FAKULTI SAINS SOSIAL GUNAAN

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OUMH1203 ENGLISH FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

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Nama: Haryani Binti Ismail Nombor Matrik : 800816145612001 No KP: 800816145612 No Tel Bimbit: 010 8448642 Email: aunizafran@yahoo.com

Pensyarah: Madam Siwar Kaur a/p Gurdial Singh Pusat Pembelajran: OUM Seremban

SEMESTER MEI 2011

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CONTENTS DEFINITION OF MOBILE LEARNING STATUS OF MOBILE LEARNING IN MALAYSIA 5 STUDIES ON MOBILE LEARNING METHODOLOGY OF STUDY ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS OF STUDY CONCLUSION REFERENCES

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DEFINITION OF MOBILE LEARNING Reseacher define the term of Mobile learning on the other perspectives as defined by Kaplan-Leiserson (2005) is the new possibilities that are available to people given the mass deployment of devices that everyone now has their hands and the new connectivity that is coming. While, Traxler (2005) defined it as any educational provision where the sole or dominant technologies are handheld or palmtop devices. Mobile Learning is a method of using wireless and mobile technologies for education by extending access to a desktop-based online environment to handheld devices such as mobile phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs) used as part of a mobile community (Farooq, et.al, 2002). Mobile learning can be used to support a wireless online virtual community that is linked to a campus server. This could enable students who are interacting with their handheld devices to merge their learning experiences in a shared collaborative environment both synchronously and

asynchronously. Mobile learning offers another vision using handheld devices in wireless classrooms for computer supported cooperative learning (Farooq, et.al, 2002).. http://mobilelearning.oum.edu.my/oum/index.php?c=mobile&v=art_view&domid=1&pa rent_id=266&cat_id=268&art_id=660&lang=eng "Mobile Learning is a term used to define the type of learning that takes place when the learner has some kind of mobile computer and can make use of the device, its connectivity, location awareness tools and content to learn at a time and place of the learners choosing, having available the full range of resources and capability that ICT offers in the best classroom at all times and in all places."

http://www.emoderationskills.com/?p=565 The term M-Learning, or "mobile learning", has different meanings for different communities. Although related to e-learning and distance education, it is distinct in its focus on learning across contexts and learning with mobile devices. One definition of mobile learning is: Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of

the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies. In other words mobile learning decreases limitation of learning location with the mobility of general portable devices. The term covers: learning with portable technologies including but not limited to handheld computers, MP3 players, notebooks and mobile phones. M-learning focuses on the mobility of the learner, interacting with portable technologies, and learning that reflects a focus on how society and its institutions can accommodate and support an increasingly mobile population. There is also a new direction in M Learning that adds mobility of the instructor and includes creation of learning materials "on-the-spot, "in the field" using predominately smart phone with special software such as AHG Cloud Note. Using mobile tools for creating learning aides and materials becomes an important part of informal learning. M-learning is convenient in that it is accessible from virtually anywhere. MLearning, like other forms of E-learning, is also collaborative; sharing is almost instantaneous among everyone using the same content, which leads to the reception of instant feedback and tips. M-Learning also brings strong portability by

replacing books and notes with small RAMs, filled with tailored learning contents. In addition, it is simple to utilize mobile learning for a more effective and entertaining experience. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLearning Mobile learning is the acquisition of any knowledge and skill through using mobile technologhy, anywhwere, anytime, that results in an alternation in behavior.

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STATUS OF MOBILE LEARNING IN MALAYSIA i. In this exciting era of great learning possibilities using new information and communication technologies, Open University Malaysia has taken a proactive and innovative approach in supporting learning via text messaging. Mobile Learning via SMS was initiated in 2009 to help reduce the transactional distance of psychological and communication space often faced by distance learners who are separated in terms of geographical distance and time.

Mobile technology enables the university to reach out to the learners while outside the reach of conventional communication spaces and increases the flexibility of learning. It also encourages and supports ubiquitous learning (just in time, any time, anywhere) . It also creates an expansion of time for learners to reflect and react to the messages sent before attending tutorials. Meanwhile text messaging was chosen over other mobile technology applications because it is the lowest common denominator of all mobile technologies; it can be used in all types of mobile phones and students are familiar with receiving SMSes. This is very much in line with OUMs efforts at ensuring equity and access to quality learning for all our learners.

http://mobilelearning.oum.edu.my/oum/index.php?c=mobile&v=art_view&domid =1&parent_id=266&cat_id=268&art_id=660&lang=eng

ii.

