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Literature Review in Mobile Technologies and Learning
Literature Review in Mobile Technologies and Learning
SERIES
REPORT 11:
SECTION 2
The NESTA Futurelab reviews are designed to enable readers to identify rapidly
the key issues raised in reports and also to explore the literature in depth.
The key findings and implications of the report are presented within the Executive
Summary. The main body of the review enables readers to explore in more detail
the background to these headline issues.
CONTENTS:
REPORT 11:
Acknowledgements
FOREWORD
DISCLAIMER
These reviews have been published to present useful and
timely information and to stimulate thinking and debate.
It should be recognised that the opinions expressed in this
document are personal to the author and should not be
taken to reflect the views of NESTA Futurelab. NESTA
Futurelab does not guarantee the accuracy of the
information or opinion contained within the review.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
SECTION 2
AN ACTIVITY-BASED
APPROACH TO CONSIDERING
LEARNING WITH
MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES
SECTION 3
TEACHING AND
LEARNING WITH MOBILE
TECHNOLOGIES
CASE STUDIES
20
SECTION 4
IMPLICATIONS FOR
LEARNERS, TEACHERS
AND TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPERS
33
SECTION 5
THE FUTURE OF TEACHING
AND LEARNING WITH
MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES
36
BIBLIOGRAPHY
37
APPENDIX 1
CHARACTERISTICS OF
MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES
42
APPENDIX 2
MAJOR MOBILE LEARNING
RESEARCH PROJECTS
42
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
REPORT 11
LITERATURE REVIEW IN MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES AND LEARNING
LAURA NAISMITH, PETER LONSDALE, GIASEMI VAVOULA, MIKE SHARPLES, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The whole world is going mobile. Phones,
computers and media devices now fit in
our pockets and can connect us to a
variety of information sources and enable
communication nearly everywhere we
go. There is considerable interest in
exploiting the almost universal appeal
and abundance of these technologies for
their educational use.
mobile devices
are especially
well suited to
context-aware
applications
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
a blended
approach to
enabling learning
with mobile
technologies is
necessary
learning and
teaching with
mobile
technologies
is beginning
to make a
breakthrough
SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
1 INTRODUCTION
Today we are witnessing the emergence of
a connected, mobile society, with a variety
of information sources and means of
communication available at home, work,
school and in the community at large.
Some even describe this as the beginning
of the next social revolution (for example,
Rheingold 2003). A high proportion of UK
residents have mobile phones (75%
general population, 90% young adults;
Crabtree et al 2003) that can handle both
voice calls and the display of textual
information. Many newer phones also have
the ability to connect wirelessly to the
internet. Hand-held computers, otherwise
known as personal digital assistants
(PDAs), are also becoming more
widespread (BBC 2004), being distributed
by employers who are eager to keep their
workforce productive whilst on the move.
Laptops, though already a well-established
technology, have gained new appeal when
combined with the connectivity of newer
mobile phones a laptop can now use a
mobile phone as a means to dial-up the
internet and in doing so offer a truly
mobile web experience. Furthermore,
kiosks and information screens are
appearing all around the country, and
both researchers and industry are
keen to exploit the potential of these
ambient approaches to providing rich
information spaces.
There is considerable interest from
educators and technical developers in
exploiting the unique capabilities and
characteristics of mobile technologies to
enable new and engaging forms of
learning. This review explores the use of
these mobile technologies for learning,
considered against a backdrop of existing
learning theories that have been applied to
Personal
Mobile phones
PDAs
Tablet PCs
Classroom
response systems
Laptops
Portable
Static
Videoconferencing
Kiosks
Electronic
whiteboards
Shared
3
SECTION 1
SECTION 2
INTRODUCTION
2 AN ACTIVITY-BASED APPROACH
TO CONSIDERING LEARNING WITH
MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES
Much of the research into the use of
mobile technologies for learning is driven
by the technical capabilities of new
devices. This is not unexpected, given the
rapidly changing face of mobile computing.
These new capabilities inspire new
practices which can lead to valuable
outcomes, but, to date, application of
theory to the use of these technologies for
educational purposes is lacking. In this
section we consider the kinds of activities
that can be enabled through the use of
mobile devices under the categorisation
of relevant theories from the study of
learning and, in particular, learning with
technology.
Mobile technologies are computers, but
that does not mean that they should be
viewed as simply providing more portable
versions of the learning activities that
are currently supported on more static
machines. Being mobile adds a new
dimension to the activities that can be
supported, both because of the personal
and portable nature of the devices
themselves, and because of the kinds of
interactions they can support with other
learners and the environment.
Klopfer et al (2002) identify five properties
of mobile devices (PDAs in this case) that
produce unique educational affordances:
Portability the small size and weight
of mobile devices means they can be
taken to different sites or moved around
within a site.
