Mobile Learning and How it Relates (Or Differentiates) From E-Learning By Vidya Varadarajan

While most of us have heard or come across the term e-learning in the past decade, the term mobile learning or m-learning is not as widely adapted into common usage. While both are intuitive in their meanings, how they vary and differentiate from each other is not that apparent.

What is mobile learning?

Mobile learning is defined as the ability to obtain or provide educational content on personal pocket devices such as PDAs, smartphones and mobile phones. M-learning using handheld computers is in its infancy in terms of both technologies and pedagogies. As a result there is still some dispute amongst industry advocates in how mobile learning should be defined: in terms of devices and technologies; in terms of the mobility of students and the mobility of education, and in terms of the students' experience of knowledge gaining with mobile devices. (Traxler, 2007)

Clark Quinn, professor, author, and expert in computer-based education, defined m-learning as the intersection of mobile computing (the application of small, portable, and wireless computing and communication devices) and e-learning (education facilitated and supported through the use of information and communications technology).

What is e-learning?

E-learning has come to define any dissemination of educational knowledge over the Internet. This makes e-learning a subset of technology-based training. It also incorporates a number of study activities conducted on the Internet, of which mobile learning is one part.

Differentiating e-learning from m-learning

E-learning can be real-time or self-paced, also known as "synchronous" or "asynchronous". Additionally, e-learning is considered to be "tethered" (connected to something) and presented in a formal and structured manner.

In contrast, m-learning is often self-paced, un-tethered and informal in its presentation.

E-learning

• lecture in classroom or internet labs 
• e-mail-to-e-mail 
• private location 
• travel time to reach to internet site

M-learning

• anywhere, anytime instantaneous messaging 
• no geographic boundaries 
• no travel time 
• with wireless internet connectivity

Because mobile devices have the power to make education even more widely available and accessible, mobile devices are considered by many to be a natural extension of e-learning (Ellis, 2003).

References
1. C. Quinn (2000), "mLearning: Mobile, Wireless, In-Your-Pocket Learning" 2. Traxler, John (2007), Defining, Discussing and Evaluating Mobile Learning: the moving finger writes and having writ... 3. Ellis, K. (2003). Moving into M-Learning. Training