INTRODUCTION
Mobile voice communication is widely established
throughout the world and has had a very rapid increase in the number of
subscribers to the various cellular networks over the last few years. An
extension of this technology is the ability to send and receive data across
these cellular networks. This is the principle of mobile computing. A
technology that allows transmission of data, via a computer, without having to
be connected to a fixed physical link is Mobile Computing.
Mobile Computing is a variety of wireless devices that has
the mobility to allow people to connect to the internet, providing wireless
transmission to access data and information from where ever location they may
be. Mobile computing has three aspects:
1Mobile communication-- The first aspect addresses
communication issues in ad-hoc and infrastructure networks as well as
communication properties, protocols, data formats and concrete technologies.
2 Mobile
hardware - The second
aspect is on the hardware, e.g., mobile devices or device components.
3 Mobile
software The third aspect deals with the characteristics and requirements
of mobile applications.
MOBILE DETA COMMUNICATION-
Mobile data
communication has become a very important and rapidly evolving technology as it
allows users to transmit data from remote locations to other remote or fixed
locations. This proves to be the solution to the biggest problem of business
people on the move - mobility. Wireless data
connections used in mobile computing take 3 General forms-- Cellular data service uses technologies such as
*GSM
*CDM or GORS
*CDM or GORS
*3G Net work
(like WCDMA, EDGE or CDMA2000
These
networks are usually available within range of commercial cell towers. Wi-Fi connections offer higher performance, may be either on a private business
network or accessed through public Hotspot,
and have a typical range of 100 feet indoors and up to 1000 feet outdoors. Satellite Connection Access covers areas where cellular and Wi-Fi are
not available and may be set up anywhere the user has a line of sight to the satellite's location, The
introduction of mobility in data communications required a move from the Public
Switched Data Network (PSDN) to other networks like the ones used by mobile
phones. PCSI has come up with an idea called CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet
Data) technology which uses the existing mobile network (frequencies used for
mobile telephony).
Mobility implemented in
data communications has a significant difference compared to voice
communications. Mobile phones allow the user to move around and talk at the
same time; the loss of the connection for 400ms during the hand over is
undetectable by the user. When it comes to data, 400ms is not only detectable
but causes huge distortion to the message. Therefore data can be transmitted
from a mobile station under the assumption that it remains stable or within the
same cell.
EXISTING CELLULAR NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
Mobile
telephony took off with the introduction of cellular technology which allowed
the efficient utilisation of frequencies enabling the connection of a large
number of users. During the 1980's analogue technology was used. Among the most
well known systems were the NMT900 and 450 (Nordic Mobile Telephone) and the
AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service). In the 1990's the digital cellular
technology was introduced with GSM (Global System Mobile) being the most widely
accepted system around the world. Other such systems are the DCS1800 (Digital
Communication System) and the PCS1900 (Personal Communication System).A
cellular network consists of mobile units linked together to switching
equipment, which interconnect the different parts of the network and allow
access to the fixed Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The technology is
hidden from view; it's incorporated in a number of tranceivers called Base
Stations (BS). Every BS is located at a strategically selected place and covers
a given area or cell - hence the name cellular
communications. A number of adjacent cells grouped together form an area and the corresponding BSs
communicate through a so called Mobile Switching Centre (MSC). The MSC is the
heart of a cellular radio system. It is responsible for routing, or switching, calls from the originator
to the destinator. It can be thought of managing the cell, being responsible
for set-up, routing control and termination of the call, for management of
inter-MSC hand over and supplementary services, and for collecting charging and
accounting information.
DISTANCE
EDUCATION AND MOBILE COMPUTING-
According to Quinn ( 2000)‘Mobile learning is learning
through mobile computational devices.’ Shepherd ( 2001) M- learning is not just
electronic , it’s mobile.The evolution in education and training at a distance
can be characterized as a move from d-learning to e-learning to m- learning. These
three stages of development correspond to the influence on society of
the industrial revolution of the 18th to 19th centuries,the electronic
revaluation of the 1980’s and the wirelessrevolution of the last years of 20th
century and now its mole revaluation. E learning is the state of the art in
distance learning at the time of writing.Mobile learning seeks to put in place
a new virtual learning environment for the future which might berepresented
thus. This will be followed by the mid2000’s by the introduction of voice input
and voicerecognition into wireless devices to create a more userfriendly environment
for learners.A first step in postulating a theory of mobile learning is to
distinguish what is special about mobile learning compared to other types of
learning activity..
