Piloting of toolkit

Mobile and wireless communication technologies not only enable anytime and anywhere learning, but also provide the opportunity to develop learning environments that combine real-world and digital-world resources.

Wireless data communications in form of Short Message Service (SMS) and Wireless Access Protocols (WAP) browsers have gained global popularity, yet, not much has been done to extend the usage of these devices in electronic learning (e-learning). This project explores the extension of e-learning into wireless/handheld (W/H) computing devices with the help of a mobilelearning (m-learning) framework. This framework provides the requirements to develop m-learning applications that can be used to complement classroom or distance learning. A prototype application was developed to link W/H devices to three course websites. The m-learning applications were pilot-tested for two semesters with a total of 63 students from undergraduate and graduate courses at our university. The students used the m-learning environment with a variety of W/H devices and reported their experiences through a survey and interviews at the end of the semester. The results from this exploratory study provide a better understanding on the role of mobile technology in higher education.

Pssst, do you want a free iPod? Sure, but what's the catch? You must use it to learn! Some educational institutions are taking the leap to mobile learning (m-learning) by giving out free iPods. For example, Abilene Christian University gave iPods or iPhones to freshman students and developed 15 Web applications specifically for the mobile devices. Free iPod Touches were handed out to newly hired math and science teachers at a technology training workshop at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Duke University's Digital Initiative program lends iPods to students and staff, or sells them at about a third of the market price.

Project K-Nect is a pilot program in Onslow County Schools (North Carolina) where teachers utilize Smart Phones to teach selected math courses. Developed by Digital Millennial Consulting and funded in part through Qualcomm's Wireless Reach initiative, the program is designed to increase student achievement in math and close the digital disconnect for students in Onslow County Schools in North Carolina.

Mobile learning (m-learning in short) has received increasing attention in the new millennium. Considerable interest in exploiting the unique capability of mobile technologies for teaching and learning arises from educators and technical developers in recent years. In this chapter, we present an overview of the development of m-learning in China, including the construction of m-learning infrastructure, and the research projects conducted by universities and companies. Also, suggestions for future development of m-learning are provided.

The mobile learning toolkit is the result of research into mobile phone use and userneeds within the African context, however it has been developed for use in all developingcontexts. It is intended as a "trainer's toolkit" that can help deliver a wide range oftraining activities both inside and outside of the classroom

his article reports on a large‐scale (n = 1,056), exploratory factor analysis study that determined the underlying constructs that comprise student barriers to online learning. The eight factors found were (a) administrative issues, (b) social interaction, (c) academic skills, (d) technical skills, (e) learner motivation, (f) time and support for studies, (g) cost and access to the Internet, and (h) technical problems. Independent variables that significantly affected student ratings of these barrier factors included: gender, age, ethnicity, type of learning institution, self‐rating of online learning skills, effectiveness of learning online, online learning enjoyment, prejudicial treatment in traditional classes, and the number of online courses completed.

Abstract - The SECAL (Situated Evaluation of Computer-Assisted Learning) framework offers a broadly based method for evaluating learning with technology in its many forms and implementations. Central to the framework are detailed and discipline-specific definitions of learning and corresponding descriptions of innovative study environments designed to exploit the potential of technology to support achievement of high quality learning goals. The objectives are to collect evidence of how these environments may or may not lead to effective learning and to identify what, if anything, might be done to improve the prospects. The concept of situation implies the need to evaluate contextual influences as well as how students and lecturers actually use technology. This is achieved through rich description generated from multidimensional, qualitative methods which are theoretically grounded in interpretive, critical and postmodern paradigms. The ubiquitous student evaluation of teaching systems are over-reliant on subjective data and offer little insight into pedagogical issues. The case-specific SECAL method uses objective and subjective data to assess how technology impacts on learning processes and outcomes. Broader objectives include grounded-theory development and identification of institutional influences on teaching and learning innovations. This type of evaluation is not particularly easy to conduct, but is a prerequisite to gaining academic credibility, maximizing the benefits of investment and justifying it in terms acceptable to economic-rationalist administrators. A description of the method in this article is followed by a case study illustrating its practical applications. 

On March 3 and 4, 2010, the ELI community gathered for an online focus session on mobile learning. This white paper is a synthesis of the key ideas, themes, and concepts that emerged from those sessions. The white paper also includes links to relevant focus session materials, recordings, and archives. It represents a harvesting of the key elements that we as a teaching and learning community need to keep in mind as we work to integrate mobile technology into teaching and learning in higher education. It is clear that while the application of mobile technology to learning is just now getting under way, the potential is enormous and we can expect that the rate of development will be very rapid indeed.