In fulfilment of Assignment 3EDID 6506 Issues, Trends, Innovations and Research In ID, IT &DE An Emerging Trend/ Issue By Meganne Mc Neil-Harry University of the West Indies Open Campus Post Graduate Diploma Instructional Design Table of Contents ABSTRACT ......................................................................................3 IDENTIFICATION OF EMERGING TREND/ISSUE .................................................. 3 IBM Xeneca Hot Lava Mobile Cloud: Learning solutions. ................... 3 RELEVANCE TO THE FIELD............................................................................ 4 . ............................................................................................................ 6 ............................................................................................................. 6 EVIDENCE OF ARTEFACTS ............................................................................ 7 IDENTIFICATION OF INITIATOR OF EMERGING TREND/ISSUE ................................ 8 Timeline ............................................................................................. 9 EXAMPLES OF USE ................................................................................... 11 REFERENCES .......................................................................................... 13 REFLECTION ........................................................................................... 15 CLOSING REMARKS. ................................................................................ 17 1 2 Abstract Oxford Dictionary has defined a trend as “a general direction in which something is developing or changing.” In this research paper, I will attempt to outline the use of the mobile devices to create data presentations and deliver the presentations “on the go” through the mobile learning facilities that have been recently developed in the IBM Corporation. Identification of emerging trend/issue IBM Xeneca Hot Lava Mobile Cloud: Learning solutions. IBM® Kenexa® Hot Lava Mobile on Cloud helps you rapidly develop, deliver and analyze device-independent mobile content for priority communications, mobile learning and performance support scenarios. This software allows you to develop content once and deploy it to popular mobile devices. It aids educators to develop, deliver and deploy rich mobile content in m-Learning environments. This trend is not new but has been developing over the years since it aimed at meeting firstly the corporate needs of workers who needed easy accessibility to data/ information “on –the- go”. Over the past 5 years there have been wide ranging debates about how to define, precisely, what mobile learning is? The difficulty in reaching a consensus is partially because of the rapid evolution of this as a field, and partially because mobile learning works best when it is a part of something else. The eLearning Guild defines m-Learning as any activity that allows individuals to be more productive when consuming, interacting with, or creating information, mediated through a compact digital portable device that the individual carries on a regular basis, has reliable connectivity, and fits in a pocket or purse. Organizations are almost always looking for more efficient ways to interact with their employees, customers and partners. Mobile learning, communications and performance support have become key components in helping people improve the way they do business. It has be 3 considered a trending tool for the carrying out of numerous specified job aids and tasks without being in the actual office or job location. This has been so important to business enterprises that the education system around the world has recognised its relevance. Hence, the thrust for its use was launched since February 2014, to include the trend in educational technology for instructional design and distance education. The education system has embarked on educational technology to act as instructional support for blended and online learning. Many authoring specialists have selected PowerPoint development to act as a catalyst for the creation of content material. Instructional Technologists use Microsoft PowerPoint to develop device-independent mobile content using Mobile Content Builder. The PowerPoint plug-in contains intuitive extensions for creating surveys, quizzes and assessments. It also allows you to upload rich media such as streaming video, audio files, ePubs and Adobe PDFs. The familiarity of the product and the “develop once” concept means instructional designers save development time and provide faster time-to-delivery. Mobile Content Builder uses all types of device-independent mobile content to meet a wide variety of priority communications, mobile learning and performance support scenarios. Unlike other tools, Mobile Content Builder allows instructional designers to develop content once and deploy it to virtually all popular mobile devices and tablets, including Symbian, BlackBerry, Windows, iPhone/iPad, Android. Relevance to the field In learning environments, The Hot Lava Mobile Cloud, has been even further diversified by the IBM Corporation to meet the requirements of online learners through mobile devices. The corporation has improved the trending tool to develop course content for online courses through the Learning Solutions facility. IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile on Cloud: Learning Solutions offers four features that are considered integral for any learning environment. They include: 4 Content development features that allow you to develop content once and use it for multiple mobile devices. Rapid