The birth of mobile learning

A little research into the history of mobile learning reveals you that many researchers think that Alan Kay's "DynaBook" marks the dawn of mobile learning.



In a 1972 article in the Proceedings of the ACM Annual Conference entitled "A personal compiuter for children of all ages" (read an extract here), Kay described a device which could be carried anywhere, was no larger than a notebook, was connected to a global wireless network and cost less than $500.

However, if we agree with O'Malley et al.'s (2003) definition of mobile learning as

"Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location"

then the original mobile learning device is something else entirely. Rather than being the Dynabook the original mobile learning device must surely be the book! Gutenberg's development of moveable type meant that books could be printed much more quickly and cheaply than ever before. The availability of cheap books played a role in the Renaisance and the Enlightenment an as making knowledge available anytime and anywhere is one of the central tenets of mobile learning, I could therefore be argued that the introduction of moveable type means that mobile learning is an even older discipline than e-learning.

As always, youtube have a couple of amusing clips which illustrate the importance of this new technology:

Medieval Helpdesk

Did you know the BOOK?

Hope you enjoy the clips!

Neil