2009 Seventh ACIS International Conference on Software Engineering Research, Management and Applications
Mobile Learning Applied Research Based on 3G Technology
Li Zhuang
Department of Computer Science, QiongZhou
University
Sanya, China
hitlz@163.com
Abstract—China has entered the 3G era, this paper
introduces the concept and function of 3G technology, analysis
the characteristics of mobile learning. 3G technology has rich
characteristics, which can be used for M-learning. When the
3G technology are applied in mobile learning, mobile learning
will have new identities.
Keywords-3G, M-learning, study mode
ĉ. INTRODUCTION
3G is the third generation mobile communication. The
third generation mobile communication system can provide
a variety of broadband services, comparing to previous two
generations, the main difference is data transmission speed,
the data transmission speed of the third generation is
upgraded greatly. 3G has a higher transmission speed, fast
image processing and audio-visual and multimedia forms.
User can hear voice more clearly, see image more fluent and
browse the Web more conveniently and quickly. In mobile
learning, the broadband information provided by 3G main in
the following areas:
(1) Mobile Internet: 3G technology integrate wired Internet
with mobile communication network, wired Internet can not
mobile, mobile Internet make up the disadvantage of wired
Internet, which break the space limitations to the learners, as
long as there is signal coverage area, learners will be able to
learn through the 3G network. Making use of 3G technology,
regardless of where the learners are, they can access mobile
Internet, using the mass of educational resources in Internet.
(2)Audio and video teaching: the development of mobile
teaching can not be separated from the real-time teaching
and real-time interaction. In 2G era, real-time teaching and
using wireless to transmit a large number of audio and video
are impossible, which brings a lot of constraints for real-
time teaching. Between students and teachers are usually
only can hear the sound of a person, but can not see the
person, real-time teaching at a low level, it has become the
bottleneck of the development of mobile learning. 3G
technology provides voice and video services, the learner
can watch lectures in real-time online classroom, teachers
can teach online and through the way of video-conferencing
and image to exchange, which enhanced the interaction of
teaching and learning greatly.
Supported by Natural Science Foundation of
Province(609006)
978-0-7695-3903-4/09 $26.00 © 2009 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/SERA.2009.39
Authorized licensed use limited to: Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira. Downloaded on December 03,2020 at 23:58:55 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
Chen Xiaoyan,DuYan
Department of Computer Science, QiongZhou
University
Sanya, China
xiaoyan0205@126.com
(3) Multimedia services: multimedia services include short
message service, multimedia message service, wireless
video-on-demand business, wap browser and interactive
games and so on, which provide wireless mobile devices for
learners, and allow learners accessing a wide range of
learning resources and learning services.
Ċ. M-LEARNING AND CHARACTERISTICS
A.The concept of M-learning
Mobile learning (M-learning) is a new mode of learning,
it emerges after e-learning. Mobile learning depends on
mobile communication technology and mobile
communication terminal, as long as learners access wireless
network, learners can study at anytime and anywhere.
Mobile learning has the characteristic of interactive,
convenient, and real-time, so M-learning has a wide range of
applications. M-learning integrates mobile communication
with education, it breaks the shackles of wired connection,
learners can study according to their needs, anytime,
anywhere access to any network of educational resources,
enhance the efficiency of learning and working, mobilize the
learner's interests in learning. There are several M-learning
devices, figure1 shows the basic devices of M-learning.
Figure1. The basic equipments of M-learning
B .The characteristics of M-learning at this stage
˄1˅Local resources are limited
Learners are affected by factors, for example: mobile
device storage capacity, price, network bandwidth. At the
same time, the resources on mobile devices are limited, early
storage capacity is only between128 MB ~ 512 MB, can only
Hainan store a small amount of text messaging and video and audio
information. But the study resources download from network
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are text form, video and audio stream can not be uploaded
and downloaded fluently, which impact the abundance of
local study resources. The development of multimedia digital
resources, learners need mass storage devices and high-speed
download network.
˄2˅Learning content based on text
In M-learning process, learners study through receiving
SMS, visting website. The performances of the teaching
contents are very single, some study contents can not be
presented well, mobile study contents are limited. If we can
overcome the limitations of the speed of network
transmission, transmit video and audio stream fluently,
enrich the way of study contents, the scope of M-learning
will be enlarged greatly, at the same time, the learning
outcomes will be improved.
˄3˅The separation of teachers and students in mobile
environment
Make use of mobile devices, people can access wireless
network to study in any environment, people can begin to
study in Subway, the bus station, and even before they go to
bed, as long as they have a short time, they can study. This
approach of learning causes the separation between teachers
and students. Therefore, how to ensure the quality of
communication in different environment, avoid
communication barriers caused by environment factors, so
that mobile learning can be fluently in different environment,
which has becoming the most pressing problem.
˄4˅The interactive way of teacher-student affects study
effects
In mobile learning, the teachers and students are in
different environment, they are unable to communicate face
to face. How to ensure the quality of communication
between teachers and students, convey feedback to learners
in a short time, improve the effects of study, which become
the important problems in the process of mobile learning.
