The Smart Move



|Atlas Interactive Ltd |

|The Smart Move |

|By Simon Cowan August 2011 |

| |

The Smart Move

By Simon Cowan August 2011

“Either you change or you will be obsolete. Either you produce or you will go under. Either you define the moment or the moment will define you. Enter technology and a flattened world, and you have an educational system on the brink of self-sabotage.” Roe M.J. (2011)

Executive summary

This report will describe at a high level the processes required to enable Atlas content on the new generation of mobile devices known as Smart Phones (SPs). The SP has evolved over the last 20 years from a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). The current breed of SP is defined by Apple’s iPhone released in 2007.

Since this point, SP sales have increased exponentially and continue to grow globally. There are five main operating systems that run on SPs, one of which, Nokia’s Symbian, will disappear in favour of Microsoft’s Windows 7 Phone.

The current portfolio of Atlas content relies on Adobe’s Flash Player for delivery. By the end of 2011 Adobe estimate that only 36% of SPs will be Flash Player enabled. This figure predominantly relies on the sales growth of Google Android phones. Executives at Apple have categorically stated that the iPhone will never allow Flash content to run natively.

The web standard of HTML is currently going through a transition period to its next release. Many of the features in HTML5 will make the need for Adobe’s Flash Player obsolete including video/audio recording and playback.

All SPs, when within network range, are able to access the internet using either a standard browser or a purpose built application called an App. Apps are downloaded from the operating system provider’s website and are fundamentally encapsulated websites. Browsers are still the favoured means of accessing the internet but Apps are quickly catching up. Apps that access content and data stored on the web are considered as the way to go for accessing learning content.

Because of the actual screen size and the methods by which SP users interact with their devices, existing and new content will need to be re-designed in order to run effectively on SPs. Simply shrinking down the content will not be an effective means of conversion.

In conclusion, this report recommends that the current portfolio of Atlas content is processed and extracted to allow for re-use and re-deployment to all internet connected devices. This report also recommends that Atlas executives consider using open source content management systems to allow for scalable and adaptable learning portals that keep in step with emerging learner behaviours and strategies and allow learners to nurture their own personal learning environments.

Contents

Introduction 3

1.0 Smart Phone Overview 4

1.1 Brief History of Internet Connected Handheld Devices 4

1.2 Smartphone Usage and Penetration 4

1.3 Platforms & Flash Player Compatibility 4

2.0 Running Atlas Content on Smart Phones 6

2.1 How Smart Phones Access the Internet 6

2.2 Recommendation for Smart Phone Course Deployment 6

2.3 Considerations for Smart Phone Design in Learning 7

2.4 Overview of Creating a Smart Phone Web Enabled App 7

3.0 HTML5, Cloud, M-Learning, Portfolio and Learning Management Systems 8

3.1 HTML5, Flash Killer? 8

3.2 Cloud Computing 8

3.3 Learning Software 9

3.4 M-Learning 9

Conclusion 11

References 12

Introduction

This report will describe the high level processes required in order to run Atlas content on the new generation of mobile devices known as Smart Phones (SPs).

Section 1 will give a brief overview of SP technology and how this affects Atlas in the immediate future.

Section 2 will primarily describe:

• Consideration behind developing content from scratch

• How Atlas can redevelop existing content

Section 3 will touch on other current technologies and strategies that Atlas could utilise to:

• Manage content

• Introduce learning environments

The report conclusion will consider how migrating Atlas content to run on SPs will:

• Introduce processes for cataloguing assets and learning content

• Gain competitive advantage

1.0 Smart Phone Overview

This section will outline factual information concerning the development, penetration and specifications of SP technology.

1.1 Brief History of Internet Connected Handheld Devices

Today’s SP began (circa 1992) as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) (Sass J. 2009a). One such PDA was the Palm Pilot (circa 1997). This was the first portable device able to synchronise with a desktop unit and share data. Then pagers such as the Blackberry (circa 1999) arrived with a small qwerty keyboard. This device and its counterparts allowed for rudimentary email and became the PDA phone which we now refer to as Smart Phone (SP). In 2007 Apple released the iconic iPhone, the design of which has set a president for current SP development (Parkes-Cordock R. 2010).

