It's Here! The NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition

The New Media Consortium (NMC) produced the NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition, which is being released in a special session at MCN 2013.

NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition (PDF)

This fourth edition in the annual museum series of the NMC Horizon Report examines emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in museum education and interpretation. The report is made possible through the support of the Marcus Institute for Digital Education in the Arts (MIDEA).

The NMC Horizon Report :: 2013 Museum Edition   

Six emerging technologies are identified across three adoption horizons over the next one to five years, as well as key trends and significant challenges expected to continue over the same period, giving museum professionals and boards of trustees a valuable guide for strategic technology planning.  

The NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition recognizes BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and crowdsourcing as technology topics expected to enter mainstream use in the first horizon of one year or less. Electronic publishing and location-based services are seen in the second horizon of two to three years; and natural user interfaces and preservation and conservation technologies emerged in the third horizon of four to five years.

The NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition is available online, free of charge, and published under a Creative Commons license to facilitate its widespread use, easy duplication, and broad distribution.

About the NMC

The NMC (New Media Consortium) is an international community of experts in educational technology — from the practitioners who work with new technologies on campuses every day; to the visionaries who are shaping the future of learning at think tanks, labs, and research centers; to its staff and board of directors; to the advisory boards and others helping the NMC conduct cutting edge research.
Read more...

Source: NMC (New Media Consortium)

It's Here! The NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition

The New Media Consortium (NMC) produced the NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition, which is being released in a special session at MCN 2013.

NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition (PDF)

This fourth edition in the annual museum series of the NMC Horizon Report examines emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in museum education and interpretation. The report is made possible through the support of the Marcus Institute for Digital Education in the Arts (MIDEA).

The NMC Horizon Report :: 2013 Museum Edition   

Six emerging technologies are identified across three adoption horizons over the next one to five years, as well as key trends and significant challenges expected to continue over the same period, giving museum professionals and boards of trustees a valuable guide for strategic technology planning.  

The NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition recognizes BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and crowdsourcing as technology topics expected to enter mainstream use in the first horizon of one year or less. Electronic publishing and location-based services are seen in the second horizon of two to three years; and natural user interfaces and preservation and conservation technologies emerged in the third horizon of four to five years.

The NMC Horizon Report > 2013 Museum Edition is available online, free of charge, and published under a Creative Commons license to facilitate its widespread use, easy duplication, and broad distribution.

About the NMC

The NMC (New Media Consortium) is an international community of experts in educational technology — from the practitioners who work with new technologies on campuses every day; to the visionaries who are shaping the future of learning at think tanks, labs, and research centers; to its staff and board of directors; to the advisory boards and others helping the NMC conduct cutting edge research.
Read more...

Source: NMC (New Media Consortium)

New Issue: International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies Vol 7, No 4 (2013)

International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM) has just published its latest issue at  http://www.i-jim.org. 
Have a look at the Table of Contents.

Review the Table of Contents below and then visit the website to review articles and items of interest.

Table of Contents
 
Papers  
 
Learning Confidence Intervals with Mobile Devices 
By Francisco Javier Tapia Moreno, Hector Antonio and Villa Martinez

Abstract  
Mobile learning (m-learning) enhances learning skills in some students. Mobile phones, Tablets, PDAs, Pocket PCs and Internet can be used jointly in order to encourage and motivate learning wherever and whenever students want to learn. In this work, we show learning objects for teaching and learning inferential statistics using mobile devices. With these learning objects, students can calculate confidence intervals based in either a large or a small data sample obtained from a normal or a non-normal population. These objects are been designed for devices with Android operating system.

