What is mobile learning?
There have been many attempts at defining mobile learning. Is it learning done on the move, such as on a laptop while we sit in a train? Or is it learning done on a personal mobile device, such as a smartphone or a tablet?
While there are a number of definitions available, for this book we are taking our cue from the eLearning Guild's 2007 definition, which seems the most sensible:
"Any activity that allows individuals to be more productive when consuming, interacting with, or creating information, mediated through a compact digital portable device that the individual carries on a regular basis, has reliable connectivity, and fits in a pocket or purse."
This covers a range of device types, including feature phones, smartphones, portable gaming devices, media players, e-readers, and tablets. What it does not cover though, are netbooks and laptops which, although they can clearly be used while the user is mobile, offer a more traditional desktop-based computing experience.