This study was carried out in order to investigate whether mobile learning using Short Message Service (SMS) was a method of learning adopted by the students enrolled in the School of Distance Education, University Sains Malaysia. As adult learners who are in vocation, time and isolation are the bane of self-study. Since all the students own a mobile device that can receive SMS, educational messages can be sent directly to their devices. This experimental study explored the impact of learners characteristic, learning design and learning environment to their adoptability. This study utilized two models of data analysis, the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 12.0 and the Rash model analysis for measurement. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 105 students based on gender, age, ethnicity, programmed of study and mobile device ownership. The students were from four different courses which are Bachelors of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Science and Bachelor of Management. The questionnaire-answer session were administered by the respective course managers in their tutorial sessions during the annual residential intensive course in the main campus of the Universiti Sains Malaysia. The result indicated that mobile learning has helped them to pace their studies. By using mobile learning,

learners easily get any information that they need at anytime anywhere. Learners would also like to take another mobile learning assisted course if the courses are relevant to their learning needs. Furthermore, the SMS educational content received through their hand phone are easily remembered.

http://www.mobilelearningportal.org/node/2017 iii. True to the universitys vision of being the leader in flexible learning, Open University Malaysia (OUM), Malaysias first open and distance learning institution of higher education, embarked on a Mobile Learning via SMS initiative in an effort to support distance learners, who are mostly working adults, and to make learning more flexible and ubiquitous for them. The initiative may be considered the first and only one of its kinds that has successfully been implemented on a large scale (to date involving an approximate total of 13,200 learners) by a Malaysian higher education institution. The general objectives of mobile learning are 1. to enhance the blend of learning modes at OUM; 2. to increase the flexibility of learning offered to OUM learners; and 3. to encourage and support ubiquitous learning (just in time, anytime, anywhere) via mobile technologies. Open University Malaysias mission is to widen access to quality education and to provide lifelong learning opportunities by leveraging technology, by adopting flexible modes of learning, and by providing a conducive and engaging learning environment at a competitive and affordable cost. With that in mind and in line with the motto University for All, text messaging was chosen over other mobile technology applications because it is the lowest common denominator of all mobile technologies: It can be used on all types of mobile phones and students are familiar with receiving SMSes. This is consistent with the universitys philosophy of democratizing education, which means making education available to all, regardless of time, place, age, and social economic background. Further, with the high penetration rate of mobile phone subscriptions of 106.2 per 100 people in

Malaysia (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, 2009), it appeared this was the way to go in making inroads into the use of mobile devices for learning among Malaysian distance learners. A saturation of technology in the target audience would lend a hand in bringing to scale a successful application for m-learning as advocated by Vitelli (2000), as cited in Caudill (2007). 3.0 PAST STUDIES ON MOBILE LEARNING i. According to Saipunidzam Mahamad explained that educators are discovering computers and multi-based educational tools are facilitating learning and enhancing social interaction. With the use of mobile devices such as smart phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) to facilitate learning process, the new trend of learning process has changed from electronic learning to mobile learning. Authors with University Technology PETRONAS, Computer and Information Sciences Department, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak said that the establishment of smart schools includes the use of advance learning process such as the implementation of M-Learning in the schools to complement the traditional based learning environment. Mathematics for Malaysian Primary school students is the best subject to be implemented in M-learning since it is one of the core subjects to be mastered by the students aged 11 to 12 years old, who is preparing to sit for the UPSR Examination. This paper presents the implementation of M-learning for primary school in Malaysia. The Module developed focuses on learning mathematics module through mobile devices such as PDA or mobile phone. ii. According to Yiannis Laouris argued that many authors use the term mobile as synonym to mobile phone. This amounts to an over simplification that misses the whole concept, because viewing a telephone as a device which operates wirelessly reveals only a very thin aspect of what todays mobile technologies can offer. Indeed, the authors proposed the thesis that the appearance of the mobile phone has signaled the launching of a major revolution in human evolution. Besides, many authors (eg Mostakhdemin-Hosseini and Tuimala,2005) view mobile

learning simply as the natural evolution of e-learning, which completes a missing component of the solution ( adding the wireless features), or as a new stage of distance and e-learning. The transition from the e-learning to the m-learning revolution is characterized also by a change of terminology. For example, the dominant terms in the e-learning era were: multimedia, interactive, hyperlinked, media-rich environment. In the m-learning era terms like spontaneous, intimate, situated, connected, informal, lightweight, private, personal are use to characterize the context. iii. Liang Ting (1) stated that there are various mobile communication mechanisms that support m-learning such as voice communication access of learning portal on the internet and learning through SMS. This clearly shows that m-learning could be interactive with the convergence of audio, web and mobile technologies in one package. The government of Malaysia has established MSC (Multimedia Super Corridor) to spearhead the four innovative flagship applications where one of them is to implement smart schools application. However there are still a larger number of school and educational institutions do not use the available technologies even though those schools are equipped with high-technology equipments to support a new learning approach. The smart schools will use new curriculum for Malay language, English, Mathematics and Science with objectives of smart school to improve the learning quality, training, school organization and students presentation. In addition, the learner will develop the critical thinking, learning activities and creativities. iv. According to Malaysian Journal of education Technology researchers examine learners perception concerning the satisfaction level of mobile learning. The learners are the students who have enrolled in the distance education academic program at the school of distance education, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in the 2008/2009 academic year. To what extent did mobile learning benefited the learners? Data were collected from a sample of 105 undergraduate students from Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of social Science and Bachelor of

