Mobile learning research gets a major boost from CFI

January 21, 2011

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has awarded $346,142 to Athabasca University to support Open Social Mobile Systems for eLearning Research (OSMoSYS) led by Dr. Jon Dron
of the School for Computing and Information Systems. The announcement was made earlier today in Guelph, Ontario by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology.

"The investment being announced today at Atahabasca University wil further enhance our country's reputation as a destination of choice for outstanding researchers," said Dr. Gilles G. Patry, President and CEO of the CFI. "They will make our universities even more competitive when it comes to attracting the best and brightest researchers from around the world."

Dr. Rory McGreal, AU's Associate Vice-president of Research, welcomed CFI's investment in OSMoSYS.

"The equipment for this CFI project will enable AU researchers to experiment with the creation, adaptation, dissemination and distribution of learning activities and content via mobile devices," he said. "For example, the 3D scanners will be used for digitizing physical historical artefacts,
like aboriginal cultural items such as headdresses, axes, mukluks, knives and other objects. These will then be made available for study by researchers and accessible to the public using their mobile phones, tablets and netbooks."

"For me, the great thing about this award is the opportunities for connected learning and research that it affords. The research that will be enabled through this project cuts across many disciplinary areas and enables a diverse group of researchers to extend and enhance their
capabilities together and individually," said Dr. Jon Dron, Principal Investigator for OSMoSYS. "Connected and networked, these rich multimedia, mobile and social tools will enhance knowledge and learning in places and ways that have hitherto been difficult or impossible."

The CFI announced a total of $61,291,274 in new funds to support 246 projects at 48 institutions across Canada. For a complete list of projects awarded, please visit www.innovation.ca

The CFI is an independent corporation created by the government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. Since its creation in 1997, the CFI has committed $5.3 billion in support of more than 6800 projects across the country

 

For more information, contact:

John O'Brien
Manager, Media Relations
Athabasca University
403-298-2931
403-990-1131 (cell)
jobrien@athabascau.ca

 

 

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Updated August 21, 2012