Description
A century ago, learners travelled to learning institutions to be taught by an instructor (Denk & Weber 122). In the present day, it is surprising to note that they still do the same. Owing to this, many scholars have noted that education is so impervious to change unlike other sectors. However, it is predicted that over the next coming years, the sector will undergo through tremendous changes (Nouri 285). As the projects advance, scholars should note that there are a number of concerns with respect to the use of m-learning. The implementation of mobile learning is expected to face a number of challenges like conserving copyright and upholding quality (Noura & Cerratto 55). Some issues include assessing education outside classrooms and connecting the gap between official and non-official education.
One of the major concerns of implementing mobile learning in current institutions is its costs. The cost of building the necessary infrastructure to support learning and equipping every student with a mobile learning device is very high (Wang & Ryu 351). Owing to this, governments and other stakeholders are called upon to fund the projects through price cut and grants to enhance the uptake of necessary devices into the hands of all learners.
Other major issues faced by the project are theft and loss (Yawasabere 24). Owing to their portability, mobile learning devices are prone to theft and loss. If stolen or misplaced, the devices could lead to privacy issues. The engraved serial numbers on the device have aided in thwarting a number of risks. However, it should be noted that it has not eradicated the issue completely. Therefore, prior to putting in place m-learning infrastructure in institutions and stakeholder should come up with a system to guarantee students’ privacy. They should also ensure that the gadgets are properly secured and stored in safer places.
The above issues were not clear at the beginning. For instance, technical issues include ways of managing the technology under short battery life and interacting with a mobile phone when outdoor. Other issues are educational. Educational issues comprise of how to manage small learning groups in the lecture hall and offering lessons through a mobile phone. Other issues arise with respect to the society the technology is implemented. For instance, in some societies it is unethical to observe and control children’s outdoor learning activities using mobile phones. To address the challenges and prospects offered by the use of mobile phones in learning, the stakeholders need to address the above issues with urgency.
Rationale
A number of literature reviews have documented the issues with mobile learning (Yawasabere 23). Eight literature reviews were utilised in the research. Their reliability had to be checked to ensure that they were scholarly. Evaluating the reliability of these sources involved a number of processes and one of them was to look at whether the article or source is peer reviewed or not.
According to Terras Melody and Judith Ramsay, in the last decade m-learning has developed from a negligible study interest into a set of noteworthy projects in universities, offices, galleries, towns and remote areas across the globe (Terras & Ramsay 825). The projects vary from offering revision queries to pupils to offering minor group learning in lecture halls by means of handheld computers. Every single project illustrated above has proved that m-learning can has presented fresh chances for learners that extend beyond the customary teacher-guided classroom (Vavoula & Sharples 56).
Issues in mobile learning are worth studying because the concerns affect all learning institutions and stakeholders (Traxler 36). Through this project, the question of whether mobile learning is effective compared with the customary learning programs will be answered. Similarly, the project will highlight some of the major challenges that are to be tackled by the implementers. Equally, through the study it will be known whether mobile learning will put the students’ privacy at risk. Based on the above illustrations, it is apparent that all learning stakeholders should focus their attention on the issues facing the implementation of the project.
For this study, the data will be collected through field research. The method entails acquiring public data from secure and reliable educational institutions, previous researchers, discussions, face-to-face interviews, and questionnaires. Educational justice institutions will provide the researchers with crucial information such as the present and the past mobile learning initiatives.
Description of the stakeholders
The findings obtained from this study will be helpful to the stakeholders. The stakeholders are learning institutions, governments, mobile device manufacturers, parents, and learners. Through the project, learning institutions will be informed about the challenges of implementing m-learning in lecture rooms. Similarly, the project will highlight how learning institutions can exploit the technology to improve students’ performances. The project will educate governments on how to fund the projects to ensure that every student acquire the device at a considerable cost. The project will be most useful to the mobile device manufacturers. Through it, the manufacturers will be informed on how to design an economical and effective learning device that meets the students’ expectations. Parents also will benefit from the project. The project will highlight how parents can play a role in ensuring that students benefit the most from the implementation of m-learning programs. With respect to learners, the study will highlight how they are expected to coordinate with their instructors to ensure that the devices are utilised as expected to meet their goals. Similarly, the study will educate students about the expected challenges and means of overcoming them.
Deliverables
Prior to the study, a number of deliverables will be listed. The deliverables will include the research study, comprehensive research report, ICT plan, software implementation, and eLearning application. As such, the deliverables will be used in the review of a number of information with the intention to support a certain assumption about the m-learning projects. As supported by the above illustration, the findings from the deliverables will be important because it will help the researchers in arranging the discoveries from dissimilar sources of data, coming up with micro-problems, filtering useful information from a huge data set. Similarly, the deliverables will act as a foundation for coming up with critical solutions.
Weekly time plan
The above time plan, illustrates how the project will be undertaken. As such, the project’s goals will be identified on Monday and Tuesdays. Data analysis will be carried out on Saturday and Sunday. During the data analysis process, it will be determined if the project’s goals have been achieved.
Works Cited
Denk, Michaela, and Michael Weber. “Mobile learning challenges and potentials.” International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation 1.2 (2007): 122-123. Print.
Noura, Jalal, and Teresa Cerratto. “Exploring the Challenges of Supporting Collaborative Mobile Learning.” International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning 3.4 (2011): 54-69. Print.
Nouri, Jalal. “Eliciting the potentials of mathematical mobile learning through scaffolding learning processes across contexts.” International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation 6.3 (2012): 285. Print.
Terras, Melody M., and Judith Ramsay. “The five central psychological challenges facing effective mobile learning.” British Journal of Educational Technology 43.5 (2012): 820-832. Print.
Traxler, John. “Mobile Learning – A Snapshot of 2008.” International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM) 3.2 (2009): 34-45. Print.
Vavoula, Giasemi, and Mike Sharples. “Meeting the Challenges in Evaluating Mobile Learning.” International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning 1.2 (2009): 54- 75. Print.
Wang, Pluto, and Hokyoung Ryu. “Not SMS, but mobile quizzes: Designing a mobile learning application for university students.” International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation 3.4 (2009): 351. Print.
Yawasabere, Nana. “Benefits and Challenges of Mobile Learning Implementation: Story of Developing Nations.” International Journal of Computer Applications 73.1 (2013): 23-27. Print.