Tag Archives: Mobile and multi-location

iPad replaces paper, not laptops (from Inside Higher Ed).

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http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2010/07/12/golub

This was a good read. In a nutshell:

“The crucial question for academics is: What in our current arsenal will the iPad replace? After using the device, the answer surprised me: the iPad makes a lousy computer replacement, but it does a great job of replacing paper.”

The author Alex Golub also discusses the potential for the iPad and iTunes to revolutionalise access to journal articles that we currently rely on our uni’s library to supply, and make it much easier to just get the articles we want (as opposed to the piles of stuff the publishers bundle in to the subscriptions that we never want to wade through, but have to, to get to the stuff we want.)

digital voice recorder

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olympus dvr CC Hickey 08obviously not a ‘new’ technology, but if I had to name the one techi thing that changed life in my corner  it was the nifty usb recorder I started using five years ago…. what it means in practice is that the linguistically vulnerable student seeking advice about their writing (those using English as an additional language, for example) can instantly get a copy of the consultation (no cables, just pull it apart, stick it in their laptop) which they can listen to repeatedly at their own pace, and thereby  learn so much more than from a single exposure which they may or may not well recall when back at their desk trying to put into practice the pearls of linguistic wisdom showered upon them… their feedback assures me this was the best investment for teaching I ever made…

Dropbox – a cloud with a difference

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Synchronisation of files across multiple computers & mobile devices, web-based access to files, managed sharing of folders with other dropbox users, url creation for public documents for emailing links, web-album generation, event history tracking of your dropbox (file restoration) etc …

Well worth a look and a boon when travelling and you need access to storage or sharing items with international contacts.

Hosted externally, which brings along its own considerations, but this type of thing would have great potential for groups of students working collaboratively on a group assignment, sharing progress between themselves and tutor etc…

Currently free for up to 2GB of storage, plans beyond that.

https://www.dropbox.com/


Dropbox

Flip video camera

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I’ve borrowed a Flip high-definition camera and am experimenting with it. I took a few short clips on wednesday, then down-loaded them quickly and easily onto iPhoto on my mac at home. From there it was a drag and drop into iMovie.

The Flip has a pop-out USB connection, so the whole device plugs into the computer like a large, shiny silver USB key. And the interface is so easy to use, only 4 buttons, can’t go wrong. I like!

Brainstorming eLearning tech innovations with John

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I ducked over to the Innovation Campus for lunch with John Glynn, head of the Business School. We talked blogs and collaboration spaces for communities of students, mobile applications and competitive advantage, case and role-based learning and e-simulations, alumni blogs and videos, and busted a few subtly racist myths of international student habits.

I feel the spirit of innovation growing on campus, and it’s a great place to be.

Best iPhone apps to learn Japanese – a beginner’s perspective

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Japanese on the iPhone

Are you keen to learn Japanese on your iPhone? As a beginner you might look at basic phrases as well as Hiragana and Katakana. More advanced learners might want to further their Kanji and JLPT (Japnaese Language Proficiency Test) skills. Below are a couple of hints for what to look for and avoid when purchasing Japanese learning apps.

Basic Phrase Apps = thumbs down 🙁

Your first stop is probably to want pick up a few phrases and get a feel for the spoken word. Hearing pronunciation of words and phrases is a good general introduction and will help prepare you for a native context. Real-life situations like TV shows and overseas students are perfect for tuning your ear to Japanese and a much richer source compared with the limited selection of iPhone Japanese phrase learning apps. Most combine a poorly recorded audible short phrase with an english letter pronunciation, called ‘Romaji’. While it may seem easy at first, Romaji is a pretty clumsy system to represent the language and ultimately useless in communication with native speakers, i.e. “What time is it?” is read “Ima nanji desuka”, opposed to the native character set of Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana, which brings us to the next set of apps…

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Example App: “J Phrases”

Hiragana and Katagana Apps = Thumbs UP! 🙂

Hiragana and Katagana apps are where the iPhone really shines. Beginners of Japanese are usually quite daunted (or excited!) by the huge variety of new characters to learn. Hiragana and Katakana are two sets ‘alphabets’, and the first step is to memorize the shape and pronunciation of each ‘letter’. Quick and punchy quiz games like ‘Study Japanese’ (below) are both enjoyable and effective. Conversely, I’d recommend staying away from conventional simple ‘flash card’ games that limit interactivity and quickly lose appeal.

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Example Kana game “Study Japanese”

A Good Dictionary App

The “Japanese” dictionary app (below) is a touch pricey at over $10AU, but well worth the investment for a one-stop resource for all levels of Japanese learners.

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“Japanese” Dictionary App

Conclusion (just the beginning, really)

The most important first step in learning Japanese is to HAVE FUN! Seek apps and games that will keep your interest and teach you at your level, not over it. Come back when you’ve mastered Kana to find out about Kanji and JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) apps. See you then!

The iPad

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No doubt Many of you have heard of the iPad. In the two weeks leading up to Apples ‘New Mystery Device’ I was incredibly excited. I had predicted that the device would cover the market between the iPhone/Smartphone and Netbook, where there is a considerable gap awaiting someone to jump in with a great idea. Has Apple succeeded if filling the gap? Time will tell. I’m looking forward to seeing some creative things come from some of the other competitors including those companies predominantly in the mobile phones industry looking to expand their product range, and laptop manufactures looking to do the same.

I have had a look at the features and the tech specs. Whilst I was very excited before the release of the product after seeing what it actually is and does, I’m afraid does not live up to the hype! I feel that the iPad is little more than an enlarged iPhone. Clearly I am not alone, see here and here. The internet memes and laughing did not stop at that, many related the iPad with feminine hygiene products (Well Apple, with a name like that what did you expect?).

While the iPad tries to fill the gap between smartphones and netbooks, it is also Apple’s solution for an ebook reader. The only feature of this that I am marginally excited about is iBooks. When I buy devices I like them to do more than a single particular task, for example my phone is not only a phone but also a gaming device, diary, and internet browser. iBooks is the App that manages and allows you to read ebooks on the iPad, this puts the iPad in competition with devices such as the Nook and Kindle. The battery life on Apple devices we know is poor in comparison. With a full colour screen on all the time for simply reading, that is going to chew battery life like nothing else, as opposed to the eInk technology used on the Kindle. I see this as a huge downside to the device. No one likes their battery to die halfway through and international flight for example.

I was also slightly inspired by their marketing video.

As an iPhone user I have most of the iPads features available to me, such as App Store, Mobile Web, email on the go, photos, etc. Which leads me to the conclusion that the iPad is simply and enlarged iPhone. With all of these functions available to me on my iPhone, which is far more portable than this 10 inch device, why on earth would I buy it? Anyone? … Is that crickets I hear?

Granted there is some benefits that have come from this products release. In preparation for the device’s extra needs and extra apps iTunes has ‘cleaned up’ it’s App store.

So what do you think? Has Apple hit the spot, or flopped with the iPad?