UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING FEATURING E-LEARNING

       

A. Introduction

As a culture product, Technological have represented the integral part and indivisible with the modern society life. Have never been conceived by a fast science so its development. Development as revolution that goes on in three wave. First wave in the form of agriculture technology taken place thousands of year up to now, marked second wave with the existence of industrial technology, and wave third represent the technological revolution of Information and communication, that goes on only tens year.

Now days, we experience of the new era. All researchers farther focused their self to experienced problem “genetic mind”, and fractal, on the other side in science perspective shift up at dimension which is not limited by space and time. Through step which have ladder, complicated research then peep out the new knowledge is hinging each other so that peep out the technology internet, “robot”, “bio technology”, and the other technological that needed various requirement live for example: domestic, entertainment amusement, health, agriculture, business, communications, and  transportation.

The Development of Science and Technological such as those which have explanation above, also very have influence to tendency of education world change. This condition supported by reason: (1)  source learn searched easier, (2) use and exploiting ICT media and also e-learning, mobile learning, web-learning and other in study activity, and (3) model learn with the individual systems of learning and or blended learning.

Although many studies of mobile learning indicate the pedagogical potential of mobile devices, the screen size, computational power, battery capacity, input interfaces, and network bandwidth are too restricted to develop acceptable functionality for the entire learning processes in a handheld device. Therefore, mobile devices can be adopted to fill the gap between Web-based learning and ubiquitous mobile learning. This study first creates a website, providing functions enabling learning to take place anytime and anywhere with any available learning device, for ubiquitous learning according to various properties of mobile devices. Nowadays, learners’ behaviors on a website can be recorded as learning portfolios and analyzed for behavioral diagnosis or instructional planning. A student model is then built according to the analytical results of learning portfolios and a concept map of the learning domain.

B. Ubiquitous Computing as E-Learning

The terminology of ubiquitous computing first time peeped out in 1988 by Mark Weiser a senior researcher at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). This terminology peeped out at a discussion forum in the internal center research environment. The next time this term was know after Weiser publicize his article ”The Computer of the 21st Century” in journal Scientific American at September 1991: ”Ubiquitous computing is the method of enhancing computer use by making many computers available throughout the physical environment, but making them effectively invisible to the user”.

Computer terminology in the world of ubiquitous computing do not limited to a PC, notebook, and or PDA but extant as kinds of appliance measuring up to that way natural, so that somebody which is being use the ubiquitous computing devices will not feel that they is accessing a computer.

Microsoft Research proposed a new class of applications that relies on real-time sensor data and its mash-up with the geocentric Web to provide instantaneous environmental visibility and timely decision supports. They challenged the data publishing, scalable data management, data visualization and sensor discovery issues to make users can take advantage of the portal and tools to make queries over live data sources. In order to extend the potential of Sensor Map. Users can mash up the online live data sources with other applications. It is powerful. Nevertheless, it is not easy for end-users to compose these applications. A context-interactive application (Tan, Liu, & Chang, 2007), based on radio frequency identification (RFID), Internet, ubiquitous computing, and embedded system, has been developed. This system provides a mobile-based interactive learning environment (mobile) server for teachers and mobile-tools (m-Tools) for students. Teachers can achieve their outdoor teaching pedagogy effectively by providing the context-aware expert guidance and outdoor learning tools. Students can observe outdoor conditions and materials attentively; further, get the useful knowledge with these technologies.

