lectures in mobile devices and eLearning content: constructivist method

This day was filled with lectures that I had to give. In the morning I gave a joined lecture on mobile learning and structuring eLearning content. The audience were ten medical doctors who want to start a telemedicine website/project in low resource settings.

Most of them have a Local Area Network in which they can distribute learning materials or surveys etcetera. It was quite interesting to see how face-to-face learning can put your nose unto the weak spots of a presentation. Although I asked to know the public I needed to speak to and I was informed, the material still was not taylored enough. A lot of questions arose while giving the mobile presentation, mainly because most of the learners were not accostumed to the principles of CMS, SCORM, ... still I did not mind because... the lecture was based on a constructivist method.

In the end of the presentation, we had drifted from the presentation, yet, the learning goals of the lecture were reached and more. Because of the constructivistic method we had some space to make the course up as we went along, based on the immediate feedback of the learners. So they really learned and ... I did as well.

Although the presentation stood its ground, the doctors pointed out the weak spots and hopefully I will get it stronger for the next presentation which will be for a larger audience.

mobile revision on h.264

Today we decided to redesign the content for our multimedia e-courses without the H.264 codec. It was just not possible to assure a good work flow with this codec, although the quality is obvious.

mobile update

Just stumbled on an interesting mobile platform: www.redhalo.com , I will be testing this platform in the next couple of weeks. Looks easy and nice.

I also found a really great personal wiki for mobile devices which works like clockwork on my HTC: Blade wiki.

And I made myself member of the eLearning guild to get some extra knowledge on what is out there and to get the ITM mobile projects better known to the rest of the learning developers.

promotion while engaging students

The last couple of days the eLearning team has been working on videos that show students from around the world following the Short Course on AntiRetroviral Therapy (SCART) in Antwerp, Belgium.

We wanted the students to become accustomed with the multimedia aspect of blogging, so we mounted the videos on a videoblogging site: itmvodcast.blogspot.com that will be implemented in the curriculum with added movies from the field, seminars ...

It is a great experience combining high video and audio quality with student interest and enthousiasm.

Used technology:
Sony HDRHC5 HD 4.0 megapixels with the H.264 codec;
ME 105 Sennheiser wireless microphone;
editing: Final Cut software

mobile success

Great, the first tests with publishing course movies that are deliverable through itunes for mobile devices have been a succes.

If more feedback comes in, we can start redesigning more of the courses into mobile content.

We even linked the courses to our soon-to-become-official ITM vodcast blog. So that depending on the device (mobile, computer ...) you have, you get the information delivered.

The editing of the ITM movie was fun, but I still need to get information as to the copyright. It is nice if something comes together.

used soft- and hardware: digital camera (different types, one is even nothing more than a Canon ixus 60), a microphone, captivate, camtasia studio 4 (getting it converted to m4a).