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The Handheld Learning Conference claims to be the world’s leading event about learning using mobile and inexpensive access technologies. Over 1,500 international delegates got together last year.

This year's conference is themed around "Creativity, Innovation, Inclusion & Transformation" in part because 2009 is the European year of creativity and innovation (which was news to me). It runs from Monday 5th to Wednesday 7th October 2009.

Lead speakers include:

* Malcolm McLaren, Agent provocateur and artist
* James Paul Gee, Presidential Professor of Literacy Studies at Arizona State University
* Professor Elizabeth Hayes, Arizona State University
* Gordon Shukwit, Director of IT and Learning Technologies, Apple Inc
* John Davitt, International Learning Advocate, NewTools.org
* Tim Brighouse, Former Commissioner for London Schools
* Donald Clark, e-Learning Expert
* David Cavallo, Chief Learning Architect, MIT OLPC
* Tim Rylands, Teacher & Innovator

HHL promises to bring together experts from the education, technology and entertainment sectors.

Education, technology and entertainment? Hurray! This sounds like a magic mix. Kind of like a geek cocktail for me!

The conference is spread over three days, to demonstrate, debate and explore how mobile technologies such as phones, entertainment devices, GPS locators, and netbooks can enable "transformational improvements" in learning across schools, home, further education, training and business.

I'm not sure what 'transformational improvements' are - hope there's not too much of this type of marketese at the actual conference - but I am interested in seeing how mobile technologies can help us all do things better.

Here in Northern Ireland we're hoping to get as many companies and organisations as possible together to organise a subsidised Trade Mission to the conference - lots of folk are already signed up. So if you're a ROI or NI learning company and you're interested in attending the conference, let me know ASAP.

And if you fancy easing yourself into handheld learning with a sleek Apple device, get yourself signed up for the conference before July 31 - you'll get a free iPod touch when you arrive at the conference. Nice.

I got rid of my television about a month ago. It's been a strange, but good experience. First, I read more. Second, when I have a migraine, I go to bed to rest, instead of drooling on the sofa while staring at something mindless to distract myself from the pain. Third and most important thing, I learn differently (I'm using my computer and iPhone even more). Which is why I just spent a lovely hour or so on the TED talks website.

My favourite talk was Erin McKean's funny, geeky and intelligent plea for the lexicographical world to redefine itself.

Erin calls herself a dictionary evangelist. She focuses on the inadequacy of the paper dictionary as a reference form - it's clumsy, it's difficult to search, it's constricted by its physical size - it cannot encompass every word, which is why lexicographers choose the bestest words for inclusion.

Erin then points out that we have the Internet. A publication medium without boundaries. Yet what do most dictionaries do? They replicate the print medium.

Erin observes that lexicography isn't rocket science. But that the field of rocket science is now aided by hordes of passionate, well-informed amateurs, as are astronomy and ornithology and others. Yet lexicography continues its shut-off, closed in approach to collecting, defining and choosing those words that are 'good' enough or 'important' enough to get in the dictionary.

James Murray was the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, a post he took up in 1879. Murray's quite the fossil. But Erin points out that if he were transported from the Victorian era to today, Murray would have no problem in getting a job. Lexicography has not evolved with the times.

So she makes a passionate plea for lexicography to open its doors to user participation, to open source, to not excluding words, to letting the passionate amateurs and word lovers and professional lexicographers to work together towards creating a big online dictionary.

What struck me when I watched this TED talk was that Erin states that computers haven't revolutionised the dictionary - they've just basically strapped a modern combustion engine onto a very ancient bike. Sure it goes faster, but it's not much better beyond that. Dictionaries need to change. They need to become more than print-based copies with easier, faster search fields.

But it's not just lexicographers who are guilty of this sin. Any established learning or communication method does this. Check out TV or radio professionals who squash their broadcasting tradition into 'digital media'. Much academic endeavour on the Internet has been stymied and slowed by centuries-old traditions being replicated online, instead of freestyling and making the most of new technologies. Sometimes things really do just seem to go back to a lecturer standing in an empty lecture theatre in Second Life, talking to themselves.

But this sounds like a rant now. I suggest you skip over to TED and watch Erin. Her talk is clever, funny, passionate and engaging. You're probably not a lexicographer, but I'm pretty sure what she's saying applies in many fields.

NOTE: My favourite Erin McKean quote 'a little-known technological fact about the Internet is it's actually made up for words and enthusiasm.'