Mobile Learning Project Report

Mobile learning is not a new concept, learning whilst on the move or away from formal educational settings has been happening a long time with the use of books, journal articles, television, radio etc. However what is new is the vast array of devices now available to access learning and to take advantage of being mobile but still being able to capture information and share, collaborate and upload it to a worldwide audience.

Mobile learning (mlearning) is a growing area of pedagogic research, however much of the research so far has focused taking traditional types of instructional learning and putting it on mobile devices, rather than using mobile devices for increased engagement in teaching sessions or for using the devices for capturing information as and when the students are mobile. Herrington et al (2009) claim that although mobile technologies have the potential to be used as powerful learning tools within higher education, “their current use appears to be predominantly within a didactic, teacher-centred paradigm, rather than a more constructivist environment” (p.2). Most mobile learning devices are centred around social learning, e.g. mobile phones, so their pedagogic potential needs to be further explored.

So what is mlearning? Is it to do with use of mobile phones or just the student being able to access information whilst mobile? Kukulska-Hulme & Traxler (2007) define mobile learning as “learning delivered or supported solely or mainly by mobile technologies. These include hand-held computers, PDAs, mobile phones, smart phones wireless laptop pcs and personal media players such as the iPod.” (p.181). However they go on to say that this definition is bound by current technologies, and as technology is constantly changing and improving, we should be flexible in our definition of mobile learning.