Near Field Communication - Which Potentials Does NFC Bring for Teaching and Learning Materials?    
By Martin Ebner and Martin Maierhuber

Abstract    
Near Field Communication (NFC) is deemed to be a future technology with a lot of potential in many areas. One of those areas, learning and teaching, will be covered in this article, showing possible usages of NFC with teaching and learning materials. With a lot of new NFC capable devices presented recently, this technology can be utilized in many areas, including the arbitrarily growing field of mobile learning. Mobile devices, especially smartphones, can help to close the gap between printed media and online media. Several methods, e.g. two-dimensional barcodes, have already been used to connect the digital world with printed media but almost all of them caused inconveniences or difficulties. NFC presents an easy to use way to share and communicate directly between capable devices or tags that can be applied almost anywhere.
In this publication a first insight to the potential of NFC for teaching and learning content is given. A prototype is programmed to allow data transformation between the print media and the smartphone. It can be summarized that NFC will be the logical successor of QR-Codes. 

mHealth Platform and Architectures to Provide Nutritional Guidance to Children 
By Mabel Vazquez Briseno, Manuel Diaz Arce, Elitania Jimenez Garcia and Juan Ivan Nieto Hipolito

Abstract
Obesity and eating disorders in children are major problems worldwide. To promote their future well-being, it is important to educate children and teenagers about healthy lifestyle choices. Mobile technology offers many opportunities for helping to prevent health problems; however, the sole use of stand-alone applications is insufficient to improve children’s health awareness because children require proper orientation from adults. In this paper, we present a mobile platform intended to provide nutrition guidance to children and architectures for implementing this platform in an elementary school environment. These architectures provide data capturing and user interfaces that are especially suited for children, and they permit adults to send and receive notifications and messages to improve results.

Mobile Remote Control for Home Automation
By Ramses Miramontes Meza, Laura Victoria Escamilla del Río and  Raúl Teodoro Aquino Santos

Abstract
Existing home automation technologies permit persons to control elements of the home using a computer connected to a local network. However, the real challenge is to remotely control objects, permitting users to exercise greater freedom and versatility. This work presents an inexpensive controller device developed for high density constructions typical of many developing countries throughout the world that is designed to remotely control home luminescence, air conditioner and water pumps through mobile devices such as a smart phone or tablet. Results show the packet delivery was acceptable within a range of 15 meters in a concrete, two-story dwelling, thus demonstrating its applicability in small homes in countries which share the same construction features as those of Mexico.

Native Apps Vs. Mobile Web Apps 
By William Jobe

Abstract
The extensive growth and expansion of smartphones and tablets and therewith the use of mobile web applications that utilize HTML5 and related technologies are frequently discussed and debated in media as possible replacements for native applications. The aim of this study was to explore the viability of replacing native applications with mobile web applications in a developing country setting. Two mobile web applications were developed. The first mobile web application tracked runs and the second mobile web application was a booking system for scheduling “slum runs”. The subjects who tested these apps were elite, semi-professional Kenyan runners primarily from the Kibera slum area outside of Nairobi. After a 6-month test period the participants concluded and results indicated that the mobile web application for tracking runs performed poorly compared to native applications due to poor GPS performance, while the mobile web application for booking slum runs performed well. The conclusion from this study is that mobile web applications that require hardware interaction such as using the GPS, GPU, or camera are not yet viable alternatives for native applications. However, mobile applications that only require a native interface and content consumption are suitable substitutes for native applications.

Reports

An Interactive Mobile Lecturing Tool for Empowering Distance Learners 
By Olutayo Boyinbode and Dick Ng'ambi

Abstract 
Face-to-face learning is most prominent in higher education in developing countries of Africa, where learning is teacher-centred; this type of learning does not promote deep learning. Vodcasts and podcasts are increasingly becoming popular in higher education as a means of enhancing learning especially for part-time students who are separated by distance from their teacher; this mode of teaching is known to entertain some limitations. In this paper we report on MOBLEC, an interactive Mobile lecturing model that removes the limitations of podcasting or vodcasting model and promote deep learning. This model enables students to comment on lecture vodcasts using mobile devices, and aggregated comments become an educational resource. The model was evaluated at the Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), Zimbabwe. The paper describes an interactive mobile lecturing tool for empowering learners that are separated from their teachers and the evaluation results from BUSE, Zimbabwe. 

Enjoy your reading!   

Source: International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies 

New Issue: International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies Vol 7, No 4 (2013)

International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM) has just published its latest issue at  http://www.i-jim.org. 
Have a look at the Table of Contents.

