Development of Basic Geology Mobile Learning Based on Android Indonesia Geodiversity Area

Basic Geology is a prior knowledge that needs to be supported by a flexible learning environment through the use of mobile technology. Through the supports of mobile technology, students will gain freedom of access because they can be used anytime and anywhere. The progress and speed of technological development, the ease and practicality of using smartphone devices are the potential, opportunities and challenges for presenting mobile technology in learning. The presence of generation Z who are already familiar with technology has reinforced the need to utilize technology to accommodate them in learning better. The aim of this development research is to produce a learning product in the form of a Basic Geology mobile learning application to support learning anywhere and anytime and to determine the feasibility of the product in terms of media and materials, as well as responses from users. This research uses the Lee & Owens model in developing mobile learning applications. Data was collected using a questionnaire filled out by media experts, material experts and service users in the Indonesian Geodiversity Area. The results of this research are (1) user needs for mobile learning to support Basic Geology learning by providing learning resources and building learning communities, (2) producing Basic Geology mobile learning products, (3) results of feasibility tests by media experts, material experts and Individual, small group and field trials show that mobile learning is suitable for use in learning. Keywords: geodiversity; basic geology; mobile learnin

A framework for providing mobile centric services to students at higher education institutions : the case of open distance learning

In developing countries, the mobile phone market has matured in terms of subscription, penetration and mobile centric1 services. In turn, people have integrated mobile phones into their daily lives. The interaction opportunities that have evolved in business and social life have given students at Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) grounds to anticipate similar opportunities within their learning environments. In the context of developing countries, students primarily access information through mobile phones and there seems to be a disconnection between how HEI provide informational services and how students want to access the services. Therefore, HEIs are challenged with shifting from their traditional information distribution practices into integrating mobile centric services. Literature describes several models of providing mobile centric services in learning settings but there is a paucity of research that address the disconnection between students’ mobile centric needs and expectations against the HEIs’ provision of such services. Therefore, this study proposes a Framework for providing mobile centric services to students at HEIs in Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) context in South Africa. The potential contribution of the framework is that it can facilitate strategic planning and implementation of mobile centric services whilst ensuring the needed synergies with students and academics. The research is grounded in interpretive philosophy and was undertaken as a single case study. The case study employed mixed method design for data collection. The advantage of mixed method design is that it enables both qualitative and quantitative data to be collected from a variety of sources and triangulation of results to get a complete picture of the phenomenon under study. The research was undertaken in four phases. Phase 1 of the study was a literature analysis carried out to identify the components for providing mobile centric services that facilitate students with information access and interaction. The objective was to provide a conceptual framework that would direct the search for evidence and organise the results. Phase 2 of the study employed the conceptual framework developed in Phase 1 to identify the units of analysis and to design the data collection instruments. Phase 3 of the study focused on collecting data within a single case study with embedded units of analysis. Data collection included Policy document analysis, Tool observation analysis, Student surveys and Lecturer interviews. The data collected from the case study was analysed with the view of enhancing the components of the conceptual framework developed in Phase 1. The enhancement of the components of the conceptual framework carried out in Phase 3 directed the development of the Framework for providing mobile centric services to students at HEIs in ODeL context in South Africa as presented in Phase 4. This adds new knowledge in addressing the literature gap between the mobile centric needs and expectations of students and the provision of mobile centric services at HEIs. The framework has practical value in that its components can guide HEIs in determining the mobile centric readiness of their institutions, the needs of the stakeholders, the context of use, the identification of mobile centric resources and the managing of constraints. Mobile centric refers to the preference of accessing and interacting with information services through a mobile device such as a mobile phone.ComputingPh. D. (Information Systems