Microsoft Research proposed a new class of applications that relies on real-time sensor data and its mash-up with the geocentric Web to provide instantaneous environmental visibility and timely decision supports. They challenged data publishing, scalable data management, data visualization and sensor discovery issues to make users take advantage of the portal and tools to query over live data sources. In order to extend 318 Huang, A. F. M., Yang, S. J. H., & Hwang, G. J. the potential of Sensor Map, they also provide the mashup Application Programming Interface. Users can powerfully mash up the online live data sources with other applications. Nevertheless, it is not easy for end-users to compose these applications. A context-interactive application (Tan, Liu, & Chang, 2007), based on radio frequency identification (RFID), Internet, ubiquitous computing, and embedded system, has been developed. This system provides a mobile-based interactive learning environment (MOBILE), server for teachers and mobile-tools (m-Tools) for students. Teachers can achieve their outdoor teaching pedagogy effectively by providing the context-aware expert guidance and outdoor learning tools. Students can observe outdoor conditions and materials attentively.

            Zhang, G., Jin, Q., and Lin, M. (2005) stat that ubiquitous learning is a learning style in which the learner can smoothly commence learning process anytime and anywhere. U- Learning stands on the learning platforms or an environment structured by Ubiquitous computing technology Weiser, M. 1991. U-Learning environment is an integrated network of all kinds of physical or abstract resources, such as human beings, physical devices or place, information space and so on. In Other words, a U-learning environment is a learning environment that anyone can access anywhere, any time or any device. U- Learning = (u-environment, u-contents, u-behaviour, u-interface, u-service). More information about U-learning as below:

1.        U environment is an environment surrounded with embedded and invisible computers and wearable devices.

2.        U contents include the knowledge, information pervading in or embedded in the u environment.

3.        U behaviour includes all forms of learners’ actions occurring in the learning process, such as learners’ gesture, speech and so on.

4.        U interface is an interactive interface between the learner and u environment.

5.        U service is a user support function considering pedagogical, psychological and social theories. The u service is supported by the cognitive technology and analyzing and reasoning methods. etc.

Boyinbode O. K. and Akintola K.G. (2008) stat that: the main characteristics of ubiquitous learning are shown below:

1. Permanency: Learners can never lose their work unless it is purposefully deleted. In addition, all learning processes are recorded continuously every day.

2. Accessibility: learners have access to their documents, data or videos from anywhere. The information is provided based on their requests. Therefore, learning involved is self-directed.

3. Immediacy: Wherever learners are, they can get any information immediately. Therefore learners can solve problems quickly. Otherwise, the learner may record the questions and look for answers later.

4. Interactivity: Learners can interact with experts, teachers, or peers in the form of synchronous or asynchronous communication. Hence the experts are more reachable and the knowledge is more available.

5. Situating of instructional activities: The learning could be embedded in our daily life. The problem encountered as well as the knowledge required are all presented in their natural and authentic forms. It helps learners to notice the features of problems situations that make particular actions relevant.

6. Adaptability: Learners can get the right information at the right place in the right way.

A ubiquitous environment is any setting in which learners can become totally immersed in the learning process to define (Vicki, J., and Jun, H.J. 2004).

1.      Ubiquitous = Pervasive, omnipresent, ever present, everywhere;

2.      Learning = Educational, instructive, didactic, pedagogical;

3.      Environment = Surroundings, settings, situation, Atmosphere

So a ubiquitous learning environment (ULE) is a situation or setting of pervasive (or omnipresent) education (or learning). Source data can be embedded in objects and learners just have to be there to learn.

C. Conclusion

Ubiquitous computing is the method of enhancing computer use by making many computers available throughout the physical environment. The concept of Ubiquitous Computing and U-Learning goes beyond portable computers. As new technologies evolve and more pervasive forms of technology emerge, computers will become invisible and will be embedded in all aspects of our life. They will be seamlessly integrated into our world in a phenomenon referred to as calm technology. Wearable computers and embedded microchips are not as they were first depicted in movies. Many technologies have become integrated into our lives over the years. For example: the telephone; television; PCs; internet and Mobile phones. These innovations may have appeared strange and futuristic at first but, over time they will be blended into our everyday lives. In this age of progress and great change, we tend to easily adapt to the technologies and pedagogies that emerge. Having seen the merits of U-learning over E-learning we can boldly say that Ubiquitous technology and U-learning may be the new hope for the future of education.