Review the Table of Contents below and then visit the website to review articles and items of interest.

Table of Contents
 
Papers  
 
Learning Confidence Intervals with Mobile Devices  
By Francisco Javier Tapia Moreno, Hector Antonio and Villa Martinez

Abstract  
Mobile learning (m-learning) enhances learning skills in some students. Mobile phones, Tablets, PDAs, Pocket PCs and Internet can be used jointly in order to encourage and motivate learning wherever and whenever students want to learn. In this work, we show learning objects for teaching and learning inferential statistics using mobile devices. With these learning objects, students can calculate confidence intervals based in either a large or a small data sample obtained from a normal or a non-normal population. These objects are been designed for devices with Android operating system.

Near Field Communication - Which Potentials Does NFC Bring for Teaching and Learning Materials?    
By Martin Ebner and Martin Maierhuber

Abstract    
Near Field Communication (NFC) is deemed to be a future technology with a lot of potential in many areas. One of those areas, learning and teaching, will be covered in this article, showing possible usages of NFC with teaching and learning materials. With a lot of new NFC capable devices presented recently, this technology can be utilized in many areas, including the arbitrarily growing field of mobile learning. Mobile devices, especially smartphones, can help to close the gap between printed media and online media. Several methods, e.g. two-dimensional barcodes, have already been used to connect the digital world with printed media but almost all of them caused inconveniences or difficulties. NFC presents an easy to use way to share and communicate directly between capable devices or tags that can be applied almost anywhere.
In this publication a first insight to the potential of NFC for teaching and learning content is given. A prototype is programmed to allow data transformation between the print media and the smartphone. It can be summarized that NFC will be the logical successor of QR-Codes. 

mHealth Platform and Architectures to Provide Nutritional Guidance to Children 
By Mabel Vazquez Briseno, Manuel Diaz Arce, Elitania Jimenez Garcia and Juan Ivan Nieto Hipolito

Abstract
Obesity and eating disorders in children are major problems worldwide. To promote their future well-being, it is important to educate children and teenagers about healthy lifestyle choices. Mobile technology offers many opportunities for helping to prevent health problems; however, the sole use of stand-alone applications is insufficient to improve children’s health awareness because children require proper orientation from adults. In this paper, we present a mobile platform intended to provide nutrition guidance to children and architectures for implementing this platform in an elementary school environment. These architectures provide data capturing and user interfaces that are especially suited for children, and they permit adults to send and receive notifications and messages to improve results.

Mobile Remote Control for Home Automation
By Ramses Miramontes Meza, Laura Victoria Escamilla del Río and  Raúl Teodoro Aquino Santos

Abstract
Existing home automation technologies permit persons to control elements of the home using a computer connected to a local network. However, the real challenge is to remotely control objects, permitting users to exercise greater freedom and versatility. This work presents an inexpensive controller device developed for high density constructions typical of many developing countries throughout the world that is designed to remotely control home luminescence, air conditioner and water pumps through mobile devices such as a smart phone or tablet. Results show the packet delivery was acceptable within a range of 15 meters in a concrete, two-story dwelling, thus demonstrating its applicability in small homes in countries which share the same construction features as those of Mexico.

Native Apps Vs. Mobile Web Apps 
By William Jobe

Abstract
The extensive growth and expansion of smartphones and tablets and therewith the use of mobile web applications that utilize HTML5 and related technologies are frequently discussed and debated in media as possible replacements for native applications. The aim of this study was to explore the viability of replacing native applications with mobile web applications in a developing country setting. Two mobile web applications were developed. The first mobile web application tracked runs and the second mobile web application was a booking system for scheduling “slum runs”. The subjects who tested these apps were elite, semi-professional Kenyan runners primarily from the Kibera slum area outside of Nairobi. After a 6-month test period the participants concluded and results indicated that the mobile web application for tracking runs performed poorly compared to native applications due to poor GPS performance, while the mobile web application for booking slum runs performed well. The conclusion from this study is that mobile web applications that require hardware interaction such as using the GPS, GPU, or camera are not yet viable alternatives for native applications. However, mobile applications that only require a native interface and content consumption are suitable substitutes for native applications.

