Session 5: Mobile E-learning - What happens in Vegas won’t stay in Vegas

This session highlighted the use of all sorts of emerging technologies in Las Vegas. This talk was ok for the tech wow factor, but most of the technologies didn’t seem all that applicable to us. For example, bottles of alcohol in the minibar in Paris Las Vegas hotel rooms are connected such that if someone consumes a bottle, it is automatically noted. A hotel employee can run a report and figure out what needs to be replenished where.

I wasn’t really a fan of this talk because of it’s lack of relevance. It was cool to learn about some of the technologies. Basically you can get all sorts of information to your ipod/pda/cellphone. And you can also communicate through these devices back to servers and whatnot as well.

Here’s a guideline for the technologies:

Need: Keep employees current with business news and knowledge
Technology: Podcasts

Need: Drill and practice on product knowledge/terminionlogy or interactive quizzes in class
Technology: PDA quizzes you can beam among devices

Need: Short learning bytes accessed on the job or on the road

Technology: PDA or smart cell phone e-learning

Need: Provide documents on a PDA
Technology: create pdfs

Need: Provide quick updates and refreshers
Technology: Multi-media messaging on cellphone

Need: Enhance training with book and articles that can be accessed while multi-tasking
Technology: MP3 audiobooks