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Doctor's orders: why new technology is important for eLearning
After the much-anticipated announcement last month of the Apple iPad, we now have some evidence that this will indeed be another hit for Steve Jobs and why new technology is important for eLearning. Epocrates, the developer of mobile applications used by more than 900,000 healthcare professionals worldwide, found in a study conducted to more than 350 clinicians that more than 60 percent have shown interest in Apples iPad; with one in five already having the intentions on buying one on launch day.
But its use as a platform for eLearning that we at Omniplex are most excited about. Or, more accurately, we are excited by the new category of devices of which the iPad is a harbinger. The absence of Flash on the iPad is a small irritant for many who bemoan the fact they cant watch Flash movies on this little wonder of technology, but for eLearning professionals, this is a far more serious omission.
However, before the year is out, devices with a similar form-factor will have likely debuted from Dell, HP, Sony even maybe Amazon. And these will be superbly suited to delivering the long-heralded dream of mobile-learning. They offer screens that no longer cramp the content, and with pricing expected to dip below $500 (c. £350), it is an affordable option for many organisations who could hold a number of these devices to be booked out by learners as needed.
And with Flash enabled browsers and 7?-12? screens, there will be no need to radically redesign courses for these devices. Mobile learning is really just around the corner, just not on your cell phone.
