Challenges of Mobile Learning in 4G Era

Liguang Zhang
International Education College Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Shanghai, China lgzhzuo@[Link]
Abstractthe wireless/mobile world will going into 4G era which means faster of uploading and downloading speed, wider of bandwidth and easier using of mobile device. Mobile learning is more and more populate in the world which can learn any place, any time and any person. There are still some challenges which are shown in current practice of mobile learning. In this paper, these challenges will be discussed to see if they still exist in 4G era or not. Keywords: Mobile learning, 4G, LTE

I.

INTRODUCTION

With the wireless technique development, the communication does not be limited by distance, direction and time. Mobile learning, one form of E-learning, becomes more and more populating. Mobile learning can be defined as Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies [1]. The research of Mobile learning starts in the second half of the 1990s. Comparing with other E-leaning field, mobile learning is a new one and has the biggest potential. The wireless technique has been developed from GSM to LTE which is 4G technique that means a innovative progression in wireless world. It is believed that emerging wireless and mobile networks will provide new applications in mobile learning [2] Some challenges are in current practices of mobile learning, capturing and realizing learning contexts, managing and evaluating the learning achievement, and assessing mobile equipments. But, Are they still problems in 4G era or not? II. 4G LTE WIRELESS WORLD

Now, most of world have deploy 3G network which support the following criteria. Up to 2 Mbps in an indoor environment. Up to 144 kbps in a pedestrian environment. Up to 64 kbps in a vehicular environment. But, what is new in 4G LTE? According to 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), LTE shall achieve the following criteria [3]. Peak download rates of 326.4 Mbit/s Peak upload rates of 86.4 Mbit/s Sub-5 ms latency for small IP packets Good support for mobility. High performance mobile data is possible at speeds of up to 350 km/h, or even up to 500 km/h, depending on the frequency band used. Support for MBSFN (Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network). This feature can deliver services such as Mobile TV using the LTE infrastructure, and is a competitor for DVB-H-based TV broadcast III. CHALLENGES OF MOBILE LEARNING A mobile learning framework is introduced by Chi-Hong Leung [4] as follows. Mobile learning applications Mobile user infrastructure (browser, handheld devices) Mobile protocol (adoption of content with WAP) Mobile network infrastructure (cellular systems, satellites, etc.)
Figure 1. Mobile learning framework [4]

Wireless communication systems started to emerge in the mid-1980s, first based on so-called 1G (first-generation) analogue technologies like AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System) in the United States or NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone) in Northern Europe. Those systems have evolved to 2G (second-generation) digital radio providing robustness and better spectral efficiency and, ultimately, to 3G, so as to offer global mobility and improved end-user experience over a wide range of services.

The framework for mobile learning defines some realizing levels. For anyone to build mobile learning systems, they can build on the top of the functionalities provided by others. But, the interface / standards should be applied. For example, all of the network manufactory produce network device includes core network and eNBs based on specifications from 3GPP. Then, any mobile device producer just need design and produce mobile device, for example, mobile phone, mobile data card, etc., based on specifications from 3GPP. Any mobile device can be used on the network. The framework is divided into four levels. These four levels will be described in the following paragraphs in details. In the mobile network infrastructure level, the physical devices construct a network. The service quality is decided by quality control of

978-1-4244-8694-6/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE

manufacture and the specification/ standards of 3GPP. In the mobile protocol level, a uniform and easy-to-use interface is used to hide the underlying network's details from applications while providing. This level will decide the performance and security of the network. In the mobile user infrastructure level, the interface will be applied to software designers to design application. Software and hardware are in this level. Different mobile devices and APIs for designers are given. In mobile learning applications level, applications are designed to realize users requirements. The challenges of mobile learning are located onto different level. A. Capturing and realizing learning contexts This challenge is a core one for mobile learning. For mobile learning, the key questions how people create learning contexts for learning through their interactions and how they progress learning across contexts. There are differences between context of mobile learning and traditional classroom contexts. In a traditional classroom, teachers and learners generally cannot access all contexts before, during and after the learning procedures. For example, teachers and learners can find out about objectives, methods, or tools in advance of a lesson. But, normally, it is difficult to access the context which is just shown in classroom after class. For mobile learning, however, even the learners may not know the learning context in advance. Learning objectives, for example, may develop onthe-fly as a response to interactions with the environment. The learners themselves may not be known in advance as is the case. Even in 4G LTE, this challenge is still exist. And, in some view, the challenge become more and more important because with the improvement of physical infrastructure and network performance, the requirement for quality and quantity of context become more and more high. For example, with 2G/3G, text can be surfed online. But, it is difficult to watch the video online with high quality in a bigger displayer like iPhone, even iPad. In LTE network, it is not a problem to support online high quality video and interaction. In 2G/3G, we can surf web pages. But, there is not a IP address for each mobile devices. Then, not all functions on Internet can be used on mobile devices. In 4G LTE, the network is a whole IP addresses network that means each devices in the network have its own IP address like normal computer in Internet. It is shown that the mobile device, like mobile phone, can be combined into Internet seamless. B. Managing and Evaluating the learning achievement The second challenge for mobile learning is how to managing and evaluating the assessment of learning processes and outcomes. In traditional learning way such as the classroom, there are many well-established and accepted methods for the assessment of learning activities, such as essay writing, multiple choice tests, open-book exams, and unseen examinations [5]. Distinctions have been made between formative assessment (aiming to provide students

