Educational technology (also called learning technology) is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.

M-learning, or "mobile learning", now commonly abbreviated to "mLearning", has different meanings for different communities. Although related to e-learning and distance education, it is distinct in its focus on learning across contexts and learning with mobile devices.

M-learning, or "mobile learning", now commonly abbreviated to "mLearning", has different meanings for different communities. Although related to e-learning and distance education, it is distinct in its focus on learning across contexts and learning with mobile devices. One definition of mobile learning is: Learning that happens across locations, or that takes advantage of learning opportunities offered by portable technologies. In other words, mobile learning decreases limitation of learning location with the mobility of general portable devices.

M-learning is convenient, in the sense that it is accessible virtually from anywhere, which provides access to all the different learning materials available. Moreover, it is collaborative; that is sharing is almost instantly among everyone using the same content, which will in turn also lead to receiving instant feedback and tips. That will be the best kind of learning. M-Learning also brings strong portability by replacing books and notes with small RAMs, filled with tailored learning contents. In addition, this kind of learning is engaging and fun. With this kind of learning, it is much easier to combine gaming and learning for a more effective and entertaining experience.

Developments in internet and multimedia technologies are the basic enabler of M-Learning, with content, technologies and services being identified as the three key sectors of the M-Learning industry.

The cell phone has become an ever-present fixture in the lives of modern college students, who use their devices to talk, message, capture pictures, and more recently to learn. Like remembering the keys to your home, students take their phones with them everywhere, and a large number of these devices are now web-enabled. These web-enabled phones, along with the increasingly popular PDAs and blackberry devices, can receive text, audio, and video information, as well as access web pages.

It is true that many college students have regular access to personal computers, delivering notes and study materials and even exams through course management systems it has taken more than a decade for this technology to reach the level it has. The personal computer may be a technologically more advanced medium, but it isn't portable, and so it isn't something students are likely to carry around with them on a day to day basis. M-Learning does not seek to replace the utilization of computers to aid in learning but rather to supplement it with interesting new methods that use a preferred medium increasingly available to students at affordable prices and already widely in use.

Current areas of growth for M-Learning include:

Technology

In higher education especially, the increasing tendency is to create a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) (which is sometimes combined with a Management Information System (MIS) to create a Managed Learning Environment) in which all aspects of a course are handled through a consistent user interface standard throughout the institution. A growing number of physical universities, as well as newer online-only colleges, have begun to offer a select set of academic degree and certificate programs via the Internet at a wide range of levels and in a wide range of disciplines. While some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, many are delivered completely online. In addition, several universities offer online student support services, such as online advising and registration, e-counseling, online textbook purchase, student governments and student newspapers.

Communication technologies used in M-Learning are generally categorized as asynchronous or synchronous.

Synchronous activities involve the exchange of ideas and information with one or more participants during the same period of time. A face to face discussion is an example of synchronous communications. Synchronous activities occur with all participants joining in at once, as with an online chat session or a virtual classroom or meeting. Virtual classrooms and meetings can often use a mix of communication technologies.

Benefits

M-Learning is used to improve education over what it would be without technology. Some of the benefits of M-Learning are listed below:

The Future of Mobile Learning

As noted, cell phone use among college students is pervasive, and trends have shown an ever-increasing saturation. The realm beyond cell phones however is more difficult to analyze, while we know ownership of tools like the Blackberry or PDA's has risen, they have yet to permeate college campuses the way mobile phones have. The growth of WiFi networks in major metropolitan areas and increasing numbers of college campuses means much of the backbone for the system may already be in place by the time schools and educators adopt these tools. As new iPhone like devices become increasingly available and integrated with computers and desktop functions, the spread of mobile learning will certainly continue.

Imagine a classroom where the instructor asks a question about subjects that have yet to be assigned or discussed in class. Instead of having to wait for an assignment or a lecture the students can use the devices at their disposal to access information themselves in a matter of seconds, all without leaving their desk. Instructors can better utilize their already limited classroom time by making sources available to students at any time.

Convenient availability of information and resources are strong bargaining chips in championing M-Learning. Instructors need to get the attention of their students to be effective educators and with the advent of mobile learning there are even more opportunities to grab their imagination. As M-Learning obtains a foothold in universities, class is always in session. Increasing number of college courses shall utilize a mobile-learning ready framework. Many colleges around the world have begun this process. As instructors begin experimenting with mobile learning the field will experience a rapid growth in the quality and quantity of these tools and techniques.

During the first decade of operation of the TCP/IP-based Internet, by the late 1980s, it became apparent that methods had to be developed to conserve address space. In the early 1990s, even after the introduction of classless network redesign, it was clear that this was not enough to prevent IPv4 address exhaustion and that further changes to the Internet infrastructure were needed. By the beginning of 1992, several proposed systems were being circulated, and by the end of 1992, the IETF announced a call for white papers (RFC 1550) and the creation of the "IP Next Generation" (IPng) area of working groups.

The Internet Engineering Task Force adopted IPng on July 25, 1994, with the formation of several IPng working groups. By 1996, a series of RFCs were released defining Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), starting with RFC 2460.

Incidentally, the IPng architects could not use version number 5 as a successor to IPv4, because it had been assigned to an experimental flow-oriented streaming protocol (Internet Stream Protocol), similar to IPv4, intended to support video and audio.

It is widely expected that IPv4 will be supported alongside IPv6 for the foreseeable future. IPv4-only nodes are not able to communicate directly with IPv6 nodes, and will need assistance from an intermediary.