Integrated and Networked Mobile Devices for Learning and Instruction

Mobile devices considered here refer to multipurpose portable computers, including laptops, notebook computers, tablets, and smartphones, that may be used for learning and instruction. Typically, mobile devices have a rectangular form, even if they have rounded corners. Whereas laptops and notebooks typically have a monitor that closes over the top of a keyboard, tablets and smartphones have no such cover and generally do not have a keyboard. For tablets and most smartphones, the touchscreen monitor is the primary physical characteristic of the device, which enables both input and output. One notable exception to the standard rectangular form of a mobile device is the integration of the computer into eyeglasses.

Software developers have created a wide variety of application software for mobile devices, commonly referred to as apps. Thousands of instructional apps are available to people of all ages for learning a wide variety of subjects and tasks. Learners may use wireless communication features of mobile devices to connect to the Internet and access the numerous instructional materials located on the World Wide Web. Learners may also use mobile devices to converse or otherwise communicate with peers and instructors. The portability and functionality of mobile devices contribute to their ubiquity. Given the general ease of access to instructional content and services through mobile devices, one may use a mobile device to learn anytime, anywhere. This has given rise to what is known as mobile learning or m-learning. Developing and researching instructional tools and methods, such as mobile devices running instructional apps, are critically important missions in educational technology. To design and develop innovative instructional apps, educational technologists need to know about the features of mobile devices and how instructional methods may be implemented in apps. Further, to lead efforts to integrate mobile devices into instruction, educational technologists must possess knowledge about their instructional uses. This entry first discusses the features of mobile devices and the learning environments in which they are used. The entry then details the instructional uses of mobile devices and discusses some of their implications for learning.