Social interactivity data exchange and
collaboration with other learners can
happen face-to-face. Nyiri (2002), with
being mobile
adds a new
dimension to the
activities that
can be supported
9
SECTION 2
10
even the
most basic of
activities can be
embedded within
a meaningful
learning context
11
SECTION 2
mobile devices
can provide more
direct ways for
learners to
interact with
materials in
an authentic
learning context
12
in participatory
simulations,
the learners
themselves act
out key parts in
an immersive
recreation of a
dynamic system
13
SECTION 2
context-aware
computing
represents a
relatively new
area of research
14
15
SECTION 2
Learner
demonstrates
understanding of
models and
problem solutions
the technology
may provide
the environment
in which
conversational
learning takes
place
16
Technology
acts to build
models and assist
in solving problems
Adjusts model
Acts
Modifies actions
Learner acts
to build models
and solve
problems
by effectively
coupling an
informatic layer
with the social
network layer,
learning gains
can be
significant
17
SECTION 2
the informal
nature of the
devices can
lead to positive
rewards
2.8 SUMMARY
Theme
Key Theorists
Activities
Behaviourist
learning
Skinner, Pavlov
Constructivist
learning
Piaget, Bruner,
Papert
participatory simulations
Situated
learning
Lave, Brown
Collaborative
learning
Vygotsky
mobile computer-supported
collaborative learning (MCSCL)
Informal
and lifelong
learning
Eraut
Learning
and teaching
support
n/a
personal organisation
support for administrative duties
(eg attendance)
18
19
SECTION 3
20
1 http://ojr.org/japan/wireless/1080854640.php
2 http://www.educue.com
3 http://www.ets.org/discourse/about.html
21
SECTION 3
a technologysupported
system afforded
all the students
the opportunity
to present a
viewpoint
22
3.2.2 Savannah
Savannah (Facer et al in preparation) was
a collaboration between NESTA Futurelab,
BBC NHU, the Mixed Reality Lab
(Nottingham University) and Mobile Bristol
(Hewlett-Packard and University of
Bristol). This pilot study explored the use
of mobile devices to enable a rich,
interactive learning experience where
students got to play the role of, and hence
learn about, lions.
The Savannah study builds on Colellas
work by taking the simulation out of the
classroom and situating it in an
appropriate environment for the topic.
Students in Savannah got to play the role
of lions roaming in the wild in an area
100m x 50m. Each student carried a PDA
that gave them a window into the gameworld, displaying content and actions that
were appropriate to their current location
and what was going on in the rest of the
game. Each PDA could be tracked using
GPS, and allowed the students to see,
hear, and smell the virtual savannah
they were exploring. The PDA screen
displayed visual content and indications of
scents, and the children wore headphones
for an auditory experience. The PDAs also
displayed informative and instructional
messages such as Youre hungry, Youre
too hot, Return to the den. They also
had a den area, to which they could retreat
for more reflective learning after being
out in the field.
As in Colellas virus game, the children
were more than willing to suspend their
disbelief, and reported that they felt they
had really experienced what it was like to
be a lion on the savannah. During the
game, they often talked as if they were
directly experiencing the simulation
23
SECTION 3
the portability
of mobile
technology
allows the
learning
environment to
be extended
beyond the
classroom
24
25
SECTION 3
the most
effective design
approaches that
incorporated
audio-visual
coherence and
interactive
messages
26
the most
compelling
examples of
conversational
learning occur
when mobile
technology is
used to provide
a shared
conversation
space
27
SECTION 3
the personal
nature of mobile
devices makes
them well suited
for learning
applications
outside of formal
education
28
29
SECTION 3
30
head teachers
and senior
managers found
the hand-helds
amazingly
efficient
31
SECTION 3
SECTION 4
32
3.7 SUMMARY
Mobile technology can effectively support a
wide range of activities for learners of all
ages. While implementation examples can
be broadly categorised within the main
theories and areas of learning relevant to
mobile technology, the most successful
adopt a blended approach to their use.
Mobile technologies provide for each
student to have a personal interaction
with the technology in an authentic and
appropriate context of use. This does not
mean, however, that the use of mobile
devices is a panacea. Significant
technological and administrative
challenges are encountered along with a
more ill-defined challenge: how can the
use of mobile technologies help todays
educators to embrace a truly learnercentred approach to learning?
mobile
technology
presents
significant new
challenges
33
SECTION 4
34
35
SECTION 5
mobile devices
are finding their
way into
classrooms in
childrens
pockets
36
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Albanese, M and Mitchell, S (1993).
Problem-based learning: a review of
the literature on its outcomes and
implementation issues. Academic
Medicine, 68: 52-81
Attewell, J and Savill-Smith, C (2003).
