Mobile E-Learning: Exploring Partnership between Education and Telecommunications

Platform.

By
AJIGBOYE, Solomon
Systems Librarian
Covenant University
P.M.B . 1023, Ota
Ogun State.
E-Mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT:

Telecommunication has been described as key infrastructure for economic and social development

in this Information and Communication Technology (ICT) era. The technology required for e-

learning is provided by the ICT industry, namely, the mobile phones. The mobile

telecommunication has been able to penetrate several areas in Nigeria including the core rural

areas, as such should be able to facilitate mobile e-learning. This research therefore seeks to

explore the possibility of a partnership between the academic community and the

telecommunication sector for the delivery of Mobile e-learning and interactive learning. The study

would present the growth rate of telecommunication industries in Nigeria, their coverage,

accessibility and stability in terms of social/developmental infrastructure (such as electricity

which has become a pandemic in Nigeria).

Also it will focus on the Academic Library as a facilitating environment / fulcrum for M-Learning

in the area of classifying and cataloguing electronic resources, as well as how local content could

be created to enhance proper understanding of the subjects in the M-learning subjects curriculum

for mobile e-learning.

The outcome of the research would enhance a partnership between the academic institutions and

telecommunication service providers.

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Introduction:

“If universities are serious about enhancing learning through the use of innovative technologies,

much needs to be done to demonstrate how this might take place.” (Kennedy, et al. [ CITATION

Ken06 \n \t \l 1033 ])”

In recent years, there has been a rapid growth of mobile phone networks in developing countries.

Most of the countries including Nigeria have skipped fixed –line infrastructure and leap-frogged

directly into mobile technology. Currently mobile telephony is the predominant mode of

communication in Nigeria.

The advent of mobile telecommunication companies in Nigeria has therefore gradually begun to

close the digital gap (within) between the rich and the poor in the country (thanks to the china

phones). It will also be of great interest that this development can be extended to other facet of the

citizenry’s life such as the education sector , in other to reduce if not totally eradicate illiteracy in

Nigeria by creating a partnership between Nigerian Telecommunication companies and the

academic institution.

Will this development fundamentally alter the nature of globalization in Africa, or does the new

landscape of mobile telephony simply represent an overlay on existing economic structures – a

form of thin integration? This is why there is need to explore how this development can be

annexed in the education sector to achieve more in Education 2015 target and beyond as we

pursue the Millennium Development Goals. In bid to achieve the integration of

Telecommunications in Education there is need to start considering full implementation of M-

learning in our various institutions of learning especially those that have started full distance

learning using the electronic medium.

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Mobile learning through the use of wireless mobile technology allows anyone to access

information and learning materials from anywhere and at any time. As a result, learners have

control of when they want to learn and from which location they want to learn. Also, all humans

have the right to access learning materials and information to improve their quality of life

regardless of where they live, their status, and their culture. Mobile learning, through the use of

mobile technology, will allow Nigerians to access learning materials and information from

anywhere and at any time. Learners will not have to wait for a certain time to learn or go to a

certain place to learn. With mobile learning, learners will be empowered since they can learn

whenever and wherever they want. Also, learners do not have to learn what is prescribed to them.

They can use the wireless mobile technology for formal and informal learning where they can

access additional and personalized learning materials from the Internet or from the host

organization. Workers on the job can use the mobile technology to access training materials and

information when they need it for just-in-time training. Just-in-time learning encourages high

level learning since learners’ access and applies the information right away rather than learn the

information and then apply the information at a later time. Educators and trainers are empowered

since they can use the mobile

With respect to technologies, ‘mobile’ generally means portable and personal [ CITATION Nai04 \l

1033 ], like a mobile phone.M-learning (mobile learning) is a kind of E-learning which based on

the use of mobile devices (PDAs,mobile phones, notebooks or Tablet PCs) anywhere atany

time[ CITATION Geo04 \l 1033 ] These devices must support wireless communicational technologies

(GPRS, GSM, IEEE802.11, Bluetooth, and IrDA) and have a possibility topresent teaching

materials, and to realize anasynchronous/synchronous communication betweenlearners and

teachers [ CITATION Evg \l 1033 ].

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In this paper, we focus on the strength of technologies, and the infrastructure, strength of

academic libraries as content provider, and by the literatures review. Secondly, the line map and

practical method of developing M-learning standards are reviewed. As a kind of network

application based on mobile communication platform, M-learning is related to equipment

provider, network provider, content provider, technology provider and service provider. In the

process of disseminating and applying M-learning technology, the standardization of M-learning

will play a leading role.

