Mobile Learning (M-learning) Concepts, Characteristics, Methods, Components : Platforms & Frameworks

The widespread use of mobile technologies, both hardware and software, is quickly becoming a prerequisite to support development. This widespread use, combined with improvements in mobile connectivity, has led to increasing interest in the use of mobile devices as learning tools. Distance and electronic learning have proven to be potential approaches, insuring progress in education that reduces the limitations of traditional education systems. Mobile learning (M-learning) represents how best to address a number of traditional, distance, visual and electronic learning challenges, issues and limitations. The opportunity to use mobile devices, such as PDAs, tablets and smart phones, as learning tools, enables innovation and supports students, teachers and decision makers'' access to digital study materials and personalised assessment. Much of the work done on the subject of M-learning has taken the form of requirement analysis, design needs and issues and challenges affecting application development. In order to ascertain the current level of knowledge and state of research, this book pinpoints and harnesses the potential factors and gaps in M-learning development and adoption. This book presents different aspects related to M-learning to help readers understand and distinguish the primary characteristics and features of M-learning. The book begins with an introductory chapter that describes its scope. The second chapter describes the principles of learning and teaching. This is followed by six chapters which describe and discuss mobile computing, different definitions of M-learning and its theoretical background, different M-learning requirements, M-learning frameworks and number of M-learning applications in the field of education. The final chapter highlights M-learning issues and suggests a future direction for M-learning.