Qik provides a platform where you can easily stream and share video from your mobile phone. There is support for many brands of phone and they have also added alpha support for Blackberry devices. The addition of live video streaming to the phones’ capabilities brings a whole new dimension of functionality to BlackBerry handsets. Qik is initially launching in alpha on the following handsets running Blackberry Operating System 4.5 and above: Blackberry Pearl 8120, Blackberry Pearl 8130 and Blackberry Bold.

I  am looking for innovative ways to use mobile phones in the classroom. This may be worth checking out. You would need a broadband connection and a fast upload connection; no doubt, it would provide problems in government schools but students can  stream from home – onto the Qik website and embed into their blog or link to the URL.  I think you would need a WIFI connection or a large data plan; however, it’s a start.

I have a Blackberry; the Qik application is on the phone and can be launched directly from the phone.  After you are finished streaming your video live over Qik, the video is automatically archived at the site. You can download the video in .mp4, .flv and .3gp formats, embed it or link to the URL.

This is a link to my video stream – The Backyard

Using mobile technologies in the classroom will provide more motivating ways for students to explain, to create, to discuss, as stimulus for writing;  37 interesting ways to use your pocket video camera in the classroom may give you some ideas.

If you are interested in trying mobile technologies in your class, listen to the podcast; Computer in my pocket. This is a podcast put out by the VirtualStaffroom who chat to two teachers with a great deal of experience with cellphones for education – Liz Kolb from Ann Arbor, USA and Toni Twiss from Hamilton, New Zealand.  Liz and Toni have been doing research into this area and have some great insights to share. You can access Toni Twiss’ research report here: Ubiquitous Information: a report on the use of mobile technologies to enhance literacy and learning.

To keep up with what’s happening in this area, why not subscribe to Toni’s blog: tonitwiss.com/mobile or Liz’s blog www.cellphonesinlearning.com

There are lots of links on this emerging area of ICT. Take some time and check them out. (Links sourced from the VirtualStaffroom episode)

• www.mobilestudy.org
• www.gabcast.com
• www.gcast.com
• www.chacha.com
• www.kwiry.com
• www.mymiamia.com
• www.polleverywhere.com
• www.smspoll.net
• wwww.wiffiti.com
• www.qipit.com
• www.opera.com/products/mobile
• www.qik.com
• www.shozu.com
• reader.kaywa.com
• qrcode.kaywa.com
• www.twitpic.com
• www.utterli.com
• www.lexy.com