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City university teams up with O2 in groundbreaking research for mobile learning


IN rESpONSE to the global boom in smart phones, Birmingham City University has teamed up with communications giant O2 to pioneer research into how the latest developments in mobile technology can help a new generation of learners. Always seeking to innovate,


Birmingham City University sees mobile teaching and learning methods as a key element of a comprehensive converged learning strategy that will help meet the needs of 21st century students. Smart devices, such as the iPhone, will give students the freedom to learn anywhere, any time. As a result, the university has


established a relationship with O2 in order that a pilot study can be carried out by its Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment (TEE). This research sees the university’s in-house corporate ICT team working with the faculty’s School of Computing, Telecommunications and Networks (CTN) to test the value of mobile communications as a key element of converged learning. O2 has enabled over a hundred masters’ degree students and relevant staff to use iPhones for the year-long project. This is expected to benefit not only teaching and learning, but also applied research and the development of external projects with partner organisations of every size and type. In support of this pilot, the


university’s corporate ICT team have recently developed a highly flexible intranet known as iCity. Nominated for the 2010 Times Higher Education (THE) leadership award, iCity is designed to suit all electronic media platforms and environments and is particularly focused on the expanding needs of mobile communications. Associate dean for the faculty,


Dr Peter Rayson, says: “Birmingham City University is constantly seeking to innovate and


College signs one-stop


shop ICT deal with Calyx


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Students at BirminghamCity University where groundbreaking research is taking place into mobile learning.


is keen to explore how technology can enhance the teaching and learning experience. This project also enables us to trial the effectiveness of our iCity intranet for students and staff, on a smart-phone platform.As the UK’s first university to tackle this approach, we’re delighted to be working with O2. The project will reveal just how effectively we can use converging technologies to advance student teaching in a dynamic modern context, whilst also informing O2 as to how best to develop its services for students and other learners.” Zoe Frost, O2’s head of vertical


marketing, commented: “We’ve been building a strong relationship with Birmingham City University over the last year, across a number of departments, and are delighted we’re now ready to launch this programme. Finding new and innovative ways for people to learn is extremely important. Through this pilot we hope to gain valuable insights into ways in which both students and teachers use handheld learning devices.” The CTN school’s extensive


telecoms expertise significantly benefits its co-ordination of the project, as does its closeness to its three sister technology schools. Many of their courses and projects involve staff and students engaging externally with industry and business in areas such as


Technology in Education No.176 June/July 2010 14


engineering, construction and media. Use of mobile technologies will offer flexibility, both in communicating key course information and in supporting students and staff with project-related data and information, regardless of location. Relevant off-campus activities can continue uninterrupted, whilst information can be exchanged to the benefit of both students and the client organisations with whom they and university staff are collaborating. Further investigations by Dr


Peter Rayson and Pez Kooner, the university’s IT communications consultant, have led to a partnership withAbilene Christian University (ACU) in Texas, USA. Supported by telecoms giant AT&T,ACU is also researching mobile teaching and learning initiative and has welcomed engaging with Birmingham City University as an international partner. The two universities have established an ‘open consortium’ website that invites institutions worldwide to collaborate in sharing knowledge and information around the ‘converged learning’ agenda. The resulting Consortium for Innovation and Research in Converged Learning, or ‘CIRCL’, has attracted strong interest.


Circle No.E8


COLLEGES Northern Ireland (CNI) has signed a £3 million four-year contract with Calyx to providemanaged services and a technology refresh across 47 college campuses. The IT specialist Calyx was


selected by CNI, the representative body of the six regional colleges, to be the single provider to educational facilities with wide- ranging and complex requirements. Services range from centrally


hosted applications to on-site systems, all wrapped in a fully managed service. Part of the contract was a hardware refresh and a move to a virtualised server platform in a centralised data centre. “The deal is one of our most


significant in Northern Ireland, highlighting how the breadth and scope of Calyx enables us to become trusted partners to organisations with diverse and complex needs,” saidAndrew Miller, head of enterprise sales, Calyx Group. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Colleges in Northern Ireland, helping them get the best out of an evolving IT estate.” Southern Regional College


director, Brian Doran, who headed up the project board for the Colleges, told Technology in Education: “This is an important project for the Colleges. It brings together a number of core services like student data, human resources, estates and financial management and delivers significant cost savings for each member college.”


Circle No.E9 Check out our website: www.technology-in-education.co.uk


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