2. M-LEARNING (MOBILE LEARNING)
Mobile learning involves the use of mobile technology, either alone or in
combination with other information technology (ICT), to enable learning
anytime and anywhere. Learning can unfold in a variety of ways: people can use
mobile devices to access educational resources, connect with others, or create
content, both inside and outside classrooms. Mobile learning also encompasses
efforts to support broad educational goals such as the effective administration
of school systems and improved communication between schools and families
❖ Mobile learning, also known as m-learning, is a new way to access learning
content using mobiles.
❖ Mobile learning supports, with the help of mobile devices, continuous
access to the learning process.
❖ This can be done using devices like phone, laptop or tablet.
❖ It refers to any teaching and learning that happens with the use of mobile
devices and platforms.
❖ Platforms are constantly being developed for mobile learning devices –
from video players to platforms that allow all-round accessibility,
messaging services that keep teachers and students connected, and so on
3. Mobile learning in education:
• Offering mobile learning material: The most common way to offer mobile
learning is by engaging participants with texts, videos or audios. Participants can
be given assignments after watching a video that their instructor has Put online.
This method of mobile learning is relatively less interactive. It’s more about
individual consumption. There is no interaction between the trainer and the
learners, which makes it an asynchronous way of learning.
• Interaction during lessons: Instructors can also use mobile devices to increase
interaction. For example, you can ask questions during your training by using
online discussion forums or asking your learners to complete a survey after
taking training. Instructors ask questions and the learners answer them using
their mobile devices or communicate between themselves in a group discussion
forum. It’s possible to get immediate feedback. This is especially effective when
training large groups.
• Synchronous learning: Immediate feedback from teacher or fellow students is
possible with synchronous learning. You are able to get direct feedback even
when you are at home. In addition, teachers can interact with their students
during lectures.
4. Advantages
• Accessibility: Being able to access learning content anywhere allows students
to learn on a flexible basis, in a location that suits them, (bus, train, café), and at
a time that suits them too.
• Supports self-paced learning: People learn at different rates, and mobile
learning allows people to learn in their own way at their own individual pace.
Compare this to a classroom where learners are generally restricted to the pace
set by the trainer, which often causes frustration.
• Can suit multiple learning styles: Unlike classroom learning, mobile learning
can be moulded to suit different learning styles and to increase learner
engagement. For example, text, images, video, podcast, quizzes etc. can all be
flexibly incorporated into the content to suit varying learning styles.
• Motivation: By using gamification methods, such as learning leader boards and
other social status symbols like learning badges, mobile learning systems can
actually make learning more fun and engaging.
•Relatively inexpensive opportunity: as the cost of mobile devices are
significantly less than PCs and laptops.
5. Disadvantages
• Small Screen: At times the convenient small screen on mobile phones can be
a big disadvantage, as reading documents on a small screen can lead to eye
strain.
• Prone to Distractions: The hyper connected smartphone user may receive, (or
even expect to receive), SMS, social media or news notifications during a mobile
learning session. This reduces the learner’s sense of solitude, which could lower
the learner’s engagement level in a classroom experience.
• Outpacing technology: This can be said of most smart-phone applications.
Mobile learning courses can drain batteries quickly and struggle in areas of poor
connectivity, leading to an unintentionally fragmented learning experience that
reduces engagement.
• Lack of standardization: Device compatibility issues may arise as there is a lack
of standardization in smart-phones. Learners may be having different: OS,
versions of that OS, screen sizes, battery life and so on. As a result, some learners
may not be able to load courseware while others can, meaning learning content
delivery can be compromised.
6. Other challenges of M-Learning
❖ Connectivity and battery life
❖ Screen size
❖ Key size
❖ Number of file/assets supported by a specific device
❖ Content security or copyright issue from authoring groups
❖ Multiple standards, multiple screen sizes, multiple operating systems
❖ Limited memory
❖ Risk of sudden obsolescence
❖ Security
❖ Work/ life balance
❖ Cost of investment
