Mobile Learner Support

And the third part of the project update:

To inform the discussions around using multimedia in eAssessment beyond some current models where audio or video are used as the stimulus to a question (i.e. students playback a file and then reflect or comment on this via text response), an opportunity arose to work with a well-regarded external company with experience in this area at scale – Learnosity. Shortly afterwards, a teaching and learning research study required a mobile-based investigation into how to reuse some DVD-ROM resources where students currently can record their own voice on desktops, to practice and compare with model answers.

The Learnosity ‘Voice Response’ system seemed appropriate for customisation for OU usage, working with the L120 Intermediate French research group. Using a keypad based navigation system (akin to phone banking), students can access the next available formative speaking and listening exercise based on resources already available to them on DVD-ROM. Depending on the question type, it is also possible for students to take part in a structured conversation, to hear their voice interspersed between the prompts played back in review mode at the end of the activity – a feature unavailable on DVD-ROM. Students can then review any of the activities online and comment further (with the option for tutors to comment also if submitted for validation).

Although usage within the study is currently lower than expected due to timing, the Learnosity approach has also now been offered more widely to L120 students as part of revision work they can undertake over summer in preparation for their ECAs. Extending the usability of the web interface further for full review of activities while mobile, Learnosity are also in the final stages of implementing an iPhone application to get around the limitations of Adobe Flash audio visualisation and playback on devices, and to feed back to our own OU development teams who are interested/tasked with creating mobile applications.

The majority of current efforts to provide for a Mobile VLE do concentrate around improving (mobile) web access to course websites, learning from the OU Library and StudentHome mobile approaches. It has also been discussed and accepted that in order to support intermittent connectivity and potentially large downloads of mixed media, the OU also need to investigate application development further, which complements work underway in KMi and IET on adaptations from other fixed media and also on learning objects.

Here’s the second part of the project update:

As the first in a series of explorations to evaluate how to package VLE content and resources for offline usage (or with poor connectivity), the latest developments in structured content provided an opportunity to investigate technical requirements for other formats to supplement current web delivery (and print view). This is also seen to complement work underway by the Digital Audio Project (Disabled Student Services) for synthetic voice-read course texts and DAISY format development.

Initial format evaluation [summary available on project blog] identified Mobipocket as a more feature-rich format that is already popular amongst mobile (and desktop) users. Following on from development work for that format, the open-source ePub (or Open eBook) format would follow most naturally, with many methods common to both.

As a result, the LIO contractor worked on XSLT coding from OU intermediate XML, working through all of the elements of the OU schema with the aim to provide a best-attempt approach, rather than handcrafting for each case. Refinements are expected in an iterative process, and decisions remain to be made on what ‘canned text’ for example indicates where there are activities that need to be completed online, within the narrative.

Since the initial coding work, it has however become apparent that Amazon’s purchase of the Mobipocket platform has frozen some development of client applications, and the future of the format is in question alongside Kindle (still unavailable outside US). Aside from creating a few eBook samples, development work has now been redeployed to providing ePub standard format.

Possibly not a catchy title I know, but the following is the first part of the update due to go to our Learning Innovation Strategy Group shortly. I’ve also included a link to relevant project documentation on the right-hand-side navigation:

In recent years, the mobile device market has converged somewhat around devices connected to mobile networks (smartphones rather than personal digital assistants (PDAs)), with multimedia capabilities and photo/video capture, and lately mobile internet browsing and location services through GPS integration. Specifically with regard to mobile internet browsers, an evaluation was required, detailed in the project Business Case, which despite a number of new operating systems has identified a core number of browser classes that we can aim for – namely WebKit, Opera Mini and to a lesser extent NetFront and BlackBerry browsers (to be re-evaluated once these are updated, as well as the future Pocket Internet Explorer).

Another prerequisite for MobileVLE build is to ensure that users can interact with the VLE websites, not merely browse content, and in this regard the fuller functionality of the HTML editor (used in most VLE modules requiring more that one line of text entry) needed altering so that the toolset degraded gracefully for less feature-rich browsers. In basic terms, where currently we have rich text tools akin to MSWord toolbars, a plain text option is required so that mobile users on more limited browsers can add small amounts of text, where appropriate. This should now be available from the September 2009 release – providing the option to users to switch between editor functions depending on their device.

