MC-Supporter: Flexible Mobile Computing Supporting Learning though Social Interactions

Nowadays, we are experiencing a rapid development in mobile computing because of the sinking prices of the mobile devices and the availability of wireless networks that can connect them. The ability of many of these devices to set up ad-hoc networks by proximity allows face-to-face interaction combined with mobility. However, mobile devices are much weaker in computing power compared with desktop or laptop computing. Therefore, a key aspect to ensure success of an application supporting mobile learning is whether mobility is really needed for the activity it supports and if mobile devices do really represent an added value compared with the same application implemented on non-mobile devices. This work presents MCI-Supporter, an application supporting collaborative learning practises in the classroom. MCI-Supported was conceived by first analyzing the best known collaborative learning practices trying to find out which are the real needs for mobility and face-to-face interaction and then designing the application supporting learning activities where mobile computing does really represents an added value compared to the desktop computing scenario.