Development of eContent for Delivery of an

Undergraduate Electromagnetic Course

Using Mobile Devices

Al-Zoubi A. Y., Princess Sumaya University of Technology,

Jordan,

Ammar Al-Atiat, International Turnkey Systems,

Egypt.

DistanceDistanceLearningLearningeLearningeLearning

Mobile Mobile LearningLearning

Web-Web-BasedBased

LearningLearning

Computer-Computer-BasedBased

LearningLearning

CD-ROMCD-ROMBasedBased

LearningLearning

Many universities worldwide are re-examining their tools and

methodologies for creating and delivering educational

material.

In particular, engineering and science education requires a great

deal of animation and simulation in order to reach into the

students minds.

The electromagnetic course, for example, is one of the most

difficult subjects to teach, both for students and lecturers,

because it requires an understanding of complex mathematics

to solve complicated electric and magnetic field problems.

Very few textbooks and course syllabi have deviated from the

traditional approach.

Electromagnetics is taught today much as it has been taught for the

last several decades.

Yet, no body has seen the electron or touched the wave.

The student needs to visualize the problem and its associated

conditions to be able to solve the equations and then to

understand the solutions for the variation and propagation of

electromagnetic fields.

The EM course is delivered at PSUT in a variety of blended learning

ways. These including text, equations, simulation and animations

of problem formulation and solving.

eLearning is seen as a strong contender to become the technology

of choice for students and faculty at leading Universities.

Thus, an EM course module was designed at PSUT, as a pilot project.

The design was based on the standard (analysis, design, development,

implementation and evaluation) method.

Several work sessions had been conducted between the

subject matter expert and the instructional designer to cover:

• needs analysis,

• target audience,

• technology issues,

• current infrastructure for deployment, learning objectives

and instructional goals and content analysis.

EM eContent

The mobile communication industry has evolved exponentially in the

past decade. It has added a lot of functionality to the simple mobile

phone to open up a new era to users.

Mobile learning will enable access to all kinds of resources.

Advancement as such can also be used to assist people to learn on

an “Anytime, Anywhere” basis.

The Four Screens Developed for Coulomb’s Law lesson.

Mobile Learning Version of Line Charge Problem Formulation.

A research was conducted in the first quarter of 2007 to collect

feedback and analyze students and teachers awareness on

mLearning. An online questionnaire was setup containing

questions ranging from acceptance of the EM eCourse to devices

used for mLearning:

1- Factors that Influence the Choice of a Mobile Device for Use,

2- Mobile Learning Platform,

3- Services Offered by Mobile Learning.

The questionnaire consisted of 24 questions addressed over 2700

emails for professors in the 22 universities, and 415 student. Only 137

professors and students responded of whom 41.61% were student

and 51.83% were lecturers and researchers. Almost all possessed a

mobile phone while only 15.33% possessed a handheld computer or a

PDA.

Degree of Degree of ImportanceImportance

Screen Screen SizeSize

WeightWeight Wireless Wireless CapabilitiesCapabilities

Input Input MethodsMethods

ProcessiProcessing Powerng Power

Battery Battery LifeLife

1 (not 1 (not important)important)

2.192.19 2.922.92 3.653.65 2.192.19 1.461.46 1.461.46

22 4.384.38 5.845.84 2.922.92 2.192.19 1.461.46 0.730.73

33 10.2210.22 21.9021.90 6.576.57 24.8224.82 16.0616.06 10.9510.95

44 18.2518.25 23.3623.36 26.2826.28 27.0127.01 27.7427.74 21.1721.17

5 (very 5 (very important)important)

59.1259.12 37.9637.96 53.2853.28 35.7735.77 45.2645.26 58.3958.39

Table (1) The Percentage Degree of Importance of the

of the Factors that Influence the Choice of a Mobile Device for Use in

a Mobile Learning Environment.

Degree of Degree of ImportanceImportance

UserUserFriendlinessFriendliness

Speed ofSpeed ofDownloadDownload

Cost Cost GraphicsGraphics EdutainmentEdutainment VarietyVariety

1 (not 1 (not important)important)

2.922.92 0.730.73 0.000.00 0.730.73 2.192.19 0.730.73

22 5.115.11 2.922.92 2.192.19 3.653.65 10.9510.95 5.115.11

33 11.6811.68 8.038.03 10.9510.95 16.0616.06 16.7916.79 18.2518.25

44 29.9329.93 23.3623.36 19.7119.71 29.9329.93 33.5833.58 36.5036.50

5 (very 5 (very important)important)

41.6141.61 56.2056.20 58.3958.39 40.1540.15 26.2826.28 30.6630.66

Table (2) The Percentage Degree of Importance of the

Mobile Learning Platform.

Degree of Degree of ImportanceImportance

Accessing Accessing notesnotes

Notification Notification of eventsof events

InteractioInteractionn

QuizzesQuizzes Comm.Comm.with with

lecturerslecturers

Comm.Comm.with with

peerspeers

Add or drop Add or drop coursescourses

1 (not 1 (not important)important)

2.922.92 0.000.00 3.653.65 1.461.46 2.192.19 0.730.73 1.461.46

22 2.192.19 4.384.38 7.307.30 8.768.76 3.653.65 8.038.03 7.307.30

33 13.8713.87 11.6811.68 21.9021.90 21.1721.17 20.4420.44 19.7119.71 21.1721.17

44 23.3623.36 29.2029.20 30.6630.66 38.6938.69 28.4728.47 31.3931.39 21.1721.17

5 (very 5 (very important)important)

48.1848.18 45.2645.26 27.0127.01 19.7119.71 35.0435.04 29.2029.20 37.2337.23

Table (3) The Percentage Degree of Importance of the Services Offered

Through the Use of Mobile Learning.

Results reveal that:

1- screen size and resolution and battery life were the most important factors that influence the choice of a mobile device used in a mobile learning environment

2- the speed and cost of downloading new content were the most important features of the mobile learning platform,

3- its user friendliness and graphics capabilities such as videos, audios and illustrations in the course content were less important,

4- half of the sample considered accessing notes and course content as the most important of the function and services expected from the use of mobile learning,

The development of mobile learning is not intended to replace the

classroom learning, but rather to offer another way to deliver content

and to embed learning into daily life.

Thank you

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Computer Simulation of a Transmission Line Problem Using Matlab.