receiving 24 a day because they might
  put their podcast up hourly
• RSS feeds this is a protocol, or set of rules,
  whereby podcasts are 'caught' by a client (called
  podcatching clients) iTunes is a podcatching
  client - RSS stands for "Really Simple
  Syndication". It is a way to easily distribute a
  list of headlines, update notices, and sometimes
  content to a wide number of people. It is used by
  computer programs that organize those headlines
  and notices for easy reading - keeps content
  current

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5. Video

• Instructions for how to download and transfer
  videos to a mobile device using iTunes
• Open iTunes, click on 'TV show,' 'movie,' or
  'music video' in the iTunes store column
• Choose an item in the columns on the right
• Wait a moment after selecting one, then click on
  'preview' to see a short sample
• Scroll down and you'll see 'genres' maybe an
  easier way to search for content.
• For 2 films go to short films, then Disney or
  Pixar (do not click on rent)
• When you find an item you want, click on 'Buy
  video i.e. and wait.
• Click on the 'downloads' folder along the left
  side to see the progress of the download.
• When the download is complete, connect your
  mobile device to the computer
• Wait until the transfer process is complete -
  disconnect the device to view the video
• Two tutorials that further explain the process
  http//www.apple.com/itunes/tutorials/movies
• http//www.apple.com/itunes/tutorials/

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6. Podcasts

• Instructions for how to download and transfer
  podcasts to a mobile device using iTunes
• go to 'store' on iTunes (open iTunes, on the left
  side look for the word 'Store' and under 'store'
  click on ITunes store)
• directly on the right look for the box titled
  'iTunes store and click on 'podcasts
• look at the far right in the iTunes window for
  'Top Podcasts
• in the long list of  podcast, choose one
• when you find one, click on it and you're taken
  to another window
• in that window click on 'get episode
• there will be a downloads link under the iTunes
  store on the far left side
• click on this to see the progress as your podcast
  download (you can download more than one at a
  time)
• when complete, hook up your mobile device and
  wait for the sync to complete then disconnect to
  listen to the podcast

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7. Video sites

• Video tutorials
• Climate Future This site has videos pertaining
  to pollution and climate change.Discovery School
  This site has many different educational videos
  that deal with a wide range of topics to choose
  from.
• Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo's voice is behind the
  scenes talking about the direction human beings
  are going with concerns about the earth. Students
  can view this video just to get ideas about
  design. The presentation is very well done. Pay
  particular attention to the credits at the end of
  the presentation.
• National Geographic Get a variety of videos
  pertaining to animals, people, the environment
  and more.
• New York Times Get some of the latest videos
  ranging from local to world news. You can access
  a large library of videos.

From http//www.kidsnetsoft.com
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8. Podcast sites

• Podcast sites
• ABC Podcasting Get the news in sound. You have a
  variety of topics to choose from.BBC Podcasting
  BBC has a variety of different podcasts you can
  listen to. You can listen to stories, science,
  entertainment and more.
• Digg "Digg Podcasting is a one-stop destination
  for discovering, Digging, discussing, and sharing
  the podcasts and podcast episodes that you like.
  "
• Education Podcast Network "The Education Podcast
  Network is an effort to bring together into one
  place, the wide range of podcast programming that
  may be helpful to teachers looking for content to
  teach with and about, and to explore issues of
  teaching and learning in the 21st century."
• National Geographic Get free podcasts from
  National Geographic. These stories are exciting
  and lively.
• NPR "NPR (National Public Radio) is an
  internationally acclaimed producer and
  distributor of noncommercial news, talk, and
  entertainment programming. "
• PBS Get podcasts and videos on topics ranging
  from Arts Drama to Science and Nature.

From http//www.kidsnetsoft.com
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9. Application and benefits of using multimedia

• Podcasts provide ways to keep up on current
  events, record a lesson for an auditory learner
• Multimedia in the classroom encourages students
  to work in groups, solve problems, construct
  knowledge and allows for immediate feedback and
  reflection.
• Using multimedia provides learners with real
  world skills and opportunities for collaboration,
  synthesizing and analyzing, oral presentation
  and speaking skills

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Application and benefits, continued

• Users of multimedia pick up valuable computing
  and processing skills that relate to the real
  world
• Multimedia provides novel educational and
  stimulating experiences
• Links to sites with ideas and suggestions for
  using multimedia in the teaching and learning
  environment
• http//www.learningcircuits.org/2005/apr2005/0504_
  Trends.htm
• http//fcit.usf.edu/multimedia/overview/overviewb.
  html

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Contact information

• Mary Beckmann
• ponotoc2_at_yahoo.com

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Resources

• Cavanaugh, Dr S. (2006). Classroom/Lesson Ideas
  for Using eBooks. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from
  http//www.drscavanaugh.org/ebooks/classroomapplic
  ations.htm
• Starfields Group, The. (2002). Electronic books.
  Retrieved June 1, 2008, from http//www.lucythewon
  derdog.com/whatisanebook.htmwhere
• Pastore, M. (2008). 30 benefits of ebooks.
  Retrieved May 28, 2008, from http//epublisherswee
  kly.blogspot.com/2008/02/30-benefits-of-ebooks.htm
  l