1.2 Smartphone Usage and Penetration

Without doubt, SPs are not just the future but provide new means by which companies can do business or connect with their employees (Parkes-Cordock R. 2010).

In 2008 SP sales increased by 35% (Deloitte, 2009) and although the economic downturn in 2010 saw losses in overall mobile sales, the general trend for increased SP penetration was up 24% (InformationWeek, 2010) with SP ownership up to 45.4 million in the US alone.

In the UK however, SP ownership in 2011 has stalled (Telegraph, 2011). This is deemed to be due to:

1) Hesitation of take-up by the over 55 market

2) Ordinary mobile users waiting to move ‘out of contract’ before upgrading to an SP

Globally, SP sales growth is healthy. In 2011 SP vendors are expected to ship 450 million units marking a 50% increase on 2010’s 303 million units (Krazit T. 2011).

1.3 Platforms & Flash Player Compatibility

Like desktop units, SPs need an operating system to run software on. There are currently five operating systems available that Atlas need to consider for courseware compatibility. The following table shows these five platforms, their providers, default browser installed, the current compatibility to run Atlas Flash Content (based on the built in Flash support not actual testing) and their market share based at Q4 2010.

|Platform |Provider |Browser |Flash Enabled |Market Share |

|Android |Google |Chrome |Yes |33% |

|Symbian |Nokia |Opera |No |31% |

|iOS |Apple |Safari |No |16% |

|Blackberry |RIM |Blackberry |No |14% |

|Windows 7 Phone |Microsoft |Internet Explorer |Yes |3% |

Due to a new partnership with Microsoft in February 2011, Nokia are to drop Symbian as their OS in favour of Windows 7 Phone.

The downward role of Adobe Flash becomes more difficult to predict when considering the fact that Adobe have teamed up with Google to incorporate the Flash player directly into the Google Android Chrome browser (Google 2010). Shipments of SPs capable of running Adobe's latest Flash Player (10.1) have risen from just above zero in 2010 to over 20 million units in Q1 2011 simply due to the number of SPs running Android. Android's worldwide market share rose 850% from 1.8% to 17.2% (Wikipedia 2011). Despite the looming threat from HTML 5, Flash Player is expected to continue to gain greater penetration in the SP market, appearing on other operating systems. By the end of 2011 36% of Smart Devices will support the Adobe Flash Player (Abobe, 2011), and reaching 70% of SPs in 2013. (Robinson S. 2011)

2.0 Running Atlas Content on Smart Phones

Statistics from Google show that one in seven searches is carried out from a mobile device. For providers who do not develop content for SPs, Jason Spero of Google warns that:

“Not engaging mobile customers is ‘like not doing business with your customers on Thursdays’.” (mobiThinking 2011b)

Atlas does not currently create content that runs on SPs. In order to remedy this situation, Atlas needs to:

• (Re)-develop their courses to run on SPs

• Consider further opportunities arising from running content on SPs

2.1 How Smart Phones Access the Internet

SPs use two main means of accessing the internet: applications (Apps) and browsers.

SP Apps are software packages that are downloaded from a provider’s central marketplace and installed on the client SP. Once installed and running, the App will then communicate (if a connection is available) with the specified servers on the internet to request and send data. Apps will also retrieve and store data for user review when offline. The available data is interpreted and displayed by the App on the SP screen. Intrinsically, an App can be considered as a “Website on the go” (Spirrison B. 2010).

All SPs carry their own built in web browsers which allow them to access the internet in the same way as a standard PC web browser does. As a rule all SPs have internet connectivity and are able to view basic pages on the web (Cassavoy L. 2010). Although Smart phone users continue to use the Browser as the most popular means of accessing the web, Apps are a close second and catching up (comScore 2010).

2.2 Recommendation for Smart Phone Course Deployment

Parkes-Cordock (2011) recommends that in order to develop courses that can be run from SPs, content providers first need to consider the following:

Do you wish to develop courses into purchasable downloadable Apps, and in this case which SPs do you wish to provide for?

Different models have different screen sizes and use different operating systems (see 2.3). This means that any Apps created need to be tested on each different SP to be included in the brochure of compatible devices.

