MoLeNET
MoLeNET is certainly the UK’s, and probably the world’s, largest and most diverse implementation of mobile learning. 115 colleges and 29 schools are, or have been, involved in MoLeNET. Approximately 10,000 learners were involved in 2007/08 and around 20,000 learners will have been involved by the end of the 2008/09 academic year together with more than 4,000 staff.
The Learning and Skills Council and consortia led by Further Education colleges have together invested over £12 million in MoLeNET. The first phase included 32 projects, involving 136 partner organisations. The second phase of MoLeNET includes 30 new projects, some involving organisations from phase 1 and some introducing mobile learning for the first time. All projects are supported by the MoLeNET Support and Evaluation Programme led by LSN.
What is Mobile Learning?
There are several definitions of mobile learning. The MoLeNET programme uses a broad definition i.e: “The exploitation of ubiquitous handheld hardware, wireless networking and mobile telephony to facilitate, support enhance and extend the reach of teaching and learning”
Mobile devices employed include personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, smartphones, MP3 and MP4 players (e.g. iPODs), other portable multimedia players, handheld gaming devices (e.g. Sony PSP, Nintendo DS), Ultramobile PCs (UMPCs) and mini notebooks (e.g. Asus EEE).
Mobile learning involves connectivity for downloading, uploading and/or on-line working via wireless networks, mobile phone networks or both, and linking to institutional systems e.g. virtual learning environments (VLEs) and management information systems (MIS).
