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iPhone Classroom – Thesis Paper

iPhone Classroom

  • Innovative use of proven educational methods combined with leading edge technology that is not yet a standard but might very well be the model of all future similar devices.
  • A life long learning curriculum designed for a mobile platform
  • How to, Want to, Need to, Just in Time Learning
  • Self paced, interactive, participatory, useful, fun
  • A program to teach photography on the iPhone
  • Modular learning anywhere, anytime, anyone.
  • Learner driven – already has the motivation to learn

Is this Finally it?

  • Worked in the mobile phone market for years
  • Designing for ultimate constraints – going back to the web’s early times
  • iPhone’s new paradigm in user interaction allows for new kinds of applications 
  • Surprisingly big DYI culture in the US compared to Latin America and maybe Europe.
  • Could a cell phone be a platform for just in time learning?
  • Open up a school in Brazil – interest in education
  • Huge market – OLPC exemplifies this
  • New generation of phones – this is the worst it’s going to get
  • Not the standard but offers a basis for future similar platforms

The Prototype


  • iPhone native application
  • Photography class
  • Other lessons that would effectively utilize this platform’s advantages:
    • Car user guides (changing tires, setting the clock)
    • Setting up your tent
    • Survival skills
    • Wood working tutorials
    • Music lessons/tutorials
    • Video making tutorials
    • Translation tool
    • Creative writting
    • Museum guides
    • Tourist guide application
    • Standardized tests practice

  

The Big Picture

  • iPhone Classroom platform
    • Create your own lesson
    • Next catalog of courses
  • Could also be used in a classroom environment
    • Connectivity, sync, and control for professors on student’s assignments
    • Sharing assignments, notes, and comments between students
  • SWOT analysis
    • Strengths:
      • Be the first / early adopter
      • Interface
      • Mac OS programmer base
      • Portability to Mac OS
      • Modularity
      • Connectivity
      • Ease of use
    • Weaknesses:
      • Cost
      • Not a market standard
      • Easy to copy
    • Opportunities
      • Platform for a broader application
      • Research in this new interface/interaction mode
      • Wikipedia for learning meets Instructables
    • Threats
      • Other competing platforms
      • Cost
      • Laptop could become small and cheap enough to act as a subsititute
Project URLs 





References


  • Books
    • How People Learn – Donovan Bransford Pellegrino
    • Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X


  • Companies
    • Bob Tinker – Concord Consortium
  • Other references
    • Low Residency Programs
    • Martin Owen – School of Education na University of Wales, Bangor
    • Graham Brown-Martin – Handheld Learning Ltd

NOTES:


Shifting landscapes

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iPhoneClassroom.com, .net, and .org

I could not believe my eyes when I saw that www.iphoneclassroom.com was available!!

I went ahead and purchased the .com, .net, and .org domains for my thesis project!
Cool little bit of info… for me at least 🙂
I guess it’s the final month’s ramp up euphoria kicking in! 
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iPhone Classroom – Thesis Paper (draft)

Why (Motivation)

  • Worked in the mobile phone market for years
  • iPhone’s new paradigm in user interaction allows for new kinds of applications 
  • Open up a school in Brazil – interest in education
  • DYI culture
  • Could a cell phone be a platform for just in time learning?

What (Description)

  • Innovative use of proven educational methods combined with leading edge technology that is not yet a standard but might very well be the model of all future similar devices.
  • A curriculum designed for a mobile platform
  • A program to teach photography on a cell phone
  • Life long learning on the iPhone
  • How to, Want to, Need to, Just in Time
  • Self paced, interactive, participatory, useful, fun
  • Modular learning anywhere, anytime, anyone.

How (Future Implementation)

  • iPhone native application
  • Class creation tool
  • Other lessons that would effectively utilize this platform’s advantages:
    • Car user guides (changing tires, setting the clock)
    • Wood working tutorials
    • Music lessons/tutorials
    • Video making tutorials
    • Translation tool
    • Creative writting
    • Museum guides
    • Tourist guide application
    • Standardized tests practice

Who (Target Audience)

  • Learners with iPhones
  • Teachers who want to innovate

Where (User Scenarios)

  • Learner driven – already has the motivation to learn
  • Could also be used in a classroom environment
    • Connectivity, sync, and control for professors on student’s assignments
    • Sharing assignments, notes, and comments between students

When (Market opportunities)

  • Not the standard but offers a basis for future similar platforms
  • iPhone Classroom platform – create your own lesson
  • SWOT analysis
    • Strengths:
      • Be the first / early adopter
      • Interface
      • Mac OS programmer base
      • Portability to Mac OS
      • Modularity
      • Connectivity
      • Ease of use
    • Weaknesses:
      • Cost
      • Not a market standard
      • Easy to copy
    • Opportunities
      • Platform for a broader application
      • Research in this new interface/interaction mode
      • Wikipedia for learning meets Instructables
    • Threats
      • Other competing platforms
      • Cost
      • Laptop could become small and cheap enough to act as a subsititute

Conclusions

  • User testing results
  • Future development potentials

Project URLs

References

  • Books
    • How People Learn – Donovan Bransford Pellgrino
  • Other references
    • Low Residency Programs
    • Martin Owen – School of Education na University of Wales, Bangor
    • Graham Brown-Martin – Handheld Learning Ltd