Kynaslahti (2003) identifies three different elements for
mobility and all of these are valuable to teachers and students while they are
teaching and learning –Teachers are able to work anywhere even if that requires
access to the Internet or a connection to others kind of electronic environment
But the definition of mobile learning the focus should be on mobility. M
learning should be restricted to learning on devices which a lady can carry in
her handbag or a gentleman can carry in his pocket. So It is define mobile
learning as “ the provision of education and training on PDA’s/ palmtops/smart
phone and mobile phone.
THE FAILURE OF MOBILE COMPUTING-
When one is discussing the question of the incorporation of
mobile learning into main stream education and training it is important to
realize that these projects were projects. That is, they were research
undertakings to set out the first building blocks of a new sector of education
and training provision. The problem is that wireless applications are being
developed for wireless devices for all walks of life. Learning and training do
not seem to be high on the list of applications that are receiving attention
today. Isn’t it strange that all higher and further education institutions
today have frequent needs for providing information to their students about
timetable changes, assessment deadlines, feedback from tutors and other urgent
administrative details? Nearly all of these students carry a sophisticated
communications device which they use constantly in all walks of life except in
their education or training Programme. The answer to these questions that I
have been posing
about why mobile learning has not moved from project status
into the mainstream is well known. It is that mobile learning is not seen as a
satisfactory revenue stream for the telecommunications operators. The urgent
need for mobile learning is to emerge from its fragile project status and
convince the telecommunications Operators that it represents a viable and
valuable revenue stream.
SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM-
1 A matrix for mainstream provision-
We have posed the problem of the status and acceptance of
mobile learning –we must now look for solutions to the problem. One can develop
a nine-point matrix for the use of mobile learning in mainstream education and
training. One axis is made up of the three types of devices that make up mobile
learning provision:
i PDAs
ii Smartphones
iii
Mobile phones.
The
other axis is the types of education provision that can reasonably be provided
by mobile learning:
i Mobile learning
academic administration SMSs.
ii Mobile learning
academic summaries.
iii Full modules by
mobile learning.
This
is the presentation of full courses, or full modules of courses, on mobile
devices. This gives the following nine possibilities:
1 Mobile learning
for academic administration on PDAs
2. Mobile learning for academic
administration on smartphones
3 Mobile learning for academic administration
on mobile phones
4. Mobile learning academic summaries for
PDAs
5. Mobile learning academic summaries for
smart phones.
6 Mobile learning academic summaries for mobile
phones
7. Full modules by
mobile learning for PDAs
8. Full modules by
mobile learning for smartphones
9.Full modules by mobile learning for
mobilephones.
2.Criteria for inclusion in the mainstream
There are four criteria for the inclusion of mobile
learning in mainstream education and training. These are:
i. Enrolment of mobile learning students in courses on the
institution’s official prospectus. This is essential for incorporating mobile
learning into the mainstream. If the mobile learning course is not included in
the institution’s prospectus and listed as available for student enrolment it
remains peripheral with the status of a research project in an isolated
university department and cannot be considered as part of mainstream provision.
ii Enrolment of mobile learning students into feepaying
courses. This is essential for incorporating mobile learning into the
mainstream. This is applicable to countries in which fees are payable for
enrolment in further and higher education courses.
iii.. Enrolment of mobile learning students into assessed
courses.. If the mobile learning course is not assessed with the same
procedures as other courses offered by the institution it remains peripheral
with the status of a research project and cannot be considered as part of
mainstream provision.
iv. Enrolment of mobile learning students into accredited
courses. As happened in the field of distance education and then in e-learning,
the achievement of accreditation for mobile learning is an indication that the
sector has entered into the mainstream.