delivery of content to any Internet-enabled mobile device without the need for customization. Broad analysis of content delivery and usage in near real time. A flexible solution for mobile learning, communications and performance support. The Content development features were created to save development time and speed time to delivery. The software is not unrealistic in nature but is relevant and easy to read information with regards to a particular area of study. Instructional design has been successful due to the near resemblance to a face to face classroom. Therefore, the lessons that are instructed via the Learning Solutions aim at maintaining the visual effects and high content level just as the face to face classrooms. The use of the IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile on Cloud: Learning Solutions let the instructional designer create surveys, quizzes, assessments and add streaming video using a Microsoft PowerPoint plug-in. Any amount of vast information is shared and the recipients are able to access reliable content. Since the impetus for the trend is to engage the use of mobile devices, the software offers automatic conversion of media to the most appropriate format for the target platform such as MP4, 3GP, WMV and M4V. Accommodative software conversions are made available as part of the Learning Solutions initiative to foster buy-in to the product. There leaves no room for excuses as to why accessibility is impossible. In addition, it provides the inclusion of audio podcasts. Smartphones and android devices have a plethora of voice and sound recorder effects that will be quite helpful in creating adequate simulations of the actual classroom. The trend of IBM Learning Solutions therefore, tries to ensure suitability of all features to create a complete and effective simulation. Much like Microsoft Suite, the tools allows for automated preview and publishing of the completed content before delivery. This is important to ensure visibility of information from all recipients. From the corporate perspective, rapid delivery of information was paramount to integrate with existing corporate delivery systems. In order for the systemic success of IBM Learning Solutions, a high level of connectivity must be available from the systems provided in the 5 corporation. It provides the capability to set administrative rights to define module access. Also, it facilitates sending SMS text and emails to your employees, partners and customers. It offers optimized video streaming and tracking for the detected device. In addition, it downloads content to Smartphones or tablet applications. With the emergence of the IBM Learning Solutions for educational environments, most of these features are mapped to the similar concepts in the corporate environment. International Universities engage the use of the software to maintain copyrights and the necessary permissions to avoid plagiarism and maintain transparency. The inception of standalone online courses such as MOOCs and Cloud-based learning presents a Broad analysis of IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile on Cloud: Learning Solutions. By definition, a MOOC is a course of study made available over the Internet without charge to a very large number of people. In addition, Cloud based learning is online learning, or e-learning, that is available in the „cloud‟. It means that resources are stored in a virtual environment and accessed from various forms of web-enabled devices. With the introduction of the Learning Solutions software, education technology engages such online facilities to let conduct analysis be evaluated as a standalone or through an LMS. Cathy Moore states that a Learning Management System is a software application or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process. It also provides feedback about the use and effectiveness of mobile content. The “getting on board” of all mobile devices is important to gain access to the information. At no point in time does a recipient have an issue with connection once an internet connection is available. While using the Learning Solutions tool, it allows participants to gain pertinent information about questions and answers, scores, access times, video statuses and the type of device used. The trending tool has been most efficient in providing a flexible solution in the corporate environment for several issues. It allows for the delivery of high-priority corporate communications, strategies and critical business updates. Similarly, in the learning environment, students/ participants are able to understand institutional objectives and receive important updates in a timely fashion about institutional issues that may arise over a short period of time. It helps keep collaborative teams informed, productive and competitive at times in various 6 assignments and course deliveries. Compliance training and designed simulations let the participant overcome accessibility and convenience barriers. Knowledge and skills requirements are easily connected to efficiently carry out the assigned tasks/ roles from both an individual and group perspective. The need for regular updates is important especially in group work and IBM Learning Solutions has mapped this concept from within the corporate environment. Technological integration is also catering under the devise of the software and hardware. LMS integration lets learners launch content either directly through IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile on Cloud or the LMS. The options are made available to ensure that all students are able to actively participate. The