Challenges and considerations in instructional design for mobile learning

Fundamental challenges

The design of any form of instruction to be used in a technology-mediated

environment must consider that technology comes with both cognitive and physical

challenges. In a mobile learning instructional environment, the mobile platform is

often limited in the quantity of content that can be stored and so the extent to which

learning material can be presented through a mobile device, especially, when the

learners only have access to low quality mobile devices which present certain limits

to the kind of content they have access to. It may be that the initial learning content,

which is to provide the learning concept or subject foundation through which root

concepts are initially taught to learners, cannot be provided through the mobile

device. The mobile device would thus present only the key points of the learning

content (Ally, 2005).

Motiwalla (2007) also cautions that mobile learning should be used to supplement

existing traditional learning approaches but not to replace them. Motiwalla (2007)

also concedes that various traditional learning theories can be used to design and

support different mobile learning activities.

Ergonomic and heuristic challenges

When designing instruction to be used through mobile devices, the following

ergonomic and heuristic issues need to be considered for the platform:

 Mobile devices have small screens – text presented on the interface would

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 Content view management - there needs to be optimal navigation to enable easy movement between screens during the learning process (Ally, 2005).

 Low quality screens (Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler, 2005) – information can

be presented with fewer graphics to take account of the varying quality of

mobile screens, particularly if the design is targeted for low cost mobile

devices.

 Visual constraints (Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler, 2005) – the information on the screen needs to be designed not to strain the learners. This can be

achieved by presenting less content per page and limiting instructions per

learning activity presented through the mobile device. Furthermore, content

can also be presented in point format for concepts that do not require deep

analysis.

 In instances where learners have to either create or gather learning content,

learners may not be accustomed to gathering content through mobile

devices (Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler, 2005). Here, learner inexperience can

be compensated for by explaining learning activities to learners to ensure

that they have a good command of the learning device, before relying on

them to perform tasks that are new to them.

 Poor sound for audio-related learning activities – activities that require the

use of audio on the mobile device may be confronted with low sound quality.

Before creating these types of instructions there needs to be an

understanding of both the quality and the types and of sound that the mobile

devices can present.

 Note-taking can put a strain on a learner’s hands (Kukulska-Hulme and

Traxler, 2005). Mobile devices may not be used as primary note-taking

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instruction should consider presenting notes in point form to compensate for

this challenge.

 Limited battery life span – learning activities need to be limited to the capacity of the mobile devices in terms of their limited battery size (Parsons

et al., 2006) .

 Contextual challenges – mobile devices can be disruptive in formal learning environments while they can also be difficult to learn with them in informal

environments. This requires an understanding of the learning context for

which the learning instruction is designed (Sharples, 2002).

These factors contribute towards the success of the mobile learning process for

learners and need to be considered in the instructional design phase.

7.7

Understanding the formal and informal learning

context in the multilingual mobile learning

environment

In the proposed multilingual mobile learning framework, the context plays a vital role

as it affects the mobile learning process and the code-switching process.

In a mobile learning environment, great emphasis is placed on the personalisation

of learning. In this context, personalisation can be achieved by understanding the

requirements of a code-switching learner, their control over the learning process

and their engagement in knowledge creation (Laurillard, 2007) . An awareness of

the learner’s context (the culture of the learner, the learning tool, and the learning process) thus becomes an important factor in mobile learning. Motiwalla (2007)

takes the theory of learning through mobile devices to be a supplement to the

traditional learning of conversation where learning occurs in dialogue form,

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outlining the importance of the context, in relation to the ‘culture’ of the learner, should be identified, along with “social” and “cognitive” aspects, as contributors to informal learning environments. We therefore need to consider the code-switching

learner’s cultural, social and cognitive behaviours in relation to the learning process. In addition, Sharples (2000) describes learning in an informal learning environment

as a form of knowledge construction where it is necessary for the learner to reflect

upon it rather than merely receiving knowledge, being that the learner also fully

participants in the process. In this instance, learning should also be seen more as a

two way process rather than knowledge being streamed from a single direction

(Motiwalla, 2007). Cairncross and Mannion (2001) suggest the use of multimedia to

ensure that this type of learning environment engages the learning and encourages

them to contribute to the learning process. Following Laurillard (2007), they suggest

that control of the learning activity should be given to the learner in this learning

environment. Furthermore the learning process should not only require learners to

replicate learning content, but learners should demonstrate their knowledge

acquisition and be able to reflect on it (Sharples 2000; Motiwalla 2007).

7.8

Formal and informal mobile instructional design – the