The Strengths of Mobile Phones

There are several reasons why mobile phones are considered as particularly important for

development. Beyond basic connectivity, mobile phones offer benefits such as mobility and

security to owners [ CITATION Don06 \t \l 1033 ] . In addition, due to their unique characteristics,

the mobile phone is an especially good leapfrogged: it works using the radio spectrum, as such

there is no need to rely on physical infrastructure such as roads and phone wires, and base-stations

can be powered using their own generators in places where there is no electrical grid [ CITATION

Eco08 \l 1033 ]. Furthermore, mobile phones only require basic literacy, and therefore are

accessible to a large segment of the population. Also mobiles enjoy some technical advantages

that make them particularly attractive for development. In addition to voice communication,

mobile phones allow for the transfer of data, which can be used in the context of applications for

the purposes of health, education, commerce or governance.

The Academic Libraries:

“Librarian: Selects and organizes materials to make information available to the public.” (From

careercast.com list of “200 Top Jobs”)

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Gilman & Kunkel [ CITATION Kun10 \n \t \l 1033 ] Libraries have traditionally been defined by

their collections. A commonly held perception – and it is not inaccurate – is that libraries exist to

collect large quantities of information, to organize that information (into collections – Adult,

Young Adult, Children’s, Videos, Reference, Periodicals, etc.), and to make that information

accessible to patrons. This is true regardless of the type of library; indeed, library type can be

seen as yet another organization into collections of like materials (Medical, Special, School,

Academic, etc.). Libraries do augment these collections with services – interlibrary loan,

reference, instruction – but these are often seen as peripheral to the primary role of collector or as

existing to serve patrons need to access the library’s collections. For academic libraries in

particular, this perception of the library as a collector / provider of external resources – books,

databases, journals, DVDs, et al. – can lead to a correspondent perception of limited utility. The

academic library becomes defined in students‟ and faculty members‟ minds by its role as a source

of reading material to create literature reviews, to do back- ground research, to augment

bibliographies and reading lists. A recent editorial by a university faculty member emphasizes

this point: The core purposes of the academy are to teach and to produce new knowledge. Books,

journals, music and electronic access to online information sources remain vital for undergraduate

students writing research papers or seeking further knowledge. Graduate student and faculty

research depends on the depth and breadth of a library’s holdings. In the case of public

universities, moreover, library holdings are important for citizens seeking to educate themselves.

The library is a means to an end: enabling students and faculty to access archives.

The above description is the orthodox way of describing a library while in recent times you will

agree that we talk about Digital libraries, E-libraries, E-books, E-resources and libraries without

walls.

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DIGITAL LIBRARIES:

Digital libraries are new hybrid learning spaces serving as far broader purpose than simply old

libraries. A digital library is a collection of documents in organized electronic form, available on

the Internet or on CD-ROM (compact-disk read-only memory) disks Digital Dictionary [ CITATION

Dig10 \n \t \l 1033 ]. Depending on the specific library, a user may be able to access magazine

articles, books, papers, images, sound files, and videos. ..This hybrid has even developed further

to embrace the web 2.0 Technologies in use in the library today. This investment is proving

worthwhile. A recent survey concluded that of the libraries studied, those which had changed and

developed their physical spaces ‘experienced sustained increases in usage of the physical facility

following project completion’ (Shill and Tonner, 2004: 149).

As students have become more accustomed to using digital technologies, such technologies have

become embedded within the university environment and caused a transition in the way space is

used and viewed. However, these changes also reflect trends in learning and communicating

within the academic environment. As Brian Lang, former Director of the British Library, points

out: ‘libraries throughout history have been extraordinarily successful social spaces’ (Lang, 2001:

11).

Moreover, many Universities today have started migrating to a digital platform for better and

quality service provision for their users. As all the contents that will be needed to fuel the

collaboration between the telecommunication industries and the Academic Libraries are already in

place.

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The Case for Mobile Education

It is possible to make a strong case for mobile education on “purist” or theoretical pedagogic

grounds. This purist case for mobile learning includes the idea that mobile learning will support a

wide variety of conceptions of teaching, and the idea that mobile learning is uniquely placed to

support learning that is personalized, authentic, and situated. Different teachers and disciplines

will have different conceptions of teaching (Kember 1997) that they will attempt to bring to

education. These conceptions of teaching may vary from ones primarily concerned with the

delivery of content to those focused on supporting student learning (i.e., by discussion and

collaboration). Mobile learning technologies clearly support the transmission and delivery of rich

multimedia content. They also support discussion and discourse, real-time, synchronous and

asynchronous, using voice, text and multimedia. Different disciplines, say for example sociology

or literature as opposed to engineering, may also require broadly different conceptions of

teaching. Distance learning versus site-based/face-to-face education forms another alternative axis

to the subject axis; distance educators will have their own conceptions of teaching, often

influenced by Illich (1971), Freire (1972), and Gramsci (1985). What are called “styles of

learning” will also exert an influence on how mobile learning is conceptualized. This is currently a

contested area (Coffield, Moseley, Hall, and Ecclestone 2005), but similar arguments could be

advanced about the capacity of mobile learning to fit with the various preferred approaches to

learning adopted by different (distance) students at different times. By personalized learning, we

mean learning that recognizes diversity, difference, and individuality in the ways that learning is

developed, delivered, and supported. Personalized learning defined in this way includes learning

