Hey CMUG! Meet Jeff.

[KristinL]

 @jbrady2  is an Instructional Designer

in the Center for Innovative Teaching and Technology at

Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida

TL;DR (Jeff, describe yourself!)

Cautiously optimistic consumer of technology.  Student centered.  Technology standardization champion.  Supporter of OER, Open Source, and Open Access.  When I do take a break from my day job, I teach SCUBA diving, and I am attempting to visit, at least once, all of the 160+ state parks and forests in my home state of Florida.

Are you an Android or iPhone?

Android

What is your favorite personal app?

Google Keep.  I like that I can access it from any platform that I am on and create a note with a reminder that syncs with my phone when it happens to not be within reach.

What is your favorite educational app?

Canvas. As someone who is passionate about mobile course design, I find myself in Canvas several times throughout the day checking my own course offerings for usability.

Why is mobile learning so important in education?

Anytime, anywhere access to courses (with some limitations).  As someone who has used the mobile apps of the Canvas Network and other MOOC providers, I cannot express enough how great it is to be able to stay engaged while waiting at the bank, doctor appointments, etc.

What excites you the most about the future of mobile devices and apps in education?

I hope that the continued push toward greater standardization on the web, the dying off of outdated technologies, and the advancements in mobile devices eventually make it possible for anyone to consume all course content through a mobile device even with the most robust, interactive multimedia embedded in the course.

What do you think is the greatest barrier for mobile adoption in education?

Despite being an advocate for mobile learning, what concerns me about increased offerings for mobile platforms is the continued persistence of a digital divide on many levels.  This is concerning as I see mobile, and ostensibly eLearning through the mobile platform, as being a means to reach beyond the walls of the institution I work for, the state and the country in which I live and be able to market educational resources to the world.  This can only truly take place if the infrastructure is in place, locally and globally, for the content to reach the world.

What advice would you have for an instructor unsure of using mobile technologies in the classroom?

It may sound overly simplistic, but the best advice I can offer is to just try it.  Explore and see what is out there.  Ask others what they are doing.  I know that it is sometimes hard for those who have not had much exposure to something to see the need, or even a use, for it, but this is how I have “stumbled” onto some of the technology that I regularly use today.  Also, be patient; do not approach a new piece of technology expecting to be able to find a use and roll it out in your next teaching of a course.  Give yourself time to learn what you can and cannot do with it and how it will or will not integrate into what you are doing now or with the tech you are using now.

[scottdennis]

We also appreciate that Jeff is active all over the Canvas Community and has been a contributor, going back almost all the way to the beginning.  Thank you  @jbrady2 !

[kmeeusen]

Hi Jeff!

As Scott said, I see your thoughtful posts everywhere in the Community and greatly enjoy your perspective.

I, personally, am not a mobile person. I'm one of the last dinosaurs who think a phone is for sending and receiving telephone calls (got my first cell a year ago, and that's all I use it for), tried an iPad and found it next to useless, and still carry my pen and yellow legal-pad everywhere I go. However, I recognize the importance of the mobile trend in information tech, and hope it continues to mature. So I very much appreciate your final notes for those who might have limited exposure. Mobile is a reality, and our students are driving that reality, so we must be as prepared as we can be to meet their needs and extend online learning to those who choose or are dependent upon that tech.

KLM

[985541993]

Welcome!  Great advice for the person who feels uncomfortable with mobile technology!  Carol

[Stef_retired]

It was great to read more about you,  @jbrady2 , and thanks,  @KristinL ​, for facilitating this!

Your advice to those "unsure" teachers resonated with me. I've found that the teachers with whom I've spoken about this respond well to the idea of trying just one thing with their students, even if that means selecting one Canvas feature that might fit well with their class. If they're in a face-to-face or blended environment, they and their students can use it together. And that might just open the floodgates, in a good way.

Separately, I just started using Google Keep after my old Microsoft Outlook tasks program finally crashed and burned, so I was happy to hear how much you like it.