Introduction

We are beginning to see significant adoption of these technologies in further and higher education, in schools and the community, and in training and updating. They are having an impact on teaching, learning, and on the connections between formal and informal learning, work and leisure. They are extremely interesting for educators due to the low cost of many of these devices relative to desktop computers and the spontaneous and personal access they give to the vast educational resources of the Internet. When combined with wireless connectivity, learning activities can be monitored and coordinated between locations. However, the task of designing such activities and appropriate learner support is complex and challenging. The impacts of the new mobile technologies need to be appraised and evaluated. The purpose of this book is to promote and develop our collective understanding of these new possibilities. We will see how they have begun to be put into practice in education and training, and we will assess their impacts to date.