security of the tool also tracks content automatically and returns user information to the LMS. There is little or no room for the mismanagement of the information by hackers and corrupt software users. In addition, the confidentiality of the information shared allows LMS to be the single interface for course administration, enrolment, tracking and reporting for mobile learning as well as other learning modalities. This feature creates accountability of information and resources. In addition, it limits the random user to participate in irrelevant information that may only act as a distraction to them. Evidence of artefacts Many supporting vidblogs and podcasts have illustrated the use and importance of the content builder on mobile devices to advance educational technology. See Cloud 1 and Cloud 2 which demonstrates a step by step tutelage of the design and use of the software. IBM Kenexa Learning Solutions reinvented the way learners think about learning. High performance organizations typically understand the importance learning and development play in increasing engagement, decreasing time to productivity and retaining top talent. They understand that managing development and implementing learning programs that complement those efforts and sit parallel to future business requirements tend to be critical to a successful learning 7 solution. It is no secret that properly trained and knowledgeable employees can make better informed decisions and respond quickly to business needs – which can lead to greater success for differing learning environments. With IBM Cloud‟s Learning Solutions, learners can manage each of their learning needs for formal and social learning, including classroom, virtual, online, and mobile, as well as collaboration, networking, sharing and the ability to rate content and share experiences. It can save time and money in developing, managing, maintaining and deploying the content that is useful. Learning Solutions offers integrated formal, social and mobile learning that works with organizations of virtually any size. The division of formal and social becomes transparent to the user, and the social components of the system contribute to the learning process in a way that can benefit the organization‟s collective knowledge. Identification of initiator of emerging trend/issue “The learning space is reinventing itself as formal training for the workforce moves toward collaborative, social-learning based solutions.”– Bersin & Associates Research Report, 2012. Kenexa is a global provider of business solutions for human resources. Within the earlier part of 2014 they announced the launch of Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile 3.0. It is a leading mobile solution used to develop, manage and analyze the results of independent device communications, snack learning, performance support, sales enablement and surveys. The launch of Hot Lava Mobile 3.0 marked Kenexa‟s entry into the mobile learning marketplace. Kenexa added Hot Lava Mobile to its portfolio in February as part of its acquisition of OutStart. 8 IBM Corporation embarked on marketing the product in the USA shortly after the launch by Keneca in 2012 to manipulate the product for use in the advancement of educational technology in February 2014. Timeline In the 1960s, J.C.R. Licklider stated his vision that everyone on the globe should be interconnected and accessing programs and data at any site, from anywhere. In addition, John McCarthy proposed the idea of computation being delivered as a public utility, similar to the service bureaus.Since the sixties, cloud computing has developed along a number of lines, with Web 2.0 being the most recent evolution. However, since the internet only started to offer significant bandwidth in the nineties, cloud computing for the masses has been something of a late developer. What began as an attempt to improve the telegraph, more than a hundred years ago, has evolved into the single most important piece of consumer electronics in the world, acting not only as a communications device but now as a learning tool . In the 1990s, telecommunications companies started offering virtualized private network connections. Hence, there was the development of the mobile phone. However, before the creation of the mobile phone, in 1999 Ericsson and Nokia had already published their plans for the development of wireless applications. One of the first milestones in cloud computing history was the arrival of Salesforce.com in 1999, which pioneered the concept of delivering enterprise applications via a simple website. The services firm paved the way for both specialist and mainstream software firms to deliver applications over the internet. A typical example is the 12” laser discs of the early 1990s. These laser discs had excellent pedagogical possibilities and excellent courses were developed for them especially in the field of ESL (English as a Second Language), but they were not successful because not enough people owned one. There was a continuum from the point of view of functionality in the devices used 9 for e-learning and m-learning. This continuum has developed from desktop computers to laptop computers to PDAs or handhelds or palmtops to Smartphones to mobile phones. However, a major breakthrough in both the quality and quantity of provision came in the 1970s with the foundation of the European open universities, notably the Open University of the United Kingdom at Milton Keynes, the Universidad Nacional de 6 Educación a Distancia at Madrid, and the FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany, which were followed by other