Parkes-Cordock suggests that instead of using “native Apps”, providers consider “the power of the cloud” (see 3.2) meaning server–based technology that can disseminate the devices being used, search across the content held in the cloud and provide the correctly formatted content accordingly. The App works more as a vehicle or container in which the web based content will be drawn down and displayed. All the heavy processing work of stitching the content together “takes place in the cloud”.

The benefits from this are that the actual working mechanisms for a well designed App need only be developed once and can be expanded without users needing updates or patches. All the programming and alterations take place on the server.

Because an App can be tailored specifically to contain all the raw widgets needed to display web delivered content, they alleviate some of the frustrations of running single display content on multiple browsers. Parkes-Cordock believes that such Apps are the way forward.

2.3 Considerations for Smart Phone Design in Learning

Sek et al (2010) have researched the feasibility of SPs for learning, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which was invented by Davis F.D in 1986 for testing new end-user information systems. Using this model in the context of SPs, they have predicted actual device or system adoption using the correlation of perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) on different SPs. The results of their research found that although an SP that included a larger screen and qwerty keyboard would be better for learning, SPs in general were perceived as viable learning systems.

The SP screen is physically much smaller than a PC screen and may not share the same aspect ratio. Therefore, SPs may need to resize content in order to display it on the screen. This can have major visual implications for the user. They may need to zoom or scroll around the page to read the content and find specific links which in turn would not lead to a “pleasant or fulfilling experience” (mobiThinking 2011b).

When considering the design of learning content for SPs, the impact of PEU and PU must also be taken into consideration. Parkes-Cordock (2011) does not believe that transferring an e-learning course to SP “Is about shrinking an e-learning programme down to fit on a smaller screen” and goes on to consider the wider possibilities that SP e-learning offers and thus provides an opportunity to “re-think how best to use these devices” within a new context of m-learning (mobile-learning, see 3.4).

SPs are often utilised on the move. A well designed SP interface, be it for App or Website, should cater for the context in which it is being used (mobiThinking 2011b). For example a learner sitting at a desktop running an Atlas course would be able to review the screen, open ATBs, use the sitemap and apply drag and drop questions. A learner sitting on a train, running the same content on their SP, may have more difficulty reading the ATBs and find the use of drag and drops fiddly.

2.4 Overview of Creating a Smart Phone Web Enabled App

There are three basic steps in creating an SP App:

1) Build your web application using your development tool of choice

2) Wrap it into an App installer

3) Deploy it to the correct platform market place for distribution

Fundamentally, an SP App is a website in a wrapper. A developer still builds the web content using standard procedures but takes into consideration the design context that applies to SPs. With regard to Atlas content, this is predominantly developed in Flash.

One of the most important technical obstacles that Atlas needs to consider is that Flash does not run efficiently on many handsets, including Apple (mobiThinking 2011b).

The new Flash CS5.5 does allow for full App development for both Android (Arnold B. 2011) and the iOS platforms (Bansod A. 2011). Although this is a positive development, CS5.5 is still aimed towards building Apps using Actionscript 3.0 and so raises the following issues:

• Are Apps still SCORM compliant? Does this matter? (Travers V. 2008)

• How much of the current content will still run when working inside an App?

• Will the App take too long to download?

3.0 HTML5, Cloud, M-Learning, Portfolio and Learning Management Systems

This section will cover existing and emerging technologies and concepts that will play a major role in Atlas’ strategic direction.

3.1 HTML5, Flash Killer?

Senior executives, account holders and stakeholders should take note that the ensuing evolution in HTML, the standard that underpins the Internet, will further boost the power of SPs and in turn change the way in which people create and consume content (McKinsey 2011).

