M-learning: current status and future potential

After reading the materials that provided by Dr. Yuen, I think m-learning is a new way to assist human learning. m-learning can happen at any time and any place with the help of mobile devices. Here mobile devices include cell photos, PDAs, and other portable devices.We can tell with the development of technology, especially the technology of PC and Internet, mobile devices are becoming smaller and more powerful. Form correspondences study that happened more than one hundred years to online learning, the effectiveness is improving. However, all the learning styles, even the online learning are still limited by time and access. I mean learners cannot really access the resources they need for studying either at any time, or in any places. Sometimes when learners need access to get information, communicate, check emails, or do other things, they have to go back to their offices to get online which is painful and low effective. m-learning is right the way to solve these problems that mentioned above:
M-learning is the result of the improvement of technology and the needs of high effectiveness of modern life. People need lifelong learning and high effective learning. People need to update their information at any time and in any places nowadays. Access to information resources is needed to be provided. In schools students need to know not only their schedules, learning materials, but also need to exchange materials and communicate with classmates, when we are out of school or when they are on the way home. In fact, we already saw the benefits of m-learning: some people do not always bring laptop with them any more because it is not as convenient as a PDA and Smartphone; students can do their assignments on their ways home. Emerging m-learning devices in education can benefit both educators and learners from inside and outside of teaching and learning.
M-learning allows students to carry out activities in a variety of settings and according to different paces. Instructors can lecture online and students can access these materials through mobile devices. Under this help, students with different learning styles can work well with their own learning pace through m-learning. Furthermore, mobile devices support immediate communication, whenever students have problems they can contact instructors or talk about it with their classmates. However, though m-learning holds potentials in education area, there is a long to go for implement in every school. As the author stated in this article, m-learning has its own limitations. For example, infrastructure needs to be built to support m-learning and mobile devices need to be improved to fit the need of human learning. Another thing, in my own opinion, is the price of these devices: if people, especially students can afford them and the technology supports people to create content which will be appreciate for mobile devices.
Undoubtedly, m-learning will be more popular in the future and more people will be involved. The trends are from two aspect of m-learning. One is the mobile devices including the infrastructures will be more advanced and powerful. On the other hand more learning theories based on m-learning will be explored by educators. The m-learning will be common to every one like the e-learning today when it is really efficient and helpful with human learning.Mobile Learning: Learning on the Go: http://dragon.ep.usm.edu/~yuen/teaching/it780/resources/mlearing-yuen.pdf