  Prof. Jon Baggaley Athabasca University |
F-Learning: a digital breakthrough by J.P.
Baggaley May 2005
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The first ten years of the 21st century saw rapid technological miniaturization. The laptop gave way to the notebook, which was squeezed into the ‘palm pilot’. Distance education (DE) students seized the opportunity to take their courses during business trips and vacations. By 2005, e-learning was eclipsed by ‘m-learning’, as methods were developed for delivering DE by the new mobile communication devices. But not all of us agreed that m-learning was effective. In my best-selling textbook, M-Learning: M-Butterfly? (2007, f-Learning Press), I argued that m-learning technologies had created a gadfly, restless style of DE, lacking the concentration previously associated with learning. And the dangers of m-learning became only too obvious. Recall, for example, the sad case of the Canadian DE student, taking a tutorial on his cell ‘phone while crossing a busy Cancun intersection. Receiving a fail grade from his teacher, he stepped off the curb and… well, the case was an object lesson for us all. So, in 2008, ‘finger-nail learning’ was born, the next natural step in the miniaturization process. f-Learning’s basic philosophy is that the hands play a vital role in learning, too important to be used simultaneously for holding ‘cell phones, driving or doing the dishes. The f-learner’s hands are held firmly out in front, with the fingers vertical. Touch-sensitive FNEs, or finger-nail emulators, are glued into place over the regular nails. The f-learner navigates around the finger-nail displays using a small stylus. The simplest f-learning kit (fL-Basic) comes with an index finger FNE for routine student-teacher interactions. The ‘Digital-10’ edition opens up multi-channel learning opportunities on both hands simultaneously, complete with a navigation finger, a finger for audio-mic functions, others for I/O video-displays, a ‘nail-buddies’ address list finger, a finger for rapid feedback to the instructor, and VDR (vertical display reversal), which allows the nails to be viewed while the fingers are held erect or bent inward into the palm. The whole system can be packed away into an ordinary pair of gloves. A slight problem with the current fL system is that 99.2% of users find the finger-nail displays too small to read. To overcome this, they purchase an FNE magnifier with 18” x 24” screen (weight 42 lbs). Users love to place their fingers in the scanning slots and to see them come alive on the big screen, brimming with learning experiences. New f-learning accessories and course packages are developing all the time. As the ‘Father of f-Learning’, I am proud to announce a new partnership with Debbie’s Nails of Toronto. Early in 2010, Debbie and I will be bringing new extendable FNEs to the market. When used with the hands held sideways, these allow the viewing of wide-screen video materials. Meanwhile, fL’s social marketers are completing their “Don’t Bite your Nails – You’ll Reduce your Learning” campaign. And our gender-gap department is trying to encourage male learners to use the nail emulators. Our failure to attract any males at all to f-learning so far represents a major marketing challenge. Those hesitant old ‘online learning’ days have certainly yielded to a brave new world. So join us – try one of our courses – become an f-learning franchisee – let your fingers do the teaching – and tell your friends about our slogan, “f-Learning - it’s a Digital Breakthrough!”
VIEW THE f-LEARNING SALES VIDEO ______________________ Dr. Jon Baggaley is Professor of Educational Technology at Canada's Open University, Athabasca U in Alberta. His next book, Knowledge at Your Fingertips, will be published by f-L Press in Autumn 2010. |
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