M-Learning: Liberating Learners 1

M-Learning: Liberating Learners

Alan Reid

Old Dominion University

M-Learning: Liberating Learners 2

An Introduction to M-Learning

The constant evolution of Instructional Design and Technology can be attributed

to two things in particular: the capabilities of emerging technologies, and a shift in

teaching and learning styles. The progression of e-learning and distance learning over the

past decade has altered the landscape of formal education, thus directly impacting

instructional design. E-learning has allowed formal education to escape the confines of

the traditional brick and mortar classroom, and has given the learner more independence

and responsibility over their academic lives. Yet, while demand for instruction is

increasing in higher education, the use of portable devices affords the learner even more

of an ‘anytime, anywhere learning’ mindset and cuts the tether between the learner and

his workstation. While we are not technologically prepared for M-Learning to replace e-

learning or traditional instruction, mobile learning should join the discourse as being a

viable, effective instructional method: if not as an entire course platform, at least as a

supplement to instruction.

The rapid introduction of new technologies is causing teaching and learning styles

to shift from a didactic approach to a more collaborative and constructivist learning

environment. While there is debate whether m-learning enhances or impedes student

progress, it can be acknowledged that emerging technologies are “a catalyst for new

educational paradigms, [and] it is the convergence of the valued idea of collaborative

constructivist approaches and new communications technology that has given life to

online and blended learning in higher education”(Garrison & Akyol, 2009). Web 2.0

tools such as wikis, internet communications, social media, and social networking sites

have proven to be useful tools in the classroom, and whether used in synchronous or
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 3

asynchronous formats, have contributed to a socratic sense of involvement and

togetherness. M-Learning extrapolates constructivism by promoting a collaborative

learning environment through the most accessible of forums.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance, possibilities, and future

impact of mobile phones in higher education. It will focus specifically on the educational

applications of Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch.

The Definition of M-Learning

M-Learning can take place on a multitude of devices. The eLearning Guild

defines mobile learning as “any activity that allows individuals to be more productive

when consuming, interacting with or creating information mediated through a compact

digital portable device that the individual carries on a regular basis, has reliable

connectivity and fits in a pocket or purse”(Wexler et al. 2008, p.7). This general

definition includes, but is not limited to, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs),

Smartphones (mainly Blackberry and iPhone), and the iPod Touch. Because these

competing manufacturers are developing mobile devices at different rates with different

capabilities, this paper will concentrate on the Apple family of iPhone and iPod Touch

devices. There are two aspects that define a mobile learning device: portability and

technical attributes. As a rule of thumb, the minimum requirements for a mobile learning

device include:

1. Reliable online connectivity (Wi-Fi enabled)

2. High portability
3. Full-size keyboard
4. Multimedia support (Java, Java Script, Flash)
5. Long battery life
6. Large memory storage
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 4

7. Adobe Acrobat Reader

8. Learning Management System (WebCT, Blackboard, UniLearn, etc.)

Yet, preferably having:

9. Bluetooth
10. Built-in Video
11. Built-in Camera
12. Built-in audio recording capabilities
13. High screen resolution
(Upadhyay, 2006)

It is important to note that Laptops, Tablet PCs, or the newly released Notebook PCs do

not fall into the category of mobile devices because the user does not routinely carry

these devices. A phone is a routine accessory while a medium-sized laptop is not.

The Background of M-Learning

Instructional gaming has taught us that learning oftentimes is a result or runoff of

the original product. Just as gaming consoles that originated as a source for entertainment

led to instructional gaming, M-Learning harnesses the power of connectivity already

established through a device initially marketed as a means for entertainment and checking

e-mail. There are 1.2 billion new mobile phones sold each year (Johnson, Levine, Smith,

2009) and their application as a learning tool in addition to being a communication tool is

still being realized. According to the IBM Institute for Business Value, “nearly a billion

people [will] access the mobile Internet by 2011”(Wagner, 2008).

