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SDH Mobile Devices in Higher Education

SDH Mobile Devices in Higher Education

Oct 19, 2010

  • Everyone's got a cell phone now, so how to take advantage of that?

  • Mobile apps vs mobile-enabled websites?

    • If an app, do you enable it to communicate with the device (gps, etc.?)

      • geolocation, accelerometers, etc.

      • HTML5 will allow you to do this

    • What about supporting multiple platforms?

    • Maintaining API changes, etc.

    • Creating an "app" that's actually a link to a website (branded instance of webkit)? (Hybrid approach?)

      • Lowest-cost and effort; gives you a presence on iTunes but doesn't require multiple platform development

    • Not everyone wants to install your app, but still need to be able to access your data.

    • If a website, make it aware of what it's being used on so that it can format phone numbers, etc. to be used by the device.

      • Most devices are becoming more intelligent, so people don't need to be aware of an app to have some of the functionality, they can just access a regular website.

  • Be able to create a universal framework - the back-end server provides the data in a universal format, while the UI takes that information and formats it for the target framework (website, app, etc.)

    • Instead of creating an actual app, be able to access individual portlets instead of having the full view.

    • Allowing other people to access the data in the way they want to ("fungible data")

      • Students can write mobile apps, etc.

  • How do you use it to benefit the students?

    • Can't be just for the "cool" factor (we have an iPhone app!) but it needs to actually be useful

  • Enhance learning

    • QR codes at random places on campus and allow them to get "more info"

    • get additional resources to be able to learn online

      • access course documents, stream audio/video, etc.

    • get a degree over a smartphone while commuting, etc.

  • Content issues

    • issues with third-party vendors and tertiary systems

    • more complex systems may not display well due to the size of the screen

  • Don't just take your current offerings, stick them in the blender, and try to get a magical mobile version out of it

    • needs to be specifically focused - what would be useful to have on a phone?

  • Remember that there will still be people who won't have the latest and greatest device, so you shouldn't forget about the others

  • How does the user want to consume and interact with the information?

    • Inevitably, the way that new classes of students access and use data will change over time

    • Not everyone accesses it in the same way

  • Subscribing to text message notifications?

  • Compartmentalizing their lives - everyone thinks that their information is the most important and that all the constituents want to receive their information

    • How do you arbitrate who can send information to what users?

    • Opt-in/opt-out?

  • Jumping on the bandwagon just because it's there?

    • Make sure that what you develop is quality, or it could potentially hurt more than help.