MLearn

mLearn is the short name for the International Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning that is organised by the International Association for Mobile Learning in cooperation with a changing local host. The conference provides a forum for academia, developers, practitioners, industry, government, and organisations in order to discuss learning and mobility in converging technological environments.
mLearn is a series of annual academic conferences on mobile learning that has been running since 2002 and has been the first international conferences dedicated to mobile learning. The conference covers applications of mobile devices in various contexts, but also new educational and technological ways and concepts for supporting formal education and informal learning as well as transitions between different types of learning. Some past proceedings from the conference have been analysed for research themes in 'A Survey of Research Methods and Purposes in Mobile Learning'
mLearn is a four day conference that is held in the second half of October.
Scope of the Conference
The mLearn conference addresses theory, technologies, and practice of mobile learning in formal education and informal learning settings. The conference regularly includes discussions on the following topics.
* Challenges for mobile learning in developing countries
* Seamless Learning and Mobile learning in and across formal and informal settings
* Using mobile technologies for development
* Ubiquitous and ambient learning and technology
* Theories, models and ethics for mobile and contextual learning
* Open and distance education with mobile devices
* Mobile language learning
* Interaction design and usability for mobile learning
* Mobile learning strategies in schools, higher institutions, industry, and organisations
* Adaptive, virtual or collaborative environments for mobile learning
* Augmented reality for learning
* Innovative approaches to learning of current and emerging mobile technologies
* Toys and smart objects for learning
The conference accepts contributions in the following formats:
* Full papers (up to 8 pages)
* Short papers (up to 4 pages)
* Poster presentations
* Scientific workshops
* Tutorials
All contributions are peer reviewed by the conference's program committee.

Conference format
mLearn provides a forum for the presentation and discussion of mobile learning research which illustrate developments in the field. The formal conference program is structured by
* Workshops
* Tutorials
* Scientific and practitioner presentations
* Poster presentations,
* Doctoral consortium, and
* Industry or policy maker panel discussions
Workshops and tutorials are organised as a pre-conference activity on the first day. Workshops provide a forum for special interest groups for having longer and more focused discussions on special topics related to mobile and contextual learning. "Tutorials" are practitioner oriented sessions to learn about using a mobile learning tool or approach.
Scientific and practitioner presentations are talks about accepted full and short paper contributions to the conference. Short paper presentations are typically 15 minute presentations and full paper presentations are typically 20-30 minute presentations.
Poster presentations are typically presented by the author in a special poster session on the second conference day and can be revisited throughout the remaining conference.
The "doctoral consortium" is a forum for Ph.D. candidates to present and discuss their research and methodological questions with a board of more experienced researchers.
Past Conferences
Past conferences have been held in the following locations:
* mLearn 2002, Birmingham, UK, local host: University of Birmingham
* mLearn 2003, London, UK, local host: Inmarsat
* mLearn 2004, Bracciano, Italy, local host: GIUNTI Ricerca
* mLearn 2005, Cape Town, South Africa, local host: Tshwane University of Technology, the University of Pretoria, and the University of South Africa
* mLearn 2006, Banff, Canada
* mLearn 2007, Melbourne, Australia
* mLearn 2008, Telford, UK, local host: University of Wolverhampton
* mLearn 2009, Orlando, Florida, USA, local host: University of Central Florida
* mLearn 2010, Valletta, Malta, local host: University of Malta
* mLearn 2011, Beijing, China: local host: Beijing Normal University
* mLearn 2012, Helsinki, Finland, local host: CICERO Learning at University of Helsinki and Open University in the Netherlands
* mLearn 2013, Doha, Qatar, local host: College of the North Atlantic, Qatar Campus
Special editions of the International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning have been issued containing revised and extended versions of the best papers from the 2008, 2009 and 2010 conferences.

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