Mobile phones fuse the functionality and capability of a laptop with the

affordability and convenience of a pocket-sized phone. This affects the dynamics of

learning tremendously. Now, the learner may access course material anytime, anywhere.
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 5

This inclusion fosters the idea that learning takes place outside of a classroom, a test, or a

lecture. Admittedly, mobile learning deprives the learner of some social aspects of the

classroom, but text-based discussion threads, real-time communication tools, and video

lectures and podcasts provide the learner with a sense of community and direct

involvement with classmates, otherwise void in a large classroom environment. Mobile

learning also appeals to the psychomotor domain and kinesthetic learning styles of the

user through texting and scrolling.

Although mobile learning is a subset of e-learning, it can be said that the former

differs extensively from the latter. The main distinction between the two is portability; e-

learning promotes technology as a platform for learning, but tethers the learner to a

workstation and a specific Internet network. Mobile learning encourages anytime,

anywhere learning, with constant, fluid, course interactivity. Although mobile learning is

still evolving, it is evident that mobile learning is distinguishable from e-learning:

“‘mobile’ is not merely a new adjective qualifying the timeless concept of ‘learning’ –

‘mobile learning’ is emerging as an entirely new and distinct concept alongside the

‘mobile workforce’ and the ‘connected society’”(Traxler, 2007).

Since 2000, the online ecosystem has developed from content delivery and

retrieval, such as e-mail and knowledge databases, to user-specific interactive

applications, such as Facebook, Skype, and Google Docs (see Fig.1.1). Now, the

development of applications for the iPhone/iPod family is becoming increasingly more

accessible and user-friendly. As of June 2009, there are currently over 48,000 active apps

available for download (Elmer-Dewitt, 2009). Developing an educational app for the

iPhone/iPod family specific to a course in higher education is more possible than ever.
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 6

There are two distinct types of applications: Web-apps and iPhone apps. “Web-

apps for the iPhone and iPod touch are applications that run on the web and not on the

local machine/phone” whereas iPhone apps “run directly on the device, but these ones are

commercially distributed through the Apple store”(Fernandez-Morales & Mayorga-

Toledano, 2009).

Figure 1.1 The Evolution of the Online Ecosystem (Collier, 2008).

Current Usage of Mobile Learning

Despite mobile learning being a relatively new field, there have been multiple

studies and empirical assessments conducted on the use of the iPhone apps in higher

education. In fall of 2008, Abilene Christian University (ACU) implemented its “ACU

Connected” program in which it distributed an Apple iPhone 3GS to all of its incoming
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 7

freshmen students. ACU is recognized as the first university to completely immerse itself

in the mobile learning school of thought. In addition to course documents and course

calendars, “freshmen use their iPhones or iPod Touches to receive homework alerts,

answer in-class surveys and quizzes, get directions to their professors’ offices, and check

their meal and account balances”(“ACU Mobile Learning,”2009).

Another case study in mobile learning took place in a large Introduction to

Sociology course at a 4-year university in the Northeast United States in 2006. The

sample size consisted of 112 students, mainly made up of freshmen taking the course for

a general education requirement. Study materials for the course exam were made

available via two methods: traditional handouts and class reviews, and the mobile

learning software program Learning Mobile Author (LMA). Forty-two students were

assigned the material via the LMA and accessed the review materials via a web-enabled

cell phone, and seventy students reviewed the material via class handouts and by

attending class review sessions. The average scores on the exam revealed the students

who reviewed using the LMA outscored the traditional students (McConatha, Praul,

Lynch, 2008).

Lastly, the University of Malaga in Spain has been offering web-apps for the

iPhone and iPod Touch in the first course for the Degree in Actuarial Science program

since 2002. In this case, the apps are designed to be used as supplemental course tools.

Practice tests consisting of five questions each were distributed to the students (see

Fig.2.1).
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 8

Figure 2.1 University of Malaga (Fernandez-Morales & Mayorga Toledana, 2009).

The results of the student test scores were not analyzed as they were in the

aforementioned case study. Instead, students were asked to rate the satisfactory level of

the course delivery method. “The results obtained from the first evaluation survey are

very satisfactory and constitute a clear incentive to develop more resources in this

format”(Fernandez-Morales & Mayorga-Toledano, 2009).

Limitations of M-Learning

Mobile learning equips the learner with convenience, accessibility, affordability,

and portability in an ‘anytime, anywhere’ learning environment. However, there are clear

disadvantages to this type of learning.

