Transition or merely substitution - again

Upon reading through the various articles on mobile learning studies, it struck me how many still suffer from what I would call 'Ally-syndrome'. Mohamed Ally (Athabasca Uni, Canada) talks/writes about the benefits of transition when it comes to mobile learning but his many examples of accomplished projects show merely substitution of existing didactic materials onto a mobile medium.

I do like Ally's 'aspects of mobile learning', that seem to hint in the direction of a separate mobile didactic. Those aspects in ascending order of complexity:
object (using buttons)
linearity (putting things in order)
support
update (keeping track)
construct
reflective
simulation
hyperlinked (synthesise information)
non-immersive contextual
immersive contextual (virtual)

And so again I found mentions like 'for courses that offer Web-based materials, redesigning is necessary if they are to be accessed by mobile devices' (Thornton & Houser, 2005). Redesigning is substitution, from Web-based materials to mobile devices as much as from books to Web-based materials. Mobile learning is about more than just changing the medium. It could provide a starting point for a different view on learning and teaching.

Oh, and by the way - the concert last Wednesday was absolutely brilliant! Loved that world premiere of 'Impossible Things', you could hear a pin drop through all the 30 minutes of it, mesmerising and powerful stuff.

Britten in America

A little diversion...

"A programme of music from both sides of the Atlantic that delves into the subtle and rich sonorities of strings and voice. This concert offers a rare opportunity to hear celebrated tenor, Mark Padmore paired with the exuberant and imaginative violinist Pekka Kuusisto in a new work by Nico Muhly. A protégé of Philip Glass, Nico Muhly is gaining a reputation as being one of the most impressive innovators of new music, effortlessly crossing the boundaries between classical and pop.(...)" Source

So looking forward to seeing Nico Muhly for the third time in just over two months! And in the beautiful Muziekcentrum in Eindhoven again (less than an hour's drive away), where Nico is composer-in-residence for a few years. More info here!