Mobile Learning: Challenges, Perspectives and Reality

1
Mobile LearningChallenges, Perspectives and
Reality

• La Salle University
• Teaching and Learning Center
• Keith J. Reichardt

2
Agenda

• New Terminology
• Challenges
• Disciplines
• Latest Trends
• Features and Benefits
• Applications
• Research Goals and Initiatives

3
New Terminology

• e-Learning
• Learning supported by digital electronic tools
  and media.
• WebCT

• m-Learning
• e-Learning using mobile devices and wireless
  transmission.

4
Challenges

• Designing effective computer support along with
  appropriate pedagogy and social practices is
  simply much more complex than imagined
• Communications of the ACM

5
Disciplines

• Educational Research
• Social Science
• Engineering
• Develop a broad framework which integrates all
  views to understand the impact of mobile and
  wireless technologies in education and their
  implications for the future of learning.

6
Latest Trends

• Convergence of
• Wireless Communication Devices
• Mobile phones, pagers, etc.
• Mobile Handheld Devices
• PDAs Personal Digitial Assistants
• Tablet PC
• Pen-based applications
• More natural interfaces
• More desirable form factor
• Increased computational power

7
Features and Benefits

• Portability
• Enable Ubiquitous Learning
• Extended Classroom
• Social Interactivity
• Enable Peer-to-Peer Communication
• Collaboration and Data Exchange
• Connectivity
• Creates a true shared environment
• Handheld to Handheld
• Common Network

8
Educational Application

• The Challenge
• Find useful ways to implement and evaluate
  emergent technologies and innovative pedagogical
  ideas in educational settings.
• Mobility Hierarchy (Rieger and Bennington)
• Level 1 Simple applications
• Productivity tools
• Calendars, contacts, schedule, etc.
• Level 4 Communication and Collaboration
• Enable Collaborative work
• Features for collecting and analyzing data.

9
Mobile Learning Pilot Project Consortium

• A diverse suite of college services formatted
  for wireless devices
• need to be offered so that
• the wireless environment becomes
• a way of life for students
• Roberts, J., Beke, N., Janzen, K., Mercer, D.,
  Soetaert, E. (2003). Harvesting Fragments of
  Time Mobile Learning Pilot Project Final
  Report. Mobile Learning Consortium.

10
Research

• Higher Education Enterprise Mobilization
  Exploiting the Added Mobility
• Features of the Wireless Campus
• An idea paper submitted in partial fulfillment of
  the requirements
• for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
•  
• Graduate School of Computer and Information
  Sciences
• Nova Southeastern University
•  

11
Research Goals

• By incorporating mobile technology as a
  distribution channel for student advising
  services, the goal of this project will be
• to design and develop a mobile software
  application and
• to study its effects and impact on student
  retention.

12
Research Questions

• How effective is the use of mobile technology as
  a distribution channel for institutional
  services?
• Does the technology help or hinder the
  accessibility of the services advertised?
• Is the mobile distribution channel used more or
  less frequently than other channels?
• Does the use of mobile technology have a
  significant impact on reducing attrition and
  improving retention?

13
Research Perspectives

• New Design Approaches
• Innovative uses of Mobile and Wireless
  Technologies
• Collaborative Educational Settings
• How can the use of wireless and mobile
  technologies provide new opportunities for
  learning and collaboration?