A Framework for Automatic Identification and Visualization of Mobile Device Functionalities and Usage

A framework that automatically identifies the functionalities of a device, monitors their usage and provides users with visualizations about the availability and usage of such functionalities/features, which builds the basis for providing personalized learning experiences considering the learners’ context is presented.

Abstract

While mobile learning gets more and more popular, little is known about how learners use their devices for learning successfully and how to consider context information, such as what device functionalities/features are available and frequently used by learners, to provide them with adaptive interfaces and personalized support. This paper presents a framework that automatically identifies the functionalities/features of a device (e.g., Wi-Fi connection, camera, GPS, etc.), monitors their usage and provides users with visualizations about the availability and usage of such functionalities/features. While the framework is designed for any type of device such as mobile phones, tablets and desktop-computers, this paper presents an application for Android phones. The proposed framework (and the application) can contribute towards enhancing learning outcomes in many ways. It builds the basis for providing personalized learning experiences considering the learners' context. Furthermore, the gathered data can help in analyzing strategies for successful learning with mobile devices.