Management through a specially designed questionnaire relating to the satisfaction of using the mobile learning in their studies. v. According to Geddes S.J the journal proposes four fundamental learning advantages that are gained more easily, or to a greater degree through the use of mobile learning than through traditional face to face instruction, paper based distance education or traditional e-learning. The most obvious advantage of an mobile learning is the ability to access information where it would not be possible without a mobile device.

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A RECENT STUDY 4.1 Methodology

This research examined a study in Mobile learning readiness among working adult learners in Malaysia. The research was conducted on a sample of 30 undergraduate and post graduate using a questionnaire. Throughout the research, the questionnaire was sent to working field such primary school whereby there are many teachers that having various qualification of academic. A questionnaire was sent out by hand and the respondents were being given an acknowledgment because of their cooperation. After 2 weeks the completed feedback of questioners was compiling for analysis using means and frequency distribution. There are a total of 30 questionnaires being returned by learners with 100% of return rate. The questionnaire consisted of 4 sections which part A, B, C, D. Section A is more focused on the background information respondents such current status, current employment, year of study, field of study, age, ethnic, gender and nationality. Section B is about hand phone facilities. Section C is more internet access and last section all about Mobile Learning. All section were measured how far Mobile learning readiness among working adult learners in Malaysia.

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ANALYSIS AND FINDING

SECTION A Current Status Under-graduate post-graduate current employment not employed Working age 20-25 25-30 31-35 36-40 more than 40 Ethnic Indian Chinese Bumiputra Others Gender Male Female 5.1 Respondent Analysis

Means 0.26 0.23

Frequency 10 18

Percentage % 53.6 46.4

0.11 0.39

6 22

21.4 78.5

0.05 0.06 0.04 0.01 0.03

7 8 6 2 5

25 28.5 21.4 7.1 17.8

0.009 0.05 0.18 0.009

1 6 20 1

3.5 21.4 71.4 3.5

0.29 0.21

16 12

57.1 42.8

The data was collected and analyzed using a excel Microsoft 2007. Most of the respondent are post-graduate and working. Most of them age between 31-35 year old and having different qualification of degree. Bumiputra is 20 rather than other ethnic. 16 out of respondents are male and remain is female.

SECTION B STATEMENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

YES 28 14 1 13 6 6 6 8 5

NO 0 14 27 15 22 22 22 20 23

Based on SECTION B all respondents posses their own hand phone but almost of them does not have internet. SECTION C STATEMENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 NEVER 3 4 2 RARELY SOMETIME 2 5 OFTEN 4 ALWAYS 1

Based on SECTION C most of respondent that have internet access are rarely using a mobile learning but they most like to used notebook to interact each other such lecturer. SECTION D STATEMENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 STRONGLY DISAGREE 4 0 DISAGREE 14 1 AGREE 11 STRONGLY AGREE 0 NOT APPLICABLE

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 5.2 Summarizes Result Regarding a study on mobile learning readiness among working adult learners in Malaysia. The data was collected shown that most of the respondent does not agree with mobile learning in Malaysia. It is because there are some weaknesses while using this technology compared with traditional learning.

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CONCLUSION As a conclusion, the result of this survey on mobile learning readiness among working adult learners in Malaysia shows most of working adult learners in Malaysia does not preferred mobile learning because most of them prefer e-learning as a good method in their educational life. Otherwise e-learning was established since 1990 that called Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) by our Primer Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad that provided with easier facilities and usage to them. So that mobile learning now is going to penetrate the education market coming soon. But we must know that mobile learning used highly cost in our learning education. Eventhough, to stick which one is suitable for education learning let our mind is do.

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REFERENCES http://mobilelearning.oum.edu.my/oum/index.php?c=mobile&v=art_view&domid=1 &parent_id=266&cat_id=268&art_id=660&lang=eng http://www.mobilelearningportal.org/node/2017 http://mobilelearning.oum.edu.my/oum/index.php?c=mobile&v=art_view&domid=1 &parent_id=266&cat_id=268&art_id=660&lang=eng