M-learning System Research Articles

Enhancing Teaching and Learning through the Use of Mobile Technologies in Zimbabwean Universities

The purpose of this study was to establish mlearning infrastructure and resources available in Zimbabwean universities, determine the level of mobile learning activities in Zimbabwean universities, identify challenges faced by Zimbabwean universities as they implement mobile learning in teaching and learning and to come up with recommendations that were possible solutions to the challenges faced by Zimbabwean universities in implementing mobile learning. The participants of this research were university lecturers, students, the ITS directors and the Librarians. The research adopted the descriptive research method and the triangulation methodology to draw conclusions from the data collected. Random sampling was used to select the respondents to the questionnaires. Tools for data collection included a questionnaire (with both open ended questions and closed questions) targeted to the lecturers and the students, as well as interviews with the ITS directors and the Librarians. The research revealed that students and lecturers have mobile technology devices to use for mlearning. There are some mobile learning activities that are already happening at universities which include uploading of material on electronic learning platform, downloading learning material, browsing the internet for research, students’ online discussions and access of electronic resources from the universities’ elibrary, amongst others. Network infrastructure is available at the universities but some of the equipment needs to be upgraded and some needs replacement as it has been in use for many years. There were a number of challenges highlighted by the participants of this study that were affecting the implementation of mobile learning which included access to internet, high cost of mobile devices, high broadband costs, lack of a mlearning management system, resistance to change, negative attitude of lecturers and WI-FI connectivity amongst others. The research recommended the adoption of a mobile learning management system, the upgrade of firmware of some access points that are not working, acquisition of new routers to enable fast internet speeds and training of staff amongst others so as to overcome the challenges to the implementation of mlearning in Zimbabwean universities.

A location-based privacy-preserving m-learning model to enhance distance education in Kenya

Developments in mobile learning have seen the adoption of high-power, location-aware mobile gadgets in distance education. Unauthorized user’s location data collected by these devices could hamper sustainable adoption of m-learning systems. There is the need, therefore, to develop a secure location-based privacy-preserving model to evaluate learners’ behavioral intention to use location-aware mobile systems for distance education. The study employed descriptive design, and using a questionnaire, data were collected from a population enrolled for distance learning. Using SPSS version 20 and WarpPLS 5.0, data were statistically analyzed to validate or refute the intended objectives. The model would provide the university management with informed approach to consider privacy-preserving aspects in m-learning implementation. It will provide enlightened guidance to mobile-learning-application developers on the need to cater for learners’ privacy.

A Cognitive Knowledge-based Framework for Social and Metacognitive Support in Mobile Learning

Aim/Purpose: This work aims to present a knowledge modeling technique that supports the representation of the student learning process and that is capable of providing a means for self-assessment and evaluating newly acquired knowledge. The objective is to propose a means to address the pedagogical challenges in m-learning by aiding students’ metacognition through a model of a student with the target domain and pedagogy. Background: This research proposes a framework for social and meta-cognitive support to tackle the challenges raised. Two algorithms are introduced: the meta-cognition algorithm for representing the student’s learning process, which is capable of providing a means for self-assessment, and the social group mapping algorithm for classifying students according to social groups. Methodology : Based on the characteristics of knowledge in an m-learning system, the cognitive knowledge base is proposed for knowledge elicitation and representation. The proposed technique allows a proper categorization of students to support collaborative learning in a social platform by utilizing the strength of m-learning in a social context. The social group mapping and metacognition algorithms are presented. Contribution: The proposed model is envisaged to serve as a guide for developers in implementing suitable m-learning applications. Furthermore, educationists and instructors can devise new pedagogical practices based on the possibilities provided by the proposed m-learning framework. Findings: The effectiveness of any knowledge management system is grounded in the technique used in representing the knowledge. The CKB proposed manipulates knowledge as a dynamic concept network, similar to human knowledge processing, thus, providing a rich semantic capability, which provides various relationships between concepts. Recommendations for Practitioners: Educationist and instructors need to develop new pedagogical practices in line with m-learning. Recommendation for Researchers: The design and implementation of an effective m-learning application are challenging due to the reliance on both pedagogical and technological elements. To tackle this challenge, frameworks which describe the conceptual interaction between the various components of pedagogy and technology need to be proposed. Impact on Society: The creation of an educational platform that provides instant access to relevant knowledge. Future Research: In the future, the proposed framework will be evaluated against some set of criteria for its effectiveness in acquiring and presenting knowledge in a real-life scenario. By analyzing real student interaction in m-learning, the algorithms will be tested to show their applicability in eliciting student metacognition and support for social interactivity.

