This document discusses principles for designing effective m-learning based on software engineering principles. It identifies the key users of m-learning as educational institutions, teachers, students, parents and content developers. To improve learning outcomes, m-learning needs to be more personal, fun, interactive, networked, spontaneous, connected and just-in-time. Content should be delivered in short segments adapted to different devices and lifestyles. User needs and technical constraints also need to be considered in the design.

1. Designing m-Learning
based on SE principles
ดร.ศศิพร อุษณวศิน
ผอ.หลักสู ตรปริญญาโท สาขาวิศวกรรมซอฟต์ แวร์
สถาบันวิทยาการสารสนเทศ (ISIS)
มหาวิทยาลัยศรีปทุม
sasiporn.us@spu.ac.th

2. Why are we here?

5. e- vs. vs. m- Learning
• e-Learning refers to online learning, web-
based learning, virtual universities and
classrooms, digital collaboration and
technology assisted distance learning.
• m-Learning is an e-Learning that is
independent of time and space.

6. Misconception
m-learning = effective learning
Replace instructors & class room

7. It’s TRUE only when..
m-learning = effective learning
GOOD DESIGN

8. Software Engineering Principle
Software engineering (SE) is an application of a
systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the
development, operation, and maintenance of
software. [WiKi]
Software => solution/tool that fulfills USER NEEDs

9. Who are the USERS?
Educational Institutes
Thailand Cloud Platform
m-learning
for Education Services
Content Developers
Teachers
Students Parents

10. User Tasks
Manage m-learning environment
Develop and Publish
m-contents
Educational Institutes
Thailand Cloud Platform
m-learning
for Education Services
Content Developers
Create & Monitor students’
Manage learning performance
Learning using Observe & Collaborate
m-contents
m-contents in some learning activities
Teachers
Students Parents

11. Problems in Current Education
Based on the survey conducted by KRC Research in USA
– 84% of middle-school students would rather clean
their room, eat their vegetables, go to the dentist, or
take out the garbage than do their math homework.
– 33% of students liked math
– 43% of students have difficulty understanding the
math they are taught in school.
– 45% of students described
math as boring.
– 67% of students want to do better in math
– 94% think math is important to their lives.

12. The OECD's comprehensive
world education ranking report in 2009
Below Average!!!!

13. Effects of m-Learning
• The K-Nect Project in North Carolina, USA.
– aims to improve students’ MATH & SCIENCE skills by
integrating digital lifestyle technologies into their
formalized educational process
Ref: http://www.projectknect.org
http://www.mobl21.com

14. M-Learning Changes Student Behavior
Based on the K-NECT project:
• Kids who hate doing homework, get it out of the
way on the bus ride home.
• Students who would never consider cracking
open a book, are reading classic English
literature.
• Students also used social networking facilities to
help one another other with the problem solving.

15. Obviously, we can see that
technology such as mobile devices
changes students behaviors

16. What about their
LEARNING OUTCOMES?

17. Technology in courses positively impacts
student engagement
58% of instructors believe that
technology in courses positively impacts
student engagement.
42% of instructors believe that
technology in courses does not positively
impact student engagement.
This has a direct relationship with
learning outcomes.
Population: 201 instructors and 751 students across the United States
The 2010 survey, “Instructors and Students: Technology Use, Engagement and Learning Outcomes”
conducted by Eduventures,

18. Barriers to learning and engagement
The 2010 survey, “Instructors and Students: Technology Use, Engagement and Learning Outcomes”
conducted by Eduventures,

19. Improving engagement and learning outcomes
The 2010 survey, “Instructors and Students: Technology Use, Engagement and Learning Outcomes”
conducted by Eduventures,

20. Improving engagement and learning outcomes
The 2010 survey, “Instructors and Students: Technology Use, Engagement and Learning Outcomes”
conducted by Eduventures,

21. m-Learning
• m-Learning needs to differ from e-Learning in the
following ways:
More personal
More fun
More interactive
Need to Networked
improve Spontaneous
learning outcome Shorter duration
More connected
Directly to the point
Just-on-time learning
Engaging users to contribute and share
From reader to producer of content
Source: http://uwstoutmobilelearning.wikispaces.com

