The project MoTFAL is a joint initiative of pedagogical, technological experts, educators, and psychologists to research the possibilities of using mobile platforms with Internet access for educational purposes at school level. The partnership aims to develop, test and evaluate learning schemes that is implemented on a handheld learning environment based on emerging technology that facilitates in situ learning maximizing the impact of information that is provided when the motivation of the student is highest.

The MoTFAL learning environment includes full access to digital resources, cognitive tools, knowledge visualizations, software mentors to help with learning to use devices such as digital cameras, organise and recall images and sounds of people and situations, knowledge sharing between students in different environments, contextual personal tools that change their behaviour based on where they are and the activity in progress. Students have the chance to be linked to video clips, PDF articles, and Websites.

The MoTFAL partnership considers that the challenge for the future generation of educational systems at the dawn of the third millennium is to develop didactic environments for mobile phones and mobile devices as the availability of mobile devices spreads to a billion of users. The mobile telephone is becoming a trusted, personal device with Internet access, smart card usage, and a range of possibilities for keeping the learner in touch with the institution’s student support services, in contact with learning materials and fellow students, while at home, at work or travelling.

During the application an extensive usability evaluation that will offer the guidelines for the human computer interaction and psychological contents required for the development of the final version of the MoTFAL system. The consortium aims to investigate the impact that handheld technology has on how final users experience wireless m-learning applications.