The influence of service quality in information system success model as an antecedent of mobile learning in education organisations: case study in Jordan

Mobile learning refers to obtainment or provision of educational curriculum through personal pocket devices online. In the present study, a service quality model based on the Information System IS Success Model is proposed for university m-learning in Jordan, a developing country. This study was conducted through three phases; first, information concerning the students' perception of m-learning services was obtained through a questionnaire distributed to 360 students hailing from different colleges of the Jordan University of Science and Technology JUST. The second phase involved the measurement of Service Quality SQ through Interface Design, Reliability, Responsiveness, Trust and Personalisation, and the measurement of the causal relationship between the learners' perceived service quality and Learner's Satisfaction. Finally, in the third phase, the m-learning system prototype MLSP was developed with the help of Rapid Application Development RAD technique and object-oriented OO approach. The prototype was developed, tested and employed in JUST at Jordan.

An Educational Ontology-based M-Learning System

Smart devices applications can assist young children in improving their learning capabilities and comprehension skills. However most of learning applications are built without taking into consideration the effective needs and background of Arab users. They are somehow incompatible with their local environment and culture. We propose in this paper a mobile-based educational system that displays illustrations automatically to characterize the content of children’ stories on animal domain, and we use some intelligent technique to answer users’ questions using an educational ontology. The generation of illustrations passes through different phases which include text processing, extraction of word-to-word relationships, building and accessing an ontology, and using Internet search engines for retrieval of complimentary information. The system can be used also by instructors to teach the children in a non-conventional manner. They can customize semantically the structure of the questions and determine how the answers will be displayed. In order to customize questions and answers, we have defined a semantic infrastructure to define the logic of terms, and the workflow of answers. The aim of our system is to improve the children educational skills to grasp vocabulary and grammar using multimedia with a portable smart device which includes observation, comprehension, realization, and deduction. Children will then be able to continue learning outside the limited time of their schools and from any location.

Designing an Integrated Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Image Processing in Engineering Technology

Engineering technology subjects require some mathematical applications as the foundation to succeed in the subjects. However, students find the theoretical subjects like mathematics as unattractive and difficult. This happens due to the inability of engineering technology students to link between mathematical knowledge and technological applications. Furthermore, students are unable to understand the importance of mathematics in engineering technology subjects which consequently contribute to their poor academic performance. The current teaching approach which separates the teaching of mathematics from engineering technology subjects does not encourage students’ understanding in both subjects. In this paper, the focus has been given to the development of an integrated teaching and learning module of mathematics and image processing subjects known as Maths-IP Room. It has the purpose to increase students’ understanding in both subjects. This proposed module will be designed using ADDIE model. Web-based application and M-learning system will be used as the platforms for the proposed module. This module is hoped to make the acquisition of knowledge in mathematics and image processing can be enhanced.

MOBILE SCHOOL CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MALAYSIA

Incorporation of e-learning and mobile web technology in the education produces significant positive impacts to the students. These technologies are able to complement the weaknesses of current practices in teaching and learning. This paper presents Mobile School conceptual model that has been developed for secondary schools in Malaysia. This model is developed by integrating the potential concepts and theories to solve the problems related to teaching and learning in Malaysian secondary schools. Validation of this model has been conducted using questionnaire instrument where the questionnaire has been distributed to 407 respondents including school administrators, teachers, students and parents. The analysis showed that the variables that have been integrated in the model could solve the identified problems. The variables are also important to be implemented in mobile learning (m-learning) system development for secondary schools in Malaysia.

