eLearning materializes the IT development  in education and as such constantly evolves. While entering the smartphone era new challenges and opportunities lay ahead for eTeachers and eLearners.

Experts argue with webOS everyone, who can build a website, will be able to program an eLearning application (app). At the IFA 2010 the Fraunhofer ESK presented the E-Composer, enabling individuals to create their own smartphone apps without any programming. There is high chance mobile devices will offer micro-manageable solutions to all kinds of problems, for which eLearning never came into mind. Individuals will become easily and more frequently engaged in eLearning, unawarely shifting their roles.

There is already evidencefor the successful implementation of smartphones in education. In a study conducted by Digital Education Research Network“ninth grade students learning Mathemematics using Smartphones felt more successful in math and demonstrated higher levels of maths proficiency.”

This education mutation has also its technological and pedagogical challenges. In the book “E-learning 2.0: proven practices and emerging technologies to achieve results” Anita Rosen presents some smartphone limitations for eLearners, such as:

• · The student’s experience itself
• · Audio and video functionality on smartphones
• · Smartphone adopted eLearning content
• · Smartphone’s screen’s size and functionality limitations

Certainly many further questions will arise, along the way. Personally, I would be interested in finding out, what percentage of the smartphones usage will be dedicated to eLearning in comparison to e.g. playing games and how both could be intertwined?

Image: http://www.edutrainmentzweinull.de