2011 06 01 (uned) emadrid smartin uned m2learn framework for development of mobile and ubiquitous...

M2Learn: Framework for Development of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Applications

Premio ATOS-Origin eMadrid 2011 a la Mejor Tésis Doctoral

Autor: Sergio Martín Gutiérrez

Directores: •Dr. Manuel A. Castro Gil•Dr. Juan Peire Arroba


Summary Objective:

Simplify and facilitate the development of mobile and ubiquitous context-aware apps interconnected to e-learning standards and platforms

Result: M2Learn: Open Source Framework aimed to facilitate and simplify the

development of mobile and ubiquitous learning applications Contributions

Identification of meta-trends in educational technologies Identification of requirements that a framework for mobile and

ubiquitous learning must address Creation of an open framework that fulfil such requirements

Multiple sensor management Context-awareness and service discovery Interoperability with external platforms, services, and tools through a distributed

service-oriented architecture Centralisation of the student’s e-portfolio in the e-learning platform

Sergio Martín - [email protected] -


Index

1. Introduction and Motivation

2. State of the Art of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Frameworks and Middleware

3. Design of a Framework for the Development of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Applications: M2Learn

4. Experimentation1. Evaluation

2. Experimentation

3. Dissemination

5. Conclusion


Introduction & Motivation


Many technologies have already changed education (e-learning)

Many others are currently influencing (or are willing to influence)

Motivation


Education


Motivation This scenario is leading us towards new digital

learning ecosystem where applications must:


Be aware of users’ needs to personalise the information and services provided

Foster social interaction

Follow e-learning standards

Be integrated with existing LMS to:•gather student’s e-portfolio•reuse the existing services and knowledge

Foster interoperability


Motivation The development of these new environments is

difficult for many researchers because it requires:


Understanding of many different protocols

Dealing with distributed schemas, processes,

platforms, and services

Learning new programming languages

Interacting with different hardware sensors and

drivers


Help developers to overcome these technological barriers and to facilitate the creation of advanced mobile learning projects focused on:

M2Learn

The goal

State of the Art

- State of the Art of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Frameworks and Middleware -


Learning-oriented frameworks

1. Comtext [Zanela, 2009] Implemented features:

Communication/Collaboration (Skype & Mindmap) Ad-hoc assessment system Location & Interpreting: GPS, Cell towers & WiFi Reminder

No implemented features: Service Discovery Context management & sharing Open source API or mashup opportunity E-learning standards Interoperability with LMS RFID or other sensors




2. Chen’s framework [Chen, 2007] Implemented features:

Context-management No implemented features:

Service Discovery Context-sharing Open source API or mashup opportunity E-learning standards Interoperability with LMS Location, RFID or other sensors Communication & Collaboration




3. AGORA [Arrufat, 2008] Implemented features:

Communication & Collaboration (Chat & photo sharing) No implemented features:

Service Discovery Location, RFID or other sensors Context management & sharing Open source API or mashup opportunity E-learning standards Interoperability with LMS




4. Sharing Middleware [Belimpasakis, 2008] Implemented features:

Service Discovery Context sharing Learning standards (Dublin Core) Feeds (ATOM) API available

No implemented features: Location, RFID or other sensors Context management Open source Interoperability with LMS




5. Mobile Management System [Liu, 2007] Implemented features:

Interoperability with own LMS (chat, faq, bulletin board) No implemented features:

Location, RFID or other sensors Context management and sharing Open source API or mashup opportunity E-learning standards Service Discovery




6. Gang and Zongkai’s Framework [Gang, 2005] Implemented features:

Learning standards (LOM) Location Context management

No implemented features: RFID or other sensors Context sharing Service Discovery Open source API or mashup opportunity Interoperability with LMS




7. Tan’s Framework [Tan, 2009] Implemented features:

Location: GPS Interoperability with own platform for sharing photos

No implemented features: RFID or other sensors Learning standards (LOM) Context management & sharing Open source API or mashup opportunity E-learning standards Service Discovery




8. Basaaed’s Framework [Basaaed, 2007] Implemented features:

Open source E-learning standard Context management

No implemented features: Location, RFID or other sensors Context sharing API or mashup opportunity Interoperability with LMS Service Discovery



Learning Oriented Frameworks

Frameworks

Features

[Zanela, 2009]

[Chen, 2007]

[Arrufat, 2008]

[Belimpasakis, 2008]

[Liu, 2007]

[Gang, 2005]

[Tan, 2009]

[Basaeed, 2007]

Collaboration x x x x

Communication x x x x

Content support x x x x x x x

Assessment x x

Scheduling x

Learning standards x x x

Interoperability with e-learning platform x

Location x x x

Identification x x

Other sensors x x

Ease of adding new context sources x

Context management x x x x x

Service discovery x x

Context sharing x

Feeds x

Openness x x

Mashup support x

API available x

Design

Service 2 Service 3Service 1

Platform

M2Learn

Service Manager

Context Manager

M2Learn Framework

Context-Hub Wrapper

API

Geographical Database

DomainArea Manager

Context-HubService Channels

Calendars, LOMs, QTI,

RSS,...