3. The literature
The development of the literature of mobile learning has
high importance in the move of mobile earning into the mainstream. Mobile
learning will never emerge from its present fragile project-based status and
take its place in mainstream education and training unless it has a vibrant
literature. Deans of Faculties at universities throughout the world will never
accept the introduction of mobile learning into their courseware unless they
can verify the claims of mobile learning by consulting the research literature.
Similar initiatives are necessary for the literature of mobile learning if it
is to convince academics in universities worldwide that it is a viable form of
educational provision.
THE FUTURE OF MOBILE COMPUTING-
With
the rapid technological advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Integrated
Circuitry and increases in Computer Processor speeds, the future of mobile
computing looks increasingly exciting
With the emphasis increasingly on compact, small mobile computers, it
may also be possible to have all the practicality of a mobile computer in the
size of a hand held organizer or even smaller.
Use of Artificial
Intelligence may allow mobile units to be
the ultimate in personal secretaries, which can receive emails and paging
messages, understand what they are about, and change the individuals personal
schedule according to the message. This can then be checked by the individual
to plan his/her day.The working lifestyle will change, with the majority of
people working from home, rather than commuting. This may be beneficial to the
environment as less transportation will be utilised. This mobility aspect may
be carried further in that, even in social spheres, people will interact via
mobile stations, eliminating the need to venture outside of the house.This
scary concept of a world full of inanimate zombies sitting, locked to their
mobile stations, accessing every sphere of their lives via the computer screen
becomes ever more real as technology, especially in the field of mobile data
communications, rapidly improves and, as shown below, trends are very much
towards ubiquitous or mobile computing.
Major Trends in Computing
It is True that Technological
Inovations such as Interactive
Television , Vidio Image Compression already
imply a certain degree of mobility in the home, ie. home shopping etc. Using
the mobile data communication technologies discussed, this mobility may be
pushed to extreme.The future of Mobile Computing is very promising indeed,
although technology may go too far, causing detriment to society. In this article we
give an overview of existing cellular networks and describe in detail the CDPD
technology which allows data communications across these networks. Finally, we
look at the applications of Mobile Computing in the real world.Is mobile computing
just the latest fad?This paper is my attempt to answer these questions. The
tension between autonomy and interdependence is intrinsic to all distibuted
systems. In closing, it is worth
speculating on the long-term impact of mobility on distributed systems This
paper describes a mobile learning development and future trends of education,
where mobile devices are used for educational activities. The main focus of
this paper is to find out the problem of the incorporation o f mobile learning into main stream education
,an education an training.
CONCLUSION-
Thus problem of the
incorporation of mobile learning into mainstream education and training has
been addressed in this presentation. The answer to the question ‘Why has mobile
learning not moved from project status to the mainstream?’ has been identified.
It is that mobile learning is not seen as a satisfactory revenue stream by the
telecommunications operators. Solutions have been proposed for this
problem. there are thousands of
universities and further and higher education colleges all over the world. If
they can all be convinced to accept mobile learning as their normal means of
communication with all their students on changes of timetable, submission
deadlines, enrolment procedures and other administrative necessities, a massive
mobile learning revenue stream will already be set up the production of a mobile
learning development kit for distribution to universities and colleges
to enable them to introduce mobile learning will set up another revenue
stream.the production of course guides, course summaries, examination
reminders, helps with difficult parts of a course, will set up another revenue
stream., the production of full course modules for PDAs, handhelds, palmtops,
and also for smartphones and eventually for mobile phones, will set up another
revenue stream.and the literature of the field needs to be developed, books on
mobile learning need to be written conferences like this one need to be
organized. The challenge to all of you attending this conference is to go away
from here convinced of the need to establish mobile learning as a viable and
valuable revenue stream for the telecommunications industry.
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References
1. Quinn,C. (2000) mLearning: Mobile, Wireless and
In-Your-Pocket Learning. Line Zine.
2. Shepherd C. (2001) M is for Maybe. Tactix: Training and
communication technology in context. p.5
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