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| | PRINT | | Mobile eLearning via Phone |
London, May 2005 – Key findings from mobile eLearning trials have been published this month by the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) in a report "Mobile Technologies and learning". The report presents some innovative ideas on how mobile technologies such as smartphones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) can be useful learning aids - particularly with young people who have not succeeded through traditional education.
The report contains the findings of a three-year pan-European research and development project called "m-learning". The study investigated whether mobile technologies might engage ‘hard to reach’ young people (the ‘NEETs’ group) in learning and offer help to those with literacy and numeracy difficulties. The methodology involved the largest number of trials of mobile learning materials and systems conducted to date, encompassing nearly 250 young people (aged 16- 24) in the UK, Italy, and Sweden. Most were unemployed, many had dropped out of education (or were considered to be at risk of doing so), and some were homeless or travelers.
The two mobile devices most used in the project were
- hybrid PDA/phone devices running the Pocket PC operating system (the XDA II) and
- hybrid phone/PDA devices running the Symbian operating system (Sony Ericsson P800/P900s).
Although these devices are more sophisticated than the cheaper mobile phones used by most people, sales are soaring, and it is likely that they will become affordable for many young people in the near future.
The m-learners gained access to m-learning project systems and materials via a microportal (mPortal) that consists of a series of mini web pages with navigation pointing to:
- learning materials,
- mini web page construction tools
- a collaborative activities tool (the mediaBoard);
- peer-to-peer communication services (messages, chat, discussion, and blogs)
- the learning management system
- simple help guides for the system
- links to places on the web that may be helpful or interesting for the target audience (e.g. advice about alcohol, drugs, sexual health, job hunting, and online services)
Key findings include evidence that mobile learning can engage young people previously put off by traditional education methods. Almost all the young people in the trials were enthusiastic about mobile learning, and nearly two-thirds indicated their likely participation in further learning. The majority expressed interest in using a laptop, PC, or other mobile device.
LSDA’s Jill Attewell, program manager for the m-learning project, says, "There are many different ways of learning. The traditional classroom situation doesn’t suit everyone. What we set out to discover was whether we could use young people’s interest in, and enthusiasm for, mobile technologies to engage them in learning. The findings were very positive. It’s clear that mobile phones and PDAs have enormous potential as learning tools - and we now have pocket sized computers with the ability to deliver learning and provide access to online systems and services that are very sophisticated. Although the aim was to find out whether this mode of learning worked with the disengaged, it clearly has huge potential for others as well."
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| | | | | | | | | | Premium Content |  | Second Life as
an eLearning Platform | | 3D simulations and serious games are attaining ever-increasing significance for the learning world. A special case of its own is the virtual world Second Life. The CHECK.point eLearning Whitepaper "Second Life as an eLearning Platform" seeks to contribute to the discussion about Second Life’s suitability as a technological platform for education and training. The study answers questions like "For which application scenarios is Second Life suitable?" and "Which topics can be implemented successfully in Second Life?"
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