Antony Kontellis UTS Blog

Additional weighting: 15% Students wishing to achieve higher grades will complete a short written review that evaluates how organisations are addressing the issue researched and presented in the selected case studies. The additional work will be on an individual basis and presented as a separate task on their personal weblog.

Assignment 2 Part 2: m-Learning Additional Written Review

M-Learning (mobile learning) involves combining portable devices (for example: iPod’s, PDA’s, mobile phones) with e-Learning and learning in general to create a more technologically advanced learning environment where the scope and ability to learn is greatly increased by the portability behind the m-Learning infrastructure. 

The following review will be addressing how organisations are addressing m-Learning and adapting it to their current learning situations. Until recent years the concept of m-Learning was far from being an accepted form of learning within organisations. However over recent years, as technology rapidly advances to becoming increasingly portable and detailed, m-Learning has now begun to be viewed as a highly innovative possible addition to the current learning & development strategies and processes within organisations. Capitalising on the new portable technologies available is the key factor behind m-Learning, which can be seen as a positive tool by organisations who realise the value of their employees. Generation Y is generally the most technological, therefore m-Learning is a valuable strategy in keeping these staff interested and educated and ultimately becoming an employer-of-choice and more competitive in the marketplace.   

When researching m-Learning, my group focussed on several key case studies which outlined various technologies being utilised to develop this expanding concept. 

The first case study outlined Vodafone’s use of WAP technology (Wireless Internet Protocol) and partnering with 3Com (one of the largest computer networking companies) to deliver PDA m-Learning solutions. Being that Vodafone is a mobile phone provider, they are adapting m-Learning strategies head-on, effectively integrating web-based training modules utilising WAP to keep their staff and customers alike educated and properly informed. By capitalising on WAP technology and partnering with 3Com, Vodafone has ensured that the key aspect of m-Learning – portable learning accessible anywhere, any time – is being taken advantage of successfully. The 3Com technology has been integrated by Vodafone into portable devices in order to deliver just-in-time learning solutions and information to the portable device (such as a mobile phone or PDA) in a diverse range of environments and geographic locations.  Essentially this Case Study is highlighting that Vodafone is an organisation which has implemented m-Learning successfully and resulted in learning taking place on demand wherever an employee or customer may be.

The second Case Study my group assessed involved Services integrated into m-Learning mobile devices to improve productivity at a faster pace; in other words the concept of literally “training in the palm of your hand”. Three main services were assessed, the first being Palm integrating a full troubleshooting guide into it’s Palm VII to provide users with the adequate training they require, whenever they need it, “in the palm of their hand”. The second service assessed in this case study involved Valero Energy installing full Windows capabilities onto their handheld touch-screen devices to make their staff learning and inspections easier and more efficient. The third service assessed in this case study involved tracking times of performance with handheld devices in real-time in order to provide a more realistic approach to m-Learning. 

The two prime case studies I assessed had a key element in common, which I have discovered is essentially the key element of m-Learning overall: the idea of faster, more innovative, and easily accessible learning solutions. In both case studies, the topics of focus were strategies and technologies being implemented by various organisations to integrate m-Learning into their devices. The desired outcome is always the same – to increase effective education and give their employees/customers that ability to undertake their learning at their convenience whenever and wherever they desire. Whether it was Vodafone utilising WAP and 3Com to keep staff and customers constantly informed, or Palm VII allowing it’s users to access training in the palm of their hand at any time, the prime factor for both the main case studies and examples within those case studies was accessibility. 

The main difference in case studies was the level of technology being utilised. For example, in the Palm section of the second Case Study, the m-Learning being integrated was at the basic level of installing an instruction manual into their devices to ensure users are able to learn how to use their Palm VII at any time. The level of technology being utilised by Vodafone in portable devices such as mobile phones and PDAs was at a much higher and more advanced level than Palm, even though essentially the core concept remains the same. 

The case studies presented raise several points of interest in relation to issues for educators / practitioners. The first issue is a focus on the rapidly advancing technology which has been the catalyst for m-Learning to exist in the first place. Educators have and must continue to understand that as generations come and go, so do certain aspects of learning. New and innovative ways of learning such as Poscasts for iPods, utilising mobile phones and PDAs to deliver content, and adapting to internet and portable devices must be embraced in order for education to take on a new and fresh dimension. 

The second issue raised by the case studies is that m-Learning is all about the learner being able to do so any place, any time, “in the palm of their hand”. M-Learning is a reaction not only to technological advances, but also societal advances. People are constantly on the go, and portability in learning could widen the range and scope of people who can learn, because essentially the learning (or part of the learning) is in their control in relation to where and when they do this.  Educators and practitioners need to look no further than the internet to initially dig into case studies and research on m-Learning. During the course of this assignment, my research uncovered a plethora of blogs, wiki’s, articles, case studies, detailed action plans and analysis of results specifically relating to the trial, implementation, launching and acceptance on m-Learning throughout the world.

Ultimately, throughout this assignment, my research and analysis of m-Learning and of several case studies has uncovered a new world of learning with endless possibilities. I believe that organisations are starting to realise the value of m-Learning, and must continue to as technology advances and society shifts to an increasingly portable mentality. No longer should learning be restricted to a classroom setting, and I believe organisations who capitalise on m-Learning principles and concepts and successfully implement these will become favourable and are more likely to be viewed as employer-of-choice in their Learning & Development. I truly look forward to seeing m-Learning evolve from being a fleeting concept into being the reality and the successful educational tool that it has so much potential to be.

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