P.S. Excell

Mahdi H. Miraz, Maaruf Ali, Peter S. Excell

This paper gives an overview of electronic learning (E-Learning) and mobile learning (M-Learning) adoption and diffusion trends, as well as their particular traits, characteristics and issues, especially in terms of cross-cultural and universal usability. E-Learning and M-Learning models using web services and cloud computing, as well as associated security concerns are all addressed. The benefits and enhancements that accrue from using mobile and other internet devices for the purposes of learning in academia are discussed. The differences between traditional classroom-based learning, distance learning, E-Learning and M-Learning models are compared and some conclusions are drawn.

Mahdi H. Miraz, Sajid Khan, Monir Bhuiyan et al.

The paper reports on an ongoing research project into the development of "Mobile Academy", an Android-based mobile learning (mLearning) application (app). The project comprises three major phases: requirement analysis, application development and testing and evaluation. To satisfy the user requirement analysis, a detailed ethnographic study was conducted to investigate how people from different background use mobile devices for learning purposes. The initial analysis and evaluation of the first version of the projected app demonstrates very promising results. Making use of the app seemed to have, in general, a positive dimension in facilitating educational use of mobile devices.

Mahdi H. Miraz, Maaruf Ali, Peter Excell

A study was undertaken to determine the important usability factors (UF) used in the English and the non-English version of a website. The important usability factors were determined, based on a detailed questionnaire used in an international survey. Analysis of the questionnaire found inequalities in the user satisfaction and a general dissatisfaction with the non-English version of the website. The study concluded that more care should be taken in creating the text, taking into account the cultural and linguistic background of the users and the use of graphics in multilingual websites.

Mohammed Fakrudeen, Mahdi H. Miraz, Peter Excell

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has made a large investment in deploying technology to develop the infrastructure and resources for special education. The aims of the present research were to find out the rate of return of these investments in terms of success and, based on the findings, to propose a framework for success criteria. To achieve these aims, a mixed methodology-based research was conducted. Our study found that the use of technology in special education could not reach the desired level of implementation. We found that various success criteria such as professional experience and technology skills of special educators, administrative support, assistive hardware issues and assistive software issues, pedagogical issues, and teaching style are the key influencing factors of the implementation process.