Expanding the Accessibility of NSDL for Mobile Learning

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The project addresses critical user needs around learner experiences related to the use of small wireless computing devices and the NSDL by building a prototype service and evaluating its educational impact on informal and structured mobile learning in both K-12 and Higher Education, with a focus on grades 9-14 (high school and lower division undergraduate) and use of PDAs, cell phones and music/video players. As the goal is to improve accessibility of the NSDL to diverse populations, evaluation test sites include inner city schools and outreach programs in Oakland/Berkeley. The project is (1) providing metadata recommendations for STEM education digital resources that utilize mobile devices; (2) implementing and testing user profile, personalization features and aspects of the local environment to support small mobile devices to interface with NSDL collections; (3) implementing personalized workspaces, search and metadata browser for small window form factors and aspects of the local environment; (4) testing prototypes in both structured and informal mobile learning activities in grades 9-12 and with lower division university students; (5) developing pedagogically-sound use scenarios of mobile learning with NSDL content; and (6) providing recommendations for mobile device services for the NSDL community that emerge from our prototype testing and evaluation.