M2Learn: Towards a homogeneous vision of advanced mobile learning development

Towards a Mobile Learning Environment using Reference Architectures

“…The use of learning environments through mobile devices brings benefits that go beyond affordability, convenience and communication [1,5]. For example, with mobile devices apprentices can use the most different types of applications (e.g., text processors, photos, games), specific environments for learning, Web access, collaboration tools, social networks, among others.…”

“…The other application was responsible for hosting all implemented educational web services. Even these web services being built as one single application, 1 http://www.labes.icmc.usp.br/~mle/ sharing the same database, it is worth saying that each one of them works independently. service-oriented architecture, we were able to develop a modularized mobile learning environment and to provide reuse of implemented web services, i.e., these web services can be used by others in order to build their own mobile learning environments.…”

“…Considering the need of building mobile learning environments with quality, efforts for developing architectural patterns have become increasingly relevant in this context [1]. However, in spite of such efforts, there is a lack of a standardized set of models and reference architectures, specifically defined for the mobile learning domain and in agreement with educational issues.…”

“…Learning environments, together with the evolution of ubiquitous computing, have significantly contributed to the establishment of a new way of teaching and learning, known as mobile learning (mlearning) [1]. In short, mobile learning is characterized by the ability to promote a strong interaction among apprentices, teachers and tutors, assuring greater motivation, convenience and flexibility to the learning process.…”

“…Despite the benefits of mobile learning, it is still considered a new and incipient concept, having some limitations in its construction and use [2], [3] : (1) variable screen size; (2) limited energy (battery dependent); (3) transmission rates generally smaller than those of the fixed network; (4) adequacy to usability aspects; (5) and lack of architectural patterns, among others.…”