By 2016, more than 2.1 billion mobile devices will have HTML5 browsers. The on-going HTML5 rollout will introduce over 25 new features currently in development over the next three to five years (ABIresearch 2011); seven (shown below) of which will remove the need for the Flash plug-in (Johnson C. 2011).

|Feature |Flash Killer Reason |

|1. Video Play: |This is currently the no.1 reason for Flash Player popularity, attributed to sites such as YouTube. The |

| |introduction of this HTML5 feature would allow video to stream without the necessity of activating a plugin.|

| | |

|2. Video Record: |As all SPs will have cameras with Web Access, users will be able to record from their SPs directly to the |

| |cloud. |

|3. Audio Play/Record |As with video record this becomes a simple seamless feature. |

|4. Apps |This will allow HTML5 to run outside of the browser as a standalone window thus removing the need for Adobe |

| |AIR as a means of building stand-alone applications. |

|5. Rich 2D Graphics |New means of encoding and transferring 2D images that will speed up the delivery time. |

|6. IM |Instant Messaging becomes part of the HTML standard allowing instant messaging directly from a web page. |

|7. Real-Time Streams |Complex real-time widgets (such as stock prices, weather reports) become easier to use by designers. |

ABI Research senior analyst Marke Beccue considers the imminent arrival of these features and comments:

“I think the disappearance of Flash is closer than people think” Mark Beccue (ABIresearch 2011).

3.2 Cloud Computing

This is the name given to a model that describes how data can be pooled and rapidly accessed by networks, devices, services with a minimum need for content management or provider interaction.

The key to this model is that software being accessed by the device does not exist on the device itself but is only requested. The actual application is then launched and powered from a server. The advantage to this is:

• The device itself does not need to use resource to power the application

• The application is controlled by the provider and will not require upgrades or patches

• The data applied using the application can also be stored on the cloud allowing instant access from any other device

An example of a familiar cloud based application would be internet-hosted email (pop email).

In the case of Atlas, all content would be accessed and assembled in the cloud for specific client device delivery.

3.3 Learning Software

In his paper Osuagwu O. (2010) describes the many facets and complex nature of Learning Content Management Systems (LCMSs) to store data, learning objects and student records and how these systems still do not fully capture and integrate the full curriculum of online learning.

The current generation of learners require meaning in their learning. They want to think, process, discover and apply what they learn to real-life issues they face in a forum that allows them to connect with their peers (Roe M.J 2011).

Roe examines the seven competencies outlined by Wagner in 2008 that apply to learners operating in Learning Communities:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving

• Collaboration across networks and leading by influence

• Agility and adaptability

• Initiative and entrepreneurialism

• Effective oral and written communication

• Accessing and analysing information

• Curiosity and imagination

Social networks are effectively teaching communities that allow influence not only from current learners but also from former learners (Roe M.J. 2011) who can assist via a legacy of existing networks and can continue to influence and use their own PLC (Personal Learning Community) linked PLE (Personal Learning Environment).

Moodle is a free source e-learning software platform (Wikipedia 2011c) that has been successfully employed on over 49 thousand sites and serves over 37 million users. Moodle is a LCMS that does so much more than hold course and student information. Moodle has built in discussion forums, wikis, internal email and personal student blogs.

Drupal is an open source and free software package that allows quick and easy publication of web content and offers scalable management and expansion of features through a concise and well documented architecture (Drupal 2011).

E-Portfolios are a new type of content management software used to track, record and present examples of individual students learning and development to provide not only evidence of competency and development but also to promote student reflection and reference (Mason R. Et al 2004).

3.4 M-Learning

Handheld devices are now part of people’s daily life: used for communication, entertainment and documentation. SP devices and their multi-media capabilities provide an excellent vehicle to provide rich and interactive multimedia learning content for education (Jeng et al, 2010).

M-Learning is defined by the eLearning Guild 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.” (m-learning 2011)

M-Learning stands to be an important aspect of e-learning (Kossen J. 2003) that has the potential to reach a much wider audience. There are 5 billion mobile devices in operation compared to 1.2 billion PCs (mobiThinking 2011a), thus demonstrating the ubiquitous nature of mobile devices.

Conclusion

SP technology is the next big market not only for e-learning but web development in general.

Atlas needs to consider its strategic direction regarding entry to this market. This report recommends that Atlas executives and stakeholders consider the following options:

Harvest the existing portfolio of generic and bespoke content and catalogue this into an exclusive content repository for re-use. This will further enable:

• Research for new designs

• Rebuild for SPs

• Resale as individual stock assets

• Re-purpose for new products

• Republication for updates and change in legislation

Move away from Flash content as the main means of course delivery and consider adapting ACE 4.0 technology based on the courseware improvements applied to IMIST. Use this as the primary mechanism for delivering FastTrack and standard learning objects.