Client-side

Server-side


User’s Context Compilation


User’s Context

Location data• GPS• WiFi• Cell Towers

RF Identification data

Other sensors data

(e.g., motion)

Interpreting Contextual dataProfile

Moment

Other user’s context


Client-side. Context Manager



Connects the Context-Hub Service to send own context and get others’ context

Context-Hub Wrapper & Context-Hub Service

M2Learn

Service Manager

Context Manager

M2Learn Client-side

Context-Hub Service

Context-Hub

Wrapper

API

1) sendContext(context) 2) getContext()


Context-Hub Wrapper & Context-Hub Service



Client-side. Service Manager


Calendar Wrapper Gets events for today, this week, this month, all

LOM Wrapper IMS-QTI Wrapper RSS Wrapper Contextual Service Directory Wrapper Channel Wrapper


Contextual Service Directory

M2Learn

Service Manager

Context Manager

M2Learn Client-side

ContextualService

Directory

Service Directory Manager

Context-Hub

Wrapper

API

1) publishService

4) List of services (XML)

CSD DBService

Publisher

2) getServiceList

3) Check DB5) deleteService

getId2AreaServicegetCoord2AreaServicegetServiceListgetServiceListByAreagetServiceListByProfilegetServiceListByType


Access external web services following an API List/read/write/reply/delete operations

Some of the implemented channels are chats, forums, wikis, blogs, and assignments.

ChannelManager

M2Learn

Service Manager

Context Manager

M2Learn Client-side

Channel Service

Channel Manager

Context-Hub

Wrapper

API

ForumsChatsBlogsAssignments


Moodle Forum Channel Service

M2Learn

Service Manager

M2Learn Client-side

ForumChannelLMS

Channel Manager

API

Moodle DB

Moodle

1) readMessage

2) checkDB

3) Message (XML)



Other services/channels developed Chat Blog Assignments Submission


Experimentation

Experimentation

- Evaluation -


Comparison Related Work vs M2Learn

FrameworksFeatures

[Zanela, 2009]

[Chen, 2007]

[Arrufat, 2008]

[Belimpasakis, 2008]

[Liu, 2007]

[Gang, 2005]

[Tan, 2009]

[Basaeed, 2007]

M2Learn

Collaboration x x x x xCommunication x x x x xContent support x x x x x x x xAssessment x x xScheduling x xLearning standards x x x xInteroperability with e-learning platform x xLocation x x x xIdentification x x xOther sensors x x xEase of adding new context sources x xContext management x x x x x xService discovery x x xContext sharing x xFeeds x xOpenness x x xMashup support x xAPI available x xTOTAL IMPLEMENTED FEATURES 7 6 3 6 6 4 7 4 18


Features implemented in each framework or middleware


[Zanela

, 2009]

[Chen, 2

007]

[Arru

fat, 2

008]

[Belimpasa

kis, 2

008]

[Liu, 2

007]

[Gan

g, 2005]

[Tan, 2

009]

[Basaee

d, 2007]

M2Learn

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

API available

Mashup support

Openness

Feeds

Context sharing

Service Discovery

Context management

Ease of adding new context sources

Other sensors

Identification

Location

Interoperability with e-learning platform

Learning standards

Scheduling

Assessment

Content support

Communication

Collaboration

Frameworks and Middleware

Num

ber o

f fea

ture

s

Experimentation

- Experimentation in a Mobile Programming Course -


Experimentation in a mobile programming course Pilot of a 7 month-long postgraduate distance

learning course on mobile programming Participation of 3 students Two experiences were conducted using the

M2Learn framework within the course: Mobile and Context-Aware LOM Loader With

Communication Features through Moodle Mobile Context-aware Microblogging through Moodle



Mobile and Context-Aware LOM Loader With Communication Features


Source code


M2LearnManager myM2l = new M2LearnManager(Username, userId);ChannelWrapper foro = new ChannelWrapper(URL, IdForum);

Code for instantiation and configuration of the Mobile LOM Loader

URL = myM2L.getServiceManager().getChannelServiceByType("lom-lab");LOMWrapper miLOM = new LOMWrapper(URL);webBrowser1.Navigate(new Uri(miLOM.ResourceURL);

