Title: Digital Reading Room: Present
1Athabasca Universitys Innovation in Mobile and
Flexible Learning From M-Library to Mobile ESL
Tony Tin, Colin Elliott Tracey Woodburn
2 Athabasca University http//www.athabascau
.ca .
- Canadas Open University
- Location Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
- More than 32,000 students
- Mandate Remove barriers for students
- Leader in M-learning and M-library Research
3Why advocate mobile flexible learning at AU?
- AU students study from a distance
- Quick and efficient access
- Affordablility/portablility
- Novelty of gadget/display
- Allows individualization self-pace learning for
students with busy lives - Supports those with special needs
4What is a mobile library?
- The idea of a mobile library is to provide
learners with access to the university library
and to course resources using mobile devices
5Special Features
- Desktop http//library.athabascau.ca
- Mobile friendly AU Library site Supported
device PDA, Palmtop, Blackberry, IPAQ, Smart
phones, iPhones - The site includes mobile friendly
- Digital Reading Room
- Digital Reference Centre
- Digital Thesis Project Room
- Library catalogue
- Search engine
- Recipient of 2006 CLA Library Research and
Development Grant award - Model adopted by UK Open University
6Special Features (ctd)
- Auto-detect and reformat
- Learning object reuse
- Easy web maintain/update
- Multimedia file support
- iPodcasting
- Wireless library catalogue
- Search
- Mobile content conversion on the fly
7M-library Design/Technology
8From Mobile Library to Mobile Content Mobile
ESL Project
http//eslau.ca
9Overview of Project
- Develop and test innovative approaches to ESL
learning using mobile devices and a variety of
testing and practice methods - Based on best selling Penguin series
- 80 lessons and related interactive exercises
- Repurposed for Canadian content
- Downloadable in .doc or .pdf format
10Student Feedback
- Students indicated that the a good use of mobile
technology for ESL would be whenever they have a
few spare minutes - One concern expressed was the cost of Internet
access - Reported positive experience with the ESL grammar
course and the use of mobile technology in
learning ESL grammar
11Results
- CBC News Coverage
- Honorable Mention at the 2008 CNIE Conference for
Innovative use of technologies to support
E-learning
12Building on the Success of the Mobile ESL
Project Mobile Workplace English (WPE)
- Provide mobile and iPhone friendly, interactive,
English grammar lessons containing practical,
workplace specific vocabulary and content
13What is WPE? -Content
- 86 units with 155 interactive, multimedia (audio
and video) exercises - Vocabulary from 8 different workplace situations
- Health and Wellness Trades and Labour
- Utilities-Oil/Gas/Mining Food Services and
Restaurants - Retail and Sales Administration and Clerical
- Hospitality and Tourism Banking and Personal
Finance - http//wpeau.ca
14Interactive Exercises
- There are 4 types of interactive questions
15Interactive Exercises II
16Multimedia (Audio) Exercises
- Five styles of interactive audio exercises
- Audio Vocabulary list (Health and Wellness
Vocabulary) - Audio dialogue followed by text questions (Ex.
20.2) - Multiple Choice - audio sentence then choose
text answer (Ex. 28.1) - Multiple Choice - read text then choose audio
answer (Ex. 38.3) - Audio lesson (Unit 51)
17 Multimedia (Video map) Exercise
- Unit 9 Ex. 9.3
- A short scene between a medic and an injured
worker followed by text questions (0153) - Unit 74 Ex. 74.1
- Look at a map of a city for a lesson about
directions in a town or city - Video
18Future Directions
- Support different languages (Chinese, French)
- Add more audio/video content
- Link to Mobile Friendly Open Access materials
- Translations, Dictionary definitions
- Voice recognition
- New Google iPhone app
19Food for Thought
- Wouldnt it be wonderful to have these devices
built into you and powered by your body - -Martin Cooper
- inventor of the
- cellphone
20Further Information
- Website
- Mobile Library
- http//library.athabascau.ca/
- Mobile ESL
- http//eslau.ca
- Mobile Workplace English
- http//wpeau.ca
- PublicationsM-libraries libraries on the move
to provide virtual access