with feedback regarding their progress) and summative assessment (aiming to judge and sum up the students achievements) [6], with formative assessment bearing the greater potential to aid and complement teaching and learning [7] and [8]. Summative assessment is often used as a measure of success of the teaching as well as a measure of effectiveness of the learning [9], but with many (often unresolved) issues regarding the reliability and validity of summative assessment methods. Despite these difficulties, summative assessment can be meaningful in formal learning contexts where learning objectives and desired outcomes are well specified in advance. By contrast with formal education, mobile, informal learning can be both personal and elusive. The learning may be personally initiated and structured, such that it is not possible to determine in advance where the learning may occur, nor how it progresses or what outcomes it produces. It may also be difficult to track the progress of learning if it occurs across multiple settings and technologies. Instead, suggestions have been put forward to examine the experience for evidence which might suggest that productive learning is taking place. For example, in the context of museum learning, Griffin and Symington [10] suggest to watch for instances where learners show responsibility for and initiate their own learning (e.g. by writing, drawing, or taking photos by choice; deciding where and when to move), are actively involved in learning (e.g. by absorbed, close examination of resources; or persevering with a task), make links and transfer ideas and skills (e.g. by comparing evidence), and share learning with experts and peers (e.g. by talking and gesturing; or asking each other questions). One method to do this is to videotape the activities of learners who wear radio microphones and are observed by a video camera at a discrete distance. The evaluators then watch the videotapes to identify observable critical incidents that appear to be breakthroughs (indicating productive new forms of learning or important conceptual change) or breakdowns (where a learner is struggling with the technology, is asking for help, or appears to be laboring under a clear misunderstanding). These incidents can be assembled into a compilation tape and reviewed with the learners. The problem of assessing learning across multiple settings can be addressed in part by evaluating a combination of log files of computer activity or web access to show activity, outcomes such the results of online quizzes and media created by the learners, and personal reflective documents such as blogs and eportfolios. Further work is needed to integrate these into a revealing and valid assessment of learning. The challenge of assessing learning is not unique to mobile learning and does not afford an easy fix. Although a learning experience can be a well defined event with a start and a finish, learning is an ongoing, lifelong process of personal transformation and, as such, requires longitudinal, historical assessment.

How to managing and evaluating the learning achievement is a high level problem and not affected by technique improvement. So, it is always a challenge in mobile learning. C. Assessing mobile equipments The learning procedure, context and affection of mobile learning often limited by mobile devices, such as display size limited by their displayers, using time limited by battery lives, all of which affect their usability practices. As the focus of research shifts from the mobility of the technology to the mobility of the learner, additional issues arise at learners move across multiple devices, possibly over short time periods in multiple locations. Assessing the usability of the mobile technology and the effectiveness of its integration with the mobile learning practice remains a high priority for evaluation. Thus, mobile HCI challenges stemming from the complexity introduced by physical movement and changing variables [11] and the small scale and ubiquitous nature of mobile devices [12], add to the challenges already facing mobile learning evaluation. This challenge could be the easiest one to solved comparison with previous two challenges. The mobile device is improved so quickly. Now, we have mobile phone with Windows Mobile 7, Android, iOS. Mobile device become more and more powerful. The powerful device can elaborate their potential in 4G LTE to meet the most critical requirements. IV.
CONCLUSION

and learners have higher request. Managing and evaluating the learning achievement is always a challenge in any learning method especially in mobile learning. Assessing mobile equipments is a easiest challenge that thanks the manufactures. REFERENCES
[1] "Guidelines for learning/teaching/tutoring in a mobile environment". MOBIlearn. October 2003. pp. 6. Retrieved June 8, 2009 [2] Gayeski, D., Learning Unplugged: Using Mobile Technologies for Organizational Training and Performance Improvement, AMACOM, New York, 2002. [3] Rumney, Moray. "3GPP LTE: Introducing Single-Carrier FDMA". Agilent Technologies.. [4] Chi-Hong Leung; Yuen-Yan Chan; , "Mobile learning: a new paradigm in electronic learning," Advanced Learning Technologies, 2003. Proceedings. The 3rd IEEE International Conference on , vol., no., pp. 76- 80, 9-11 July 2003 [5] Vavoula, G., Sharples, M.: Challenges in evaluating mobile learning. In: Proc. of the 7th World Conf. on m-Learning (2008) [6] Scriven, M. (1967). The methodology of evaluation. Perspectives of Curriculum Evaluation. R. W. Tyler, R. M. Gagne [7] Black, P. & D. Wiliam (1998a). "Assessment and Classroom Learning." Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice 5(1): 7-74. [8] Black, P. & D. Wiliam (1998b). "Inside the black box: raising standards through classroom assessment." Phi Delta appan 80: 139-148. [9] Boud, D. (1995). Assessment and learning: contradictory or complementary? Assessment for Learning in Higher Education. P. Knight. London, Kogan Page: 35-48. [10] Griffin, J. & D. Symington (1998). Finding Evidence of Learning in Museum Settings. Evaluation and Visitor Research Special Interest Group Conference 'Visitors Centre Stage: Action for the Future', Canberra. [11] Kjeldskov, J. & J. Stage (2004). "New Techniques for Usability Evaluation of Mobile Systems." International Journal of HumanComputer Studies 60: 599-620. [12] Hagen, P., T. Robertson, M. Kan & K. Sadler (2005). Emerging research methods for understanding mobile technology use. CHISIG, Australia.

The innovation technique improvement always pushes society ahead. It will also be shown in 4G LTE. Mobile learning get more potential develop in 4G coming. But, the challenges must be overcome to push mobile learning progress. In the paper, three challenges are discussed and shown in 4G LTE. Capturing and realizing learning contexts give a higher requirement to designer who develop application that teachers