Google App Inventor - Make Apps/m-Learning
Google is releasing App Inventor for Android. You can find it listed at Google Labs and can learn more about it at http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/about.
There is obvious potential for m-learning, including quizzes, educational games, mini-courses, informal learning.. really the sky is the limit. If development is as easy as they claim, then we can focus even more on design and are not as limited by the complexity of app development. The App Inventor uses Open Blocks, which is distributed by MIT’s Scheller Teacher Education Program. Please note, the apps are for Androids and I will assume they will not be supported across all smart phones, which is a hindrance in developing m-learning.
According to the site, they will be granting access to interested users in the coming weeks. I have put in my request and will let everyone know if/when it is granted. All that is needed is a Google account to sign up.
Here is a video Google provides showing the development of a very simple app.
Google also provides descriptions of examples that have been developed.
Innovative Uses of Mobile Devices in Health Sciences
CellScope
Here are a couple of great and innovative uses of mobile devices I stumbled upon on SmartPlanet,com. Not only do these innovations increase the ability to provide better healthcare in the developing world, but also has great potential in mobile learning (m-learning).
You can read more about the CellScope at UC Berkeley News.
Visit Tapan Parikh’s page to learn about the social media and mobile technology projects in which he is involved.
Preview a Tablet, but This One has Flash
As we all know, that tablet everyone has been talking about recently does not have Flash. Oh well, I am over it. However, Dell will be releasing a multi-touch tablet of their own, the Mini 5, and it WILL have Flash. Take a look of the preview below from Adobe TV.
Yes, I know what you are thinking. A 5 inch screen and they are calling it a tablet? It may be a stretch, but Dell is talking about scaling it up and offering larger versions. Beyond a 5 inch screen and I will let them slide on the semantics.
History of Adobe Flash
I am a big user of Flash and find it to be one of the most effective tools in my e-learning toolbox. Earlier this week I was very disappointed to learn Flash will not be included in the Apple iPad. I was hoping the iPad would be a great new medium for m-learning delivery, but without Flash it will be very limited in its ability to deliver the level of interactivity mobile learning deserves.
Now that I got that out of my system, here are a few resources on the history of Flash.
Of course there is “The Rather Amazing and Slightly Distorted History of Flash” created by Nectarine.
Preview of Flash Player on the Google Nexus One
Each time Flash appears on another mobile phone I get ever more hopeful about Flash becoming THE delivery platform for m-learning.
So, will Flash be on the new Google phone that everyone is buzzing about? It is not currently, but Adobe will be making it available for download sometime in future and here is a preview.
We are moving a little closer to a world were Flash is on every smart phone… iPhone, where are you?
m-Learning e-Book “New Technologies, New Pedagogies: Mobile Learning in Higher Education”
A free e-book, New Technologies, New Pedagogies: Mobile Learning in Higher Education, is available for free download through the University of Wollongong’s Research Online. This book provides examples of m-learning implementation and concludes with some recommended design principles for m-learning. For anyone involved in m-learning, this is a worthwhile read.
You can also download the e-book (PDF file) directly via this link.
Flash Player 10 on Mobile Devices
Here is a video from Adobe Max 2009 with Adobe’s CTO demonstrating Flash Player 10 on numerous mobile devices including Nokia, Palm and Android. Plus, he runs Connect Pro on a mobile phone. I am happy to see more advances with Flash Players on mobile devices. After all, more Flash on mobile devices, more opportunities to use Flash in m-learning.
FYI: Flash Player 10.1 is available as a prerelease for PCs and netbooks at Adobe Labs.
Hanukkah e-Learning Wish List
My kids are making their wish list for Hanukkah, which inspired me to make my own. I do not necessarily expect to receive any of these things, but if Hanukkah Harry reads this blog, which he may, their is a chance he will grant at least a few.
- Adobe CS4 eLearning Suite - I am still working with CS3.
- High end microphone - It will come in very handy for adding audio to courses, plus it will look great on my desk.
- OutStart Trainer - I am currently using another DHTML editor in which I am not enthralled at all.
- The not yet released, possibly mythological, Apple Tablet - It does not exist yet, but I am willing to take a rain check in case it ever does.
- m-Learning development tool that produces courses compatible with ALL mobile platforms.
- DevLearn 2010 conference - It has been quite a while since any budget has allowed me to attend a conference.
- Supreme knowledge of ActionScript - To know it to a point that there is nothing I cannot do with Flash (that’s on me isn’t it?).
- Open access to all social media for the workers of the world - I am lucky to have access to such things as LinkedIn and Twitter, but not all do. Some organizations block social media sites from their staff. I wish this to end.
If you have your own wish list, please share it in the comments section or add a link if it is on your blog. Of course it does not have to be a Hanukkah list, it can be for whatever holiday you celebrate.
Flash on Blackberry Rumor…We will still have to wait for Flash on Blackberry
Quick update on my recent post regarding Flash players being added to Blackberry browsers next summer. This does NOT appear to be happening, sorry for any false alarms. Thank you Yogesh from Upside Learning for confirming that the reports are rumor. Here is the link he sent me for more info - http://www.embeddedflash.com/?p=547 (John Dowdell of Adobe comments that these are only rumors).
Flash on Blackberry… Next Summer
According to the Boy Genius Report, RIM is planning to add full Flash support for the Blackberry browser by next summer (2010). This is not Flash Lite, but a full Flash player. It will also support Silverlight. This has a lot of potential for m-learning. A significant portion of the m-learning developed is targeted for Blackberry devices, especially in the corporate world.
If Flash does arrive on Blackberries it will mean opportunities to develop more interactive m-learning for these devices and expand users’ access to m-learning currently developed in Flash and Flash Lite. Because of the number of Blackberry users and the amount of m-learning targeted to Blackberry users, having Flash as a development tool will be quite a boon for m-learning designers and users alike. Plus, this may be a motivator for Apple to add Flash to the iPhone.
