Presentation for the VII International Seminar of the UOC UNESCO Chair in e-Learning: Mobile Technologies for Learning & Development. The steady increase in the number of mobile devices nowadays, particularly among younger people, leads to the emergence of new paradigms in several areas of activity including education. As an example of a new paradigm in the teaching / learning we could refer the m-learning (mobile learning) that, just as technology, has continued and evolved into the Blended Mobile Learning (BML) model. In this presentation we will talk about a BML context oriented model that relies on the use of open source software for the LMS, mLMS and a tool related to the programming environment. The learning context is a relevant aspect of the model by the technical and economic constraints that BML involves.

1. 10/15/2010
A Blended Mobile Learning Model-
Context Oriented (BML-CO)
Fernando Moreira
fmoreira@upt.pt
Portugal
6/10/2010
Overview
• Introduction
• Benefits of using a mobile device
• Blended Mobile Learning
• Mobile Learner Preferences
• Proposal
• Tools
• Final Considerations
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Introduction
• What is Mobile learning (m_learning)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMAjCWVzA8Q
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Benefits of using a mobile
device
• In-class use of mobile technologies
– Students
• Focus their learning on areas of weakness
• Diminish misunderstanding
• Enhanced learning
– Teachers
• Identify students’ misconceptions, challenges
• Adapt teaching practices
• Enhanced assessment and feedback
• Enhanced teaching
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Blended Learning Model
Adapted from Lanham (2007)
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Blended Mobile Learning
Adapted from Khaddge(2009)
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What we need?
• Pedagogical considerations of M_learning
– At this moment there isn’t a pedagogy theory for
mobile learning
• Contents
– Type
– How they should be made available to students?
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Context
• Learning context
– “Any information that can be used to characterize
the situation of learning entities that are
considered relevant to the interactions between a
learner and an application.” (Bahaskar, 2010)
– When?
– Where?
– Why?
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Mobile Learner Preferences
• Physical activity vs Learning content
Physical Learning Content Type
Activity Text Video Audio Image
Context
Walking 11 0 16 0
Stationary 3 14 3 7
In a Group 4 3 0 20
Travelling 4 7 14 3
(Bahaskar, 2010)
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Mobile Learner Preferences
• Place vs Learning content
Location Learning Content Type
context Text Video Audio Image
Class Room 7 14 0 7
Lab 7 4 4 14
Library 18 0 0 14
Hostel/Home 4 21 4 11
Campus 18 4 7 7
Public Places 14 4 7 0
(Bahaskar, 2010)
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Proposal - assumptions
• BML model in the teaching / learning process
itself is not enough
• Constraints that the context may require
– Technological
• Wi-fi (Wireless Fidelity)
• 3G, HSPA, …
– Associated Costs
• Downloading materials using the institution's network
is very different to perform the same operation using
the telecom operator
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Proposal - architecture
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Proposal
• Learning contents
– The learning contents when it is read (text) or viewed
(image / video) or hear (audio), the student will not spend
more than 10 minutes of time with the learning activity
– Text
• Indication of how the theoretical concepts must be studied,
practical examples, and statements of problems to solve
– Image / video
• A set of video tutorials
– Audio
• Used small audio podcasts
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Contents video
• For example a Youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZuWD2CBjgs
Lower than 10 minutes
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Assessment
• The assessment is done in two ways
– Theoretical questions about the concepts through quizzes
that will always be different for each student
– Practical issues
• Process
– The system proposes a set of exercises about the learning
activity
– The student submits his solution to the tool associated with
class
– Whatever type of assessment the student receives an
immediate response, and thus can evaluate its performance.
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Proposal
• Learning content according to context
– The student who uses m-Learning is not stationary, so the
different learning activities should be conducted at times
and in different places.
– The learning contents should be distributed according to
the context in which the student are
– Contextual elements must be defined
• Time of day (morning, afternoon, evening)
• Type of day (week, weekend, holidays, vacation)
• Mobile device communication mode (wi-fi, 3G, etc…)
• Physical activity (stationary or moving)
• Learning place (home, school bus, train, ..., university, ...)
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Proposal
• Learning activities's log
– Information on learning activities is stored in the Learning
Management System (LMS)
– When a student receives or performs a learning activity is stored
a set of information that will to allow verify
• Time
• Place
• Duration
– It is necessary to take into consideration the place
• Stationary (in the cafeteria, bar, home)
• Walking (traveling between buildings on campus)
• Travel (home / institution, institution / home)
• Groups (study rooms, occasionally meetings, etc.)
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Proposal
• Tools
– LMS
• Moodle (http://moodle.org/)
• Mobile Learning Engine – MLE-Moodle
(http://mle.sourceforge.net/mlemoodle/index.php)
– Application example
• Algorithms and programming
– Mooshack – is a system for managing programming contests
on the Web. This tool will be adapted to mobile devices.
(http://mooshak.dcc.fc.up.pt/)
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Mobile Learning Engine
MLE-Moodle
• Main interface
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Mobile Learning Engine
MLE-Moodle
• Forums and exercises
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Mobile Learning Engine
MLE-Moodle
• Course features - Quizzes
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Application example
• Mooshak
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Final considerations
• A model is proposed which follows the principles of
BML with the use of mobile technologies
– Learning content,
– Learning content according to context
– Learning activities's log
– Delivery schedules
• Concern about costs
– Software open source
• In future the model will be implemented and tested
in a given teaching / learning context
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Some useful references
• Lanham, E. (2007): Supporting Blende Learning in na E-learning Evironment. Ph. D.
Thesis. Deakin University, Australia
• Khaddge, F., Lenham, E., and Zhou, W., “A Mobile Learning Model for Universities:
Re-Blending the Current Learning Environement”, iJIM – Volume 3, Special Issue
1:”ICML2009”, July 2009
• Mostakhdemin-Hosseini, A., “Analysis of Pedagogical Considerations of M-Learning
in Smart Devices”, iJIM – Volume 3, Issue 4, pp. 33-34, October 2009
• Paes, C., Moreira, F., "Aprendizagem com Dispositivos Móveis: Aspectos Técnicos e
Pedagógicos a Serem Considerados Num Sistema de Educação", Challenges 2007,
pp. 23-32, Maio de 2007, Braga, Portugal
• C. Paes, F. Moreira, "Dispositivos móveis: estratégia de gestão dos dispositivos na
sala de aula e o toolkit do professor ", Revista da Faculdade de Ciência e
Tecnologia da Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Julho de 2007, Porto, Portugal
• Bahaskar, N., Govindarajulu, P., “Advanced and Effective Learning in Context Aware
and Adaptative Mobile Learning Scenarios”, ”, iJIM – Volume 4, Issue 1, pp. 9-13,
January 2010
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13. 10/15/2010
A Blended Mobile Learning Model-
Context Oriented (BML-CO)
Thank you for your attention.
Fernando Moreira
fmoreira@upt.pt
Portugal
6/10/2010
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