M-LEARNING
Mr. Ajaydeep
Assistant Professor, Dev Samaj College of Education for Women, Ferozepur City
ABSTRACT
The practice of providing education with the help of modern technologies is termed as e-education or e-learning or m-learning. Mobile technology in word open various ways for new educational technologies aimed at fulfilling the country’s educational needs. There are various ways to use mobile phones for enhancing learning.
Mobile phones plays an important role in our day today lives in various purposes. One of the important purposes is learning. Mobile learning should be defined: in terms of devices and technologies; in terms of the mobility of learners and the mobility of learning, and in terms of the learners’ experience of learning with mobile devices. Mobile Learning uses mobile phones, potable gadgets, pagers etc. to communicate with the students. These portable devices help to exchange information between teacher and learner. The information can be transferred in different formats. These formats determine the needs of mobile learning. Mobile learning can be categories into modes like text mode, audio mode and video mode. Today there are several communication technologies which are used in mobile devices. Their abilities vary vastly as well as data transmission range and range. These technologies are GSM, WAP, GPRS and IrDA etc. Methodology of m- learning involves 5 stages i.e. analysis, selection, program realization, implementation and evaluation stage M-learning is also stand for mobile learning. Mobile learning is one of the latest concepts being used in education world. It is a collection of methods using which the teaching-learning process can take place, but this teaching –learning process is not limited to the physical boundaries of classroom. Mobile learning is the learning done with the help of certain electronic gadgets made for portable uses. The learners are free to attend their classes at many times and anywhere. The term M-L learning or mobile learning has different 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.
In other words Mobile learning is the ability to obtain or provide educational content on personal pocket devices such as PDAs, smart phones and mobile phones. Educational content refers to digital learning assets which includes any form of content or media made available on a personal device. Mobile learning using handheld computers is in its infancy in terms of both technologies and pedagogies. As a result there is still some dispute amongst industry advocates in how mobile learning should be defined: in terms of devices and technologies; in terms of the mobility of learners and the mobility of learning, and in terms of the learners‟ experience of learning with mobile devices.
I. DEFINITIONS
Quinn (2000) defined it earlier, as simply learning that takes place with the help of mobile devices, or the intersection of mobile computing (the application of small, portable, and wireless computing and communication devices) and e learning (learning facilitated and supported through the use of information and communications technology).
Turunen, et al. (2003) “mobile devices as a pervasive medium that may assist us in combining work, study and leisure time in meaningful ways”
Pinkwart, et al. (2003) defines e-learning as „learning supported by digital “electronic” tools and media‟, and by analogy, mobile learning as „e learning that uses mobile devices and wireless transmission.”
Acc.to John Traxler (2005) “Mobile learning is any educational provision where the sole or dominant technologies are handheld or palmtop devices.”
One definition of mobile learning is: Any sort of learning that happens when the learners is not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that hapeens when the learner takes advantages of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies.
In short, we can say that Mobile Learning is application of principles of mobility in any task of teaching- learning process.
II. FEATURES OF MOBILE LEARNING:
Mobile learning has different characteristics. The core characteristic of mobile learning are ubiquitous, portable size of mobile tools, blended, private, interactive, collaborative, and instant information.
(i) Ubiquitous/Spontaneous: Mobile learning is more spontaneous than other learning types. It is this spontaneity that is probably the most defining characteristic of mobile learning. Mobile learning is context aware, meaning that students can learn everywhere. Wireless technologies such as laptop computers, palmtop computers, and mobile phones are revolutionizing education and transforming the traditional classroom based learning and teaching into anytime and anywhere education.
(ii) Portable size of mobile tools: Mobile learning tools are small and portable. Students can use it everywhere during their learning activities.
(iii) Blended: Teachers can use this approach with blended learning mode. Students can use mobile tools for homework, projects or etc. in the education. Blended learning, which combines classroom instruction with m- learning, can maximize the benefits of both face-to-face and online methods.
(iv) Private: M-learning is private. It means that only one learner at a time usually has access to the mobile tool and that when students want to access information connects and downloads independently from other learners.
(v) Interactive: M-learning environments which utilize the latest technologies to bring an interactive learning environment into learning and teaching activities. Students are not passive; the functions of mobile tools and environments allow varying levels of interactivity, instant information are definitions, formula, and equations.
(vi) Lifelong learning: lifelong learning is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated", pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. Therefore, it not only enhances social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development, but also self-sustainability, rather than competitiveness and employability.
(vii) Adult education: Adult education is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained learning activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. It can mean any form of learning adults engage in beyond traditional schooling, encompassing basic literacy to personal fulfillment as a lifelong learner
III. COMMUNICATION MODES OF MOBILE LEARNING
Mobile Learning uses mobile phones, potable gadgets, pagers etc. to communicate with the students. These portable devices help to exchange information between teacher and learner. The information can be transferred in different formats. These formats determine the needs of mobile learning. Mobile learning can be categories into following modes.