Multimedia augmented m-learning: Issues, trends and open challenges

The advancement in mobile technology and the introduction of cloud computing systems enable the use of educational materials on mobile devices for a location- and time-agnostic learning process. These educational materials are delivered in the form of data and compute-intensive multimedia-enabled learning objects. Given these constraints, the desired objective of mobile learning (m-learning) may not be achieved. Accordingly, a number of m-learning systems are being developed by the industry and academia to transform society into a pervasive educational institute. However, no guideline on the technical issues concerning the m-learning environment is available. In this study, we present a taxonomy of such technical issues that can impede the life cycle of multimedia-enabled m-learning applications. The taxonomy is devised based on the issues related to mobile device heterogeneity, network performance, content heterogeneity, content delivery, and user expectation. These issues are discussed, along with their causes and measures, to achieve solutions. Furthermore, we identify several trending areas through which the adaptability and acceptability of multimedia-enabled m-learning platforms can be increased. Finally, we discuss open challenges, such as low complexity encoding, data dependency, measurement and modeling, interoperability, and security as future research directions.

Agile Development of Various Computational Power Adaptive Web-Based Mobile-Learning Software Using Mobile Cloud Computing

Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) aims to improve all mobile applications such as m-learning systems. This study presents an innovative method to use web technology and software engineering's best practices to provide m-learning functionalities hosted in a MCC-learning system as service. Components hosted by MCC are used to empower developers to create m-learning systems in agile manner. The developed m-learning systems -as tenants of MCC-learning- provide cloud-quality services to their clients. The solution is a service-oriented and three-layered MCC system encompassing innovative m-learning components. To adapt e-contents sent to clients, a Device-Adaptive-Rendering component is used which takes platform, capability, physical and other contextual diversities of mobile devices into account. Using MCC increases the development speed and decreases the Lines Of Code (LOC) to build m-learning systems. Experiment outcomes demonstrate improvement in time taken by learners to answer the learning task questions and accuracy rates.

MobiLearn: Context-Aware Mobile Learning System

Incorporing mobile systems in the teaching-learning process has enabled m-learning as a mean to customize student learning and to encourage collaborative learning. Some works have proposed m-learning systems, however, they don´t provide monitoring and personalization services based on learning styles and student learning context as it is incorporated in this research. Additionally, there is also a limited work focus on the development of basic disciplinary skills in mathematics and computing in high-school education. This paper describes the design and development of a context -aware mobile learning system that includes mobile learning objects (MLO) for the development of basic disciplinary skills in mathematics and computing for high-school education. Our work proposes learning monitoring and personalization services characterized by: using SMS, social networks (Facebook and Twitter) and provides educational content through MLO based on context and student learning styles.

Measuring mobile learning readiness: scale development and validation

Purpose – Based on the literature on technology readiness, online learning readiness, and mobile computer anxiety, the purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a mobile learning readiness (MLR) scale which can be used to assess individuals’ readiness to embrace m-learning systems. Design/methodology/approach – Based on previous literature, this study conceptualizes the construct of MLR and generates an initial 55-item MLR scale. A total of 319 responses are collected from a three-month internet-based survey. Based on the sample data, this study provides an empirical validation of the MLR construct and its underlying dimensionality, and develops a generic MLR scale with desirable psychometric properties, including reliability, content validity, criterion-related validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and nomological validity. Findings – This study develops and validates a 19-item MLR scale with three dimensions (i.e. m-learning self-efficacy, optimism, and self-directed learning). A tentative norm of the MLR scale is presented, and the scale’s theoretical and practical applications are also discussed. Originality/value – This study is a pioneering effort to develop and validate a MLR scale. The results of this study are helpful to researchers in building m-learning theories and to educators in assessing and promoting individuals’ acceptance of m-learning systems.

