Powerful, portable, personal computing: is m-learning and opportunity in e-learning?

Abstract

Student use of mobile computing devices such as laptops, PDAs and Tablet PCs in increasing. Such devices, taken in a higher education context, have the potential for a major impact on pedagogy, on the use of teaching spaces and in the provision of resources for teaching and learning. Opportunities abound, but attempts to embrace Mobile learning (m-learning) should be tempered by practicalities. M-learning raises issues in a number of areas including IT infrastructure development, support provision and teaching practice. Such issues need to be addresses by the institution as a whole and involve IT departments, libraries and faculties.