The article discusses various reports published within the issue including one by Insung Jung and Colin Latchem on Asian open and distance learning and another one by Jacqueline H. Watts on distance learning.

The public and educational communities are aware of the continuing crisis in math education in our middle schools and the convergence of technologies for teaching and learning. This paper presents a case study in which iPod Touch® was used to help middle school students learn about algebraic equations and, in particular, the concept of slope, absolute value, and elimination. The development of math movies for use on the iPod Touch provided students with a mobile means of informal math learning beyond the hours of the classroom. While the study explored the use of mobile devices in an eighth grade math classroom, the lessons learned are invaluable to those seeking to implement mobile technologies to support teaching and learning with typical software, such as iMovie, PowerPoint, and iTunes. (Authors' abstract)

The article discusses mobile learning (m-learning). According to the author, an increasing number of universities and colleges, such as Abilene Christian University in the U.S., are using mobile devices, such as iPods and iPhones, to teach students. Topics include an overview of criticism regarding the use of mobile devices in learning and the continued development of m-learning resources, such as m-libraries.

Chinese classrooms, whether on school grounds or online, have long suffered from a lack of interactivity. Many online classes simply provide recorded instructor lectures, which only reinforces the negative effects of passive nonparticipatory learning. At Shanghai Jiaotong University, researchers and developers actively seek technologic interventions that can greatly increase interactivity in large blended classes. They developed a cutting-edge mobile learning system that can deliver live broadcasts of real-time classroom teaching to students with mobile devices. Their system allows students to customise means of content-reception based on when and where they tune into the broadcast. The system also supports short text messaging and instant polls. Through these venues, students can ask questions and make suggestions in real time, and the instructor can address them immediately. This article describes this system in detail, and also reports results from a formal implementation of the system in a blended English classroom of 1000 students (with about 800 being online). As the data reveal, m-learning activities can much better engage students in the learning process. Students in this class changed from passive learners to truly engaged learners who are behaviourally, intellectually and emotionally involved in their learning tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR].

This paper provides a critical analysis of Mobile Learning projects published before the end of 2007. The review uses a Mobile Learning framework to evaluate and categorize 102 Mobile Learning projects, and to briefly introduce exemplary projects for each category. All projects were analysed with the criteria: context, tools, control, communication, subject and objective. Although a significant number of projects have ventured to incorporate the physical context into the learning experience, few projects include a socializing context. Tool support ranges from pure content delivery to content construction by the learners. Although few projects explicitly discuss the Mobile Learning control issues, one can find all approaches from pure teacher control to learner control. Despite the fact that mobile phones initially started as a communication device, communication and collaboration play a surprisingly small role in Mobile Learning projects. Most Mobile Learning projects support novices, although one might argue that the largest potential is supporting advanced learners. All results show the design space and reveal gaps in Mobile Learning research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR].

Mobile learning (mL) has been a most intriguing innovation in the field of learning technologies. Various research projects have been carried out to evaluate efficient mL.
This paper identifies a strategy for investigating the feasibility of implementing mL in the educational system in Malaysia, as a developing country, with the curriculum focus of English language learning.

The challenges facing developing countries are considered and the cost benefits as well as learner benefits are discussed. Finally, the solutions in the context of Malaysia such as the structure of mobile lesson for English Language subject as well as policy and procedure of the implementation are identified to be addressed in a conceptual framework of mL implementation in Malaysian secondary schools. (Authors' abstract)

Realising the potential of mobile technologies in education, this study aims to produce an implementation strategy of mobile learning in Malaysian secondary schools. To properly implement it, the following issues are addressed; to define where mobile technology fits in the curriculum and pedagogy, to define the theoretical and practical issues in the planning and management of mobile technology at schools, to define the function of stakeholders and the impacts on them in the implementation of mobile technology and to determine whether the implementation of mobile learning will complement with the existing policy at schools.

A suggestion has been made to introduce English vocabulary learning through mobile phones. English Language subject leaders will be consulted in evaluating the suggested mobile lesson to ensure that it is pedagogically sound and appropriate to be applied in the curriculum. Head teachers and ICT subject leaders will be consulted in evaluating the relevance of the suggested policy and procedure to be used in Malaysian schools. Several themes that need to be addressed in the policy and procedures are the implementation model, acceptable use policy, management and maintenance, specific roles for supporting mobile learning and support for major stakeholders. Policy makers from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia will be consulted in evaluating and validating the whole implementation strategy so that it will complement with the existing policy in Malaysian schools.

Preliminary field tests have been conducted in secondary schools in the United Kingdom. The next step in our research is to conduct main field tests and operational field tests in Malaysia. It is hoped that the dissemination of this research idea will bring in valuable perspectives and a fuller understanding of the issues associated with the implementation of new technologies for teaching and learning in our schools. (Authors' abstract)

Innovations in mobile learning can lead to a change paradigm in education; mobile technologies are believed to have the potential to be used in teaching and learning in schools. This paper discusses the feasibility of employing mobile phones for mainstream schooling in Malaysia. The paper describes the various perceptions of the use of mobile phones for learning by reflecting on the positive opinion from educational researchers around the world, including Malaysia. The justifications of employing mobile phones for teaching and learning in secondary schools in Malaysia are examined. Current initiatives in the use of mobile phones for teaching and learning together with the examples of schools which utilise mobile phones in educational activities are explored. Challenges and opportunities in the realisation of mobile learning through mobile phones in Malaysia are examined by consultation with stakeholders based on the current social, political and economic situation in the mainstream education in Malaysia. The paper concludes that there are strong positive arguments for employing mobile technology

This study examines the student\' perception of mobile learning in a university in Malaysia. Mobile learning is seen as a move forward from the e-learning systems but with an emphasis on the ubiquity where learning can be done anywhere, anytime. It has bring about increased convenience in learning environments and allows mobility of the users. The study aims to provide an indication of the learners' perception on mobile learning, identify the most important and frequent mobile learning tool in their personal and portable mobile devices and explore the user group differences in their perception of their mobile learning concept.