MOBILE LEARNING WITH CELL PHONES AND MOBILE FLICKR: ONE EXPERIENCE IN A SECONDARY SCHOOL Adelina Moura University of Minho Gualtar, Braga, Portugal adelina8@gmail.com Ana Amélia Carvalho University of Minho Gualtar, Braga, Portugal aac@iep.uminho.pt ABSTRACT Mobile learning or m-learning is a new paradigm in the educational scene with opportunities and challenges in the expansion of distance learning. The experiment described in this paper presents the students’ perception about the tasks carried out with cell phones and Mobile Flickr, in curricular developmental activities of Portuguese literature. The main objective of this study is to improve learning through the use of mobile devices and to encourage collaborative work. We want to achieve an innovative methodology of collaboration and communication with mobile technology. Suggestions for further development of this work will be discussed in the conclusion. KEYWORDS Mobile learning, cell phones, mobile flickr, collaborative work 1. INTRODUCTION Mobile learning or m-learning is a relatively new tool in education which enables teachers and students to create new environments for present and distance learning. Mobile learning it’s defined as “elearning through mobile computational devices: Palms, Windows CE machines, even your digital cell phone” (Quinn, 2000), and it is gaining importance in different sectors of society. This new paradigm opens up a range of possibilities for teaching and learning processes. The possibilities for the use of m-learning are many and varied and need to be investigated. It was in this context that we planned the development of a field experiment to support curricular activities, through the use of students’ mobile phones and Mobile Flickr. With this experiment we wanted to create a learning environment based on the innovative use of mobile devices, such as cell phones and mobile email service, and help students to develop an awareness of learning focused on collaborative mobile learning and curricular activities. 2. MOBILE LEARNING: CONCEPTUALIZATION In 2000, Sharples started to discuss the potential of mobile technologies in programs for lifelong learning and the introduction of new opportunities in adult education. Several years later, some of these ideas are still of interest. During the following years other studies have been conducted and reported by Seppala & Alamaki (2003); Attewell, (2005), Rushby (2005), Savill-Smith (2005); Wagner (2005); Moura & Carvalho (2007a); (2007b) which prove the value of this new paradigm in the field of training and education.