Ubiquitous Computing for Mobile Learning

The trend toward miniaturization and wireless communication offers the prospect of ubiquitous computing, that is computing available everywhere, all the time. As communication devices become more and more mobile, and as life styles adapt to this mobility, education must adapt also. A host of new and rapidly changing applications is emerging, wrapped around handheld information and communication technology (ICT) devices and the software and services on which they run. Users expect to always remain connected during their nomadic roaming, and this expectation is beginning to include students. Information technology managers are searching for ways to meet the mobile technology and ubiquitous computing demands of students while educators are seeking ways to exploit this new communication life style for positive pedagogical purposes The new mobile technologies seem well suited to support contemporary theories of learning that emphasize active engagement, collaboration, information-seeking, and reflection. All of these qualities can be achieved in mobile learning (“mlearning”) but only after overcoming significant constraints related to the technical and physical limitations of mobile technologies. Some design guidelines are offered to help educators cope with these limitations. Introduction Ubiquitous Computing for Mobile Learning