App Development in the Miami University

Mobile Learning Center

A joint venture between SEAS, AIMS, and ITS

Gerald C. GannodKristen M. Bachman

James D. Kiper

SEAS

Glenn J. PlattAIMS

Robert HowardMicah J. Cooper

ITS

http://slidesha.re/kbdQvS

Twitter Hash Tag #smack2011

Twitter: @miami_mlearning

Get out your phones!

http://bit.ly/kX7Yhv

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“You Will” (1983)

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Ownership of Internet Enabled Handheld Device Among US

College Student Internet Users

11.3

24.6

1.3

62.7

Don't own but plan to purchase in the next 12 mosDon't own and don't plan to purchase in next 12 mosDon't knowOwn

Source: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2010.

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M-Learning Center Overview

• Miami has established an M-Learning Center devoted to supporting faculty, staff, and students in the use of mobile technology for education

• Multi-disciplinary effort involving SEAS, AIMS, and IT Services– SEAS: development expertise– AIMS: mobile media, social media– ITS: IT management, integration with

academic

Mission

• To capture and distribute best practices that utilize mobile technologies in support of learning

• To provide coordination and leadership that establishes linkages between existing development expertise and educators interested in applying mobile technologies for learning

• To provide faculty, staff, students and practitioners with support on the use and development of mobile applications through coordination of research and educational activities

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Motivation

• Unify efforts in mobile space on the campus

• Provide faculty, staff, and students a resource for mobile learning and mobile computing

• Support faculty by providing software development expertise

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Activities of the center

• Educational Support– Disseminate knowledge about best

practices in M-Learning

• Software Development Support– Create software for mobile devices

• Service and Research– Support research and outreach activities

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Courses

• IMS 255 Introduction to Mobile App Development– Social Impacts, Design issues, User interfaces

• CSE 470 Mobile Application Development– Native applications for major platforms

• CSE 451/551 Service Oriented Computing– Spring 2012

• CSE 448/449 Senior Capstone– Two projects AY10-11 (See Projects Section)

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Courses

• CSE 610 Graduate Seminar– F’10 M-Learning Seminar; Project with

Knowledgeworks– Sp’10 Mobile Computing seminar

• IMS 440 IMS Practicum– One project AY10-11 with Procter &

Gamble

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Tiers of Developers

• M-Learning Center Development Team– Students hired based on experience

• Graphic Designers, Mobile App Development, Service-Oriented Computing

–Multiple parallel projects

• Capstone Projects– Single ½ year or Full year projects

• Course Projects– Semester long projects

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Software Projects

• Miami University iPhone Application– Funding provided by

Student Tech Fee (65%), and University Communications (35%)

– First Released on Nov. 30th

• 4,450 New users• 7,429 Total downloads

(includes updates)

– Student Developers• SEAS, SFA

– Collaboration with ITS and University Communications

– Videos

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HEARTifacts

• App supports finding Automated External Defibrillators using Augmented Reality

• Created for an external customer

• Students part of capstone team consisting of:– Computer Science/Software

Engineering– Graphic Design– Marketing– MIS

• http://seasnews.eas.muohio.edu/2010/08/automated-external-defibrillator-aed-app/

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Software Projects

• Smart or Smashed– Alcohol abuse

prevention / intervention app

– Research project in collaboration with R.M. Ward in EHS

– Work supported by EHS Dean

– In-progress (slated for late Summer pre-release)

– Student Developers• SEAS, SFA

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Software Projects

• my Metro– MUITDC Finalist – Interdisciplinary project

with students from disciplines across the university

– Real-time tracking of Miami Metro buses

– Eventual integration into the Miami App

– Received long-term funding to deploy to full bus system

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Software Projects

• Alumni Networking App– Supports alumni events

on iPad (think modified “speed dating” format)

– Supported by alumni office

– In-progress (slated for late Summer release, final pilot in Chicago in Late April)

– Student Developers• CSE Capstone

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Software Projects

• Other Projects–Problem-Based Learning• Research Buddy– Proctor and Gamble–Using Cincinnati Zoo Academy as a

testbed

• The Everyday Dad–Ohio Commission on Fatherhood

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Lessons Learned

• Partnerships and collaboration– Important to establish connections across the

institution so that there are multiple pockets of effort

• Small, agile teams– Applications are not that complex but require

developers of different experience levels

• Service Orientation– Applications should take advantage of the

capabilities of the phones