Thursday, February 24, 2011

Army training using a mobile app

I just found this article on geek.com written by Matthew Humphries, which presents readers with the concept behind several mobile training app designed by the company C2 Technologies. From what I can tell, the objective of these apps is to teach soldiers who work on Patriot Mission how to do their jobs. From the screen shot, it looks like they are using a 3D simulation of the equipment.



Here is the article...

The writer concludes the article by saying, "Although we can see the benefit of training away from the actual missile launching system, we do hope trainees get some extended time with the actual equipment as well before having to use it for real."

I can acknowledge that Matthew Humphries is probably being humorous, but his comments brings up a good point on simulations and capabilities of mobile-based learning. One would expect that the mobile training is an extension of the hands-on training, perhaps as a way to introduce newbies to the system by teaching them some of the basics. Its akin to studying lab work through a virtual lab, then doing a similar experiment in an actual lab.

I am interested in what sort of instructional design process is taking place at C2 Technologies. Are they mostly developers there and do they employee an instructional designer?

Sounds like a fun job!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

New directions...

Chalk drawing from 4freephotos.com


This is a copy of a post I made on a discussion board in my Adult Education/Learning course. I think it speaks well in the direction I'd like to pursue regarding mobile learning.

Since this semester began, I have started investigating into how the definition of knowledge has changed over the years. This vein relates to literature I have read on mobile learning, where it is argued that as people have become more mobile, their demand for information has become more modular, just-in-time, on-demand, and anytime/anywhere. Additionally, the literature sees mobile learning within broader terms such as ubiquitous learning, informal learning, and situated/contextual learning. What’s interesting is that these other terms have been argued and defined before the inception of mobile learning, and as I am trying to piece together, derive from literature redefining knowledge from more of a situated perspective and questioning how to teach tacit knowledge.
This literature is from the organizational learning and organizational development perspective. There is a philosophical base, which I’d like to explore, but that will be later for my paper.
I do think, however, that in the conversation on adult learning/adult education that it is important to also examine how our understanding of knowledge is changing due to technologies perhaps making it more situated. Therefore, the intersection of knowledge with learning needs to be made to move forward the discussion.
Of course, the points the adult education scholars make are relevant, but it is also worth considering what the adults are learning.
Here’s my reading list, which may or may not yield something significant:
Cope, B. & Kalantzis (2009). Ubiquitous Learning. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Argyris, C. (1999). On Organizational Learning (2nd Edition). Malden, MA: Blackwell Business.
A classic!
Tsoukas, H. (2005). Complex Knowledge: Studies in Organizational Epistemology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Osman, M. (2010). Controlling Uncertainty: Decision Making and Learning in Complex Worlds. Madlen: MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Iandoli, L. & Zollo, G. (2008). Organizational Cognition and Learning: Building Systems for the Learning Organization. Hersey, PA: Information Science Publishing.