Reports

An Interactive Mobile Lecturing Tool for Empowering Distance Learners 
By Olutayo Boyinbode and Dick Ng'ambi

Abstract 
Face-to-face learning is most prominent in higher education in developing countries of Africa, where learning is teacher-centred; this type of learning does not promote deep learning. Vodcasts and podcasts are increasingly becoming popular in higher education as a means of enhancing learning especially for part-time students who are separated by distance from their teacher; this mode of teaching is known to entertain some limitations. In this paper we report on MOBLEC, an interactive Mobile lecturing model that removes the limitations of podcasting or vodcasting model and promote deep learning. This model enables students to comment on lecture vodcasts using mobile devices, and aggregated comments become an educational resource. The model was evaluated at the Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), Zimbabwe. The paper describes an interactive mobile lecturing tool for empowering learners that are separated from their teachers and the evaluation results from BUSE, Zimbabwe. 

Enjoy your reading!   

Source: International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies 

158 Tips on mLearning: From Planning to Implementation

Last year, the big question was “Should we do mLearning?” This year, the question is “How should we do mLearning?” This eBook provides 158 tips to help you every step of the way.

It seems like everything is changing in the mobile world: Smartphone and tablet adoption has skyrocketed, users have discovered unexpected ways of using their mobile devices, and many organizations have moved from thinking about mLearning to actual development and implementation.

We’ve captured some of the most current knowledge on mLearning by asking 23 experts to share what they’ve learned. They’ve provided 158 tips on mLearning, in areas including:

• Selling mLearning to stakeholders
• Managing mLearning projects
• Analyzing learners’ mLearning needs and preferences
• Designing for mobile
• Selecting and using mLearning tools and platforms
• Working with mLearning media
• Migrating and managing mLearning content
• Using mobile for performance support
• Delivering mLearning
• Measuring mLearning success
• Prospering in a multi-device world

 Download today 

A Wealth of Information at Your Fingertips  
 
Guild eBook is focused around a specific theme. You'll find valuable information that you can immediately put to work in your organization. 
Download a FREE Guild eBook today!

158 Tips on mLearning: From Planning to Implementation

Last year, the big question was “Should we do mLearning?” This year, the question is “How should we do mLearning?” This eBook provides 158 tips to help you every step of the way.

It seems like everything is changing in the mobile world: Smartphone and tablet adoption has skyrocketed, users have discovered unexpected ways of using their mobile devices, and many organizations have moved from thinking about mLearning to actual development and implementation.

We’ve captured some of the most current knowledge on mLearning by asking 23 experts to share what they’ve learned. They’ve provided 158 tips on mLearning, in areas including:

• Selling mLearning to stakeholders
• Managing mLearning projects
• Analyzing learners’ mLearning needs and preferences
• Designing for mobile
• Selecting and using mLearning tools and platforms
• Working with mLearning media
• Migrating and managing mLearning content
• Using mobile for performance support
• Delivering mLearning
• Measuring mLearning success
• Prospering in a multi-device world

 Download today 

A Wealth of Information at Your Fingertips  
 
Guild eBook is focused around a specific theme. You'll find valuable information that you can immediately put to work in your organization. 
Download a FREE Guild eBook today!

Microcycle Testing: Better Course Quality Assurance Testing in a Fourth of the Time

This white paper below discusses the most common problems learning project managers encounter in the quality assurance testing phase, introduces best practices for testing e-learning courses. 

Also explains how to use technology and a simple but rigorous process to achieve better results in about one fourth of the normal time required.Project managers tasked with producing quality e-learning courses can achieve superior results faster by coupling web-based quality assurance technologies with improved “micro-cycle” processes.
Download the report today 

About The eLearning Guild

The eLearning Guild is the oldest and most trusted source of information, networking, and community for eLearning

Professionals. As a member-driven organization, the Guild produces conferences, online events, eBooks, research reports, and Learning Solutions Magazine—all devoted to the idea that the people who know the most about making eLearning successful are the people who produce eLearning every day in corporate, government, and academic settings.
Read more... 

