[Xerte] New Technologies

[Alistair McNaught]

I think a lot of things have happened in the intervening years, though,
Fred.
I was reading public domain eBooks on the Palm Pilot in the 90s - I read
them last thing at night because they keep my page when I fall asleep
(it was probably me who made the sad comment:-) but the difference is
that now that the demographic is changed - Waterstones main purchasers
of ebooks are over 45 yrs old. And the technology has changed. I was a
TINY minority as a Palm Pilot user but iPhones, iPods and their clones
are not minority sports and have excellent free ebook software for them.
I'd agree with you if ebooks or mobile trends were developing in
isolation but developing together I think takes us over a threshold that
will make a big difference. Learners will expect to have learning
content available in their pockets, not on a vle and that does have
implications for long term elearning development.

A

-----Original Message-----
From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
[mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Fred Riley
Sent: 08 February 2010 13:25
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: RE: [Xerte] New Technologies

> Mobile and e-book (possibly converged) will be unstopppable.

I remember 'e-books' being demonstrated at learning technology
conferences over a decade ago, and particularly remember one sad bugger
trying to sell them by saying that he read his in bed before sleep in
preference to a paperback. For all the hype, they've still not become
popular, for the very simple reason that they can't beat the analogue
alternative on price, flexibility and usability.

'm-learning' has been the next 'big thing' for the last 5 years and
hasn't cracked it, not least because there is *no* mobile device data
standard. WML failed, plain HTML fails, FlashLite was only available for
certain models, now we have Apple flogging another proprietary
non-standards-compliant device. 'm-learning' is knackered because the
whole sector is badly balkanised and non-interoperable, and developers
naturally ask themselves why they should bother developing a specific
app for a specific device in a specific context that will be obsolete in
a few years with all their code and content locked into a proprietary
format. Mobile learning, to my knowledge, has only worked in specific
situations, an example being Nottingham's own Geography school which
uses PDAs - already considered obsolete and sooooo noughties - and GPS
on Geology field trips, which works a treat for the students in that
school but which isn't transferable.

Just my 2 Euro's worth as an old e-learning hand who, sadly, has seen
all this "unstoppable" things flourish and die (Laserdiscs, anyone?)...

Cheers

Fred

Fred Riley
Learning Technologist
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy, University of Nottingham
Vcard: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/sonet/about/fr_uon.vcf 
>
> A
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
> [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of
> Julian Tenney
> Sent: 05 February 2010 12:05
> To: Xerte discussion list
> Subject: [Xerte] New Technologies
>
> Good people,
>
> Something to muse on on a Friday afternoon: what new
> technologies do you see impacting the elearning landscape in
> the next 3 - 5 years? What emerging technologies do you think
> will have the biggest impact on the way elearning is
> conceived, delivered and produced?
>
> We are looking at developing a new strategy, and your views
> would be very interesting!
>
> Thanks, have a great weekend,
>
> J
> _______________________________________________
> Xerte mailing list
> Xerte at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
> http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/xerte
>
>
> ____________________
> This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you are
> not the intended recipient please accept our apologies.
> Please do not disclose, copy, or distribute information in
> this email nor take any action in reliance on its contents:
> to do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Please
> inform us that this message has gone astray before deleting it
>
> Please note that views expressed in this email are those of
> the author and do not necessarily represent those of the
> Higher Education Academy
>
> Please note that this e-mail has been created in the
> knowledge that Internet e-mail is not a secure communications
> medium. We advise that you understand and observe this lack
> of security when e-mailing us
>
> Although we have taken steps to ensure this e-mail and
> attachments are free from any virus, we advise that in
> keeping with good computing practice the recipient should
> ensure they are actually virus free
>
> The Higher Education Academy Registered No 4930131
> _______________________________________________
> Xerte mailing list
> Xerte at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
> http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/xerte
>
> _______________________________________________
> Xerte mailing list
> Xerte at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
> http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/xerte
>
_______________________________________________
Xerte mailing list
Xerte at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/xerte


____________________
This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient please accept our apologies. Please do not disclose, copy, or distribute information in this email nor take any action in reliance on its contents: to do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Please inform us that this message has gone astray before deleting it

Please note that views expressed in this email are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Higher Education Academy

Please note that this e-mail has been created in the knowledge that Internet e-mail is not a secure communications medium. We advise that you understand and observe this lack of security when e-mailing us

Although we have taken steps to ensure this e-mail and attachments are free from any virus, we advise that in keeping with good computing practice the recipient should ensure they are actually virus free

The Higher Education Academy Registered No 4930131