We are interested in how mobile devices (phones, netbooks, pads) can be used to support and enhance student learning. This is a topic which is interesting both technically and educationally.

The motivation behind this research is that — in principle — a mobile device can interact with its user in a rich and context-aware manner. One can, for example, imagine a scenario where a student enters a classroom and their netbook automatically presents the material prepared by their tutor for the lesson, and tailored to the students knowledge and understanding of the subject.

Of course, this is not entirely a problem which relates to mobile devices. A student can engage with a desktop PC in the classroom, and many of the same issues relating to adaptive presentation of educational materials still apply. However, mobile devices have the advantage that they will travel with the student.

This suggests the first of our themes. If the device knows where the student has been and what they have been doing, then that is information which can be harnessed for use by the adaptivity algorithm. A mobile device can, with currect technologies, know its location (with a reasonable amount of certainty), and a student can plan where they should be at any given time. Combining the two sets of information should allow the device to present useful information to the student at appropriate times, and we have been investigating, through mCALS framework, how this can be done in practice, and how effective the approach is.

The second of our themes considers the use of a mobile phone (or other small device) when used in a restricted but well-defined context such as a museum.

Publications

T.H. Laine and M.S. Joy, “Survey on Context-Aware Pervasive Learning Environments”, International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 3(1) pp. 70-76 (DOI 10.3991/ijim.v3i1.680) (2009)

J.Y-K. Yau and M.S. Joy, “A Mobile and Context-based Learning Schedule Framework from a Pedagogical Perspective — an Interview Study” Proceedings of the IADIS International Conference Mobile Learning 2009, Barcelona, Spain (2009). To appear.

J.Y-K. Yau and M.S. Joy, “A Self-Regulated Learning Approach: A Mobile Context-aware and Adaptive Learning Schedule (mCALS) Tool” International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (to appear) (2008).

T.H. Laine and M.S. Joy, “Survey on Context-Aware Pervasive Learning Environments”, Proceedings of mLearn 2008, Telford, UK, pp. 192-199 (2008).

J.Y-K. Yau and M.S. Joy, “A Self-Regulated Learning Approach: A Mobile Context-aware and Adaptive Learning Schedule (mCALS) Tool”, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Interactive Mobile and Computer Aided Learning (IMCL2008), Amman, Jordan (2008).

J. Sitthiworachart and M.S. Joy, “Is Mobile Learning a Substitute for Electronic Learning?”, Proceedings of IADIS International Conference on e-Learning 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to appear (2008).

J.Y-K. Yau and M.S. Joy, “Architecture of a Context-aware and Adaptive Learning Schedule for Learning Java”, Proceedings of the 7th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT2007), Niigata, Japan, pp. 252-256 (2007).

J.Y-K. Yau and M.S. Joy, “A Context-aware and Adaptive Learning Schedule Framework for Supporting Learners’ Daily Routines”, Proceedings of the The Second International Workshop on Mobile Communications and Learning (MCL 2007), ICONS 2007, Sainte-Luce, Martinique (2007).

J.Y-K. Yau and M.S. Joy, “Context-Aware and Adaptive Learning Schedule for Mobile Learning”, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Environments (MULE) at the International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE 2006), Beijing, China, pp. 17-24 (2006).