Communication-Aware Design of Mobile Learning Systems for Seamless Content Delivery

Abstract

The high rate of mobile learning has increased the pressure regarding the smooth and secure delivery of content in dynamic wireless networks. Nonetheless, variable bandwidth, latency, and disruptions caused by mobility have a serious negative effect on the quality of experience (QoE) experienced by learners when traditional adaptive streaming techniques are used. The paper introduces a design concept of mobile learning environment that is communication-aware and jointly addresses both network-level quality of service (QoS) parameters and human-centric quality of experience (QoE) demands to support continuous provision of content. The recommendation is an QoS/QoE conscious adaptive streaming system, whereby real-time network supply, such as available bandwidth, end-to-end delay, jitter, and buffer use are used to make judicious bitrate change decisions. It is also through the proposed approach that extensive simulation of the scheme is evaluated in different network load and mobility conditions as compared to representative throughput-based and buffer-based adaptive streaming schemes. Performance indicates that the proposed design greatly minimises start up delay and rebuffing occurrences and that the proposed design enhances the average delivered bitrate and the stability of the bitrate. Moreover, there are significant improvements in the network performance measured by the element of lower latency, higher percentage of packet delivery, and efficiency of throughputs. This result indicates that by integrating adaptation strategies that are communication-sensitive, mobile learning systems that run on heterogeneous wireless networks can be significantly improved in regard to reliability and scalability.