Author_Institution :
Comput. Inf. Syst., Near East Univ., Nicosia, Cyprus
Abstract :
Mobile learning, a relatively new concept, has gathered momentum and attracted the interest of educators, researchers, and companies developing learning systems and instructional materials. A principal goal of this study was to develop a suitable system for environmental education via mobile technologies. Students sent text messages using the Short Message Service (SMS), and pictures using the Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) of mobile phones. A web-based environmental education system has been developed by the authors on a Universitypsilas server, called the New Mobile Technologies and Environmental Education System (NMobTec-EnvEdu). The exploratory study investigated the results of integrating mobile technology with e-learning and traditional classroom environments; specifically, the use mobile telephones, data services (i.e., WAP, SMS, MMS, e-mail), and messenger. By gathering information and exchanging pictures using mobile telephones, text messaging and transmitting pictures of local environmental blights, studentspsila attitudes improved toward maintaining a clean environment, and they identified ways to prevent pollution.
Keywords :
computer aided instruction; electronic messaging; environmental science computing; groupware; mobile computing; multimedia communication; NMobTec-EnvEdu; New Mobile Technologies and Environmental Education System; Web-based environmental education system; collaborative mobile learning; data services; e-learning; environmental education system; instructional materials; learning systems; mobile technologies; mobile technology; mobile telephones; multimedia messaging services; short message service; suitable system; text messaging; Collaboration; Computer aided instruction; Computer science education; Educational institutions; Educational technology; Learning systems; Message service; Mobile computing; Pollution; Telephony; collaborative learning; e-learning; environmental education; environmental education system; m-learning;