1. Text mode: Text mode of mobile learning is that mode in which the information is exchanged using text.
This mode uses different facilities for information exchange. On the basis of these facilities, text mode can be categories into following categories:
a. Short Message Services (SMS): SMS mode is the simplest, easiest and most cost effective mode of mobile learning. This mode has direct approach to the mobile phones or pagers of the learners. Usually, the SMS has limited length. Short message are sent to the learners regarding their study. These messages have the advantages that they can be sent easily, can be programmed, can be scheduled, are cost effectively, have no time delay and their frequency can be increased.
b. E-mail: Everybody is aware of e-mail these days. The smart phone technology has reached to common man.
Thus, e-mail has reached to the mobile phone with the smart technology. The e-mail is a good method to communicate with learners. It has advantages over SMS that it can carry large volume of data and can be multimedia based. The students can reply the e-mail from their phones and other devices.
2. Audio mode: Audio mode is not much used in mobile learning. Audio messages can be stored and sent to the students. Voice mail facility of mobile phones is used for this mode. The message are prepared and stored on the server and they can scheduled to send to the learners. The learners can listen to the instruction of the teachers.
The auditory mode is very much beneficial for the learners with auditory learning style. The voice of teachers also put an positive effect on the learners and he/she feels the presence of teacher.
3. Video Mode: The video mode of mobile learning is that which involves the video interaction between the learner and teacher. The invention of smart phones and 3G technology has made it possible. The video mode can be used in both synchronous and asynchronous modes. The learners and teacher can communicate with no delay and with the absence of any one. The following facilities can be used in this mode:
a. Multimedia message (MMS): MMS message has become popular in mobile world. Many hidden things were discovered and communicated with MMS. MMS message can be prepared with mobile phones and computers and they can be communicated to the learners. These types of message are very much helpful to the learners with visual learning style. Small clips of curriculum or lectures can be prepared and sent to the students can watch these clipping and can have a sense of presence in the classroom.
b. Video call: The 3G technology has entered in Indian mobile market and has revolutionized the world. The video calls can be used to have a live telecast of the lecture going in the school/college on one‟s mobile devices.
He She can see, what is going on in the classroom, live. Video mode has benefits of two way interaction. The learners and teachers can communicate with each others with no time delay.
IV. COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES INVOLVED IN MOBILE LEARNING
Today there are several communication technologies which are used in mobile devices. Their abilities vary vastly as well as data transmission range and range.
1. Global system for Mobile Communication ( GSM): GSM is one of the leading digital cellular systems. It uses narrow band TDMA( Time Division Multiple Access). Originally a European standard for digital mobile telephony, GSM has become the world‟s most widely used mobile system in used in over 100 countries.GSM network operate on the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz waveband in Europe, Asia and Australia, and on the MHz 1900 waveband in North America and in parts of Latin America and Africa. It provides integrated voice mail, high speed data, fax, paging and short message services capabilities, as well as secure communications. It offers the best voice quality of any current wireless standard.
2. Wireless Application Protocol (WAP): This is a free, unlicensed protocol for wireless communications. It makes possible creation of advanced communication and services and access to internet pages from a cellular phone. WAP is a de facto industry standard supported by a large number of supplies. WAP device understand the WML language that is optimized for small screens and navigation without a keyboard. WAP also supports WML Script scripting language.
3. General Packets Radio Services (GPRS): A packets –linked technology that enables high speed wireless Internet and other data communications. GPRS provides about four times greater speed than conventional GSM systems. Currently 288 operators around the world have commercial GPRS services.
4. Bluetooth: Bluetooth wireless technology is a short range radio technology. Bluetooth makes it possible to transmit signals over short distances between telephones, computers and others devices and thereby simply communication and synchronization between devices.
5. IEEE 802.11: It is a type of radio technology used for wireless local area networks. It is a standard that has been developed by the IEEE. Wi-Fi is composed of several standard operating in different radio frequencies:
802.11b is standard for wireless LANs operating in the 2.4 GHz spectrum with a bandwidth of 11 Mbps;802.11a is a different standard for wireless LANs and pertains to system operating in the 5 GHz frequency range with bandwidth of 54 Mbps.
6.Infrared Data Association (IrDA): This association defined a suite of protocols for infrared (IR) exchange of data between two devices, up to 1 or 2 meters apart(20 to 30 cm for low power devices).IrDA devices typically have throughput of u to 115.2 Kbps or 4Mbps. Smart phones, many PDAs, printers and laptop computers are IrDA protocols.
We can make conclusions that these technologies that these technologies can be used provides to different data transmission rates with ranges less than 100 meters in the area of the universities or so called “hot spots”. To achieve higher ranges the cellular phones supporting WAP and/or GPRS technologies must be used.
V. METHODOLOGY OF MOBILE LEARNING:
Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study. It comprises the theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles associated with a branch of knowledge. Typically, it encompasses concepts such as paradigm, theoretical model, phases and quantitative or qualitative techniques.