open universities all over the world. Although the course materials of these open universities attracted much attention it was the student support services that they provided which enabled these universities to spearhead the change in status of distance education. They brought it about that nationally and internationallyrecognised university degrees, college diplomas and training certification could be won at a distance. Since the late 1990s, LMSs (Learning Management Systems) have helped organizations automate their learning programs by providing resources online. More recently, LMSs have evolved from a system of record to a tool that supports continuous learning with the learner experience at the forefront. According to Josh Bersin of Bersin by Deloitte, “Companies should focus on building a learning architecture, integrating their technologies, driving a deeper focus on content and the learning experience and driving a learning culture.” Today‟s LMS needs the right learning assets and delivery options to enable users to succeed. The next development of cloud technology was Amazon Web Services in 2002, which provided a suite of cloud-based services including storage, computation and even human intelligence through the Amazon Mechanical Turk. Then in 2006, Amazon launched its Elastic Compute cloud (EC2) as a commercial web service that allows small companies and individuals to rent computers on which to run their own computer applications. Another big milestone came in 2009, as Web 2.0 hit its stride, and Google and others started to offer browser-based enterprise applications, though services such as Google Apps. 10 It was only since 2007 that Smart phones really seized the public imagination; the same year when the „I‟ revolution began with the launch of the iPhone. Soon after and alongside its launch, was the introduction of Smartphone from HTC, Google, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola and the like. A UN report summarized that by 2009, six in ten people (more than 4 billion individuals) around the world were carrying a powerful computing device in their pockets and purses. This surge in the adoption of Smartphone fuelled by the advent of powerful telecommunication networks and the many affordances of mobile devices, made mobile the perfect candidate for delivering learning. And thus began the saga of Mobile Learning. According to IBM Global CEO survey in 2010, “volatility and uncertainty are endemic in business today”. It was predicted that over the next 5 years, 8 out of 10 CEOs expected an increase in the complexity after the post recession period. In so doing they recognised the Outsmart Hot Lava Mobile software that was designed by Kenexa in 2012. Despite the fact that several other global providers were competing for acclaim such as Soft Layer (one of the largest global providers of cloud computing infrastructure), IBM Corporation chose Kenexa‟s Outsmart Hot Lava Mobile. Since 2013, IBM Corporation has adopted „buy-in‟ to the cloud computing that Kenexa has created and they have made significant modification to the Outsmart product. Between February 21 and March 7, 2014, IBM has launched February 21, 2014 IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud, IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile on Cloud and IBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud which were all geared at integrating development of content for educational purposes “on the go”. Examples of use 1) Roschelle, Patton, and Tatar (2007) claim that using mobile devices transforms the mathematics classroom into a student, assessment, knowledge, and community–centred entity. Genossar, Botzer, and Yerushalmy (2008) analysed the learning processes and experiences that occurred within a mobile phone learning environment. They found that, apart from making the dynamic mathematical applications more accessible, the mobile phone enabled students to engage in real, authentic tasks. For instance, students could 11 record simple dynamic events with their cell phones‟ video cameras and later convert the video clips into mathematical models using the mathematics applications. The mobile phone learning environment also allowed the students to work collaboratively by sharing graphs and formulae and solving problems collectively. This helped establish a community of mathematics learners. 2) The standards-based integration approach enables your LMS to be the single interface for course administration, enrollment, tracking and reporting for mobile learning as well as other learning modalities. Learning modalities can be widespread from corporate functionalities to education and training. Attendants in a hospital who are specializing in surgery can access video content on the go for the execution of surgeries in their field of study. The attached illustration provides a visual example of the Hot Lava Mobile Cloud in accessing an event while in transit or on the job at a different location. 12 References Keegan, D. The incorporation of mobile learning into mainstream education and training. Retrieved from http://www.mlearn.org/mlearn2005/CD/papers/keegan1.pdf Rouse, M . Essential Guide: Talent management system essential guide. Retrieved from http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/learning-management-system IBM Corporation 2014 IBM Software. Data sheet: IBM Kenexa Mobile Content Builder on Cloud. Make mobile learning, communications and performance support available to your employees. Retrieved from http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgiin/ssialias?subtype=SP&infotype=PM&appname=SWGE_LO_PT_USEN&htmlfid=LOD14051 USEN&attachment=LOD14051USEN.PDF Upside Learning(n.d). 