First, any type of learning that has technology requirements poses a limitation.

Even though the affordability of an iPhone or iPod Touch is significantly more than a
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 9

laptop or desktop computer, mobile learning requires ownership of said device. Students

who do not already possess a mobile device will have upfront costs. In the case of the

University of Malaga, an html emulator was created to accommodate students who could

not access the course through a mobile device.

Additionally, technical support becomes an issue. Where does the learner receive

consultation or troubleshooting advice if something is not working properly? The costs

that an institution saves by launching m-learning courses could very well be regained in

technical support.

Most importantly, “the fledgling state of wifi technology could be a major

stumbling block for future advances”(McConatha, Praul, Lynch, 2008). Although there

are more cell phones in America than landline phones, wireless Internet is still

developing in some parts of the country. Until the United States is completely furnished

with wireless technology, there will be issues with a learning style that promotes having

no boundaries.

The Good News

Mobile learning is relatively young and still developing. Because of the

entertainment value and media capabilities of the iPod Touch and iPhone, many college

students already possess the necessary equipment for M-Learning. And, with the

introduction of iTunes University, podcasting has become more readily available to

higher education. Many professors are already recording or podcasting their lectures for

their students to review. Wireless Internet has become a routine expectation of each and

every university. “Third-party educational applications are readily available for the
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 10

newest mobiles, and educational content is easy to find for almost every

discipline”(Johnson, Levine, Smith, 2009). The popularity of mobile phones is growing

exponentially, and the implementation of them as learning tools is inevitable.

Conclusion

Mobile learning is still developing. Despite its obvious limitations in

infrastructure and support, M-Learning proves to be “an opportunity for higher education

to reach its constituents in new and compelling ways, in addition to the obvious anytime,

anywhere benefits of these ubiquitous devices”(Johnson, Levine, Smith, 2009). It shifts

the learning from a teacher-based setting to a more collaborative, constructivist

environment. The price of mobile devices has fallen considerably, and they are more

affordable than ever. The freedom and power to learn whenever, wherever is an attribute

that today’s learners are seeking. The portability and convenience of M-Learning

accommodates even the most mobile of students, and could be an influential factor in

deciding on which school to attend.

Overall, M-Learning liberates its learners from the physical confines of the

classroom, but also from the traditional didactic-based teaching style. The iPhone and

iPod Touch are on the frontlines of mobile learning, and we will continue to see

education incorporate devices such as these in the years to come, especially with the

increasing compatibility of these devices with existing desktops and PCs. According to

Fernandez-Morales and Mayorga-Toledano (2009), the “central purpose of [M-Learning]

is to promote the autonomous learning of students, taking advantage of the possibilities

that new technologies offer, increasing interactivity and motivation”(p.1049).

M-Learning: Liberating Learners 11

In the field of Instructional Design and Technology, we are constantly

experimenting with emerging technologies. Consequently, if the purpose of education is

to reach its learners and provide effective, efficient instruction, then M-Learning is the

next logical step for e-learning and distance education and should be viewed as a viable,

credible opportunity for higher education.

M-Learning: Liberating Learners 12

References

Abilene Christian University. (2009, September 14). ACU Mobile Learning. Retrieved

from http://www.acu.edu/technology/mobilelearning/

Collier, Jay. (2008). Evolution of the Online Ecosystem (image). Retrieved October 2,

2009 from http://jaycollier.net/images/ecosystem/online-evolution.png

Elmer-Dewitt, Philip. (2009, June 10). Apple Fact Check: 50,000 Apps? – Update 2.

Retrieved from http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com

Fernandez-Morales, A., & Mayorga-Toledano, M.C. (2009). Web-apps for the iPhone in

Higher Education. Applications for the Degree in Actuarial Science. Research,

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Garrison, D.R., & Aykol, Zehra. (2009). Role of Instructional Technology in the

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Johnson, L., Levine, A., & Smith, R. (2009). The 2009 Horizon Report. Austin, TX: The

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McConatha, D., Praul, M., & Lynch, M. (2008). Mobile Learning in Higher Education:

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Traxler, John. (2007). Defining, Discussing and Evaluating Mobile Learning. The

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34.
M-Learning: Liberating Learners 13

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