by
Priyantha Bandara (Sri Lanka), Josephine Dumlao (Philippines), Emily B. Nem Singh (Philippines), Machunwangliu Kamei (India), Hel Rithy (Cambodia)
1. What is Mobile Learning?
There isn’t a generally accepted definition among the educational community to describe the term Mobile Learning or M-Learning. The most common interpretations might be either learning using a mobile device and/or learning while mobile (e.g. while traveling or outside the classroom.) The fact that a device is easily portable means that learning can take place in locations, and possibly at times, more convenient to the user. Therefore convenience and flexibility are commonly accepted characteristics of Mobile Learning. There is, however, some disagreement on which devices should be included in the description mobile device. Most accept that their definition of a mobile device should include only electronic handheld devices, i.e. Mobile Phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants or palmtop computers) and mobile games machines. Laptop computers on the other hand, have not been considered under the said category, on the grounds that they only differ from desktop computers in that they are more portable.
In defining Mobile Learning, some authors have placed the emphasis on either the technologies involved or the educational or philosophical aims of learning. Following are some of the common definitions for M-Learning from the literature.
• M-Learning is the acquisition of any knowledge and skill through mobile technology, anywhere, anytime that results in an alteration in behaviour. (Geddes 2004)
• Mobile learning is any educational provision where the sole or dominant technologies are handheld or palmtop devices. (Traxler 2005)
• M-Learning is the intersection of mobile computing and e-learning: accessible resources wherever you are, strong search capabilities, rich interaction, powerful support for effective learning and performance-based assessment. e-Learning is independent of location in time or space. (Quinn 2000)
• Mobile Learning is any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies. (O’ Malley et al. 2003)
• M-Learning is a form of existing distance learning and e-learning (Goergive et al. 2004)
• M-Learning is learning that arises in the course of person-to-person mobile communication. (Nyiri 2002)
What is evident is that there are common themes as people seek to define Mobile Learning: it could take place anywhere and at anytime, and so could encompass both formal and informal learning, where the knowledge is situated within a context.
2. Classification of Mobile Technologies
There are many different kinds of technology that can be classified as mobile. We can classify the range of mobile technologies using the two orthogonal dimensions of personal vs. shared and portable vs. static as outlined in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Classification of Mobile Technologies
Quadrant 1 shows devices that can be classified as both portable and personal. These kinds of devices are what people most commonly think of in relation to mobile technologies: mobile phones, PDAs and tablet PCs. It also includes hand-held video game consoles, with Rosas et al. 2003 and Lee et al. 2004 reporting on early evaluations of their educational use. Since these devices normally support a single user, they are generally perceived as being very personal. The networked nature of such devices affords communication and information sharing, meaning that while the devices themselves are personal, the information within them can be shared easily.
Being physically moved from one place to another is not the only way in which mobile technologies can be portable. In quadrant 3 there exist technologies that can provide learning experiences to users on the move, but the devices themselves are not physically movable. Street Kiosks, interactive museum displays and other kinds of installations offer pervasive access to information and learning experiences, but it is the learner who is portable, not the delivery technology. Such devices are typically seen as being less personal and are likely to be shared among multiple users. Their larger size also makes them better suited to multiple-user interactions. These are termed as shared portable technologies. For more sharable interactions, the devices themselves must become larger and hence less portable as shown in quadrant 4. These technologies have been included here to show the complete spectrum of possibilities analyzed by the currently discussed classification, but they would generally not be classified as mobile technologies. It is believed that mobile technologies are comprised of all devices included in quadrants 1 – 3.
3. M-Learning Applications
Mobile devices are educationally interesting because they offer:
• Several communications channels on one device, for example, e-mail, voice and text messaging.
• Cheaper, comparable functionality with desktops or laptops.
• Wireless access to educational material, other students and Internet resources.
• Pastoral care, feedback and remediation.
• Motivation and guidance.
• Supporting students across the institution.
• Course administration and management.
• Institutional quality assurance.
Figure 2: M-Learning Applications
M-learning offers a range of content transmittal choices, but delivered in smaller packages, such as:
• Daily or weekly study tips, reminders and alerts.
• Multiple-choice quizzes with immediate feedback.
• Browsing and searching of short texts.
• Following links to selected websites.
• Glossary and reference information.
• Concepts or definitions for revision.
Figure 3: M-Learning Devices
Students of some disciplines, such as teaching, law, medicine and nursing, undergo placements for gaining practical experience. Here m-learning can provide:
• Continued access to course and reference material in the workplace.
• Continued access to other students within their online community.
• Data-collection capability for completing assignments.
• Support with personal information management in a new environment.
Figure 4: A model on how Mobile Learning works
4. Drawbacks of Mobile Technologies
There is relatively common agreement that multi-purpose hand-held devices such as PDA’s and mobile phones will outsell PC’s and laptops in the very near future within the global community. Tablet PCs are becoming fully powered personal computers with strong potential for m-learning and there is now a lot of speculation on the development and potential application of wearable devices. There is a general consensus amongst the consultant community; however, that many obstacles exist in terms of implementing any significant m-learning applications, based on current mobile technology capacity. These obstacles can be summarized in the following form:
• Limited memory and storage are major inhibitors.
• Screens are generally too small for the use of any sophisticated applications.
• Intermittent connectivity is a major barrier.
• Cross-platform solutions are not yet possible.
• Links to learning management systems or enterprise systems are in an embryonic stage of development.
• The industry is plagued by proprietary solutions.
• Transmitting across different browsers and platforms is almost impossible.
• Existing applications are not easily integrated to the mobile technology environment.
• Start-up costs are invariably high.
• Tracking outcomes is difficult.
• Security is a major issue.
• Cost of accessing major third-party networks is punitive.
• Multiple permissions are necessary in terms of negotiated access.
• Continuous technology development militates against stability and sustainability in terms of mounting viable m-learning applications.
Many of these issues also exist in the e-learning industry but they are exacerbated in the m-learning space because of the current limited technological capacity.
5. Conclusion
It is evident that Mobile Learning is a very useful tool for teaching and learning and it is gaining momentum in countries such as Japan, China, Mongolia, Philippines, South Africa and Kenya. It can complement other teaching and learning methods and can be modelled in the same ways as other methods. It can also enhance non-academic and para-academic support. It is especially very beneficial to the learners who are on the move and who do not remain in a particular location. On the other hand, there are many obstacles exist in terms of implementing any significant m-learning applications, based on current mobile technology capacity. Therefore it is highly important that an extensive analysis should be conducted before any M-Learning project is initiated.
6. References
1. “Literature Review in Mobile Technologies and Learning”, Laura Naismith, Peter Lonsdale, Giasemi Vavoula, Mike Sharples, University of Birmingham, 2004. (www.futurelab.org.uk/research/lit_reviews.htm)
2. “Mobile Learning in Developing Countries”, Commonwealth of Learning, Canada, 2005. (www.col.org)
3. “Mobile Learning in Developing Nations”, Scott Motlik, Athabasca University, Canada, 2008. (http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/564/1071)
4. “Mobile learning in practice - Piloting a mobile learning teachers’ toolkit in further education colleges”, Carol Savill-Smith, Jill Attewell, Geoff Stead Tribal, 2006. (www.LSNeducation.org.uk)
5. “Mobile Technologies and Learning”, Jill Attewell, Technology Enhanced Learning Research Centre, Learning and Skills Development Agency, United Kingdom, 2005. (www.LSDA.org.uk)
6. “The M-Learning Paradigm: an Overview”, Neil McLean, IMS Australia, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2003.