To establish outline design principles for a MobileVLE design, a small number of stakeholders were consulted on which aspect of our course site design to build around, which indicated the Study Planner (central to the Integrated Online Experience redesign) showing current (week or block) information and navigation paths to past or future material. The ability to flag tasks or work through a ‘to do’ list was considered, alongside relevant resource provision and search capabilities. A wireframe was established following the consultation, again detailed in the project Business Case (also on this blog). Consultation with students was then required to identify frequently used areas and priorities over future mobile access.

A mobile-optimised student survey received approval from SRPP and has initially been placed on StudentHome mobile for response over the Summer 2009 period. The questions were targeted at current mobile users to understand better what our students are already attempting while mobile, as usage statistics for this area are consistently increasing, now beyond those for Linux users [the link to stats overview and usage graphs is also available in the project Business Case]. Staff who are also students are welcome to contribute via https://msds.open.ac.uk/students/index.aspx?mobile=1 or via http://www.open.ac.uk/mobile on a device.

Initial internal discussions have now taken place with regard to potential designs, building on previous VLE redesign work, and what is technically achievable within the VLE templates. Once design samples are available, they will be put out for wider consultation amongst staff and students early on in Autumn 2009.

Two initial development timeframes have also been identified – the first, for December 2009 release is to establish the groundwork for the mobile-optimised design and layout, while the second, for March 2010 release is to apply templates to course homepages and appropriate modules or VLE tools.

Following on from last week’s Learning Innovation Strategy Group, a couple of messages I’ve taken on board in particular are the following:

If we consider appropriate course learning design and resources for our mobile learners, while still allowing them to access the full range of learning content, we will be in a better position than some of the commercial VLE providers.

We should broaden the scope of the project beyond creating an optimised view from devices (though this is recognised as a good foundation for stage 1 of the project). Pilot courses will need to be considered later in 2009 in line with other technical evaluation work.

As a result of these and other comments, I’m keen to establish with colleagues in IET a wider plan for looking at course design ‘chunking’ and identifying areas from actual courses that would be most appropriate for learning ‘on-the-go’ and working together to advise on good practice in this area. This longer term aim will need to involve a wider group of course teams and course managers and consult our ALs and students, so watch this space for updates after we do some more ground work.

A quick note today to indicate that the Business Case for the Mobile VLE project will be available soon after Easter for Learning Innovation Strategy Group (LISG) members and to internal LIO stakeholders via http://learn.open.ac.uk/site/lio. I have also included an overview page on this blog for review.

UPDATE:  The meeting papers for LISG are now available

Copying the message sent out to Strategy-Mlearn-List mail list earlier:

I have been in consultation with a number of smaller groups of interested parties, but would now appreciate if you are able to attend, or send representatives to a Mobile VLE stakeholder meeting on 19th March 2009, 1-3PM, Library Presentation Room. Coffee and cake provided.

This meeting would be most appropriate for colleagues involved in usability and learning design for courses, those implementing course sites and colleagues who receive regular feedback from students as to online course provision.

We will be working in conjunction with the Integrated Online Experience project looking at design and usability of the VLE. We need to have a vision on what appropriate VLE services should be highlighted (and most easily accessible) to users browsing with mobile technologies, and ideally how these can be structured, most likely around the study planner.

Looking to the future we also need to improve on interactions, not just browsing capabilities, and an additional aim will be to ensure that OU (formative) learning material can be packaged for use while mobile, even with intermittent connectivity.

Please confirm whether you can attend via the Learning-Innovation mailbox by Friday 6th March.

At the Learning Innovation Steering Group yesterday, an outline for the Mobile VLE was given, and I will be approaching stakeholders soon to get this on a firmer footing.

The discussions I’ve had so far certainly confirm that we should be doing more than just providing another channel for our content – we really need to be looking at the interactivity (which on multiple – and currently unsupported – browsers is challenging). Mobile optimised sites are best when they’re not just reformatting content, but offering appropriate services quickly.

The recent VLE redesign and the work of the Integrated Online Experience project have already improved the mobile internet browsing experience of the VLE and will be key to further improvements.

Currently I can see 2 phases of development (in outline):

• Making the study planner the core optimised content block, providing tools (on the sidebar) as footer navigation items. Ensuring that the text entry and HTML editors work at a basic level across mobile browsers;
• Looking to package some of the more static content for review when users have no connection (which of course still happens while mobile) and improve/export some of the quiz functionality for formative self-assessment.

Colleagues are welcome to comment at this early stage in shaping the scope of the project and I will be asking nominees and other mobile technology community members to get involved via the mail lists in due course.

We’re also going to have to look at the layout of the sign-in process as from what I’ve seen so far you can’t even get past this using Google Android and some other phone web browsers…