Information empowerment through mobile learning

Abstract

Information empowers those who make sense from its successful interpretation; this is especially true on the subject of weather where the recipient is required to have prior forms of fundamental understanding towards the natural occurring phenomenon and its effects. This study facilitates the learning of complex weather phenomena for children using a unique educational approach using mobile technology. The initiative runs under Singapore's National Weather Study Project (NWSP), which already operates a network of mini weather stations in schools across the state to promote environmental awareness and support dynamic interactions with real time data. Its data is accessible via Web, Microsoft SensorMap and Google Earth interfaces. IWIS, an application for the recent Google Android mobile platform taps onto the fusion of mapping and the weather project server's data to present to children accessible local multi-variate weather data depicted using visual metaphors and propagates the development of mobile learning applications in the imminent future.