Framework to Evaluate M-Learning Systems: A Technological and Pedagogical Approach

This paper presents the analysis of recent research on mobile learning and usability areas, applying a systematic mapping study. The aim is to understand the tendencies and needs in the m-learning field. The results demonstrate that research in the area has grown significantly since 2013, and we identify a necessity when we see that not all the m-learning applications have used usability tests; we also did not find guidelines or frameworks to evaluate them. With these results and tendencies, we propose an evaluation framework for m-learning applications, considering pedagogical usability and user interface usability, to improve the quality of m-learning applications.

Investigation on Adaptive Context-Aware M-Learning System for Teaching and Learning Basic Hindi Language

Background: Hindi being India's official language, it is critical to know how to improve teaching methods and strategies to effectively help non-native speakers to overcome the language barrier. Methods: The major purpose of the article is to investigate adaptive content m-learning system for learning and teaching basic Hindi. It is expected from the literature that the interactive teaching characteristics are activities of student-centered for communication during real-life sociable situations. Findings: Hopefully, this basic Hindi language learning system will be able to help the students learn the unknown language by relying on the system's interaction to augment their language learning. It gives teachers a practical knowledge to use the system and receive extra information. Applications: It helps to assess learners from different viewpoints and provides an in-depth understanding of students in different learning styles.

Modeling Learners’ Readiness to Adopt Mobile Learning: A Perspective from a GCC Higher Education Institution

Mobile learning (M-learning) has gained significant popularity in recent past due to the explosion of portable devices and the availability of the Internet. The use of this specific technology in learning and training has enriched the success stories of next generation mobile information systems. While M-learning is being widely used in developed countries such as the USA, South Korea, Japan, UK, Singapore, Taiwan, and European Union, most of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are lagging behind and facing diversified challenges in adopting M-learning. Thus, investigating learners’ readiness to adopt M-learning in higher education institution in the context of GCC is the focus of this paper. To this end, we introduce a hypothesized model to investigate learners’ readiness to adopt M-learning. The empirical study is conducted by analyzing data collected from participants from a GCC university using a survey questionnaire with the help of statistical tools. The results of the study will be valuable for policy-makers in designing comprehensive M-learning systems in the context of GCC. The implication of the study results on the next generation mobile information system is also discussed with future research directions.

Investigating attitudes towards the use of mobile learning in higher education

Mobile learning (M-learning) has become an important educational technology component in higher education. M-learning makes it possible for students to learn, collaborate, and share ideas among each other with the aid of internet and technology development. However, M-learning acceptance by learners and educators is critical to the employments of M-learning systems. Attitudes towards M-learning technology is an important factor that helps in determining whether or not learners and educators are ready to use M-learning. Such attitudes will serve to identify strengths and weaknesses and facilitate the development of the technology infrastructure. This paper aims at exploring students and educators' attitudes towards the use of M-learning in higher educational universities within Oman and UAE; two neighboring countries in the Arab Gulf region. To serve this purpose, two survey questionnaires were conducted: one for students and another for educators. The participants of this study are 383 students and 54 instructors from five universities. Different factors have been examined to test where there is a significant difference among students and educators' attitudes towards the use of M-learning, such as gender, age, country, level of study, smartphone ownership, major in terms of students and age, country, academic rank, academic experience and smartphone ownership in terms of educators. Findings revealed significant differences among the students’ attitudes towards M-learning with regard to their smartphone ownership, country and age. Furthermore, results indicated that M-learning can be one of the promising pedagogical technologies to be employed in the higher educational environments within the Arab Gulf countries.

