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)
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iPhone native application
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Class creation tool
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Other lessons that would effectively utilize this platform’s advantages:
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Car user guides (changing tires, setting the clock)
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Wood working tutorials
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Music lessons/tutorials
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Video making tutorials
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Translation tool
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Creative writting
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Museum guides
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Tourist guide application
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Standardized tests practice
Who (Target Audience)
- Learners with iPhones
- Teachers who want to innovate
Where (User Scenarios)
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Learner driven - already has the motivation to learn
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Could also be used in a classroom environment
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Connectivity, sync, and control for professors on student’s assignments
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Sharing assignments, notes, and comments between students
When (Market opportunities)
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Not the standard but offers a basis for future similar platforms
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iPhone Classroom platform - create your own lesson
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SWOT analysis
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Strengths:
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Be the first / early adopter
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Interface
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Mac OS programmer base
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Portability to Mac OS
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Modularity
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Connectivity
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Ease of use
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Weaknesses:
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Cost
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Not a market standard
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Easy to copy
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Opportunities
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Platform for a broader application
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Research in this new interface/interaction mode
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Wikipedia for learning meets Instructables
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Threats
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Other competing platforms
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Cost
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Laptop could become small and cheap enough to act as a subsititute
Conclusions
- User testing results
- Future development potentials
Project URLs
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Presentations (most current first)
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Web Interface mock-up
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Blog entries
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Thesis write up (this document)
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Project web-site
References
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Books
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How People Learn - Donovan Bransford Pellgrino
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Online photography courses
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Companies
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OLPC
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Bob Tinker - Concord Consortium
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Terc Exploratorium (C.I.L.T)
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Other references
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Low Residency Programs
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Martin Owen - School of Education na University of Wales, Bangor
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Graham Brown-Martin - Handheld Learning Ltd