Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 29

Internet Learning
of the opportunities at hand. Chief among
them is better meeting the expectations of
the net generation of students.
The net generation, the first
generation to always have the Internet, is
substantially different than past generations
of students that studied for tests and whose
knowledge was based on instructor-centered
modes for transferring information like
lectures and handouts and the resources
contained in local libraries (Fisher & Baird,
2006). The net generation seeks to learn
on the spot, “just-in-time and just-inplace”(Cruz-Flores
& López-Morteo, 2010, p.
10) as the need for the information develops
and mLearning enables that paradigm shift
(Fisher & Baird, 2006). Social constructivist
theory applied to an mLearning classroom
environment and corresponding pedagogy
must account for the learning needs and
social expectations of the net generation by
wholly embracing a socially based studentcentered
pedagogy (Anderson & Dron,
2011; Fisher & Baird, 2006). As such, the
application of technology in the pedagogy
must allow students to “communicate,
negotiate, socialize and learn” and, thereby
network, while “on-the-go” (Cruz-Flores &
López-Morteo, 2010, p. 9).
The Role of Technology in mLearning
Identifying how students access
knowledge and the basic focal point of
instructor interaction as it exists today
determines the role of technology in
learning. For example, in a traditional
classroom it is very difficult to wholly deviate
from an instructor centered delivery of
knowledge and a content-driven approach
since it is expected that students will access
knowledge through the instructor. Social
activities in that classroom environment
may include informal student presentations
or brainstorming sessions. In an eLearning
environment, access to knowledge isn’t
centered on the instructor or the student,
but rather on the LMS being used, the
technology that underpins it and the
classroom design (Anderson & Dron, 2011).
Students independently access and review
the course materials prior to engaging in
socially oriented activities like those on a
discussion board.
Obviously, technology has always
played an important role in distance
education (Fisher & Baird, 2006). In the
eLearning environment, students work
from a desktop centered application on a
traditional or laptop computer (Fisher &
Baird, 2006). However, that won’t work well
in the mLearning environment especially
on smartphones because screen sizes are
much smaller (Fisher & Baird, 2006; Valk et
al., 2010) and battery life and memory are
limited (Fisher & Baird, 2006). A smaller
screen size on any device means that a
text-based transfer of data is cumbersome
for the student (Fisher & Baird, 2006). As
a result, mLearning must substantially
deviate from the eLearning paradigm and
leverage the strengths associated to small,
hand-held mobile devices toward creating
new learning in students. In short, the
content should be geared toward specific
devices (Fisher & Baird, 2006) and around
the interplay of instructors/students, data/
technology, and time control/session work
integrity (Cruz-Flores & López-Morteo,
2010) by integrating the “human-tohuman”
and “human-to-computer” aspects
(Lambropoulos, Faulkner, & Culwin, 2012,
p. 297). Practically speaking these can take
the form of real-time chats, screen sharing,
team rather than individual interactions,
and formats that showcase participation
(Cruz-Flores & López-Morteo, 2010).
With the device specifications and
social constructivist theory in mind, the
course design should be socially based. It
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