Abstract:

Subject: How teachers and publishers can get new apps into the educational rankings of the App Stores ahead of Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope… by understanding the opportunities, broadening the mindset and integrating new authoring tools.

1. When you think of educational digital content, are you thinking “web” or “mobile”?
• Global mobile data traffic will have multiply 18 times by 2016 (95% growth)
• In 2016 there will be over 10,000 million mobile devices connected to the Internet
• In 2014, internet traffic on mobile devices will surpass that made by computers
• The largest increases recorded will be in the emerging countries of Asia, Africa and S. America

2. Case Study: M-Ubuntu in South Africa
• M-Ubuntu uses inexpensive, low-threshold mobile phone technologies to empower teachers to help address Africa’s literacy crisis. It is fully functional and active in 11 schools with 50 new scheduled to join
• The multi-functions of mobile phones can capture, record and process observations from student’s surroundings. A well-structured project guides students through activities where the audio, video, image and text capabilities of mobile devises are put to meaningful use. Using the real world in a student’s learning experiences encourages interest and participation. The technology preserves their work, and can be processed and showcased as a documentary, collage, presentation or slideshow

3. Compared to computers, what can mobile devices deliver to improve educational content?
• Different way to browse - Our Choice by Al Gore
• Different way to read - Digital newspapers
• Taking notes - Evernote / Penultimate
• Taking & using pictures - Instagram
• Recording & listening - Voice Memos
• Filming & watching - iMovie
• Geolocating - GoogleMaps
• Sharing - Different Social Nets
• Playing – ‘000’s of educational games

4. CREATING digital content for mobile devices?
4 key stages:
• Concept & topic – The subject matter and aims
• Pre-production – Content and navigation - the end-user experience
• Production – Authoring systems for multi-lingual operating languages
• Marketing – the end user finds the content

5. New Authoring tools
Previously specialist programming skills were required but new authoring tools are enabling wider contribution. Key features to benefit from
Case example – La Factoria - MakerPF and App-An-App

6. Distributing digital content for mobile devices?
• Understand the monetary options
• Not all stores and platforms are equal! AppStore, GooglePlay etc provide very different results

7. considerations in developing a good marketing strategy
• Clearly define your users and their needs and understand how consumers consume
• Determine what is the best platform for your product
• Define early on the business model and pricing policy
• Allocate a fixed budget. Map out all resources and planning requirement
• Ensure you know your competitors
• Funtional analysis takes time – ensure you do it properly
• Do not complicate your lives unnecessarily. KISS (Keep It Simple and Stupid)

What to focus on….
• Name – ASO strategy
• Icon
• Screenshots
• Description

8. In practice
Learning styles and Multiple Intelligence (MI) in Kids Planet Discovery and other apps by La Factoria

Keywords:

Educational Apps, authoring tools, serious games, creation, distribution, web or mobile, monetization, learning styles, Multiple Intelligence (MI), ASO.