1. Technical and design issues in implementation Dr. Mohamed Ally Director and Professor Centre for Distance Education Athabasca University Canada New Zealand Presentation January 2010

2. Examples of Educational Activities using Mobile Technology Make a concept map summarizing a chapter Make a concept map summarizing a chapter Keep track of class schedules, assignments, and grades Keep track of class schedules, assignments, and grades Increase content accessibility for those with disabilities Increase content accessibility for those with disabilities Use a tutorial for self-study Use a tutorial for self-study Take part in a collaborative simulation Take part in a collaborative simulation Do research on the web Do research on the web Participate in a collaborative project Participate in a collaborative project Track a community service learning project Track a community service learning project

3. How mobile technology help in Education Education is more than one way delivery of information Education is more than one way delivery of information Interactive Interactive Support Support Practice Practice Practical application Practical application Build learning communities Build learning communities

4. Interactivity in Learning Object interactivity (proactive inquiry) - objects (buttons, people, things) are activated by using a keypad or other pointing device. Object interactivity (proactive inquiry) - objects (buttons, people, things) are activated by using a keypad or other pointing device. Linear interactivity (reactive pacing) - the user is able to move (forwards or backwards) through a predetermined linear sequence. Linear interactivity (reactive pacing) - the user is able to move (forwards or backwards) through a predetermined linear sequence. Support interactivity (reactive inquiry) - generalized and context-sensitive support (help messages and tutorial supports). Support interactivity (reactive inquiry) - generalized and context-sensitive support (help messages and tutorial supports).

5. Interactivity (contd) Update Interactivity - individual application components or events in which a dialogue is initiated between the learner and mobile- generated content (practice with feedback) Update Interactivity - individual application components or events in which a dialogue is initiated between the learner and mobile- generated content (practice with feedback) Construct Interactivity - the creation of an instructional environment in which the learner is required to manipulate component objects to achieve specific goals (assemble an apparatus). Construct Interactivity - the creation of an instructional environment in which the learner is required to manipulate component objects to achieve specific goals (assemble an apparatus). Reflective Interactivity - text responses to prompts or questions where learners can reflect on their response and make their own judgment as to its accuracy or correctness. Reflective Interactivity - text responses to prompts or questions where learners can reflect on their response and make their own judgment as to its accuracy or correctness.

6. Interactivity (contd) Simulation Interactivity - extends the role of the learner to that of controller or operator, where individual selections determine the learning sequence. Simulation Interactivity - extends the role of the learner to that of controller or operator, where individual selections determine the learning sequence. Hyperlinked Interactivity (proactive navigation) - the learner has access to a wealth of information, and may "travel" at will through that knowledge base. Hyperlinked Interactivity (proactive navigation) - the learner has access to a wealth of information, and may "travel" at will through that knowledge base.

7. Interactivity (contd) Non-Immersive Contextual Interactivity - extends the various interactive levels into a complete virtual learning environment (mutual elaboration) in which the learner is able to work in a meaningful, job-related context. Non-Immersive Contextual Interactivity - extends the various interactive levels into a complete virtual learning environment (mutual elaboration) in which the learner is able to work in a meaningful, job-related context. Immersive Virtual Interactivity - provides an interactive environment in which the learner is projected into a complete mobile- generated world which responds to individual movement and actions. Immersive Virtual Interactivity - provides an interactive environment in which the learner is projected into a complete mobile- generated world which responds to individual movement and actions.

8. Why Mobile Learning at Athabasca University Course material accessible on mobile devices. Course material accessible on mobile devices. Need to find out if this was meeting student requirements. Need to find out if this was meeting student requirements. The purpose of this study was to determine the devices being used by students, their experience with course materials access, and how useful they thought using mobile devices to access course materials was. The purpose of this study was to determine the devices being used by students, their experience with course materials access, and how useful they thought using mobile devices to access course materials was.

9. Delivering to Specific Devices Device detection had been problematic because new devices and mobile OSs and browsers were constantly coming on stream. Device detection had been problematic because new devices and mobile OSs and browsers were constantly coming on stream. Created problems for the device detection scheme used to determine the mobile device: Created problems for the device detection scheme used to determine the mobile device: String user_agent = request.getHeader("user-agent"); Changed to JavaScript to determine screen real estate: Changed to JavaScript to determine screen real estate: if (screen.width >= 800) { document.write(' ….. document.write(' …..

