Assignment Topic

Types and Advantages of Mobile Learning

Submitted by
Saima Mustafa

Submitted To
Doctor Asif

Subject
Sociolinguistics
What Is Mobile Learning?
Mobile learning is very prevalent in the current scenario. Mobile learning is also known
as m-Learning and is a new way to get access to a variety of content available online
through the use of a mobile. Mobile learning is the easiest way for students to get help.
Many schools and colleges are supporting the concept of eLearning and mobile
learning. They distribute mobile phones and laptops to students and encourage them to
use them for educational purposes. Although mobile learning may be fun for the children
if it’s used in the right way, it can be very beneficial for the students and adults.
There are many educational apps available online, and they are also gaining huge
popularity among the school and college students. It is even useful for
teachers/professors/instructors, they can learn a topic or provide notes, examples, and also
refer these apps to the students when or if needed.
Types of Mobile Learning
Mobile learning apps can be classified into:
1. Workplace learning apps\
2. Skill building apps
3. Educational apps
4. Hobby apps
1. For Workplace Learning :
The apps which are used for workplace learning focus on improving the productivity of
the employees. Organization makes this mandatory for the employees to learn and train
themselves using the workplace learning apps.
Some of the examples of Workplace learning apps are :
• Udemy
• Lynda
• Google Primer
• Evernote
2. Skill Building apps
Skill building apps help the learners to build certain skills based on the particular area of
interest. It can be a new topic of interest for the learner or a new area which the learner
want to explore.
For example, if you want to learn a new skill like learning a new language, there are
various popular language learning apps such as Duolingo
Some of the examples of Skill building apps are :
• Learn Python
• Programming Hub
• Space Nation Navigation
• Linkedin Learning
• Duolingo
3. Education apps for K – 12 classrooms
The present day education market is witnessing the rise of various Educational apps
which is helping the learners to educate themselves on particular academic topics and
subjects. These apps are widely used from Pre schooling to college graduation and where
the learner is able to use the app for various academic learning. Some of these apps to
prepare for entrance exams as well. As these apps are portable in nature it can be easily
accessed from classroom and even at home thus making it convenient for the learner to
learn at any time.
Some of the popular educational apps are :
• Daily Rounds
• Edx
• Khan Academy
4. For Hobbies
Hobbies applications are the applications which are used by the users to explore
something and to pursue their passion. It might be learning a musical instrument, or
learning how to dance, learning how to paint and a host of other hobbies, which one could
learn with the help of these apps. As these works on handheld devices across multiple
platforms it gives the power to the user to learn the hobbies at his spare time. These apps
are designed in a manner to give a lot of practice to the learners and allowing them a
complete freedom to learn what they want and how they want.
• Sketch Book – Draw and Paint
• Pocket Salsa
• Amazon Kindle
Why Use Mobile Devices For Learning?
Most mobile devices are useful in education as administration, organization and
teaching aids for practitioners, and also as learning support tools for learners. Here are
some of the main benefits:
 Learners can interact with each other and with the practitioner instead of hiding behind
large monitors.
 It's much easier to accommodate several mobile devices in a classroom than several
desktop computers.
 PDAs or tablets holding notes and e-books are lighter and less bulky than bags full of
files, paper and textbooks, or even laptops.
 Handwriting with the stylus pen is more intuitive than using keyboard and mouse. \
 It's possible to share assignments and work collaboratively; learners and practitioners
can e-mail, cut, copy and paste text, pass the device around a group, or 'beam'? the work
to each other using the infrared function of a PDA or a wireless network such as
Bluetooth.
 Mobile devices can be used anywhere, anytime, including at home, on the train, in
hotels - this is invaluable for work-based training.
 These devices engage learners - young people who may have lost interest in education -
like mobile phones, gadgets and games devices such as Nintendo DS or Playstation
Portable.
 This technology may contribute to combating the digital divide, as this equipment (for
example PDAs) is generally cheaper than desktop computers.
What can we do with m-learning?
1. Access documets or document libraries
2. Access quizes and self-assessment as question or games
3. Prticipate in lessons and tutorials
4. Receive lectures archived or broacasted live
5. Access to video clip or audio libraries
6. Read asynchronous postings
7. Exhibit student work
8. Participate in virtual learning communities on the go
Advantages of Mobile Learning
Mobile learning is very popular and in the past few years, its use has increased
extensively. Mentioned below are 5 advantages of mobile learning and why it should be
used:
Anytime And Anywhere Learning
One of the immediate advantages of mobile learning is that students are not confined to a
classroom or a set schedule to be able to learn. Neither are teachers! Mobile learning
means that students are able to log into classrooms at their convenience to go through
course materials or take a test. Similarly, teachers are able to communicate on the go with
students to clear their doubts, administer tests, or even communicate with a student’s
parents about their child’s progress.
This all-round, anytime and anywhere accessibility means that learning is not confined to
a physical location or a specific time. Instead, students can learn on the go at a pace that
works for them. This results in students engaging voluntarily on their own terms – which
means that they feel empowered by the learning process instead of it just being another
day in school.
Covers a huge distance
The main benefit of mobile learning is that it covers a huge distance, so even if you are in
Canberra, Australia or in California, United States of America, you can access the same
content or tests at the same or different times. Distance is not an issue in mobile learning.

