CQUniversity will help study student use of iPod Touch devices within selected nursing and education courses, thanks to $113,000 to be shared with the University of Southern Queensland, one of its collaborators in the 'DE Hub' consortium of distance education universities.

The successful grant is for a study into: Distance learning at times and places chosen by the learner: Adapting resources and learner behaviours for working with mobile digital devices.

The DeHub research team including CQUniversity contributors

The 16-month project will start in July, aiming to evaluate the potential of small mobile devices to enhance student learning by increasing 'time on task' for interactions that promote learning at times and locations more convenient for the learner. It will involve CQUniversity Bundaberg Nursing and Education students as well as USQ students.

The results of the evaluation will enable USQ and CQUniversity to assess the feasibility of the integration of small mobile devices into learning and teaching systems currently in use.

Increasing numbers of university students are choosing to study all or part of their degree by distance (or online). Because many students have busy lifestyles, bulky printed materials and media on computers limit the times and locations at which they can engage with study.

Mobile digital devices, small enough to be ‘always' carried by the user in a pocket or bag, have been developed for business, entertainment and communication. They can be used for accessing and storing a variety of media both on and off the Internet. Compared to more traditional portable devices, such as laptops, netbooks and tablets, they may offer learners studying at a distance or online new opportunities for learning. These smaller devices enable the student to access learning materials that can be stored on the device or, subject to network connectivity, to interact remotely with content, teachers and peers.

The project will conduct trials within the selected courses offered by distance or online modes at both USQ and CQUniversity. The research will focus on the use of the iPod Touch in three main areas of student use for learning: first, accessing pre-loaded or downloadable course materials and resources including text, images, audio and video that have been appropriately packaged using accepted mobile content standards for use on the devices, second, engaging in learning activities through peer to peer and teacher interactions, and third, making personal records of learning and/or for sharing media in interactions to enhance learning.

Research team members are: A/Prof Peter Albion (USQ Education), Wendy Fasso (CQUni Education), Teresa Sander (CQUni Nursing), A/Prof Romina Jamieson-Proctor (USQ Education), Dr Rose-Marie Thrupp (CQUni Education), A/Professor Trudy Yuginovich (USQ Nursing), Dr Andrew Maxwell (USQ Engineering), Julie Harris (USQ Nursing), Dr Kevin Larkin (USQ Education).