Mobile Internet Devices for Learning

The NMC report lists mobile internet devices as one of the near horizon technologies that will penetrate higher ed down under (greater than 16%). The availability of Apple's iTunesU and iPod/iPhone devices led to adoption of this approach by several universities in the US. More recently some universities have adopted Amazon's Kindle ; a number of vendors have seen their netbooks adopted. The increasing availability of wireless networks helps speed adoption, particularly by students, if not only for learning purposes. The rapid increase in availability of smart phones and supporting networks, combined with an increasing number of applications, enables informal learning now and formal learning adoption in the near horizon.

  The history of education is littered with promising technology innovations that later turned out to be marginally effective, such as film strips, videos, and even classroom computers, proving that it's not the technology itself, but the availability, teacher preparation, applications, and the degree of thinking designed into the learning experience. With that experience in mind, what are the features of mobile computing technology that enable quality learning?

Here's a partial list, and please post ideas of your own:

• Mostly anywhere availability: the devices can be taken to the "field" to help guide realistic learning opportunities, record data, capture pictures and videos of events, and with GPS or location software, record location information; specialized development of sensors could also allow weather, chemical or other data collection. Imagine all the high schools in a state taking field trips at hundreds or thousands of locations with students collecting and integrating into a common geospatial dataset water and other environmental readings. Imagine further that the science classes help students analyze the data as practicing sicentists and publishing their findings in a collaborative "State of the State" report.
• Real-time connectivity across distance: at its simplest, this is phone or text communication, but with the proper organization and perhaps apps like twitter allowing point-to-multi-point communication, simulations of distributed organizations, emergency management situations, and distributed coordination are possible. Several years ago, Colorado Technical University and the Challenger Learning Center hosted a network-based Mt. Pinatubo-like crises simulation, that is now possible much more affordably with group communication devices.
• Mediated, real-world communication: the mediated aspect of modern workplace communication is learned best by actual practice with workplace devices; too much performance simulation in face-to-face situations does not reflect current and future practice. Simulations designed to expose the limitations of devices can improve the use of such devices.
  
• Affordable, complex applications (mindtools to go): the affordability factor may increase the availability of devices and applications so that more learners can engage thinking constructively;
• Access to information: the kindle device gives convenient access to books, the iPhone to audio and video lectures; but while non-traditional delivery of traditional content is useful, even more useful is the availability represented by searchable sources such as wikipedia.org or even access to expertise networks through texting.

These features are some of the advantages specific to mobile smart devices. Please share your experiences and ideas.

Side note, technorati claim code: B6WUWRZHJMZ4.