Variety of content
A lot of content is present online. Due to its huge variety, it becomes very easy for people
to access it; and also, a huge amount of people from different corners of the world can
access it for different topics or related to different subjects.
Encourages students
There are many educational apps that use online quizzes to keep track of your progress
(daily, weekly or monthly, depending on firm to firm). The study is presented in such a
way that it attracts the students; hence, there are game quizzes that encourage students to
perform better from their previous score.
Tests your knowledge
As discussed in the above point, online quizzes are made and solving these quizzes,
puzzles or riddles helps you expand your knowledge. Apart from just study material,
there are different types of other quizzes, puzzles, multiple-choice questions, etc. that are
available on the internet; playing these games you can test your knowledge and even
increase your IQ level.
Digital-First Thinking
The current workforce comprises a large swathe of Millennials. These are employees who
have grown up around technology and are used to using it in their everyday life. They are
comfortable with engaging with digital devices, mediums, and platforms to make their
work easier and better. Why should this not start at school? Mobile learning is tailored to
the way Millennials work and think. It makes learning more accessible for them and
prepares them to enter the workforce ready for the real world.
Mobile learning is at the heart of embracing a forward-thinking, digital-first approach to
life. It ensures that students who engage in mobile learning are ready for the real world
and are able to cope with it better than Luddites who are scared of technology.
Dynamic Teaching Methodologies
Mobile learning is extremely friendly to newer and modern teaching methodologies. It is
extremely friendly towards visual learning, since it so easily supports audio, video, and
images. This means that content built for mobile learning is inherently dynamic. These
fast-paced, visually engaging graphics have been found to be more engaging for students
in a classroom – it keeps their attention and conveys course material in an effective
fashion.
Mobile learning also allows for more modern teaching methodologies like the use of
dynamic content and experiential learning to be implemented more easily in the
classroom. This means that classrooms are experiencing cutting-edge teaching instead of
relying on old and outmoded teaching methods that might not be as effective – all thanks
to mobile learning.
Personalisation Of Learning
One of the best things about mobile learning is its flexibility. Teachers and students are
able to learn on the go and at their own pace. Different types of teaching methods and
dynamic material can be used to great effect. All this flexibility means that mobile
learning is perfect for personalising learning. Personalised learning means that students
are able to use their personal mobile learning devices to access course materials, test,
content, etc that have been tailored to their taste and abilities.
Advantages of Mobile learning in Language Class Room
The literal growth of tablet and smartphone screens has allowed these mobile devices to
be perfectly comfortable for students to access their lessons from them. Its widespread
use is another factor that has democratized its use in education.
 Able to facilitate a personalized study
Unlike the rigidity of books, the experience of a digital course through an educational
platform, accessible through mobile devices, offers several degrees of personalization.
From the one that provides teachers (reorganize the agenda, add new multimedia
elements …) to the one offered to the students with the customization of the work area.
 Access always available
The close relationship and the high use that is made of these devices facilitates access to
the contents of e-learning language courses anywhere at any time and without internet
connection, thanks to the pre-downloadable content of Dexway language courses.
 Mobile learning favors linguistic immersion
With the apps of language courses, a total linguistic immersion can be achieved. Students
can access their courses at any time and if they offer them a variety of options, they will
use them not only for exercises but to listen to audios, watch videos, read books or
magazines, karaoke or for fun activities such as letter soups or crossword puzzles.
 
Immediate interaction between students and teachers
While studying a lesson or doing exercises, questions may arise. If they do not arise at
that moment, then you can forget to treat them in class which become deficits that
drag. Mobile learning facilitates immediate communication between students and
teachers, sometimes even live when online tutorials are established. The ease of being
able to send a message from the same course at any time encourages students to ask
questions, which may well be answered by the platform or reviewed in class for the
benefit of the rest of the class.
If it is a self-formative course, it reinforces the relationship between students and
tutors and allows students to contact within the course, without using other tools.
Eliminate barriers to make schedules more flexible
If a person does not find an education center that fits their schedule, they cannot study
languages. For that person, mobile learning is an alternative access for online self-
education in the most direct, simple and effective way. In addition, the contents are
always ready for use in their mobile phone. This allows you to study at any free time you
have, without having to carry any materials (such as a long ride by subway).
 Greater variety of content provides higher quality of teaching
M-learning allows any format to be played on mobile devices; audio, videos, links,
interactive exercises, PDF readings … A greater variety of materials with a course is
formed, and a higher quality of an educational experience. This translates into more
satisfied students, who acquire more complete knowledge and who maintain their interest
from the beginning to the end of the course.
 Digital backpack
In the case of educational centers, the use of mobile learning in the classrooms
contributes to creating the so-called digital backpacks, which frees students from the
heavy burden of books. Online language courses contain lessons, practical exercises,
flashcards and even a dictionary in your application.