The growth in mobile computing increases the demand for content to fit on the small screen
In this article, Education Week tackles the growing problem of finding relevant and rigorous content to use in the classroom with mobile handheld devices. Below are some quotes from the article.
In the push for mobile learning as a way to utilize tools that students are adept at using and are enthusiastic about, the quest for creating and finding high-quality content is proving a challenge. But as more schools decide to incorporate portable technologies into the school day, demand is growing for curricula developed with a three-inch display window in mind.The Florida Virtual School officials are trying to get beyond such simple uses. They have enlisted a team of experts to develop mobile software, in partnership with a commercial provider, that incorporates video, interactive and social-networking features, and Web resources adapted for the devices.In St. Marys, Ohio, a 2,150-student district that issues mobile phones to elementary students, teachers have put together an online forum for sharing curriculum ideas and resources with members. Teachers there have also organized show-and-tell sessions to demonstrate how they work with cellphones in the classroom.
Apple's App Store has fueled the growth in apps for the iPod Touch and the iPhone. Many of these applications are specifically for the education market. As the use of mobile devices grows in schools the success of the App Store will spill over into other markets. There has already be significant growth in Google's Android market. It will be exciting to see the applications that arise over the next few years for mobile devices.
