Tuesday, February 5, 2008

My opinions of m-learning is based on the article of Mobile Learning: Learning on the Go.

After reading the materials that provided by Dr. Yuen, I think M-learning is new way to assist human learning. M-learning means that learning can happen at any time and in 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 can really access the resources they need for study at any time and in any places. Sometimes when learners need access to a certain resources, communicate with somebody, check emails, or check other materials, they have to go back to their offices to get online which is painful and low effective. It is the time for learning moves forward.
M-learning is right the way to solve these problems that mentioned above:
First, 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. Today’s world is a world full of information and people need to gain the newest information at any time and in any places. All these need people have the access to information resources. So we have cell phones and PDAs, but these are not enough we need more for study purpose, we need to know not only our schedule, learning materials, communicating with classmates as well, when we are not in offices. What we need today for high effective learning is what m-learning can offer. And modern technology can make smaller devices to support m-learning nowadays, such as some cell phones with internet browsers can surf online and check emails. These devices can be more powerful in the future, like it said in this article that the functions of camera, cell phone, and PDA will be built within one.
Second, E-learning connects individuals together and extends the learning process out of classrooms. However, it does not support learning taking place anywhere and anytime. In other words, it just offers more accesses to classrooms. Only m-learning can connect individuals to internet with real freedom. In fact, m-learning makes learners are part of internet.
Third, m-learning can not take place of traditional learning. Here traditional learning includes classroom learning, distance learning and other modern learning. M-learning is an important way to assist traditional learning. It will make learning more efficient and unlimited by time and places.
Even 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.

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