Title: A flexible unified architecture to support heterogeneous multi-device learning environments

Authors: Adam Giemza; Lars Bollen; Marc Jansen; H. Ulrich Hoppe

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany ' Department of Instructional Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands ' Computer Science Institute, University of Applied Sciences Ruhr West, Bottrop, Germany ' Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany

Abstract: Since the personal ownership of mobile devices has increased steadily over the last decade, many students own personal mobile devices that can reasonably be integrated into mobile learning scenarios. Besides all the benefits this option brings, there are also drawbacks, such as the heterogeneity of the set of mobile devices that need to be managed and integrated into existing and emerging learning scenarios. In our approach, one key element to address this challenge is an architecture that allows an easy and flexible integration of mobile and non-mobile devices into the same (mobile) learning scenario. We used a well-known group discussion method and an existing tool and extended it based on our approach. A description of this extension is presented in this paper. Finally, the paper reports on a pilot study in which the extended system was evaluated.

Keywords: mobile architecture; multi-device learning scenarios; heterogeneous learning scenarios; group discussion; mobile learning; m-learning; mobile devices; flexible integration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMLO.2013.057162

International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 2013 Vol.7 No.3/4, pp.210 - 223

Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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