Source: The eLearning Guild

Microcycle Testing: Better Course Quality Assurance Testing in a Fourth of the Time

This white paper below discusses the most common problems learning project managers encounter in the quality assurance testing phase, introduces best practices for testing e-learning courses. 

Also explains how to use technology and a simple but rigorous process to achieve better results in about one fourth of the normal time required.Project managers tasked with producing quality e-learning courses can achieve superior results faster by coupling web-based quality assurance technologies with improved “micro-cycle” processes.
Download the report today 

About The eLearning Guild

The eLearning Guild is the oldest and most trusted source of information, networking, and community for eLearning

Professionals. As a member-driven organization, the Guild produces conferences, online events, eBooks, research reports, and Learning Solutions Magazine—all devoted to the idea that the people who know the most about making eLearning successful are the people who produce eLearning every day in corporate, government, and academic settings.
Read more... 

Source: The eLearning Guild

eLearning 101 - A Comprehensive Guide on How to Design an eLearning Course

Photo: Ayesha Habeeb Omer

Ayesha Habeeb Omer, Ph.D, Chief Operating Officer, CommLab India writes, "Today eLearning course development has metamorphosed from simple page-turner type of courses to more complex interactive and engaging eLearning courses. So, to capitalize the potential of eLearning and implement eLearning in organizations, it is good to have a basic understanding of what eLearning is all about and how it is developed." 

A complimentary eBook titled, eLearning 101 - A Comprehensive Guide on How to Design an eLearning Course has been prepared to answer questions like these and provide a detailed overview of eLearning implementation in organizations.

The book will be a handy guide to those who are planning to implement eLearning for the first time in their organizations or who are planning to scale up existing eLearning initiatives in their organizations.

Designing an eLearning course is an exacting process based on Sound Learning Principles. Despite its growing popularity, there are widespread misconceptions about eLearning. At the same time, there may be several questions that come to the mind of learning and training professional. Some such questions may be,

• What is eLearning and what it is not?
• What are the various elements that are involved in eLearning implementation programs?
• How to develop an eLearning course?
• How important are audio and visual elements in eLearning?
• What are the essential factors that need to be considered when developing eLearning courses?
• What are the deployment options available to organizations today?

Get your free eBook here: http://www.commlabindia.com/elearning-resources/elearning-101-ebook.php 

Related links
eLearning Whitepapers & eBooks 
Over 30 eLearning Best Webinars and 100's of eLearning Presentations

Happy Learning! 

eLearning 101 - A Comprehensive Guide on How to Design an eLearning Course

Photo: Ayesha Habeeb Omer

Ayesha Habeeb Omer, Ph.D, Chief Operating Officer, CommLab India writes, "Today eLearning course development has metamorphosed from simple page-turner type of courses to more complex interactive and engaging eLearning courses. So, to capitalize the potential of eLearning and implement eLearning in organizations, it is good to have a basic understanding of what eLearning is all about and how it is developed." 

A complimentary eBook titled, eLearning 101 - A Comprehensive Guide on How to Design an eLearning Course has been prepared to answer questions like these and provide a detailed overview of eLearning implementation in organizations.

The book will be a handy guide to those who are planning to implement eLearning for the first time in their organizations or who are planning to scale up existing eLearning initiatives in their organizations.

Designing an eLearning course is an exacting process based on Sound Learning Principles. Despite its growing popularity, there are widespread misconceptions about eLearning. At the same time, there may be several questions that come to the mind of learning and training professional. Some such questions may be,

• What is eLearning and what it is not?
• What are the various elements that are involved in eLearning implementation programs?
• How to develop an eLearning course?
• How important are audio and visual elements in eLearning?
• What are the essential factors that need to be considered when developing eLearning courses?
• What are the deployment options available to organizations today?

Get your free eBook here: http://www.commlabindia.com/elearning-resources/elearning-101-ebook.php 

Related links
eLearning Whitepapers & eBooks 
Over 30 eLearning Best Webinars and 100's of eLearning Presentations

Happy Learning!