Mobile Learning, Cognitive Architecture and the Study of Literature

Introduction This paper investigates the problem of how best to achieve learning outcomes of reading comprehension, recall, critical thinking, and synthesis in the study of literature by incorporating mobile learning that accommodates cognitive architectures, as described by Sweller's cognitive load theory, Mayer's multimedia learning theory, Paivio's dual coding theory and others. Overview of the Applications of Mobile Learning to the Study of Literature The definition of mobile learning has evolved with the advent of new technology. While mobile learning could, in its broadest sense, be said to cover books, CD-ROMs, radios, and laptops, most researchers in the field of educational technology consider mobile learning, or m-learning, to be a subset of e-learning (Laouris & Eteokleous, 2005). What differentiates mobile from electronic is the nature of the technology. S. Geddes (2004) has provided a succinct definition: "mLearning is the acquisition of any knowledge and skill through using mobile technology, anywhere, anytime, that results in an alteration in behaviour" (Geddes, 2004, p. 1). Other definitions of m-learning have been developed, but instead of focusing on the technology, they emphasize the characteristics of the learning process. Instead of looking at technology and behavioral change, they examine how mobile technology has allowed a shift in learning strategies and approaches. For the purposes of this paper, mobile learning denotes instructional content or activities that are delivered on handheld (or mobile) devices, that accommodate limited multimedia delivery, primarily in the form of audio, images, animations (video), and text. Popular mobile devices include those capable of playing files that are often downloaded from the Internet on a computer and then uploaded onto the device where it is then taken with the individual, who may play the files while not directly connected to a computer. Audio and video files may be played on handheld computers, audio file players such as iPod, and handheld devices that play video files. New hardware is always being developed which accommodate more simultaneous functions, larger files, and more robust access through phone and high-speed satellite connections. While all handheld technologies are expanding, the fastest development has been in the incorporation of connectivity and functionality, envisioned in the form of smartphones or wireless handhelds. Mobile learning also can accommodate ebooks, where text files can be read on pdf files on handheld devices that include pdf or ebook reader software. e-Learning vs. m-Learning According to Laouris and Eteokleous (2005), e-learning was dominated by the following terms: "multimedia, interacttive, hyperlinked, media-rich," (Laouris & Eteokleous, 2005, p. 3). M-learning terms, however, exhibit a shift away from a media immersion experience, or a structured, benchmarked set of activities, to words that express what are perceived as the primary attributes of a very different experience: "spontaneous, intimate, situated, connected, informal, lightweight, personal," (Laouris & Eteokleous, 2005, p. 3). Because "mobility is about increasing a learner's capacity to physically move their own learning environment as they move" (Barbosa & Geyer, 2005), the nature of the learner's interaction with instructional content is altered. Instead of immersing oneself into an environment that floods the senses with stimuli, such as that of a virtual reality experience provided by simulations and games in robust computer systems, or interacting with multiple users within a complex learning management system, the m-learner engages with the content in a constantly changing environment. Thus, if designed well, the m-learning course takes advantage of constantly changing instructional contexts or environment to allow the learner to connect the content so that he or she is compelled to integrate the world outside with the world of material on the device in order to successfully demonstrate the achievement of learning objectives. …