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SETTING THE STAGE: ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS

M-learning system

Several technologies are available to implement a dynamic and adaptive M-learning system. Sever

side techniques using Java servlet, JSP, ASP, PHP and other proprietary authoring tool such as

macromedia flash with action script can be used. Other enhanced severs such as CoCoon or Xalan

are capable of implementing device adaptable system. Fig. 1 shows an overview of M-learning

system, where XML files are used to store the content (questions), directions for multimedia

representation of revision material for the students, and the user model. These involve the content

and user dimensions [4]. M-learning systems can support different types of mobile devices, such

as wireless laptops, iPods, cell phones, PDAs, Tablet PCs, and smart phones.

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From the viewpoint of communication service character, M-learning is the integration of data

serviceand mobile service. WAP is the standard for mobile data service support by many

equipment providers, and has been widely applied in wireless Internet. WAP protocol stack is

compared with Internet protocol stack, as seen in Fig. 2. In order to understand their difference,

lower layer protocol is also given in Fig. 3. Now WAP has developed from initial V1.0

(WSP/WTP/WTLS/ WDP) to V2.0 (WP-TCP).

Fig. 2

Above analysis shows that five broad categories of information and communication technologies

(ICT)[10], namely transport, platform, delivery, media technologies, and development languages,

should be considered in considering the implementation of M-learning. Further investigation on

M-learning system shows that Different Delivery Platforms and Removable Storage Memory

Formats should be considered in Client Platforms; in the respect of Mobile Content development,

Different media (audio, video, Web, images, document, Flash Lite) and their relevant questions,

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such as Resolution, Compression, Codecs, Local Playback, and Wireless/Streaming Access,

should be separately examined in its entirety; in the respect of Mobile Content Support, a

comprehensive programmer should be made for accessibility, content packaging and metadata; in

the respect of Mobile Content Delivery, we should focus on mobile Web services, wireless data

connectivity (IrDA, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPRS, et al) and proximal learning technologies (GPS,

RFID, 2D Barcodes) .

Where Is The Telecommunications?

The telecommunications industry is one of the most dynamic and volatile industries in the world,

fueled by a combination of de-regulation and consolidation that has led to a complete overhaul of

the competitive landscape.

The various infrastructure as required for effective transmission of M-learning is all embedded in

the telecommunication infrastructure, below is a list of all the telecommunications infrastructure;

1. Broadband Infrastructure

2. Carrier Infrastructure

3. Digital Media Infrastructure

4. IP Services Infrastructure

5. Mobile Core

6. Optical Infrastructure

7. Telecom Infrastructure Services

8. Wireless Infrastructure

9. Power Infrastructure

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These entire infrastructures are of great importance if we are to develop and maximize the area of

M-learning in Nigeria. The Nigeria Power systems has failed us times without number and there is

no solution in sight but this failure has been cared for in the infrastructure.

Recommendation

This hidden treasure yet undiscovered in the Nigeria Education System can help us to attain our

goal of education for all in the year 2015, many telecommunication industries are already in the

market and a lot of competition is going on, thereby prompting each providers to look for value

added services which can give them edge over their competitors.

However, with all their infrastructures and collaboration with various academic libraries not only

in the areas of building digital libraries equipped with ICT gadgets, but by allowing libraries in

collaboration with other departments of the school to provide the various educational materials

based on the school curriculum which will be born digital materials available on a dedicated

server which will be hosted either buy the school or the Telecommunication companies and can

be accessed via the technologies made available by the telecommunication companies and this

will be delivered anywhere , anytime at the convenience of the users.

Therefore, the libraries in conjunction with any of the telecommunications providers be it MTN,

Glo, Zain, Etisalat, etc can develop a memoranda of understanding for this partnership.

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Conclusion

The collaboration between the telecommunication and academic libraries in either / both private

and public universities will really result in an exponential growth of education for all in Nigeria;

this can allow remote area to access educational materials. As this has been in practice in other

part of the world even in South Africa we can leapfrog into it and enjoy the full befit of the

telecommunication growth.

Therefore, school libraries in conjunction with telecommunications companies can begin to work

out the modalities of reaching all through this technology as this will only lead them to full

maximization or better specialization and dedication to another value added services that all can

equally benefit from.

Finally, as we all know that the only set of companies that cannot exit this nation physically are

the telecommunications despite the fact that power may be erratic, they have all the infrastructure

needed for this M-learning and the libraries especially the ones that are up-to-date in the area of

technology application to libraries and subscription to digital materials can make available all the

needed contents to drive the content aspect of M-learning. It is therefore imperative that a

partnership between libraries and telecommunications is welcome and will subsequently lead to

fulfilling education for all by the year 2015.

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