Seeing from domestic research status, mobile learning is
limited by the network bandwidth, the main ways of study
are SMSǃmobile instant messaging tool, e-mail, BBS and
other forms of communication. The way of communication
is single, learners are unable to see and hear each other,
which affect the effects of communication. Therefore,
improving the network bandwidth, enriching the way of
communication between teachers and students has become
very necessary.
ċ. M-LEARNING BASED ON 3G TECHNOLOGY
3G technology has rich characteristics, which can be
used for M-learning. When the 3G technology are applied in
mobile learning, mobile learning will have new identities. At
present, the M-learning models based on 3G network have
three kinds: M-learning model based on 3G multimedia short
message services, the model based on the 3G mobile video
service, the model based on the 3G wireless network services,
such as WAP browser for mobile learning. In these learning
models, the new changes brought by 3G technology are
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incarnated, at the same time, brought the new function
modules for M-learning.
A. The application of 3G technology in M-learning
3G is used for mobile learning, it can as a tool to
improve the attention to education, assigning more resource
for education, cultivating more talented person. 3 G
provides various broadband information businesses will
make mobile education system to provide more convenient
service for a user, its application shows as follow:
(1) Mobile resource
Teachers can collect the experiment, plotting, sound,
portrait and large amount of data from Internet, searches out
required material, making use of again, process to required
class of teaching resource, build the various data base on the
school education platform. Because of 3 G data transmission
rates are very high, students can collect required contents by
mobile network, such as the emphases, difficulties and
general problems of course. Students can query various
problems and not be restricted by time and place.
(2) Mobile discussion and bbs
The BBS users can query the title and content of bbs by
mobile telephone, can publish papers by mobile telephone,
can make use of hyper text connection way to make users
discuss the problems they are interested in. This discussion
can be celebrated at anytime, anywhere, the exchanges
between teacher and teacher, teacher and student, student and
student have increased greatly. Students not only can
communicate with teachers in school, but also can
communicate with famous expert of home and abroad.
(3) Providing mobile net
Mobile Internet is a network that integrate wired
Internet ,mobile communication net , it include wired
Internet , wireless connection and nimble terminal mainly.
Wired Internet is Internet; Wireless connection is the
network being composed of wireless module; The nimble
terminal points to the end instrument having terminal
treatment ability. Compared with wired Internet, mobile
Internet has made up the shortcoming that wired Internet not
able to move. Mobile Internet being able to contact every
person in school ,it has broken close learning space, making
students get a space that can develop their individuality,
classroom has been expanded by boundless field in theory.
As long as places are coveraged by the communicating
signal, can actualize mobile teaching. Mobile users use
wireless terminal to connect Internet, visit teaching server
and browse, query, real time alternation, similar to general
Internet users.
(4) Mobile multimedia
Multimedia has gathered two kinds or more than two
kinds mediums module, such as voice, data, image, video.
In 3 G system, can actualize data, video multimedia
communication between end users, which make “face-to-
face” communication at mobile telephone, teacher can guide
them to study. In addition to watch the lecture, students are
able to use 3G mobile telephone to handle equipment, use
mobile telephone to carry out surveillance and control.
B. The mode of M-learning based on 3G technology
3G technology brings the new function modules for
M-learning, enriching the functionality of M-learning. These
modules include the communities of mobile exchange,
mobile video and audio course room, mobile mass resource
storeroom.
(1) Mobile interactive video platform
Make use of 3G video services, we can achieve video
conference, video blog, video communities. Video
conferencing can be used for the group discussion in mobile
learning, when the study group or class of virtual exchange
activities, the adoption of mobile video will be meeting to
see and hear all of the real-time situation to express their
views. When Video blog for mobile learning, learners will
learn not only through text study and experience of the
virtual partners, but also through visual content,
understanding the virtual partners profoundly. The
emergence of mobile video community, the learners can
make use of 3G network to create a virtual forum, to share
information and to discuss issues.
(2) Mobile video and audio rooms
With the development of 3G technology, download video
and audio streaming have become easy in mobile
environment, the phenomena of transmission delay has
disappeared. Mobile learners can play the video and audio
streaming fluently even in the high-speed train. Mobile video
and audio classroom will become an important part of
mobile learning. anytime, anywhere becoming possibility.
Supposed that student can see teacher’s course not in
classroom, can carry out exchange through their computer
or PDA.
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(3) Mobile mass resource storeroom
As the capacity of M-learning devices are increased,
lower prices, and the 3G networks of the substantial increase
in speed, mobile learners will carry massive resources at any
time, they can view multimedia resources at any time, and
search the vast resources of the required material from the
Internet, they can become knowledgeable person easily.
Č. CONCLUSION
3G technology brings a lot of convenience for people’s
lives, applying 3G technology to mobile learning, which
avoid the disadvantage of traditional study way, enhance the
efficiency of learning greatly. M-learning based on 3G
technology has becoming a convenient rapid study way, Its
advantages, becoming an important study way, and it has
broad application prospect.Therefore, M-learning based on
3G technology is very meaningful and necessary.
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