Mobile Learning: iPhone, Kindle 2 and the Future of Christian Education
Earlier this week, I posted about the Future of Ministry Education and a discussion going on at The Road Less Traveled. The way it currently stands, when most churches identify someone they want to serve in the ministry, they send them to a Bible College or Christian University. But, what if there were no limits, traditions, or built in assumptions. What would be the best way to train people to do ministry?
Last week I took a few students from Castle Hills Christian Church, where I work as youth & young adult minister, on what we called the “Spring Break College Tour,” visiting Christian Colleges and Universities here in Texas. I had never stepped on the campus of Abeline Christian University or really even interacted with ACU until this trip. Right away, I was impressed, especially by their Mobile Learning Initiative.
ACU Mobile Learning from ACU Videos on Vimeo.
At first, giving iPhones to incoming freshmen seemed a little gimmicky, but the longer I listened, the more I liked it. ACU truly seeking to integrate cutting edge mobile technology into the college experience. They have 22 ACU exclusive apps, everything from mobile quiz taking and downloadable class lectures, to a map of campus. As a result of the Mobile Learning Initiative, Alcatel-Lucent selected ACU as one of the first recipients of the Dynamic Enterprise Award.
I am not saying that ACU has achieved perfection in the arena of Christian Education (let alone ministry training). What I am saying is that they are doing something well. Most churches and Christian educational institutions are so far behind on technology. And, for so many people (especially 18 to 20 somethings, like those typically found enrolled in college) mobile technology is (like say the iPhone) integrated into their everyday lives. I believe many educational institutions are now realizing that the traditional models and methods of education won’t cut it any longer. Unfortunately, many of these institutions are caught in the “deer in headlights” type position. If this isn’t soon remedied, they will get run over. Students are becoming less and less tolerant of outdated education.
What ACU is doing, may not be enough though. Their model is still mostly limited to the come here and experience model. At some point, I believe, students will begin asking, if I can view all of my class lectures and take all of my quizzes on my newly acquired iPhone, can you explain to me why I have to pay you $30,000 a year and come to you? Is it all together possible that the future classroom will exist wherever you happen to be?
The iPhone has become a huge open-source market. Apple has given away development tools, and is encouraging developers to distribute their apps. This is an open door for Christian educators, churches, and ministry mentors to take the iPhone technology and run with it. They sky is the limit.
Along similar lines, I think the Kindle 2 is a completely untapped resource for [Christian/ministry] education. Completely portable. Under $400. Over 245,000 book are already available for download (and you can send a harassing e-mail request to the publisher of books not available). There are 2 features that I believe make the Kindle prime for educational use. One, you can highlight text, make notes and e-mail them. Can you say book report? Two, you can e-mail Word or PDF documents to the Kindle, like say class syllabus, notes, or assignments.
It doesn’t exists yet, but the ability to read socially via the Kindle doesn’t seem far off. If someone at Amazon saw potential for Kindle as an educational tool, I’m sure a software update would come quickly.
Discussions about educational technology do not answer larger questions of educational philosophy, but I believe they must be at the forefront of any discussion regarding changing how we train people for ministry. Technological advances fuel the future. We cannot be married to technology, but we also cannot let our inability to be innovative (technologically) handicap us. Unlike many of our predecessors, we must unshackle ourselves and utilize the cutting edge.
Kindle, amazon.com, education, iPhone, technology
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Abiline Christian University, Castle Hills Christian Church, Christian Education, college, discipleship, future, iPhone, Mobile Learning Initiative, technology
The ACU Mobile Learning Initiative seems pretty impressive. My family has an ipod touch, and with just a few updates, it would be a viable netbook solution. There is even a Kindle app available for the device.
I use technology all the time. In college, I would have benefited more from a course in how to use technology (web, graphic design, video editing, etc.) then I did some of my “practical” courses. Being forward thinking about how to use it would lead naturally into using it for education. I think it has to be a part of the discussion. It’s neat to see a religious entity like ACU being a leader in innovation.
This is really cool, Richard. I’m totally linking to this post. I’m not a techno guy (yet). One, the price tag for the iPhone is stil too high for me (although there are other options). However, what you’ve shown me in this post and all it’s potential is HUGE… and making me think about a future tech purchase.
I made a post on Aaron’s blog. I’ve never met the guy, but I’d like to. I’d also like to see the work he’s been a part of. Part of the reason I feel like I can never grasp what “church” or Christianity is supposed to look like is because I feel like most of my life I’ve only seen fleeting glimpses.
Anyway, ACU is kinda getting at what I talked about in my post at his blog.
You like that Obama T-shirt in the ACU video btw? Heh.
Abby’s doing her Master’s through ACU. Originally she was going to get an 80gb video iPod. They changed the semester she started to a Flip camcorder. It’s pretty lame in comparison, but anyway. She hasn’t used it too much. However, again, I like that they are moving in that direction. That they can take such a pervasive, and traditionally disruptive, gadget (the cell phone) and use it to their advantage is baller.
One thing I don’t think distance education can replace is community. Perhaps I’m wrong on that. I’ve connected decently with some people over the web, but not through online classes. Blogs and gaming have been the avenues for relationship building in my geek world. If anyone hopes to replace the social environment college-aged people crave with online apps, they have a mammoth task ahead of them. Like you mentioned in your post at Aaron’s blog (and I’ve heard similar comments from others), some of the most sharpening experiences were those with fellow students, often in the dorm or wherever.
@Aaron:
thanks for starting the discussion, letting me say my $.02 worth, and pointing people here.
@Stuart:
“One thing I don’t think distance education can replace is community”
i agree to an extent. i’m not in anyway advocating getting rid of the community experience of college. i am more interested in integrating it into local (church) life. (i am working on a post that will hopefully capture some of these thoughts.) i do think the technology brings the learning out of the class and to us though, and we need to take advantage of that.
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