To address the high cost of textbooks, Rice University’s Connexions and the Community College Open Textbook Project (CCOTP) collaborated to develop a proof-of-concept free and open textbook. The proof-of-concept served to document a workflow process that would support adoption of open textbooks. More...

Learning ‘using’ technologies has become a global phenomenon. The Internet is often seen as a value-neutral tool that potentially allows individuals to overcome the constraints of traditional elitist spaces and gain unhindered access to learning. It is widely suggested that online technologies can help address issues of educational equity and social exclusion, and open up democratic and accessible educational opportunities. More...

The establishment of the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) in Nigeria in 1989 created a wider opportunity for the estimated population of 9.3 million nomads in Nigeria to acquire literacy skills. The coming of the Commission arose due to the massive illiteracy figure of the pastoral nomads and migrant fishermen put at 0.02% and 2.0% (Federal Ministry of Education, 2003; UNESCO, 1998) respectively. More...

Mobile learning is variously viewed as a fad, a threat, and an answer to the learning needs of time-poor mobile workers, so does it have a place in delivering ‘mainstream’ learning? Based on a 2005 comparative research project, commissioned by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, the paper reports on research into web-based information about the use of mobile technologies for commerce and learning, which was then tested through 29 interviews with manufacturers of mobile devices, businesses and education providers. More...

mLearning is made possible by the existence and application of mobile hardware and networking technology. By exploring the capabilities of these technologies, it is possible to construct a picture of how different components of mLearning can be implemented. More...

The article discusses basic teaching-learning philosophies and experiences from the development and testing of mobile learning integrated with the online distance education system at NKI (Norwegian Knowledge Institute) Distance Education. More...

The successful development of mobile learning is dependent on human factors in the use of new mobile and wireless technologies. The majority of mobile learning activity continues to take place on devices that were not designed with educational applications in mind, and usability issues are often reported. The paper reflects on progress in approaches to usability and on recent developments, with particular reference to usability findings reported in studies of mobile learning. More...

This article examines the relationship between the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and learning and teaching, particularly in distance education contexts. We argue that environmental changes (societal, educational and technological) make it necessary for Higher Education in general, and distance education in particular, to adapt those systems and practices that are not appropriate for the changing environment. More...

Portable software applications can be carried on a convenient storage medium such as a USB drive, and offer numerous benefits to mobile teachers and learner. The article illustrates the growing field of ‘portable apps’ in reviews of seven contrasting products. More...

Higher Ed Tech News and Research ~ Ray Schroeder, editor. Technology has disrupted almost all sectors, but it has stayed away from education, said Anant Agarwal, CEO, edX on the third day of NASSCOM 2016. More...