How factors of personal attitudes and learning environments affect gender difference toward mobile learning acceptance

<p>Mobile technology for learning empowers the shift from traditionally pure instructor-centered classroom teaching to fully learner-centered educational settings. Although mobile learning (m-learning) accessing Internet resources anytime and anywhere, the issue of the relationship between gender perspectives and m-learning environments has been a controversial topic. Therefore, the main research objective of the research is to explore gender differences toward APP-based m-learning environments. Subjects of the study were selected university students who had already used an APP-based m-learning system for one month. A total of one hundred fifty nine valid questionnaires were collected, spilt evenly between female and male students. The statistical analyses lead to significant conclusions. Both female and male learners have highly positive perceptions toward m-learning. Additionally, the proposed research model is an acceptable conceptual model for investigating female and male learners’ attitudes. Furthermore, factors of personal attitudes and learning environments affect gender difference toward m-learning acceptance. </p>

Investigating learner attitudes toward mobile learning environments: Based on gender perspectives

Mobile technology, accessing Internet resources anytime and anywhere, empowers the shift from traditionally pure instructor-centered classroom teaching to fully learner-centered educational settings. On the other hand, the issue of the relationship between gender perspectives and mobile learning environments has been a controversial topic in educational technology. Therefore, the main research objective of this study is to explore gender perspectives of attitudes toward mobile learning environments. Subjects of the study were selected university students who had already used an APP-based m-learning system for a month. A total of two hundred thirty-three valid questionnaires were collected, spilt evenly between female and male students. Based on gender perspectives, our statistical analyses lead to various significant conclusions.

Security of m-learning system: A collective responsibility

Innovation in learning technologies and services is driven by demands from Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in order to meet their students’ needs and make knowledge delivery easier. The technology could play a pivotal role in extending the possibilities for teaching, learning, and research in educational institutions. M-learning emerged from this innovation as a result of an unprecedented explosion in the number of mobile devices due to availability and affordability of mobile phones, smartphones and tablets among students. Competition in the mobile device industry is also encouraging developers to be innovative, constantly striving to introduce new features. Consequently, newer sources of risks are being introduced in the mobile computing paradigm at manufacturing level. Similarly, many m-learning promoters and developers focus on developing and delivering learning content and infrastructure for m-learning system without adequate consideration for security of stakeholders’ data, whereas the use of these mobile technologies for learning poses a serious threat to confidentiality, integrity and privacy of those involved in teaching and learning, yet traditional security threats are also evolving. Against this backdrop, the stakeholders in education sector (i.e. education providers, educators, m-learning promoters and developers) should begin to consider the security implications of these devices in modern teaching and learning environments. The purpose of this paper is to identify the m-learning security issues that stakeholders may face, how they are being affected by the security threats, who among is stakeholders are affected or most affected by security issues in m-learning using three Nigeria universities as case studies and what are the responsibilities of the stakeholders in ensuring risk free m-learning.

Design and Implementation of Mobile Learning Tools and Resources in the Modern Educational Environment of University

The article introduces the issue of mobile learning in higher education. It examines designing and implementation of mobile learning system in university education process through the use of mobile devices. It explores benefits of m-learning, the basic requirements for mobile learning tools and resources. The article represents the author’s m-learning system of programming mobile applications for Android. The results of the study which was carried out with the students of the Applied Mathematics and Informatics Department show high impact mobile learning has on teaching and learning process in higher education.

Mobile Learning: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT In the recent years, exploring the use of mobile technology to support learning is the key challenge for educators and instructional designers. However, there is little literature that examines the dimensions of mobile learning domain for both the researchers and instructional designers, and focuses on the effective use of the latest mobile learning technologies for education. This study takes a systematic approach to review the literature and provides a more comprehensive analysis and synthesis of articles from the year 2003 to year 2014. Findings in this study reveal that most highly-cited articles are found to focus on the evaluations of mobile learning systems and their design. Experimental methods are found to be the primary research methods for the evaluation of m-learning systems. PDAs, handhelds are currently the most widely used devices for mobile learning but these are expected to be replaced by emerging technologies. The results of this study may provide comprehension for researchers and educators into research trends in mobile learning.