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The documents and e-Learning (Part 6): course delivery to cell phones

Do you want (or need) to teach courses or documents customers directly to their mobile screens? And you want to do without making drastic changes in your LMS ? Well, you can start right now with a simple technique that allows students to receive tutoring and support materials everywhere … through their phones.

The technique uses what is called QR (Quick Response) Codes. " You see these odd square "barcodes" In all parts of Japan and some European countries … in the pages of magazines, advertisements, coupons, product packaging store windows, billboards, panels, taxis, buses, and even hats, scarves, shirts and tattoos. The Japanese even have covered all the skyscrapers with them. So when someone points a camera cell phone to one of these codes (where it is) and "scan" or images, your Handheld device launches website URL, the text indicates, the number of calls, or shows the service short messages (SMS) that has been "linked" to the code.

Several e-learning applications

The ways in which codes QR can be used in e-learning, blended learning, and documentation, the same product are only limited by your imagination. They could, for example:

• Involving students directly on your mobile learning portal, and to register for online courses.
• For mobile phone users to view assignments, reference reading lists /, and other training materials to support the metro, buses, taxis, or anywhere … without using a PC.
• Class lists to allow access to maps of the participants in the construction, class and other useful information for the entire QR codes hotel and schools.
• Students admitted to the classroom without a PC to access information and resources through their phones.
• Allow students to take training physical (such as firefighting and police exercises) for information on their phones that is relevant to where they are and what they do at the moment.
• "Tag" in the parameters of the objects physical training so that students can see the use of safety guidelines and Videos educational and them.
• Generate training online catalog with links (for PC users) and the corresponding QR codes (for mobile users).
• Allow students to the training PC to display additional information and resources on their phones, thanks to QR codes in the class materials printing, the screens of course, Adobe Flash, PowerPoint slides and PDF.
• Send students cell phones for Google Earth that destinations are relevant to the course material.
• Take students online or pages of the kind of assessment, ranging from presentations and ask questions about them.
• Collect information during the lesson / per SMS.
• Make e-learning materials accessible to people who do not have computers or can not use (but may use cell phones).
• Allow users to see the product documentation "in the" … without using a PC.

A simple four-step process is all you need to have this feature in your e-learning:

• Create the QR-codes have to use a free Web service.
• Tell your students how to obtain free reader software for mobile QR code on their cell phones.
• Put-in QR codes training sites, the online course pages and supporting materials.
• Tell your students how to scan mobile codes.
Here more about each of these steps:
Building Codes
You can create QR Codes for your displays and learning materials through online generators, including:
• Adobe AIR
• I-Nigma
• Kaywa
• Snappr.net
For example, to use the generator Kaywa:
1. Open Page Kaywa code generator.
2. Select URL, text, phone or SMS in the table of content type.
3. Enter the address or any other content QR code that runs in the area of content (including http:// already … … and necessary for Web content).
4. Select size (M or L is good).
5. Click Generate!
6. Right click on the QR code that appears, save it, then put it in a Word document, spreadsheet, image Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft PowerPoint, HTML pages courses online, the document type, and so on.
7. Users of cell phones can then run the encoded content to photograph or scan the image.
Snappr.net another generator is interesting. After you create your free account you can access images of QR codes URL, the ballot applications / and music files. also programs of interest to e-Learning is theirs
• MMS, which helps users whose mobile phones do not have QR code readers. They can enter a QR code with your phone camera, e-mail image to Snappr@Sannpr.net will receive a link to content hosted on Snappr.net then use the web browser on your phone to start the link.
• Geo controls, which can trigger an alternative content based on user location.
Therefore, I would also say their students how mobile is easy to photograph / scan these codes, wherever they see during their training.
Loading Barcode
Telephone and users iPhone may go to several websites to determine if the software is free QR code reader available for your device. And if so, usually can be downloaded directly in their cameras. (In tests in the Messenger "on the scanner, in many Blackberry has also launched a Web content QR codes.)

