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Professorial Lecture Title: Opportunities and Barriers for Mobile Learning in the PhilippinesProfessorial Chair Holder: Dr. Jose Lloyd EspirituLecture Proper: This year I choose the topic – Opportunities and Barriers for MobileLearning in the Philippines – as the topic for my Professorial lectureprimarily because I intend to set the
directions for the IST programfor the next 5-10 years
. When I started the IST program 10 years ago,I set my sights on e-learning – that is formally defined as the use of Information and Communications Technologies to facilitate and supportteaching and learning.It was an exciting 10 years of working with computers, multimedia andthe web. We have come up with coursewares and teachwares in almost
every imaginable topic
– from tutorials on how to make ‘turon’ tohighly animated teaching tools for Police Trainer at SOCO. We evenrepresented the Philippines in the Imagine Cup in Korea on a web basedresearch tool.My interest in Mobile learning was sparked when I was asked to set theFUTURE DIRECTIONS for
e-learning for OUT-OF-SCHOOLS YOUTHS
.After working for almost 2 year with seven STATE UNIVERSITIES tocomplete
250 e-learning modules and spending 120 million pesos
, I just realized that we are perhaps barking on the wrong tree.We have just translated half of the required learning materials for the65% of out youth. And yet less than 1% of them have access to these -LABOR OF LOVE. I always feel bad every time I am reminded that
65%of the youth
who are suppose to be in school are out there - notstudying.Formal surveys tell us that they dropped school to because they cannotafford FREE SCHOOLING, ironic when public school is suppose to beFREE, or drop to help augment the family income.Personally, I do not believe that these are the real reasons. I think thatthe real reason is that
school simply bore them
to death. Schools fail
 
to motivate them to want to learn more. In fact in many do not reallylearn. They just complete requirements and pass the exams.Many times when I drive, I almost hit some young pedestrians usingtheir phones – texting mostly or listening MP3 players. When I go tomalls, I see children busy with their PSPs or their china-madecounterparts. I was really surprise to find out that internet cafes areopen 24 hours in some provinces – aside from games, many studentsdownload materials from youtube. I’ve even seen some youth practicingtheir dances while following downloaded youtube videos on MP4players.Now may I ask: How many of you have any or all of these mobile devicesin the pockets or bags? How many of you are ready to learn from theseso called GADGETS?Mobile learning is in essence the blending of MOBILE DEVICES and E-LEARNING. This includes ALL activities related to learning – includingnote taking, exams, content delivery, communication, etc. The real concept behind mobile learning goes way beyond the classroomand the curriculum. Human do not stop learning after they leave theclassroom. We continuously learn, perhaps even our sleep. There arereal learning opportunities that have not been tapped using thesemobile devices.Do you think learning will be less painful if you will be made to listen toa pre-recorded lecture in yourown time rather than struggling to getnotes during the lecture itself?Would you rather watch a short film on your MP4 or phone that readabout the topic?Can we have a short quiz now where I can ask you to “text me” youranswers?Would you be willing to pay 2 pesos for a MMS tutorial to learn what will be a good wine to order on your date?Wouldn’t it be COOL to have a podcast of this lecture so you can use itas part of your “Review of Related Literature?
 
Would you prefer to make a short video of your plant visit instead of a written report?Why don’t we change the library as a rich media download center? Then we don’t have to pay for overdue books.I admit that I learn a lot watching Dr HOUSE and CSI. I also learn a lotfrom National Geographic and Discovery Channel, I just wish I did nothave to wait for the time slot to view them. Unfortunately, my TV doesnot have a pause or replay button if I missed the dialog or want to see itin slow motion. Perhaps if I have the episodes on demand, I can watchthem while having lunch or driving home.Surprisingly I learn something watching the SINGING BEE and GAMEKANABA or jeopardy. But not wowowee norDEAL OR NO DEAL.Yes, I just took a new hobby – Radio control helicopters, A web site warned me that it requires a lot of commitment to learn them. BUT alsohave a few MP4 videos in my cellphone that I use as review materials tolearn new maneuvers.As a teacher, many times I just want to take a short video of things I seeto show my students. Admittedly, I sometimes what to record mylectures and just podcast them to some students or even people I know who might be interested. I do advise several international studentsthrough email and chat. I also make slides at 5 AM with together withsome faculty members using GTALK. I also have the tendency toMASHUP my presentations with videos, pictures and demos. I just feelthe contact hours with students is just not enough.I firmly believe that mobile devices have the potential to improve thequality of learning, perhaps the educational system. Unfortunately,there are a however some barriersthat needs to be overcome for us totake advantage of these opportunities.Let’s start with the easy ones. The most obvious seems to beaffordability. Mobile technology – PSPs, IPODS, Tablet PCs areexpensive, when they people of a country are starving to death. They arenot able to afford these – ONLY FOR NOW. This is what I said whenmobile phones first went out in Europe about 20 years ago. I felt so
of 00

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