MOBILE LEARNING USING SMS: A MOBILE BUSINESS APPLICATION Krassie Petrova Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
[email protected]
Flexible eLearning strongly relies on student access to personal computers - both on campus and from outside. Today the predominant mode of eLearning is "online"- Web browsing using a personal computer. It is already predicted that in the near future the number of mobile communication devices (such as mobile phones and handheld computers) will exceed the number of personal computers. Mobility and context-aware services can be used successfully in the educational environment and researchers in the area have already reported numerous experiments with different technologies. We propose to experiment with a "blended" approach, which integrates the mobile and online learning environments. The outcomes of the model include the development of learners' decision-making skills and the improvement of their understanding of mobility and location-based services.
Keywords Flexible learning, SMS, mobile learning, mLearning, decision support, mBusiness, mCommerce
1.
INTRODUCTION
Handheld devices connected to a wireless network which operate at all times and in any location within the network coverage have become quite prevalent as far as ownership is concerned - both worldwide and in New Zealand. By the end of 2003, the total number of mobile phone subscriptions to the two leading New Zealand providers was 2,825, 000 - more than 66% of the entire population (Vodafone, 2004; Statistics New Zealand, 2004). Data from other countries show even higher levels: a survey reports that all 16 to 19 year old adults in Norway have a mobile phone (Smart Mobs, 2004). According to the Mobile Youth Report 2003 (W2F, 2004) 14% of the leisure spending of the Asia-Pacific young people (age 5 to 24) is mobile-related. Against the backdrop of such significant "mobile" penetration into the youth market, it would seem that integrating mobile devices in the educational process would be a straightforward task. However the 412
pace of progress in the area has been rather uneven: while a number of studies identify useful applications and evaluate positively their experimental implementation (e.g. Stone, Briggs & Smiths, 2002; Thornton & Houser, 2004) others report that handheld devices " ...rather than being integral to instruction in learning ,...are underutilised as nothing more than homework aids"( John, Johnson & Bentley, 2004). In this paper we propose and justify an experiment, modelled on the interpretation of mobile learning (mLearning) as a mobile commerce (mCommerce) or mobile business (mBusiness) activity.
2.
SOME DEFINITIONS
What is mLearning? A variety of meanings are attached to this emerging paradigm. Some definitions include the aspects which characterise mobile services - such as location independence (Vavoula & Sharples, 2002); others focus on technology related features such as the wireless network infrastructure (Leung & Chan, 2003). Yet another perspective on mLearning relates to its position in relation to the other members of the family of contemporary learning paradigms: distance, online, face-to-face and flexible learning (flexible learning is also known as hybrid, mixed, blended learning). The following definitions are used in this paper: "Flexible learning": the mix of face-to-face and distance modes of teaching and learning, as discussed and defined for example in Petrova (2001). "eLearning": teaching and learning using electronic media, including stationary, mobile, wireless,
Figure 1. Flexible learning and its subsets.
wired networked devices (derived from KaplanLeiserson, n. d.). "Online learning": learning through Web based tools and systems (Paulsen, 2003, pp. 25-26). "Mobile learning ": a form of eLearning. It can take place anytime, anywhere with the help of a mobile communication device: mobile phone or a mobile computer (Figure 1, modified form Brown, 2003). Similar to online learning, mLearning physically separates teachers and learners but provides a communication channel between them (Kurbel & Hilker, 2003). To clarify the differences between mLearning and online learning, in the next section we discuss mLearning as an mCommerce/mBusiness application.
3. MOBILE LEARNING AS A MOBILE BUSINESS APPLICATION Applying the brief definition of mCommerce as "any transaction conducted via a mobile device" (Muller-Versee, 2000), we view mLearning as a specific type of a mobile service application. We can identify a set of features (common to mCommerce applications in general), which at the same time strongly differentiate mLearning from online (Web based) learning:
3.1 Subscriber network Mobile learning occurs through the use of portable devices linked to a commercial public network (including different types of mobile phones and handheld computers). In contrast, online learning utilises the Internet and organisational networks, and is based predominantly on stationary computers (even in the case of laptops in a wireless classroom).
3.2 Personalised and secure connection to the network The mobile learner is a mobile network subscriber and has access to a private personalised device typically not shared with anyone else, while personal computers used for online learning might be public. Additionally, mobile networks use encryption and provide security at the data link layer while Internets and intranets are far from achieving universal secure messaging.
