Mobile Broadband Questions

From Horizon Project

[edit] The 2008 Horizon Report: Toward a Research Agenda

With the release of the 2008 edition in this annual series, the NMC is continuing the concerted, international effort started last year to describe a research agenda based on the six practices and technologies featured in the 2008 edition of the Horizon Report. You are invited to participate in this process, contribute to the discussion, and help shape directions for future research in these topics across higher education.

read the 2008 Horizon Report on Mobile Broadband

[edit] What are the missing pieces for Mobile Broadband to be implemented in higher education?

• Interoperability
• Devices that are both broadband and cell phone
• An open, campus-based standard that is compatible with a class of devices such that students come with their own device.
• Open standards, open (interoperable) networks
• Accessibility, power issues, screen size
• Incompatible devices on international scope; international students must buy US devices.
• Faculty interest- teaching materials/practices focused on small screens for anywhere learning.
• There is no structure or tools that allow broad application. SMS messaging is a start. Screen size, variety of devices, carriers, etc.
• The ability to produce reusable content that can be exported to multiple types of mobile devices with ease. Lots of strategies required for faculty to design/develop in this medium.
• Slow data rates
• Spotty coverage- especially rural
• Moving away from brands and carriers, use beyond viewing web pages.
• Cost-effective solutions- consortium with Verizon
• A decision to use it. If not directed by the instructor, who is going to motivate and organize its use for a class.
• Bandwidth
• Infrastructure, standardization, application development
• Culture of 'Bring it and turn it on'
• Faculty acceptance
• Infrastructure, standardization, Culture of 'Bring it and turn it on'
• Embrace serendipity
• Greater convergence, vendor lock-in.
• Infrastructure, standardization, Culture of 'Bring it and turn it on'
• Marketplace- vendor lock-in and application development
• Still needs to be cheaper (for students)
• Application development
• Rural areas have less/poorer access than cities
• More consistency in device capabilities- still have students with old devices
• Faculty culture of "turn it off"; faculty development
• Battery power
• Proprietary quality of broadband
• Interface improvements for collaboration
• International standards
• How big is the mobile cloud
• Design content and learning activities for mobile devices to be usable
• Marketplace needs to make them affordable
• Acceptance of wireless by faculty
• International compatability
• Most have to do with access - where is broadband NOT available? Can all students access it from home? There are still alot of black holes in network coverage in rural areas.
• More use among faculty and staff.
• Screens too small to read (like textbooks that could be downloaded) - way around multiple services.
• Creating content that differenciates systems are able to access. Solving access problems for economic disadvantaged users.
• Accessibility inside traditional classroom buildings that limit wifi, cell, etc. access
• Tacit endorsement of consumer ideologies
• Scalability of technologies
• Add your comments here

[edit] What kind of research would you like to see around Mobile Broadband

• Student expectations
• How to best use them in class
• WINMAX, 200 Mhz Bandwidth
• Uses in field based study, service learning, international/multicultural education
• Pilots where teachers, students, etc are using them
• Potential uses
• Voice recognition
• Design processes
• Usability
• Learning outcomes
• How can we use the cell phones that are attached to each student in the classroom
• How many students use mobile web- what apps/usage is currently available?
• Survey its use
• Widgets
• Student engagement (NSSE)(NSF)(PEW)
• NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement)
• Research into cyber-infrastructure
• Network quality (NSF driven)
• Effectiveness as learning tools or to create learning environments
• Global standards
• How effective is it?
• Will students accept learning in mobile worlds?
• How can we use mobile devices for accessing learning- new forms of assessment
• Experiment with device by higher educators; more application development
• Integration/impact of new media-new uses & new ways to capture data and express ideas
• What would it take to get complete coverage in all areas of the United states? So we would never get the "No Service" message?
• Easier use of technology interfaces.
• Would students benefit from using this and would they use it?
• What are the implications for different learning spaces (e.g., physical classrooms vs. distance learning)?
• What are the implications of never turning off?
• What do students think about using these technologies in different contexts? In other words, are students interested/invested in using their mobile broadband technologies in pedagogical contexts?
• Add your comments here

[edit] What are the learning implications of Mobile Broadband?

• Always have access to knowledge
• Hits the student where it matters: their daily life practices
• Always on, anytime, anywhere
• Collaboration
• Citizenship education and civic engagement.
• Student generated content
• Global collaboration, collective intelligence, creating global community
• Encroaching on student space
• Anytime, anywhere learning and responding
• All students have phones/mobile devices.
• Learners can participate truly in education wherever they are, taking pre-developed content combined with "grassroots" content to extend learning.
• Can they be clickers? remote controls?
• Mobile-ubiquitous learning
• Yes 42
• Quick, active learning
• Creating learning resources
• Rethinking learning spaces
• Layering Knowledge
• Active learning, serendipity, creating persistent teaching resources
• Ad-hoc computer labs
• Layering knowledge (contextual knowledge)
• Learning spaces
• Social learning
• Quizzes on the go, learning on the go, Language and contextual knowledge
• Rethinking learning spaces and social learning/collaboration
• Use of new media in new learning environments- interview
• New text messaging language- "mobile learning language"
• Create linkages to existing computer systems
• Internationalization of learning- worldwide access
• Won't help if you can't get access!
• e-reserves (Books) Keeping info - assignments.
• Great access for point of need learning.
• Interactivity of multiple networked devices
• Offers opportunity to engage with devices students are already using
• These technologies can be used for real-time simulations of real-world situations
• Add your comments here