Implementing Web-Based Learning and Teaching Using Mobile Technology

Introduction

Technological advancements in recent years have produced major changes in the education sector. Rapid advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have produced a wide range of mobile technologies, which are changing the learning scenario by attracting new learners and providing sophisticated use of mobile devices (Viberg & Gronlund, 2012). Many educational institutions, including schools and universities, training departments and institutes for professional development simultaneously struggle for effective methods in producing pervasive learning offers. Significant effort thereby is centered on better learning technologies, as they promise to permanently reach learners by the ubiquitous presence of communication devices such as Mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants and Tablets among others (Hilderband et al., 2007).

Mobile devices have become an important part of everyday life (Baran, 2014). Improvements in mobile devices have made them appropriate for learning also; mobile technologies have promoted a new learning style known as mobile learning, which is the use of mobile or wireless devices for the purpose of learning while on the move (Park, 2011). Schepman et al. (2012) defines m-learning as any kind of learning that occurs when the learner is not in a fixed place, or when he/she takes advantage of learning opportunities provided by mobile devices, thereby relating technological and mobility concepts. Mobile learning is not only the use of mobile technology to support learning. It is also accompanied with an emphasis on teaching and learning tasks to enrich learning methods. According to Yazhen and Jian (2011), it involves connectivity for downloading and/or online working via wireless networks, mobile phone networks or both, and linking to institutional systems like Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and Management Information Systems (MIS). The portability of mobile devices and their ability to connect to the Internet for a relatively low cost almost anywhere, make such devices ideal tools for storage of learning experiences and reference materials as well as a general tool to enhance learning process (Casany et al., 2012). Mobile learning can be used in different ways such as live talks and lectures broadcasted to students. While the instructor is presenting a talk, students can watch this on their phones, or MP3. Learners can create a digital video library of various clips that they may access or create on their own. They may also choose to exhibit their work online for access by others. Furthermore, archives of talks, lectures, and presentations can be created for students to later watch at their own time either online or via their portable devices. The benefits and features of m-learning extend its applicability from distance education to supplementary aid for conventional classroom learning (AL-Mukhtar & Sami, 2014). The role of new mobile technologies is to facilitate and promote learning, encourage alternatives through the acquisition of knowledge, the desire to discover, find, understand and assimilate the concepts and ideas to shape an appropriate educational system (Pal et al., 2013).

Researchers are making concerted efforts to develop systems that can easily deliver contents on mobile phones. Many are geared towards exploiting the use of mobile technologies in formal education. For instance, Adagunodo et al. (2009) and Awodele et al.(2009) focused on delivering examination results via mobile devices. In addition, Ng et al.(2011) provided collaborative m-learning; Garcia et al.(2011) tried to adapt educational contents to mobile devices and Ahmed et al. (2012) provided supplement to courses. Boticki et al. (2013) proposed the design of a platform that supports content-independent collaborative mobile learning in the classroom, while Jones et al.(2013) examined the dimensions for considering investigating support for inquiries in informal or semiformal settings. Hence, there is the need to maximize the use of mobile technology in delivering contents, thus, bringing up the idea of designing a system that uses mobile technology in delivering e-learning contents and results.