SOMA - A Service-Oriented Mobile Learning Architecture

This work has been finished in June 2010.

Service-Oriented Mobile learning Architecture (SOMA) is a project focusing on interactive learning using mobile devices, with the main focus on devices running on the Google Android operating system. While state-of-the-art solutions mainly cover text-based, multiple choice interrogator-responder concepts, our approach will be characterized by interactivity, allowing multimedia-based e-learning concepts. Providing access to different hardware features enables a variety of novel input methods. Examples include obtaining user input through hardware accelerometers or cameras. In order to provide these advanced features we implement the SOMA-Framework (SOMAF) as part of this work, which acts as wrapper between the e-learning application and the underlying hardware components. The realization of the concrete features is based on a plug-in system, which enables almost unlimited extension of the SOMA application. Thereby, we use a custom implementation of Java Reflection to guarantee extensibility. The basic idea of our approach is based on Sabine Graf’s work on learning styles. Concerning this topic, we will mainly concentrate on capturing all user input needed for the evaluation of learning styles. Another important aspect is the integration of the e-learning process into social networks. The system will allow users to publish their results online and invite friends to take the same course. We assume this will improve learning motivation significantly. Users can compete and incite each other to enhance their learning progress. Besides the SOMA framework itself, a sample plug-in will be developed as part of this work. For the evaluation of our solution we will provide a sample course that uses this basic plug-in. The sample course will be created in cooperation with the Austrian Youth Red Cross Klosterneuburg, covering basic first aid content.

 

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