Instructional Design Model THEORETICAL REVIEW
33 b. Mobile Connectivity
Ben Moussa 2003 as cited in identifies Motiwalla 2005 identifies several benefits for mobile connectivity. Mobile application generally allows the
user to control or filter the information flow and communication through the Wire phones and Handled devices WH device; namely these devices are usually
personalized or individualized. Second, mobile connectivity improves collaboration via real-time or instant interactivity, regardless of time and location,
leading to better decision making. Finally, mobile connectivity enhances user orientation as users have better access to their service providers and do a better
job in balancing their work life through a productive use of time. These benefits can be useful for improving learning environment.
c. Advantages and Disadvantages of M-Devices M-learning as a new way in doing educational activities enables the
learners to do learning activities anytime and anywhere. M-learning, therefore, has advantages and disadvantages. Miangah Nezarat 2012 state that learning
through mobile phone or m-learning provides the learners with the opportunity to learn when they are in public places or outside the classroom. It means that m-
learning provides the chances to learn every time and everywhere. Mobile device has two main characteristics which contribute to the use of m-learning. The
characteristics are portability and connectivity. Connectivity is the capability of
being connected and communicated with the learning website using wireless network of the device to access learning material. In this case, what is meant by
connectivity related with the AFORN is the ability to connect social media such
34 as WhatsApp, BBM, Facebook, FB Messenger, Google +, etc to share or disscuss
with the students‟ peer or lecturer. The second characteristic is portability, Portability enables learners to move mobile devices and bring learning materials.
Huang et al 2012 as cited in Viberg and Gronlund 2012 also add that “mobile
technologies provide many advantages; flexibility, low cost, small size and user- friendliness, researcher exploring how to use mobile technology to support
language learning. There are some advantages of mobile technologies according to other
experts. Viberg and Gronlund 2012 claim that the advantages of mobile phones are because of its flexibility, low cost, small size and it is user-friendly. Miangah
and Nezaret 2012 also state the advantages and disadvantages of mobile devices. The advantages of mobile devices; “a portability: such devices can be taken to
different places due to small size and weight; 2 social interactivity: exchanging data and collaboration with other learners is possible through mobile devices; 3
context sensitivity: the data on the mobile devices can be gathered and respond uniquely to the current location and time; 4 connectivity: mobile devices can be
connected to other devices, data collection devices, or a common network by creating a shared network; 5 individuality: activities platform can be customized
for individual learner. Mobile device as the media for m-learning also has some disadvantages.
Miangah Nezarat 2012 state that mobile devices have constraints such as small screen, reading difficulty on such a screen, data storage and multimedia
limitations like limitation on size of the application which cause the application does not work well or slowly in operating. The disadvantages exists because many
35 of the mobile devices are not designed for educational purposes and for mobile
phones which are appropriate for specific learning tasks are too expensive for most learners to buy such as smart phones or tablets with high capabilities. Due to
the disadvantages of mobile devices as a learning tool, the researcher is really pay attention on the size of the content in the application.
d. Principles of M-Learning M-learning using mobile devices has advantages and disadvantages as
learning tool as has been discussed in the previous part in this chapter. So, in developing m-learning tool, the researcher considers about the Universal
Instructional Design UID principles. Elias 2010 as stated by Elias 2011 extracted the eight UID principles particularly useful in distance education DE.
The table below shows the comparison the most relevant recommendations arising from UID principles for online learning with a series of additional
recommendations for m-learning.
Table 2.6 UID Recommendations for Inclusive M-Learning, Adapted from Elias 2011
UID Principles Online
DE Recommendations
M-Learning Recommendation 1. Equitable use
- put the content online - provide translation
- deliver content in the simplest possible format
- use cloud-computing file storage