22. More Personal
Learning Styles
– Visual (spatial): prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
– Aural (auditory-musical): prefer using sound and music.
– Verbal (linguistic): prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
– Physical (kinesthetic): prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
– Logical (mathematical): prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
– Social (interpersonal): prefer to learn in groups
or with other people.
– Solitary (intrapersonal): prefer to work alone
and use self-study.
Source: http://www.learning-styles-online.com

23. More fun & interactive:
Games based learning
Ref: Digital Learning Futures by Steve Wheeler

24. More Network & Collaboration
• Middle and high school students are using social
media to connect with one another on homework
and group projects.
– For example, Facebook and similar social media
programs allow students to gather outside of class to
collaborate and exchange ideas about assignments.
Some schools successfully use blogs as teaching
tools, which has the benefit of reinforcing skills in
English, written expression, and creativity.
Source: Ito M, Horst H, Bittani M, et al.Living and Learning With New Media: Summary of
Findings From the Digital Youth Project. Chicago, IL: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning; 2008

25. m-Learning
• m-Learning needs to differ from e-Learning in the
following ways:
More personal
More fun
More interactive
Need to Networked
improve Spontaneous
learning outcome Shorter duration
More connected
Directly to the point
Just-in-time learning
Engaging users to contribute and share
From reader to producer of content
Source: http://uwstoutmobilelearning.wikispaces.com

26. Just-in-Time Learning
• Precise and Concise
Common estimates for
sustained attention to a freely
chosen task range from about 5
minutes for a two-year-old child, to
a maximum of around 20 minutes
in older children and adults.
Source: Dianne Dukette; David Cornish
(2009). The Essential 20: Twenty
Components of an Excellent Health Care
Team. RoseDog Books. pp. 72–73. ISBN 1-
4349-9555-0.

27. Limited
memory & storage
Screen size variations content management
Technical Constraints of
m-Learning
Intermittent connectivity Reuse of existing
applications
Cross-platforms Security issue

28. 5 Things to Consider
1. Weigh the Options — Mobile App or Mobile Website
Source: http://mashable.com/2010/07/07/designing-mobile-apps/

29. 5 Things to Consider
2. Consider Where Your App Will Be Used
3. Be Aware of Various Screen Sizes
4. Follow Existing UI Conventions
5. Design for Touch
Source: http://mashable.com/2010/07/07/designing-mobile-apps/

30. Design Criteria of m-Learning Content
• Content should be delivered in short ‘nuggets’ rather than
large units of information
• Content should be platform and device independent
• Content should be adaptive to each student’s lifestyle
• Content should be design as reusable objects that can be
re-configured and re-packaged
• Content should be described with ‘metadata’ so that it can
be easily discover
• Content delivery mode should be selected to effectively
facilitate the learning activity using user friendly interface

32. Learning 2.0
Sharing
Collaborating Tools
Learning
2.0 User generated
Tagging content
Voting Networking

33. Green IT
33

34. Carbon Footprint
– The carbon footprint is an estimate of the
amount of CO2e emitted by the use of ICT.
– Computers and telecommunications equipment
contributes about 2% to greenhouse gas
emissions.
34

35. ICT Energy Consumption
Image from: Fujitsu 35

36. Energy Consumption
– Operating energy is a measure of the energy used
to operate the ICT equipment.
• This can be measured directly using an energy meter
(electric meter) which measures the electrical energy
used.
• Alternatively, the energy use may be estimated from
the power the equipment uses (specified in Watt),
multiplied by the estimated amount of time the
equipment will be used (in Hours) to give the energy
(in Kilowatt hours).
36

37. Greenhouse Gas Conversion
• Greenhouse gas conversion factors are used to calculate
the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by
energy use.
• The conversion factor is used to convert energy
consumed in kWh to kg of equivalent carbon dioxide.
• For example,
– a computer using 200 W of power for 10 hours per day
uses 2 kWh of energy. Multiplying by a conversion
factor of 0.537 Kg CO2/kWh produces a total of 1.074
Kg CO2 per day.
Example of online calculator:
http://thaicfcalculator.tgo.or.th/
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38. Reduce Environmental Load by Leveraging IT
38
Image from: Fujitsu

39. "Technology maybe fosters some
things and dampens others.
It's definitely about balance.”
Rosemarie Truglio, from the children's TV
producers Sesame Workshop,

40. THANK YOU
FOR
YOUR ATTENTION

41. Master of Science in Software Engineering
(MS.SE)