A methodology does not set out to provide solutions - it is, therefore, not the same thing as a method. Instead, it offers the theoretical underpinning for understanding which method, set of methods or so called “best practices”
can be applied to specific case, for example, to calculate a specific result.
It has been defined also as follows:
1."The analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline"
2."The systematic study of methods that are, can be, or have been applied within a discipline"
3."The study or description of method”
VI. PHASES IN CREATION OF THE CURRENT VERSION MOBILE LEARNING
Seed funding was procured from the South African Department of Science and Technology.During Phase 1 a task team was formed and through open and targeted invitations domain experts volunteered their time and expertise. Subsequently, through a process of negotiation, a methodology, target audience and scope was identified. Various themes were proposed from which core topics were acknowledged. The themes were further deconstructed to modules. In each case a rationale, an overview of possible challenges and content for consideration is included. The curriculum extends to suggest adaption and adoption strategies when implementing the curriculum in differing local contexts. Towards putting the curriculum into practice a reading list, suggested delivery and assessment strategies are provided.
Phase 2 outlines an expert review through communities of practice. Feedback will be and incorporated where relevant. This will allow for incorporation of additional reading and possibly addition of additional modules.
Phase 3 will target specific practitioner communities with a track record of applying mobile learning in formal as well as informal setting.
Phase 4 will consist of a number of regional workshops to expose the curriculum framework to regional critique and additionally create some awareness of the collaboration.
Phase 5 aims to develop sample courseware for accreditation and work towards integration instances.
The proposed methodology for mobile learning characteristics recognition includes the following stages:
1 Analysis Stage
During this stage an analysis of existing mobile learning, web browser and methods for mobile learning recognition must be done. The HTTP headers values for different mobile learning also can be investigated using corresponding web sites. If the purpose is to update existing MLS an analysis of new models of mobile devices, new versions of web browsers and new methods must be done. A study of the potential users must be done in
order to estimate if the supported by the MLS mobile learning cover the possessed by the users and if there is need to support new learning.
2 Selection Stage
The first step which must be done is to define the types of mobile learning which will be supported-Notebooks , PDAs, smart phones ,cell phone ,During this selection the potential users ,the mobile devices they posses and prefer to use ,must be taken into account.When mobile learning like Notebook, PDAs, smart phone must be supported by the system, it is necessary to select and test several of the most often used web browser.
3 Program Realization Stage
This stage includes the program realization of the selected method/methods for mobile learning characteristics recognition. Since the proposed methodology is intended for systems which supported online learning ,the recognition must be realized from the server side and for the logic description has to be used a selected script language (PHP, JSP, ASP, etc.) The recognition can be realized using the algorithm shown Initially verification about a particular learning type (for example Notebook)is done. If its characteristics are not recognized it is accepted that this is other learning type and it is verified. The process continues until the mobile learning and its characteristics are recognized. The profile of the recognized device type should be able to be sent as a parameter to the module for learning content adaptation of MLS.
4 Implementation Stage
On this stage the program realization of the selected methods for mobile devices characteristics recognition is integrated in a mobile learning system, request for learning content via mobile devices and how this request is processed by the system. This figure depicts also the interaction between the module for devices and the module for learning content adaptation.
5. Evaluation Stage
This stage includes the evaluation of Mobile Learning System efficiency with different devices. The purpose is to verify if the mobile devices recognition is correct. If the particular devices type is not correctly identified the realization of the recognition algorithm must be analyzed and revised.
VII. CONCLUSION
Despite some disadvantages, m-learning will became more and more popular with the progress of information and communication technologies. The M-learning community is still fragmented, with different national perspectives, differences between academic and industry and between the school, higher education and lifelong learning sectors. Mobile learning may currently be most useful as a supplement to ICT, online learning and more traditional learning methods, and can do much to enrich the learning experience. It is widely believed that mobile learning could be a huge factor in getting disaffected young adults to engage in learning, where more traditional methods have failed. As mobile phones combine PDA functions with cameras, video and MP3 players, and as tablets combine the portability of PDAs with the functionality of desktops, the world of learning becomes more mobile, more flexible and more exciting.
REFERENCES
[1.] Ali Mostakhdemin-Hosseini & Jari Mustajarvi (2004). Steps Required Developing Mobile Learning Services, iadis International Conference e-Society.
[2.] Ally, M. (Ed.). (2009). Mobile learning: Transforming the delivery of education and Training. Athabasca University Press.
[3.] Begum, A.J., Natesan, A.K. & Sampath, G. (2011) (Ed.). ICT in Teaching Learning. New Delhi: APH Publishing Corporation.
[4.] Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Traxler, J. (2005). Mobile learning: A handbook for educators and trainers.
London: Routledge.
[5.] Khatal, Mohan N. (2011). Approaches of M – Learning, International Referred Research Journal, September.
[6.] Low, L. & O‟Connell, M. (2006). Learner-centric design of digital mobile learning. OnlineLearning and Teaching
[7.] Singh, Arjinder. (2015). Teaching of Computer Education. Jallandhar: SG publishers.