10. Stylesheet Delivery If the screen size is >= 800, delivers the full stylesheet If screen size < 800, delivers style sheet meant for mobile device

11. Multimedia Displays Device detection also implemented for applets, flash, large graphics, etc. Delivery of alternate graphics to mobile devices

12. Research Project Intelligent Agent to Adapt Course Materials for Mobile Learners

13. In mobile learning students use mobile devices to access course materials; however, these devices operate in different ways and have different capabilities In mobile learning students use mobile devices to access course materials; however, these devices operate in different ways and have different capabilities Need a system to identify the device so course material to be delivered in heterogeneous computing platforms Need a system to identify the device so course material to be delivered in heterogeneous computing platforms

14. This project developed an intelligent software agent capable of adapting to the heterogeneous mobile computing environment. This project developed an intelligent software agent capable of adapting to the heterogeneous mobile computing environment.

15. Agent Characteristics The agent can search for a conversion tool according to the desired format and convert the course materials automatically. The agent can search for a conversion tool according to the desired format and convert the course materials automatically. The agent is able to understand mobile clients capabilities. The agent is able to understand mobile clients capabilities.

16. Process Jena as an RDF (Resource Description Framework) parser was used to obtain the device information, providing a query language called Resource Description Query Language (RDQL, 2005) to query for device information. Jena as an RDF (Resource Description Framework) parser was used to obtain the device information, providing a query language called Resource Description Query Language (RDQL, 2005) to query for device information. Sun's Wireless Toolkit and PalmOS Emulator were used as the testing environment. Sun's Wireless Toolkit and PalmOS Emulator were used as the testing environment. An open and service-oriented architecture was used to develop the agent and open application interfaces to enable interaction and integration seamlessly between learning objects repository, course repository, and learning services. An open and service-oriented architecture was used to develop the agent and open application interfaces to enable interaction and integration seamlessly between learning objects repository, course repository, and learning services.

17. Design Considerations Software Portability. A Java-based cross-platform software framework is one of the most important features in this project. Software Portability. A Java-based cross-platform software framework is one of the most important features in this project. Limited Computing Power and Memory Consumption. We designed computing intensive tasks to execute on the server side. The portable computing devices act as a thin client. Limited Computing Power and Memory Consumption. We designed computing intensive tasks to execute on the server side. The portable computing devices act as a thin client. Display Properties. The system provides support for different devices by separating the presentation layer from the data content. A number of different devices can be supported without the need of modifying programming logic and data content. Display Properties. The system provides support for different devices by separating the presentation layer from the data content. A number of different devices can be supported without the need of modifying programming logic and data content.

18. Design Flexibility and Scalability. The system is designed in a distributed architecture that prevents a single point of failure, improves structural scalability and performance. Design Flexibility and Scalability. The system is designed in a distributed architecture that prevents a single point of failure, improves structural scalability and performance. Caching to Save on Limited Resources. With the support of the caching design, users can read the cached course notes on the device to avoid additional downloads. Caching to Save on Limited Resources. With the support of the caching design, users can read the cached course notes on the device to avoid additional downloads. Software Agent Support. Software agents can be used to facilitate automated routine tasks, residing in both the client device and the server environment. Software Agent Support. Software agents can be used to facilitate automated routine tasks, residing in both the client device and the server environment.

19. The overall architectural diagram

20. Activity Diagram: Client Server Negotiation

21. Questions for the Component Attribute Criteria

22. Steps in the Device Recognition The server agent will try to recognize the device by its vendor and device names. If the server agent cannot find that device directly from the database, it will try to recognize the device by the component attributes. The server agent will try to recognize the device by its vendor and device names. If the server agent cannot find that device directly from the database, it will try to recognize the device by the component attributes.

23. What is Next? Mobile Libraries Mobile Libraries Mobile social software Mobile social software Personal learning spaces Personal learning spaces LMS integration (Moodle) LMS integration (Moodle) Student modeling and adaptive learning Student modeling and adaptive learning

24. Conclusion Must deliver courses on a variety of technology Must deliver courses on a variety of technology Cater for the younger generations Cater for the younger generations Improve access with mobile learning Improve access with mobile learning Reach out to the indigenous and remote people Reach out to the indigenous and remote people