Abstracts
Abstract
This article presents a case-study of two distance learning courses, in order to address the question of universal adoption of mobile devices and applications by students, and the impact of these devices in personal learning environments (PLEs). First, a critical discussion of the value of these concepts in the current technological context was carried out, followed by an analysis of their impact on educational use, based on data collected in online courses on physics and statistics at Universidade Aberta, the Portuguese Open University. The results indicated that all students have adopted mobile learning, and the make-up of an individual’s PLE depends more on the learning resources available rather than on gender or age. These findings can help provide more efficient ways to implement learning by connecting current social needs to learners’ mobile PLEs, particularly when flexibility of time and space are of utmost importance. Further studies at the Portuguese Open University will address a larger and more balanced sample of students across more course units.
Keywords:
- mobile learning,
- personal learning environment,
- social media,
- open university
Download the article in PDF to read it.
Download
Appendices
Bibliography
- Alzen, J. L., Langdon, L. S., & Otero, V. K. (2018). A logistic regression investigation of the relationship between the learning assistant model and failure rates in introductory STEM courses. International Journal of STEM Education, 56(5). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0152-1
- Attwell, G., Bimrose, J., & Brown, A. (2008). Maturing learning: Mashup personal learning environments. Proceedings of 1st Workshop MUPPLE’08, Maastricht, Netherlands. Retrieved from http://dspace.ou.nl/bitstream/1820/1501/1/mupple08_dspace.pdf#page=84
- Bidarra, J., Figueiredo, M., & Natálio, C. (2015). Interactive design and gamification of e-books for mobile and contextual learning. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v9i3.4421
- Brown, T. H., & Mbati, L. S. (2015). Mobile learning: Moving past the myths and embracing the opportunities. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v16i2.2071
- Chen, W-P, Millard, D., & Wills, G. (2008) Mobile VLE vs. mobile PLE: How informal is mobile learning? Proceedings of mLearn 2008 Conference. Retrieved from https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/266158/1/InformalMobileLearning_modification_final_0718.pdf
- Cochrane, T. D. (2010). Exploring mobile learning success factors. Research in Learning Technology, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/09687769.2010.494718
- Cross, S., Sharples, M., Healing, G., & Ellis, J. (2019). Distance learners’ use of handheld technologies. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i2.4040
- Dabbagh, N., & Fake, H. (2017). College students’ perceptions of personal learning environments through the lens of digital tools, processes and spaces, Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.7821/NAER.2017.1.215
- Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2012). Personal learning environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 15(1), 3-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.06.002
- Dunleavy, G., Nikolaou, C. K., Nifakos, S., Atun, R., Law, G. C. Y., & Tudor Car, L. (2019). Mobile digital education for health professions: Systematic review and meta-analysis by the digital health education collaboration, Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.2196/12937
- Feng, S., Wong, Y. K., Wong, L. Y., & Hossain, L. (2019). The Internet and Facebook usage on academic distraction of college students. Computers & Education, 134, 41-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.02.005
- Fiedler, S. H., & Väljataga, T. (2013). Personal learning environments: Concept or technology? In M. Thomas (Ed.), Technologies, innovation, and change in personal and virtual learning environments (pp. 166-176). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-2467-2.ch014
- García-Peñalvo, F. J., & Conde, M. Á. (2015). The impact of a mobile personal learning environment in different educational contexts. Universal Access in the Information Society, 14(3), 375-387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-014-0366-z
- Gómez-Ramirez, I., Valencia-Arias, A., & Duque, L. (2019). Approach to m-learning acceptance among university students. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20(3). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i4.4061
- Johnson, M., & Liber, O. (2008). The personal learning environment and the human condition: From theory to teaching practice. Interactive Learning Environments, 16(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820701772652
- Kearney, C. (2016). Efforts to increase students’ interest in pursuing mathematics, science and technology studies and careers (Report on national measures taken by 30 countries: 2015). Brussels, Belgium: European Schoolnet.
- Kukulska-Hulme, A. (2007). Mobile usability in educational context: What have we learnt? International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v8i2.356
- Krull, G., & Duart, J. M. (2017). Research trends in mobile learning in higher education: A systematic review of articles (2011-2015). The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(7). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i7.2893
- Labach, J. E. (2011). The impact of web-based instruction on faculty in higher education institutions: New directions for research. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(24), 49-57. Retrieved from http://ijbssnet.com/view.php?u=http://ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_2_No_24_Special_Issue_December_2011/5.pdf
- Lai, J. W. M., & Bower, M. (2019). How is the use of technology in education evaluated? A systematic review. Computers & Education, 133, 27-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.01.010
- Liaw, S.-S., & Huang, H.-M. (2015). How factors of personal attitudes and learning environments affect gender difference toward mobile learning acceptance. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(4). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v16i4.2355
- ANACOM. (2019). ANACOM Report - Mobile Service 2018. Retrieved from https://www.anacom.pt/streaming/SM_4T2018.pdf?contentId=1472413&field=ATTACHED_FILE
- Niu, L. (2020). A review of the application of logistic regression in educational research: Common issues, implications, and suggestions. Educational Review, 72(1), 41-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2018.1483892
- Park, Y. (2011). A pedagogical framework for mobile learning: Categorizing educational applications of mobile technologies into four types. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v12i2.791
- Pereira, A., Quintas-Mendes, A., Morgado, L., Amante, L., & Bidarra, J. (2008). Universidade Aberta’s pedagogical model for distance education: A university for the future. Lisbon, Portugal: Universidade Aberta. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10400.2/2388
- Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.
- Prince, M. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(3), 223-231. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2004.tb00809.x
- Schmid, R., & Petko, D. (2019). Does the use of educational technology in personalized learning environments correlate with self-reported digital skills and beliefs of secondary-school students? Computers & Education, 136, 75-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.03.006
- Sharples, M., Corlett, D., & Westmancott, O. (2002). The design and implementation of a mobile learning resource. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 6(3), 220-234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s007790200021
- Sung, Y-T., Chang, K-E., & Liu, T-C. (2016). The effects of integrating mobile devices with teaching and learning on students’ learning performance: A meta-analysis and research synthesis. Computers & Education, 94, 252-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.008
- Thomas, L., Orme, E., & Kerrigan, F. (2020). Student loneliness: The role of social media through life transitions. Computers & Education, 146, 103754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103754
- Traxel, J. (2009). Learning in a mobile age. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.4018/jmbl.2009010101
- Vainio, T., & Walsh, T. (2017). Learning maths with mobiles: Cross-cultural design of technology with experiences in South-Africa and Finland. In I. Management Association (Ed.), Blended learning: Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications (pp. 741-759). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0783-3.ch037
- van Harmelen, M. (2008). Design trajectories: Four experiments in PLE implementation. Interactive Learning Environments, 16(1), 35-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820701772686
- Vazquez-Cano E., Martín-Monje, E., & Castrillo de Larreta-Azelain, M. D. (2016). Analysis of PLEs’ implementation under OER design as a productive teaching-learning strategy in higher education. A case study at Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia. Digital Education Review, 29, 62-85. Retrieved from http://greav.ub.edu/der
- Wilson, S. (2008). Patterns of personal learning environments. Interactive Learning Environments, 16(1), 17-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820701772660
- Wong, L.-H., & Looi, C. K. (2011). What seams do we remove in mobile assisted seamless learning? A critical review of the literature. Computers and Education, 57(4), 2364-2381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.06.007