A Framework for Mobile Education System for Higher Institutions in Nigeria

Abstract

With the advent of cloud computing technology, the development of mobile applications for use in several facets of life has been on the increase. This has been supported by the proliferation of mobile devices in the society which is also being used in utilizing the prowess of the cloud technology. Building a mobile education system that is platform independent is a major challenge since most of the popularly used ones are either software dependent or hardware dependent. In this work, a framework for mobile education system that is cross platform in nature with regard to operating system, hardware and web browsers using the 3-tier Client/Server mobile application architecture built on web standard was developed and fully tested. A first year computer science course offered by more than 1000 students was used as input to validate the framework. An integration of Short Message Services (SMS), virtual classroom and e-assessment components enable students and lecturers to communicate, create discussion forum and carry out e-testing using their mobile devices. This work is strongly recommended for higher institutions in Nigeria that need to explore the use of mobile devices that are available with the majority of students. Only registered users can access the developed app via the use of handheld devices (smart-phones & tablets). This can actually improve learning, research and collaboration between students and lecturers thereby enhancing learning experience.