SW-Architecture for Device Independent Mobile Learning

Abstract

Mobile learning increases both flexibility and self-determined learning, often combined with a high degree of context awareness. Flexibility and context awareness includes time and location, as well as the actual individual situation. To achieve such goals, mobile learning is not just a stand-alone and independent learning environment, but is instead embedded in a broader e-learning environment. This is true for the didactic and the pedagogic concepts and the learning (content) management system, as well as the overall software architecture. XML has been proven to be adequate and a powerful technology to store content in a presentation independent manner. By defining an additional attribute inside the XML tags, it is possible to classify the content. At the same time, this will help the author generate learning material for different devices in an efficient and structured way. Also, the content can be used in different formats (XHTML, PDF, etc.) as well as with different technologies (browser, applet, MIDlet, Ajax, etc.). In order to optimise the content presentation on different mobile devices, the content has to be adapted. A necessary precondition for the adaptation process is the identification of the connected device. The classification of the identified mobile device simplifies the mapping between device capabilities and content. The ICAT (Identification, Classification, Adaptation and Tagged XML) framework addresses these issues. The proposed design patterns will help authors to generated content for such a system.

Learning in the cloud: a new challenge for a global teaching system in optics and photonics

“…Our approach towards the solution is research on different software architecture by implementing state of the art technologies such as XML, object oriented database-Db4o, hibernate etc in a small scale in the prototype [10][11] [12].…”

Diversity of devices along with diversity of data formats as a new challenge in global teaching and learning system

“…A high level of personalization can thereby be reached, but since nearly all data must be fetched from the home network, there may be problems for instance with time-sensitive and synchronous applications. ICAT (Identification, Classification, Adaptation and Tagged XML) developed in University of Applied Sciences Offenburg (2010) for the first time combined the idea of device and content independency [2]. But the concept is dependent upon UAProf (User Agent Profile) which is not supported by all devices such as new Windows mobile devices, iDen handsets and legacy handsets.…”

“…A solution needs to be found to enable the automation of the content adaptation process. In order to realize such a system three major requirements have to be fulfilled a) Identification of the connected device b) Generation, structuring and storage of generalized content and c) A transformation process from generalized content to optimized and device dependent content [2]. This idea is implemented in a helping tool for language acquisition for adult learners named Language Learning Game (LLG).…”

<title>Perspectives of mobile learning in optics and photonics</title>

“…This concept is based on the client-server architecture for device-independent mobile learning [1]. The overall system architecture is illustrated in simplified form in Figure 3.…”