Calls for papers

 

International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation

 

Special Issue on: “Current Mobile Learning Technologies and Applications”

Guest Editors: Dr. Hokyoung Ryu, Dr. David Parsons and Professor Tony Norris, Massey University, New Zealand

Recent developments in information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide new technical opportunities to exercise a novel learning environment – mobile learning (M-learning), which goes far beyond the traditional learning paradigms, i.e., classroom and e-learning. For instance, the Ambient Wood project carried out by Sussex University (U.K) has demonstrated how a mobile and ambient environment can provide a more effective learning experience than traditional classroom learning. In another learning context, MIT (USA) has developed an M-learning tool to help students understand complex and dynamic epidemic phenomena, simulating them with learners’ wearable mobile devices, demonstrating significant advantages over current e-learning applications. Even Nintendo’s DS handheld console is to provide an enjoyable way to improve English skills.

In addition to these academic cases, many other domains (e.g., health practitioners) also see the advantages of M-learning environments in providing personalised content (e.g., dietary information, quit smoking programmes) via the mobile phones that have become so pervasive in recent years. IJMLO is therefore publishing this special issue which will be a timely issue for both academics and practitioners who are interested in the design and development of effective learning environments.

The issue intends to discuss the latest M-learning applications and technologies beyond the desktop computing environment, an area of research that is increasingly seeing new developments and techniques in both the academic and commercial domains. How to effectively take the user into account within the emerging M-learning environment has formed a persistent theme in the academic field. In contrast, much of the industry perspective on M-learning applications has been what kind of learning products and content can facilitate the uptake of this new learning environment.

The purpose of the special issue is therefore to disseminate studies about how we meet the challenges of this technology, practical experiences of the design of M-learning environments, the current development M-learning systems in either academia or industry, current methods and approaches to M-learning development, the current economic and social context of M-learning development and empirical research into contemporary M-learning environments.

Subject Coverage
This special issue aims at presenting a selection of papers addressing the topics indicated above, but is not limited to them. The following and related topics are also equally welcome:

• Currently implemented M-learning applications
• Technologies that directly support mobile learning systems (devices, networks, tools etc.)
• Studies of mobile learning in practice
• Reviews of the application of M-learning in multiple contexts
• Uses of M-learning in professional learning environments, e.g., mobile health, mobile commerce
• Constraints in the delivery of M-learning, e.g., human-computer Interaction issues in mobile learning environments
• Mobile games for learning
• The role of wikis, blogs, podcasts, messaging, other on-line tools and Web 2.0 components in M-learning systems
• Support for learner interaction and mobile collaborative learning
• Privacy and security issues in M-learning
• The role of location based services in learning

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere

All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page

Important Dates

Optional proposal deadline [*]: 1 December, 2006

Full paper deadline: 16 March, 2007

Notification of acceptance and review results: 20 April, 2007

Revised submission deadline: 15 June, 2007

Camera-ready version deadline: 1 July, 2007

Note [*]. This optional proposal should be no more than one page, which covers a brief description of your proposed topic. It will only provide an opportunity for interacting with the editors before the full paper submission. Authors of accepted proposals will also have until 16th March 2007 to submit their full paper.