Code for writing comments and sending them to the Moodle Forum

foro.writeElement(message);

Code for loading the learning object and showing it in the screen


Educative applications: Mobile microblogging



Source Code


M2LearnManager myM2learn = new M2LearnManager(Username, userId);ContextManager context = myM2learn.getContextManager();ChannelWrapper twitter = new ChannelWrapper(UrlServer,userId);

string area = context.getContext().address.fullAddress;twitter.writeElement(name + "@" + area + ": " + message);

Code to instantiate the required modules for the Mobile Twitter

Code to post messages to Mobile Twitter

M2Learn: Framework for Development of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning ApplicationsMean Var Std Dev

M2Learn decreases the time and effort dedicated to location management in comparison

with .NET. Thus, it increases productivity.

6.00 0.66 0.81

M2Learn location management is easier to learn than .NET. 5.06 1.56 1.25

The lower technological barriers of M2Learn give me more motivation and encourage me to do

more things.

6.00 0.00 0.00

M2Learn fosters my creativity. 5,6 1.56 1.25

The access to existing services in educational platforms (blog, forum, chat, Learning object,

etc.) saves me time because I don’t have to create them from scratch.

6.60 0.22 0.47

The integration of educational services is useful to gather the student e-portfolio 5.60 0.89 0.94

M2Learn facilitates the creation of collaboration/communication applications based on location. 6.60 0.22 0.47

I would recommend M2Learn. 6.30 0.89 0.94

M2Learn is easy to learn. 6.60 0.22 0.47

M2Learn is suitable for learning. 6.30 0.89 0.94

I miss some functionalities. 3.00 0.00 0.00

The documentation is suitable. 5.60 1.56 1.25

The integration of educational standards such as LOM facilitates the creation of m-learning

applications and fosters interoperability with other educational systems.

6.00 1.00 1.00

M2Learn improves my ability to develop mobile applications. 5.3 1.55 1.24

Satisfaction survey

Results are in general very good, with a small deviation.


Conclusions Stats with 3 students are not valid for solid

conclusions but provide a glimpse of the advantages that M2Learn offers to both developers and students: M2Learn accelerates the development of mobile

applications by facilitating the development of advanced applications with little effort

M2Learn is useful for education because its location API is easier to learn than traditional APIs and because it fosters learning engagement and motivation


Experimentation

- Dissemination -


M2Learn Open Development Community http://code.google.com/p/m2learn

Manuel Castro - [email protected] -

http://code.google.com/p/m2learn


Documentation API documentation: Describes each class,

method and attribute of the client-side framework. Created in 2 different formats: Web site: This format allows integration in the project

web site and supports on-line queries CHM Help file: This format is easier to distribute as all

the information is contained in one file. Support for several programming languages

C#, C++, and Vbasic Examples: Examples aid developers in the

development process, facilitating the initial steps of learning the system



Web site-based documentation


CHM-based documentation

Conclusions


Contributions of the Thesis1. Identification of meta-trends in educational

technologies

2. Identification of requirements that a framework for mobile and ubiquitous learning must follow

3. Design and implementation of a framework that address such requirements

1. Multiple sensor management

2. Interoperability with external platforms, services, and tools through a distributed service-oriented architecture, including e-learning platforms

3. Centralisation of the student’s e-portfolio in the e-learning platform

4. Support for e-learning standards (LOM and IMS-QTI)Sergio Martín - [email protected] -


Other Contributions

5. Evaluation and comparison with other frameworks: No other framework or middleware covers as much

features as M2Learn

6. Experimentation in a mobile programming course: Mobile and Context-Aware LOM Loader With

Communication Features through Moodle Mobile Context-aware Microblogging through Moodle



Problems Found Difficulty in following all the advances,

technologies, and news in the emerging field of mobile computing


Vs


Future Work Development of the M2Learn client side for other

platforms (e.g., Android, iPhone) Implementation of new projects based on M2Learn Growth of the Open Community Development of server-side services for other LMS

(e.g., dotLRN, Sakai) Development of tools for educators rather than for

developers Security and privacy policies Detection of people’s emotions and intentions through

more advanced sensors, supporting more advanced context management


¡Gracias por su atención!

“Twenty-first century learning is not confined to a geographical location, or a particular space designated for learning purposes.”

(Colley, 2007)

Autor: Sergio Martín Gutiérrez

Directores: •Dr. Manuel A. Castro Gil•Dr. Juan Peire Arroba

Date post:	10-May-2015
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2011 06 01 (uned) emadrid smartin uned m2learn framework for development of mobile and ubiquitous...

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