9 Ways People Are Using Mobile Learning – Presentation. Retrieved from http://www.upsidelearning.com/blog/index.php/2014/11/06/9-ways-people-are-using-mobilelearning-presentation/ Talent and workforce management. Engaging employees to drive the business http://www-03.ibm.com/software/products/en/ibm-kenexa-hot-lava-mobile-on-cloud m-learning.org - the original!. Retrieved 20 Oct 2014. http://www.m-learning.org/knowledgecentre/whatismlearning Tech Targ. A history of Cloud Computing. Retrieved from http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/A-history-of-cloud-computing 13 Roschelle, J., Patton, C., & Tatar, D. (2007). Designing networked handheld devices to enhance school learning. Advances in Computers, 70, 1–60. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1065/2075 14 Reflection My peers in EDID 6506 have just completed the Assignment 3. The assignment aimed at extending my research skills on web quests and other sources. In one word I will describe the research process as Extensive. After what I would describe as uncertainty to choose the assignment as the last of my 3 individual assignments, it was a choice that I made quite reluctantly. The rough start to the paper went on for a long time. Several trends or issues in the field of instructional design, instructional technology and distance education presented themselves. Unfortunately, the decision was severely obstructed with the September 2013 timeframe. I made several attempts to post an “emerging trend/ issue” to the forum. Finally, I decided on the IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile Cloud. Peer feedback and brainstorming with another participant greatly aided me in my decision on moving forward into the assignment. This paper began about three weeks prior to the deadline. I was quite sure that I would be close to completion and limit any disorganization. The plethora of research was messy and sent me to numerous websites at simultaneous times. Long hours of reading and referrals were spent to get to the genesis of the trend. I even contacted the IBM Corporation to seek additional information about their involvement in the establishment of the trending tool. I was at a loss about how they became a part of the Kenexa Outsmart Hot Lava Mobile Cloud and the information that was available created no distinct link to the two corporations. Ms. Leiza Rosenburgh at the HR Online Outlet for IBM Corporation contacted me via e-mail to describe the acquisition process between Kenexa and IBM Corporation. It was quite helpful since the documentation of such a relationship was vague and unclear. At this point, I felt a little more confident to progress with the paper. The relevance to the fields of instructional design and distance education were obvious with the influx of mobile learning and e-learning in the recent times. After reading many blogs and instructional technologists‟ reviews about cloud computing to catalyze m-learning, I myself was convinced of the benefits. 15 The artefacts and evidence section of the paper required even more extensive research. Much of the artefacts were archived into sporadic timelines that seemed very illogical. Ericsson embarked on the design of mobile phones in 1999, but the consideration was not made until 2010 by Kenexa to integrate the mobile phone into a learning trend with the initiation of suitable software. In addition, in 2009, Keneca initiated the thrust for cloud computing for education but that took more than 5 years for it to become recognised by international service provider such as IBM Corporation. Pockets of potential use of the Content Builder were widespread but did not filter in the tenets required for educational technology until early in the 21st century. The Content Builder was designed to enhance workforce capabilities. Therefore the challenge was undecided about embarking on such integration. The examples I used were succinct to not overwhelm but deliberately look at the use from two differing ends of the spectrum with education in mind. Overall, I found the research again very extensive but it was an eye opener for me since I thought I understood what a web quest meant until now. The deep research took me to places that I never knew existed and I learnt so much overlapping information that can be very useful as an Instructional designer. I have learnt quite a lot despite my misconception that research should be straightforward. 16 Closing Remarks. IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile has been designed to limit any barriers to learning using the “learning in the cloud” ideology. The thrust by IBM and Kenexa to further diversify the potential uses of advanced software was welcomed. Instructional designers will be able to truly benefit from it in creating and delivering content for the blended and online classrooms. My acknowledgements are extended to The IBM Corporation, in particular Ms. Leiza Rosenburgh who took the time out to email me a response to the question, “what level of input do the two companies share?” The “I” age is being greatly upgraded and maintains relevance with the input of cloud-based learning such as the IBM Kenexa Hot Lava Mobile Cloud on almost all mobile devices. The introduction and development of new and emerging trends in the cloud based learning arena will be appreciated to all and sundry in the future. My heartfelt thanks are extended to Mrs. Camille Dickson- Deane and the administration of the UWI Open Campus for allowing me the privilege to participate in such an informative activity. THE END 17