Discussion 2: iPads
Hello,
I currently work for a company that (among other things) trains high numbers of the public and workplaces in standard skills. The courses run from one to eight days. The delivery model is basically a third-party delivery model where the participants are taught by training partners. It would be challenging in this environment to fully utilize iPads as the audience is in constant flux and the delivery of training is done in thousands of locations to small groups.
Having said that, in a previous organization, we trained police and military personnel for deployment in peace operations around the world. There is a huge potential for iPads which would require a huge investment that would have huge payoffs. Through the connected nature of this type of distance education, the facilitation and instructional teams of the centre will be able to adapt and remain flexible to changing circumstances, incorporating the needs and experiences of the participants into the learning activities. By remaining connected with the participants through a simple medium such as the iPad, the instructional teams are able to ensure that the instruction is dynamic and responsive to all circumstances.
Additional to the above reasons, by providing the participants with the tools (technology) necessary to be successful and learn while in post-conflict situations, they are also being provided with the additional resource of colleagues in other areas that may be facing similar challenges. This additional networking and connecting is important to the participants’ abilities to address changing situations that may be un-thought of or un-experienced by the facilitation and instructional teams that are unable to be in the same area.
As the centre is currently in a transitionary state, the potential exists to engage funders and redefine the interaction between the them and the PPC, as well as the interactions and collaboration between funders on various projects. While facilitating the collaboration between funders, the PPC is able to more accountable to them as well as the participants as they are able to show constant feedback through the use of the devices; the PPC is able to show the ongoing development and learning of the participants and therefore express to the funders the return on their investment (taken from a paper I wrote early on in my MET career on the potential of mobile learning through the iPad).
Cheers,
Kristopher
Posted in: Week 09: iPad Apps
Deb Giesbrecht 7:10 pm on November 3, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Wow! Sounds like you have lots of educational challenges in front of you.
The mobility of the ipad is certainly one of its main pluses. This enables connection to others in all sorts of circumstances, providing support and the necessary flexibility and facilitation that you describe.
Certainly the challenges are when third party partners are delivering the content to the end user – making control of the material and presentation difficult. The constant change of students combined with changing locations also factor in – but are surmountable if mobility devices are used. A great advantage of not only the ipad but others like the netbook as well.
Thanks for your comments.
Allie 3:07 pm on November 4, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
That sounds *So Interesting*, Kristopher!! As I was imagining the conflict situations through which your (previous) learners are traveling and working, I couldn’t help but think that one really key part of the iPad is that it takes photographs… learners can share photographs which each other, but also that can be an important part of realtime feedback that they can provide to the instruction and facilitation teams.