New Open Source Software for iPhone-Based Mobile Learning

Developing countries often lack the necessary infrastructure and trained personnel to enable lifelong learning or continuing education. And although broadband Internet is on the rise, it still requires significant investment funds to deploy.

So it is not surprising that mobile infrastructures are currently the way Internet communications are reaching many remote areas. And for this reason, researchers from Peru and Belgium have now developed an open source learning solution that utilizes the iPhone for access.

The code, which is just undergoing tests now, will enable health care workers in developing countries to connect to the free learning platform "Moodle" with their iPhone, iPod, and some of other new-generation mobile devices.

Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System or a Virtual Learning Environment. It is a free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.

The developers say this is the first open source application of its kind for Moogle and the iPhone.

Web-based learning platforms are being used by all universities and some K12 institutions to give students access to courses, exams, and assignments. There are many learning platforms available (Blackboard, Sakai, Dokeos...) but not all of them are for free or accessible by mobile devices.

However, free and open source programs are of great importance to developing countries where most institutions are on a tight budget. This is why Moodle was chosen as a free and open source learning platform to adapt to the iPhone.

Both research institutes involved with the software development - the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp and the Institute of Tropical Medicine Alexander von Humboldt, Lima - will now offer the source code for free under a Creative Commons GNU license.

Institutions, NGOs, small organizations, and companies can use the code to develop their own mobile learning environment. This will allow a great number of people in remote areas to get access to lifelong learning, say the developers.

The software has already been tested in a three-month pilot that served health care workers in twenty clinics throughout Peru. Those health care workers treat 70% of all Peruvian HIV/AIDS patients in need. The pilot enabled the health workers to used multimedia, 3D-animations, group discussions, policy documents, and peer reviewed literature.

It proved significant, added the developers, that these participants in remote areas no longer needed to leave their clinics or move to another location to continue their training.

A project demo site can be found at: http://iphone.moodle.com.au/