Continue to use Adobe products including the Flash IDE as the main means of creating course content but change the process used in publishing assets so these can be re-purposed for multiple format delivery.

Develop cloud enriched Apps for each major SP OS.

Acquire a cloud based LCMS that can assemble tailored learning objects for PCs and SPs based on a combination of available open source systems such as Drupal and Moodle. Understand that content should not only be accessible through set course structures but should also be available as a searchable knowledge centre. Consider that this system should also double as a portal for learners to assemble e-Portfolios and PLEs.

Investigate new learning strategies to take advantage of PLCs and emerging learner behaviours such as skill screening, scenario based training and peer learning.

References

ABIresearch (2011) “2.1 Billion HTML5 Browsers on Mobile Devices by 2016 says ABI Research”, (accessd 29/07/2011)

Adobe (2011) “Flash Platform runtime penetration”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Arnold B.(2011), “How to create an Android app using Flash Professional CS5.5”, (accessed 1/8/2011)

Bansod A. (2011) “Developing for iOS using Flash Professional”, (accessed 1/8/2011)

Cassavoy L. (2010) “Surfing at 3G Speeds”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

comScore (2010) “Browser Continues to be More Popular than Applications for Accessing Mobile Web”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Deloitte (2009) “Smart phones: how to stay clever in a downturn”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Drupal (2011) “About Drupal”, (accessed 2/8/2011)

Google (2010) “Dev update: Integrated Adobe Flash Player Plug-in” , (accessed 29/07/2010)

Kossen J. (2003) “When e-learning becomes m-learning”, (accessed 2/8/2011)

Krazit T. (2011) “IDC’s Five-Year Smartphone Forecast Could Totally Maybe Happen”, (accessed 27/09/2011)

InformationWeek (2010) “Android Phones Steal Market Share”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Jeng et al (2010) “The Add-on Impact of Mobile Applications in Learning Strategies”, Journal of Educational Technology & Society October 2010, (accessed 2/8/2011)

Johnson C. (2011) “Seven Reasons HTML5 Is Killing Flash”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Mason R. Et al (2004) “E-Portfolios: An assessment tool for online courses”, (accessed 2/8/2011)

McKinsey (2011) “How new Internet standards will finally deliver a mobile revolution”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

m-learning (2011) “What is m-learning?”, (accessed 2/8/2011)

mobiThinking (2011a) “Global mobile statistics 2011”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

mobiThinking (2011b) “The insider’s guide to device detection”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

OptionKey (2010) “Why Flash will die”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Osuagwu O. (2010) “Learning Objects: The Nerve Centre of Learning Content Management Systems”, (accessed 2/8/2011)

Parkes-Cordock R (2010) “The future of mobile learning”, Training Journal Nov2010 p63-67, (accessed 1/08/2011)

Robinson S. (2011) “Flash Player Smartphone Forecast Q2 2011: Flash Player set to Penetrate 33% of Smartphones in 2011”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Roe M.J. (2011) “Learning Tools for Innovation”, Leadership, Mar/Apr2011, Vol. 40 Issue 4, p32-38, (accessed 1/8/2011)

Sass J. (2009a) “Smartphone Wars”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Sass J. (2009b) “A Brief History of Smartphones (And the battle that ensued)”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Sek et al (2010) “Prediction of User Acceptance and Adoption of Smart Phone for Learning with Technology Acceptance Model”,Journal of Applied Sciences, 2010, Vol. 10 Issue 20, p2395-2402 , (accessed 1/8/2011)

Spirrison B (2010) “How do smartphone apps or applications work”, (accessed 01/08/2011)

Telegraph (2011) “Smartphone usage growth ‘has stalled’”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Travers V. (2008) “SCORM RTE Web Services Interface”, (accessed 1/8/2011)

Wikipedia (2011a) “Smartphone”, (accessed 29/07/2011)

Wikipedia(2011b) “Cloud computing”, (accessed 1/8/2011)

Wikipedia (2011c) “Moodle”, (accessed 2/8/2011)

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