Here are some of the sites to find a player:

• Barcode
• I-Nigma
• Kaywa
• QuickMark

When the unit is activated on the user's phone is easy to read the codes. According to the phone and reading software, the user simply takes a snapshot QR Code or the phone's camera scans through it. The content of these links appear on the screen of the phone.

You can tell students on these sites mobile QR-Code reader through emails, tickling, and online training portal.
Try it yourself!
If you want to see how this works, the burden of a QR code reader on your own mobile phone or iPhone. (If using a BlackBerry device, already available one.) Then, search the Web for "QR Code" and scan or take advantage of the samples to find. See where it leads you.
Considerations

Although codes QR are easy to configure and use, here are some points to consider:

• phones without cameras can not be used.

• Mobile devices may soon be able to scan and interpret the text through regular cameras. This could cause unnecessary QR codes. But even if this happens, QR codes are less tedious to enter the URL. And it is fun to use! It will always be of interest to some who may be why the BlackBerry comes with its own QR-compatible player … to strengthen its appeal among young people.

• traditional designs website often has to move too, panning, booming, and squinting to facilitate navigation on Mobile screens. You need a powerful machine with a big screen to relieve tension. Therefore, the consolidation of any page on your side may help.

Or you can communicate with someone as a mark of Care (Http://www.brandattention.mobi/mobile.php), which redraws Web pages for easy viewing on mobile screens. When you open your own website watch your content and navigation controls collapsed the left side of the screen in a strict sense, Mobile Broadband legible. Seen on multiple phones SyberWorks, and this technique has worked well.

Then think about making copies of pages similar to your current mobile e-Learning. Then converting the URL of the page QR code, and students who review them go straight to those pages through their phones.

• Depending on your audience, your LSM may or may not be modified to contain QR codes. More LMS existing web sites can be examined by the browsers of mobile phones but usually requires a bit of scrolling. Unless it is a particular problem in its implementation, and QR codes can bring users to your existing LMS and pages without major modifications. For example, a retail store where I worked experienced a weak all-too-common training. PC back room behind closed doors training products that have been described in the sales floor. He did not allow the strengthening of the real world through touch and taste the products themselves. This training would become more effective in immediately if an employee leaves the LMS to connect to the training system through their cell phones. The employees could enter the store, along-scan product codes and descriptions of view, the instructions for use, sales of pointers and demonstrations during the training sessions. All material must come from existing training page-URL … now reach the screens of cell phones with QR codes throughout the store. (Consumer Phones regular "would not have these data if it is delivered as part of training for password protected entry.)

But you really want to give mobile users accessible as possible to its LMS and equipment of course, you probably need to restructure their pages for mobile e-learning. Their own internal experts (or companies Attention mark as mentioned above) can do … but it will take the necessary time and commitment! For example, suppose you need to train customer representatives to repair computers, cars or other consumer products. As above the retail store, you can run through a battery of pages in a classroom online from a distance … and let them deal with the practice notes and memory in the study. Or, you can review the features of your LMS and designs for easy access in the room where the units are practical. Then, students can start their training by scanning a QR code that calls the screen Login, then view the demonstration videos on their phones via QR codes for each step of procedure.

About the Author

Dave Powell is Documentation Manager for SyberWorks Inc., a privately-held supplier of e-Learning software and training. For the past 15 years, he has written award-winning marketing collateral and user documentation for hardware/software companies like PictureTel, 3Com, Philips Medical Systems, Polaroid, and SyberWorks. Prior to that, he edited and wrote for publications like Computerworld, Infosecurity News, Networking Management, Digital Design, LightWave, Popular Computing, Harvard Business Review, and Leaders. (During that time, he also served as an author and Editorial Advisor for Sesame Street.)

Custom QR and 2D Codes by QRe8 decoded by i-nigma QR Code Reader and iPhone Video