3.3. Location and time independence Mobile learning is independent of the location of the learner as the device literally travels with its owner while online learning is based on computers or access points at fixed locations. In addition, mobile learners have access to the same personal device on a 24/7 basis, and these types of devices are permissible for use in a variety of environments (i.e. at work) where computers are not always freely available. 413
Figure 2. The research model of the proposed experiment.
3.4 High cost Mobile learning uses the services of paid subscriber networks which have been fully commercialised and are privately or corporately owned. While online learning might require [paid] Internet access, the online learner does not bear specific costs when accessing the content while the mLearner does. As an application of mobile commerce, mLearning can be studied by applying models and frameworks developed for mobile commerce. The research model for the proposed experiment (Figure 2) is based on the general model for mobile commerce adoption proposed in (Petrova, 2004). The delivery platform selected for the experiment is Short Text Messaging (SMS), available to learners through a portal provided by the intermediary organization Company X, which develops and hosts the mobile applications. The intermediary operates across different bearer networks and handles subscription, payment, multicasting and interaction. The pedagogical model evolves around two scenarios - "revision" and "decision", as described in the next section.
4.
TWO EXPERIMENTAL SMS SCENARIOS
According to the theory developed by Kolb (as quoted in Blackmore, 1996) adult learning styles form a continuum. The two ends of the continuum are the concrete experience learner (a learner who enjoys being involved in a new experience), and the active experience learner (a learner who prefers to 414
be involved in problem solving and decision making). These two learning styles underpin the use of SMS in the following two scenarios: Scenario 1. "Question and answer" revision prior to a test (a concrete new experience). Scenario 2. "Accepting client's sign off of requirements in a systems development project" (active decision making). The scenarios involve teaching methods based on two communication paradigms -one-to-many and many-to-many - as described in Paulsen's (1995) framework of teaching techniques. The details of the scenarios are presented in Figure 3. Both scenarios involve extensive use of text messaging within a narrow time frame. The scenarios blend mLearning with online learning and add a "mobility" dimension to the flexible mode of delivery in which the target group of students participates. (The participants will be enrolled in "Electronic transactions and security", a second year paper of the Bachelor of Business programme. The online platform used is "AUTOnline" - a BlackBoard(c)- based environment. Students will not be charged for the mLearning services). Three of the research hypotheses in Figure 2 are related to the perceived value generated through the experiments; these hypotheses are partially derived from the literary sources reviewed so far. H1. Learners value the pro-active "any-time, anyplace" approach which fits in with their life-styles
Figure 3. Two mLearning scenarios (SMS-based).
H2. Learners value the instant feedback, which sending enrolment information, multiple choice ashelps them to achieve the learning outcomes sessment with immediate feedback, motivational H3. Learners value the relevance of the messages, sending assessment results, sending exam dates, assigning learning tasks, sending web links, mLearning scenarios to the assessment The fourth hypothesis is based on a preliminary announcing schedule changes, sending reading lists, survey of the target student population (Petrova & revision questions with individual feedback, and othSutedjo, n.d.). It refers to four critical success fac- ers. tors influencing the adoption of the services in the two scenarios: age, English language skills, prior experience with SMS, mobile phone quality. H4.1. Younger learners will value Scenario 1more, while mature learners will value Scenario 2 more. H4.2. Learners with English as a second language will value the services more compared to learners with English as a first language. H4.3. More experienced learners will demonstrate a higher level of adoption. H4.4. Ownership of a higher-quality device will influence adoption positively. An extensive literature review of possible scenarios for mLearning is beyond the scope of this paper. They vary greatly according to the type of service and device used, the expected outcomes, the target group, and the pedagogical approaches. SMS scenarios are perhaps the simplest form of mLearning, as they do not require extended handset functionality. Despite the obvious limitations such as text length or the lack of graphical user interface, SMS provides a productive platform for experimenting with a variety of academic and administrative services: sending reminders of important dates,
5.
CONCLUSION
In this paper we discussed mLearning as a subset of flexible eLearning distinctly different from Web based online learning. Implementing an mCommerce adoption model, we formulated four research hypotheses and designed two mLearning scenarios. To test the hypotheses, two corresponding mobile applications will be built. The experimental stage of this work in progress is planned for 2004-2005. We hope to be able to demonstrate the usefulness of mLearning services as a pedagogical tool. Building on results already reported (e.g. Wood, 2003; Kurbel & Jens, 2003) we will explore further the potential and relevance of mLearning (including WAP-based services) with regard to the current teaching and learning environment, identifying the factors which influence and/or inhibit its successful adoption.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank Roanne Birch for her comments and helpful suggestions.
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