Abstract
In 1972, Alan Kay developed the concept of a handheld multimedia computer that was intended as a mobile device for learning. Since that early conception, scholars, such as Traxler, Sharples, and Soloway are the pioneering scholars who have paved the way to a better understanding of the philosophical, pedagogical, and conceptual underpinnings of mobile learning today. In this article, an overview is provided to explicate the initial foundations of this emerging field. Next, current scientific knowledge is delineated with explicit references to the early scholars. This article concludes with a preview of the future research directions in mobile learning.
TopOverview
In 1972, Alan Kay developed the concept of a handheld multimedia computer that was intended as a mobile device for learning. Since that early conception, scholars, such as Traxler, Sharples, and Soloway are the pioneering scholars who have paved the way to a better understanding of the philosophical, pedagogical, and conceptual underpinnings of mobile learning today. Kay began with the initial idea of a portable device for learning. Traxler, Sharples and colleagues have explored the emerging theoretical frameworks of mobile learning to provide us with a better understanding of this field. Soloway and Norris have focused their work on how the affordances of mobile learning can extend traditional classroom pedagogies.
Key Terms in this Chapter
User Generated Content/Information: This term is used to describe content/information created by consumers or end –users, such as video, digital images, audio files, and blogs.
Personal Computers: Another term typically used to describe mobile devices.
Mobile Learning: Mobile learning is defined as “learning across multiple contexts, through social and content interactions, using personal electronic devices” (Crompton, 2013 AU65: The citation "Crompton, 2013" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. , p. 4).