M-learning

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M-learning, or "mobile learning", now commonly abbreviated to "mLearning", has different meanings for different communities. Although related to e-learning and distance education, it is distinct in its focus on learning across contexts and learning with mobile devices. One definition of mobile learning is: Learning that happens across locations, or that takes advantage of learning opportunities offered by portable technologies. In other words, mobile learning decreases limitation of learning location with the mobility of general portable devices.

The term covers: learning with portable technologies, where the focus is on the technology (which could be in a fixed location, such as a classroom); learning across contexts, where the focus is on the mobility of the learner, interacting with portable or fixed technology; and learning in a mobile society, with a focus on how society and its institutions can accommodate and support the learning of an increasingly mobile population that is not satisfied with existing learning methodologies.

M-learning is convenient, in the sense that it is accessible virtually from anywhere(class, taxi, laundry room, bathroom …) which provides access to all the different learning materials available. Moreover, it is collaborative; that is sharing is almost instantly among everyone using the same content, which will in turn also lead to receiving instant feedback and tips. That will be the best kind of learning. M-Learning also brings strong portability by replacing books and notes with small RAMs, filled with tailored learning contents. In addition, this kind of learning is engaging and fun. With this kind of learning, it is much easier to combine gaming and learning for a more effective and entertaining experience. (reference:http://www.grayharriman.com/mlearning.htm)

Contents

[edit] History

1970s and 1980s

Alan Kay and colleagues in the Learning Research Group at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center [PARC] propose the Dynabook as a book-sized computer to run dynamic simulations for learning. Their interim Dynabooks are the first networked workstations.

1990s

Universities in Europe and Asia develop and evaluate mobile learning for students. Palm corporation offers grants to universities and companies who create and test the use of Mobile Learning on the PalmOS platform. Palm Education Pioneers project.

2000s

The European Commission funds the major multi-national MOBIlearn and M-Learning projects.

Companies were formed that specialise in three core areas of mobile learning.

  1. Authoring and publishing
  2. Delivery and Tracking
  3. Content Development

Conferences and trade shows were created to specifically deal with mobile learning and handheld education, including: mLearn, WMUTE, and IADIS Mobile Learning international conference series, ICML in Jordan, Mobile Learning in Malaysia, Handheld Learning in London, SALT Mobile in USA.

[edit] Growth

Over the past ten years mobile learning has grown from a minor research interest to a set of significant projects in schools, workplaces, museums, cities and rural areas around the world. The mLearning community is still fragmented, with different national perspectives, differences between academia and industry, and between the school, higher education and lifelong learning sectors.

Current areas of growth include:

  • Testing, surveys, job aids and just in time learning
  • Location-based and contextual learning
  • Social-networked mobile learning
  • Mobile educational gaming
  • "Lowest common denominator" mLearning to cellular phones using two way SMS messaging and voice-based CellCasting (podcasting to phones with interactive assessments)

[edit] Scope

The scope of mobile learning includes:

  • Children and students using handheld computers, PDAs or handheld voting systems in a classroom or lecture room.
  • Students using mobile devices in the classroom to enhance group collaboration among students and instructors using a Pocket PC.
  • On the job training for someone who accesses training on a mobile device "just in time" to solve a problem or gain an update.
  • Learning in museums or galleries with handheld or wearable technologies
  • Learning outdoors, for example on field trips.
  • The use of personal technology to support informal or lifelong learning, such as using handheld dictionaries and other devices for language learning. Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) is a term used to describe application of handheld computers or cell phones to assist in language learning.
  • Improving levels of literacy, numeracy and participation in education amongst young adults.
  • To provide audiovisual support in order to enhance training that has been provided in a corporate business or other classroom environment.
  • The provision of mobile devices for animals, enabling greater cognitive training (e.g. bats)

[edit] Challenges

Technical challenges include:

  • Connectivity and battery life
  • Screen size and key size
  • Ability for authors to visualize mobile phones for delivery
  • Multiple standards, multiple screen sizes, multiple operating systems
  • Repurposing existing e-Learning materials for mobile platforms

Social and educational challenges include:

  • Accessibility and cost barriers for end users: Digital divide.
  • How to assess learning outside the classroom
  • How to support learning across many contexts
  • Developing an appropriate theory of learning for the mobile age
  • Design of technology to support a lifetime of learning
  • Tracking of results and proper use of this information
  • No restriction on learning timetable
  • Personal and private information and content
  • No demographic boundary

[edit] Technologies

Most personal technologies can support mobile learning, including

Technical and delivery support for mobile learning:

  • 3GP For compression and delivery method of audiovisual content associated with Mobile Learning
  • Wi-Fi gives access to instructors and resources via internet
  • GPRS mobile data service, provides high speed connection and data transfer rate

There are many ways in which m-learning is conducted, depending on the device one is using. One of the better devices to use in m-learning are PDAs. On a PDA, learners can access rich media resources (animation, sound, photography…) which will make the platform ideal for mobile learning. There are already tools available to create content for PDA devices, one of them being MyLearning Author and Learning Mobile Author from Hot Lava Software.

[edit] Recommendations

According to our experience of a school project, today’s technical and economical environment is developed enough for the broad use of mobile learning. So in general our recommendations for mobile learning would be to deepen and broaden the use of mobile learning in more attractive and effective ways.

First, as mobile industry develops, mobile phones are getting more and more powerful. Mobile phones will have better processing capability and better display quality. Mobile learning should take advantage of this developing trend to develop better materials.

Second, mobile has the potential to be used in a big variety of ways for the education purpose. For example, mobile phone can also be used for education administration. Mobile phones can be used to inform students with changed schedules.

Third, suitable and sufficient studying material and contents is one of the key aspects to implement mobile learning successfully. According to our experience, students are fully capable of developing contents and materials for mobile learning. So schools and education institutes can look to learning mobile author for different ways to encourage students to develop these materials. With more and more learning material available, mobile learning can make greater and greater contribution to the improvement of education.

[edit] References

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-learning"
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