Designed and user-generated activity in the mobile age

The paper addresses the question of how to design for learning taking place on mobile and wireless devices. The authors argue that learning activity designers need to consider the characteristics of mobile learning; at the same time, it is vital to realise that learners are already creating mobile learning experiences for themselves. Profound changes in computer usage brought about by social networking and user-generated content are challenging the idea that educators are in charge of designing learning. The authors make a distinction between designed activity, carefully crafted in advance, and user-generated activity arising from learners’ own spontaneous requirements. The paper illustrates what each approach has to offer and it draws out what they have in common, the opportunities and constraints they represent. The paper concludes that user-generated mobile activity will not replace designed activity but it will influence the ways in which designed activity develops

Going with the grain: mobile devices in practice

Fifty-seven alumni of a global Masters program participated in research into their use of mobile devices. Drawing on questionnaire and interview data,the paper examines how far the devices were embedded in the personal and professional lives of these alumni, most of whom were aged 35-54. All had experience of online and distance education, and most worked in education or training. The study revealed some innovative uses of mobile devices, a selection of which is reported in this paper. The paper links the findings to wider debates about the changing relationship between learners and educational institutions, and the role of mobile devices in enabling individuals to engage in learning conversations. Data are provided on which devices were used by the alumni and for what purposes, and the paper explores the implications of these findings for educators

Practitioners as innovators: Emergent practice in personal mobile teaching, learning, work and leisure

Mobile devices have become commonplace tools, yet little is known about how individuals use them in their teaching, learning, work, and leisure. We report on an investigation into personal mobile device use by students and alumni from the global master's degree in online and distance education offered by the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University (UK). The study identified various types of activity undertaken, and focused on emerging issues in relation to innovative practices. Participants described their uses of four types of device, the frequency of specific uses, and their views on the attractions and disadvantages of mobile learning. The chapter is intended to inform those who are interested in the potential of mobile learning, designing learning for a specific type of device, or who own a mobile device and are simply looking to make better use of it in the future

‘Partly self-made niches’? Student-only spaces in an LMS

Eighty-nine students were provided with a student-only live-voice space in a Learning Management System (LMS). Would they use it and, if so, would they feel sufficient ownership to create what Havnes (2008) described as “partly self-made niches”? In this study, a substantial proportion of respondents reported that they used the space not only for social support but also for key aspects of peer-learning. They reported that these student-only sessions gave them freedom to explore module-topics in new ways, and to share professional practice. Some disliked the lack of structure, but many valued the freedom to vary the focus and pace of their sessions. Several interviewees reported setting up sessions at short notice – for example, via Twitter – to meet their immediate concerns and requirements. A number of respondents valued these sessions as distinctive from, and complementary to, their tutorials in the same live-voice environment. The paper links these findings to debates about whether peer-learning should be explicitly organised, and about how education can disrupt itself as advocated by Bass (2012)

Conferencing and workshops: a blend for staff development

Several hundred staff participated in a programme set up to support the Open University's mainstreaming of online teaching. One particular concern was how the programme would avoid being seen as a top–down imposition in areas of controversial change such as the move towards e-tutoring. To meet this, the programme set out to facilitate university-wide sharing of experience and practices across diverse groups of academic and learning-support staff while remaining sensitive to local needs in different parts of the organization. As part of this process, about 80 staff participated in online conferencing blended with workshops, in some cases gaining almost their first experience of online discussion. The paper draws on quantitative and qualitative data to illustrate some of the ways in which such discussion can facilitate staff development in areas of profound change

Technology that enhances without inhibiting learning

Technology supported information sharing could be argued to both enhance and inhibit learning. However, social and affective issues that motivate learners' technology interactions are often overlooked. Are learners avoiding valuable learning applications because of privacy fears and trust issues? Will inaccurate technology assumptions and awareness inhibit information sharing? Do learners need control over technology enhanced safe creative spaces or can they be motivated to overcome badly designed systems because sharing is 'valuable' or 'fun'. This presentation details a model of privacy and trust issues that can be used to enhance elearning. Several OU case-studies of multimedia, mobile and elearning applications (conducted within IET, KMI and the Open CETL) are evaluated using this model. The model helps to identify trade-offs that learners make for technology enhanced or inhibited learning. Theories of control, identity, information sensitivity and re-use are discussed within the context of these elearning examples

Clients: their role in the procurement of infrastructure projects

This thesis reports on research undertaken into the effectiveness of the procurement activities undertaken by clients within projects for the construction of infrastructure. Current theory and practice is reviewed by means of a study of the available published literature, documentation and personal views of personnel within various companies. An analysis of the problems encountered by using current methods has suggested that project success is contingent upon a range of factors which are not normally considered and, furthermore, are under the control of the client. This has given rise to a wider view of construction procurement and a variety of new concepts have been identified. This has resulted in the postulation of a unifying theory of procurement and the proposal of better methods of procuring construction projects. Data has been collected from 24 projects; 12 discrete project programmes within one client and the overall project programmes of 9 client organisations. The data was collected using interviews with a wide range of personnel, interrogation of corporate financial and project management information systems and document analysis. 24 Case Studies of projects are also presented. A model has been developed that enables the comparison of the procurement activities of a wide range of companies. The model integrates the effects of client programme activities and considers income, costs and risks. This particularly enables the value added by the procurement and other functions to be determined. This has been used to analyse and test the procurement undertaken by several organisations and can be used as a tool for continuing improvement within a client's infrastructure construction programme

Self-service education: Smartphones as a catalyst for informal collective and individual learning

A major barrier to the uptake and integration of new technologies in teaching and learning is the lack of personal experience of mobile learning on the part of those involved in teaching and in the preparation of materials and methods of learner support. Our project addresses this by introducing forty academic and support staff to the use of smartphones to support their own learning, within a semi-formal community structure and with a focus on their personal and professional development. We set out to explore whether the smartphone would act as a catalyst, heightening interest in professional development, encouraging exploitation of relevant resources, and promoting dialogue amongst the staff members involved. The paper considers the idea of 'self-service' education, whereby learners are in charge of what they want to learn but may still require some form of support. The peer learning community aspects of the project are foregrounded, consisting of workshops, clubs, a buddy system and online environment. A two-stage process gave us the opportunity to reflect on one group's experience and rethink arrangements before a second group started. We show how fine-tuning a particular professional development opportunity gives insights into the best ways to make use of limited resources

Mobile 2.0: crossing the border into formal learning?

Many practitioners are looking for ways to bring the vitality of Mobile 2.0—for example, social networking via a mobile phone (cellphone), or photo sharing on a mobile blog—into formal learning and teaching. But they face a complex and even paradoxical challenge: how can they harness that vitality without stifling its most distinctive feature—the fact that it is user led? This chapter begins with an analysis of that paradox as a foundation for understanding the challenges that practitioners face now and in the future. Drawing on data from interviews with six experienced tertiary practitioners, the authors describe and analyze a number of examples that point to the particular power of mobile devices to blur formal and informal activity in people’s lives. The aim is to look beyond the hype around innovations in mobile devices and connectivity to focus on the opportunities for practitioners to bend the arc of Mobile 2.0 to the needs of their learners