What Is M-Learning?

Mobile learning is a type of learning that can take place at any time and place with the help of mobile devices. The mobile computing device used for mobile learning must be able to effectively present the learning content and provide information between teachers and learners. Two-way communication.

Mobile learning

Mobile learning in

In the next two decades, the development of mobile learning in China will go through three phases: the basic environment construction phase, the knowledge systemization construction phase, and the learning service construction phase. The transition between each phase is an iterative process.

The first stage is the basic environment construction stage.

M-learning

It is short for mobile learning. It is usually translated into mobile learning in China. It refers to the use of modern communication terminals, such as mobile phones, PDA and other devices (usually does not include laptops with wireless Internet access) for distance learning under the guidance of life-long learning.

Scholars' Works

The number of M-learning research fields is rapidly increasing, but there is no complete theoretical system, so there are not many classic monographs. One of the more famous is Desmond Keegan, an Irish educational technology expert. His article "From d-learning, to e-learning, to m-learning" was supported by many scholars. Ding Xingfu, a well-known distance education expert in China, translated it into Chinese "From distance learning to e-learning to mobile learning."

Keegan divides distance learning into three stages according to the different forms and means of learning.

1. d-learning (distance learning). The feature is that the separation of teachers and students in space and time has been achieved, and the activities of teaching and learning are no longer synchronized, and the development of learning materials and distance learning systems for learning support services for students has played a pivotal role. Technically, media technologies such as printed materials, audio tapes, magnetic disks, and experiment boxes are mainly used. Teachers and students can usually be contacted by mail or phone.

2. e-learning (electronic learning). The feature is the realization of remote face-to-face teaching (teaching face-to-face at a distance), which compensates for some of the inherent shortcomings of distance learning. It mainly uses satellite TV, video conference system, computer network and other technologies. E-learning has achieved remarkable achievements in the world. Both the Open University in the UK and the TV University in China adopted these technologies in the 1980s and 1990s and achieved good teaching results.

3. m-learning (mobile learning, mobile learning). This is a new stage of development of distance education. It is characterized by free learning at any time and anywhere. The technology it uses is mobile communication equipment and wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth, IEEE802.11.

Keegan believes that the development of distance education has also had a huge impact on the concept of "university". From early residential colleges to non-residential colleges, amateur colleges, today's distance learning colleges, online colleges, and tomorrow's mobile colleges. Students will be able to receive education and earn a degree at home and even while traveling.

Keegan's three-stage theory is more reasonable than the "three development ages of distance education" theory of Nipper in Denmark, Bytes in Britain, and Taylor in Australia, because it solves d-learning, e-learning, The fact that m-learning coexists today.

Of course, Keegan's point of view is just a family statement. Many education experts believe that Keegan has exaggerated the meaning of m-learning. However, scholars today still agree that m-learning is a good way to achieve "lifelong learning."

M-learning's renowned experts are Giorgio Da Bormida (Giunti Interactive Labs), Elena Murelli (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), Mike Sharples (University of Birmingham), Jill Attewell (LSDA). They are the leaders of the EU mobile learning project mentioned later.

Flexible and convenient learning methods

Whether you are on a business trip or at an airport station; whether you are waiting for a break, or at any time, open your smartphone and tablet to log in to the CITIC Mobile Learning Platform, you can conveniently browse the latest information, read new books, and learn courses.

Advanced and efficient learning concepts:

CITIC Mobile Learning's course series uses the latest LPM learning process management. The course is divided into carefully refined chapters, pushed in sections on time, supplemented with a large amount of learning supplementary materials, and many sharing and interactive links have been added in the process to promote student integration Think about the actual work, and improve your learning while strengthening your memory.

Exquisite reading + professional courses

The two main content subjects of CITIC Mobile Learning are reading + courses. Based on the powerful economic and management book resources of CITIC Publishing, our reading has an incomparable resource advantage. All training methods are inseparable from professional theory. Classic books are the source of professional theory and the driving force of training and learning.

Mastery of learning effects

Through the key data statistics of students 'learning materials download, experience sharing, login times, etc., students' learning habits and learning initiative can be learned, and the company's management can effectively follow up and master the learning effects of students.

Reduce investment in training equipment

Everyone must have a mobile phone in the mobile era, and the popularity of smart terminals has increased year by year. With mobile learning, companies don't need to equip their employees with computers. As long as employees download CITIC Mobile Learning to their mobile phone terminals, they can join corporate training classes at any time.

Custom terminal enterprise solution

According to needs, CITIC Mobile Learning can provide customized terminal solutions for enterprises. Under the premise of large modules on the basic platform, they can produce overall UI designs, upload corporate information, and corporate customized courses for enterprises, so as to meet the needs of corporate brand promotion, corporate culture, and professionalization. Need for staff training.

Research Projects

Although it hasn't been long before M-learning was born, there are already many related research projects. Not only the British Open University, The German Open University, distance education institutions such as NKI (Norway Internet College), but also communication giants such as Ericsson and Nokia, there are also some specialized organizations conducting research. Here, the focus is on a pan-European research and development programme funded by the European Commission & apos; s Information Society Technologies (IST).

The name of this project is "m-Learning". It is a cooperative project carried out by LSDA (Learning and Skills Development Agency) together with universities in the three countries of Britain, Italy and Sweden, as well as some commercial organizations (such as CTAD in the UK). The official website is : The goal of the project is to develop some prototype products and services, as well as cheap, convenient, and easy-to-use technologies that can meet EU citizens' requirements for information interaction and learning experiences. These products and services are generally used by young people between the ages of 16 and 24, allowing them to learn courses that interest them, but have never gone through the entire study and training, which can help them achieve lifelong learning. Specifically, m-learning is targeted at young people who are not employed or already unemployed, and those who are poor.

The system of the mobile learning project is a learning management system and some interfaces at the bottom of the system. These interfaces can support learning materials and services for various mobile devices. For example, the interface can support voice and text interchange services, multimedia information services (MMS), and so on.

Fourth, academic conference

The most influential m-learning conference in the world is the MLEARN annual conference sponsored by the two project groups "MOBIlearn" and "m-Learning" (both funded by the European Commission). Since 2002, a total of three Term. They are:

(1). MLEARN 2004 in Rome

(2). MLEARN 2003 in London

(3). MLEARN 2002, at the University of Birmingham

Here, I mainly introduce MLEARN 2004. The participants of the conference are mainly all people who are interested in learning using mobile (or wireless) devices and networks. Including m-learning implementers, content and service providers, software and hardware technology developers, and related researchers. The conference mainly discusses the development direction of the m-learning field. Participants can share experiences and ideas and guide future technology development.