Development of eContent for Delivery of an

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Development of eContent for Delivery of an
Undergraduate Electromagnetic Course Using
Mobile Devices Al-Zoubi A. Y., Princess
Sumaya University of Technology, Jordan, Ammar
Al-Atiat, International Turnkey Systems, Egypt.

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Many universities worldwide are re-examining
their tools and methodologies for creating and
delivering educational material.
Mobile Learning
Distance Learning
Web- Based Learning
CD-ROM Based Learning
Computer- Based Learning
eLearning
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In particular, engineering and science education
requires a great deal of animation and
simulation in order to reach into the students
minds. The electromagnetic course, for example,
is one of the most difficult subjects to
teach, both for students and lecturers,
because it requires an understanding of complex
mathematics to solve complicated electric
and magnetic field problems.
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Very few textbooks and course syllabi have
deviated from the traditional
approach. Electromagnetics is taught today much
as it has been taught for the last several
decades. Yet, no body has seen the electron or
touched the wave.
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The student needs to visualize the problem and
its associated conditions to be able to solve
the equations and then to understand the
solutions for the variation and propagation of
electromagnetic fields. The EM course is
delivered at PSUT in a variety of blended
learning ways. These including text,
equations, simulation and animations of
problem formulation and solving.
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eLearning is seen as a strong contender to
become the technology of choice for students and
faculty at leading Universities. Thus, an EM
course module was designed at PSUT, as a pilot
project. The design was based on the standard
(analysis, design, development, implementation
and evaluation) method.
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• Several work sessions had been conducted between
  the
• subject matter expert and the instructional
  designer to cover
• needs analysis,
• target audience,
• technology issues,
• current infrastructure for deployment, learning
  objectives
• and instructional goals and content analysis.
• EM eContent

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The mobile communication industry has evolved
exponentially in the past decade. It has added a
lot of functionality to the simple mobile phone
to open up a new era to users. Mobile learning
will enable access to all kinds of resources.
Advancement as such can also be used to assist
people to learn on an Anytime, Anywhere
basis.
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The Four Screens Developed for Coulombs Law
lesson.
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Mobile Learning Version of Line Charge Problem
Formulation.
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(No Transcript)
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A research was conducted in the first quarter of
2007 to collect feedback and analyze students
and teachers awareness on mLearning. An online
questionnaire was setup containing questions
ranging from acceptance of the EM eCourse to
devices used for mLearning 1- Factors that
Influence the Choice of a Mobile Device for
Use, 2- Mobile Learning Platform, 3- Services
Offered by Mobile Learning.
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The questionnaire consisted of 24 questions
addressed over 2700 emails for professors in
the 22 universities, and 415 student. Only 137
professors and students responded of whom
41.61 were student and 51.83 were lecturers
and researchers. Almost all possessed a mobile
phone while only 15.33 possessed a handheld
computer or a PDA.
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Table (1) The Percentage Degree of Importance of
the of the Factors that Influence the Choice
of a Mobile Device for Use in a Mobile Learning
Environment.
Degree of Importance Screen Size Weight Wireless Capabilities Input Methods Processing Power Battery Life
1 (not important) 2.19 2.92 3.65 2.19 1.46 1.46
2 4.38 5.84 2.92 2.19 1.46 0.73
3 10.22 21.90 6.57 24.82 16.06 10.95
4 18.25 23.36 26.28 27.01 27.74 21.17
5 (very important) 59.12 37.96 53.28 35.77 45.26 58.39
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Table (2) The Percentage Degree of Importance of
the Mobile Learning Platform.
Degree of Importance User Friendliness Speed of Download Cost Graphics Edutainment Variety
1 (not important) 2.92 0.73 0.00 0.73 2.19 0.73
2 5.11 2.92 2.19 3.65 10.95 5.11
3 11.68 8.03 10.95 16.06 16.79 18.25
4 29.93 23.36 19.71 29.93 33.58 36.50
5 (very important) 41.61 56.20 58.39 40.15 26.28 30.66
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Table (3) The Percentage Degree of Importance of
the Services Offered Through the Use of Mobile
Learning.
Degree of Importance Accessing notes Notification of events Interaction Quizzes Comm. with lecturers Comm. with peers Add or drop courses
1 (not important) 2.92 0.00 3.65 1.46 2.19 0.73 1.46
2 2.19 4.38 7.30 8.76 3.65 8.03 7.30
3 13.87 11.68 21.90 21.17 20.44 19.71 21.17
4 23.36 29.20 30.66 38.69 28.47 31.39 21.17
5 (very important) 48.18 45.26 27.01 19.71 35.04 29.20 37.23
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Results reveal that 1- screen size and
resolution and battery life were the most
important factors that influence the choice of a
mobile device used in a mobile learning
environment 2- the speed and cost of
downloading new content were the most important
features of the mobile learning platform, 3- its
user friendliness and graphics capabilities such
as videos, audios and illustrations in the course
content were less important, 4- half of the
sample considered accessing notes and course
content as the most important of the function
and services expected from the use of mobile
learning,
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The development of mobile learning is not
intended to replace the classroom learning, but
rather to offer another way to deliver content
and to embed learning into daily life.
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Thank you
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Animation of Attraction Force between Two
Charges, with Lines of Force Shown.
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Animation of a Curl of a Vector Circulation.
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Mathematical Representation of Coulomb's Law
Force Between Two Charges.
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Computer Simulation of a Transmission Line
Problem Using Matlab.