M-learning and social inclusion - focusing
on learners and learning. Proceedings
of MLEARN 2003: Learning with Mobile
Devices. London, UK: Learning and Skills
Development Agency, 3-12
Bacsich, P, Ash, C, Boniwell, K and
Kaplan, L (1999). The Costs of Networked
Learning. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam
University. Available online at:
http://www.shu.ac.uk/cnl/report1.html
Bacsich, P, Ash, C and Heginbotham, S
(2001). The Costs of Networked Learning Phase Two. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam
University. Available online at:
http://www.shu.ac.uk/cnl/report2.html
BBC (2004). Mobile Phone Shipments Soar.
Accessed: 18 August 2004. http://news.bbc.
co.uk/1/hi/business/3938221.stm
BBC Bitesize (2003). Bitesize User Testing,
BBC Schools internal report (sourced
from Andrew Lees at BBC Schools)
BBC Bitesize (2004). Personal
Communication
Becta (2004). What the Research Says
About Portable ICT Devices in Teaching
and Learning (2nd ed). Coventry, UK:
Becta ICT Research. Available online at:
http://www.becta.org.uk/page_documents/
research/wtrs_porticts.pdf
Brown, JS, Collins, A and Duguid, S
(1989). Situated cognition and the culture
of learning. Educational Researcher,
18(1): 32-42
37
BIBLIOGRAPHY
38
39
BIBLIOGRAPHY
40
41
APPENDIX 1 & 2
APPENDIX 1:
CHARACTERISTICS OF MOBILE
TECHNOLOGIES TYPES OF DEVICES
Personal digital assistants (PDAs)
These devices are small and lightweight
and are variously referred to as handhelds, palmtops, PDAs, Palm Pilots, Palms
and iPAQs.
PDAs are hand-held computers that have
touch-sensitive LCD screens, with
pen/stylus input, and moderate processing
power (can run cut-down versions of
Word, Excel etc or their non-Microsoft
equivalents). Manufacturer-provided
memory is usually limited, though this
can be expanded with additional memory.
The most popular formats of memory
supported are Secure Digital (SD) and
Compact Flash (CF), though some
manufactures such as Sony use a
proprietary memory format.
The two main varieties of PDAs are
distinguished by their operating system
(OS). Pocket PC PDAs run a cut-down
version of Windows specially designed
for mobile devices. PalmOS PDAs
(eg Palm Pilots, Palm Zire) run the
PalmOS operating system. Software
is not interoperable between the two
operating systems.
PDAs normally include a docking and
synchronisation cradle for battery
charging, administration of application
software and data transfer and backups.
Mobile phones
This class of device includes basic
handsets, and also so-called smart
phones which offer limited PDA-like
42
Range
Security
Additional
requirements
Notes
Wireless
LAN (WiFi)
802.11a
802.11b
802.11g
Fast: 802.11b
11Mbps, 802.11a
54 Mbps,
802.11g 54
Mbps
Mid Range
802.11b 300 feet,
802.11a 100 feet,
802.11g 300 feet.
Range can be
extended by
providing multiple
access points.
Dependent
on network
configuration.
Cellular
GSM/GPRS
Secure
Subscription to a data
access provider necessary.
May be combined with
cellular voice service.
Monthly charges incurred
per device.
Bluetooth
Fast: 1 Mbps
Short Range 30
feet. Range can be
extended by
piggybacking
multiple devices.
Infrared
Fast: up to 16
Mbps
Short Range 3
feet, line of sight.
Secure
CDMA/1xRTT
Connectivity
The mobile devices described here typically
have some means of connecting wirelessly
to the internet or other network. Most
devices can also communicate directly with
other devices of the same or similar type.
This means that files, messages and
programs can be directly transferred
between devices without the need for any
mediating device or technology. A brief
overview of popular connection methods
is presented in Table A1.
APPENDIX 2:
MAJOR MOBILE LEARNING
RESEARCH PROJECTS
1 The Getting Started Guide to Wireless Networks (Ting et al 2003) provides practical advice on setting up
and configuring wireless LANs for IT managers in universities, colleges and schools.
Mobilearn
m-learning
Capabilities built-in to
most hand-helds.
43
APPENDIX 2
44
Pocket Eijiro
Japan
http://ojr.org/japan/wireless/1080854640.php
The Pocket Eijiro site started in December
2002 with an English-Japanese, JapaneseEnglish dictionary. Now the site gets more
than 100,000 hits per day (data on
individual visits were not available), and
its subscribers number in the hundred
thousands. The service costs $1.53 per
month, plus tax and packet charges.
Designed for mobile phones and consists
of a dictionary and quizzes designed to
take no more than five minutes.
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NESTA Futurelab
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NESTA FUTURELAB
SERIES
REPORT 11
ISBN: 0-9548594-1-3
NESTA Futurelab 2004