Exploring the Influences on Faculty Members’ Adoption of Mobile Learning at King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.

The primary objective of this study is to explore the perceptions and attitudes of faculty members within King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia regarding various factors that may influence their current and future use of mobile devices for teaching and learning purposes. The UTAUT and DIT theories were both utilised in this study along with two external constructs. This research employs a sequential online mixed methods approach, using quantitative statistics to illuminate qualitative findings. The sample of survey data consists of responses to 279-response online and paper-based survey. Online interviews were conducted with twenty faculty members, which added in-depth information to the research findings. This research reveals that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived trialability, perceived social norms, and resistance to change were all statistically significant, and had a direct impact on faculty members’ perceptions about using m-learning, both now and in the future. However, in estimating the unique independent effect of each of the potential predictors on the faculty intention in relation to current and future use of m-learning, the results indicated that facilitating conditions, perceived trialability and perceived social norms were more likely than the other factors to influence respondent-preferences relating to their use of m-learning. In addition, the study revealed that mobile device usage was the only significant predictor from the personal characteristics of faculty members regarding the behavioural intention to use mobile learning. The current work attempts to design a unique theoretical framework and suggests that it is worthwhile for higher education institutions to review and assess the factors that are proposed to have significant impacts on faculty members’ intentions to adopt and accept m-learning in their current and future practice, as well as to look at the solutions offered as guidance for the mobile learning programme before embarking on its application

Charting Trajectories on the Peripheries of Community Practice: Mobile Learning for the Humanities in South Korea

This research explores the learning practices of graduate humanities students in South Korea as evidenced through mobile technology. Fieldwork was carried out with 25 graduate students across several universities in Seoul involving interviews, mobile artifacts, and reflective prompts. The study asked how graduate students use mobile technology to support their learning, what learning practices are presented in this mobile technology use, and whether this combination of mobile technology use and learning practice suggest a learner trajectory (Wenger, 1998) in respect to the disciplinary community. Analysis presents the trajectories being evidenced by these graduate students, leading to a discussion on how graduate students are shaping their learning practices and participation in the humanities through mobile technology. Findings suggest the trajectories that graduate students exhibit in relation to their disciplinary communities are structured by mobile technology itself, informal and formal practices consistent with community participation, and South Korean sociocultural practice. Trajectories presented were complex aggregations of adherence, subversion, and intent, suggesting that participation in the disciplinary community was shaped by multimemberships and elements of individualized practice. The findings suggest that more robust methodologies are needed to account for the complexity of learning trajectories in sociocultural contexts. The contributions of this thesis are a more sophisticated definition of mobile learning, methodological models that allow for this definition to be evidenced, an analytical framework that coheres the disparate data points being evidenced through mobile technology, and a more holistic presentation of mobile learning than has been presented in research on South Korean higher education

Developing an augmented reality business model for cultural heritage tourism: the case of Geevor Museum

The use of Augmented Reality (AR) in cultural heritage tourism has gained increased research attention, and studies identify many ways AR adds value to, and enhances the tourist experience. However, contrary to expectations and opportunities presented, AR adoption has been slower than predicted. It could be argued that the tourism sector is losing out of the benefits presented by AR, despite the fact adopting modern technologies is considered essential for tourist organisations to remain competitive and attractive. Through a comprehensive literature review this study has identified a need to develop a business model to explore the added value and realise ARs full potential. As a result of a review of existing Business Models (BMs), the study adopted the V4 model as a framework to scaffold initial research questions. The case of UNESCO recognised Geevor Tin Mine Museum was used to develop and validate ‘The ARBM’ using a mixed method approach combining interviews and questionnaires. Phase one data collection, involving fifty Geevor stakeholder interviews revealed support for, and recognition of ARs potential to add value to Geevor, as well as confirming the need to develop a clear implementation strategy. Using thematic analysis the ARBM was developed, consisting of five components; resources, AR value, stakeholder benefits, responsibilities and revenue. Each component contained a number of criteria which were ordered into a hierarchy of importance in the second phase of data collection: fifteen stakeholder questionnaires, completed and analysed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). AHP is a multi-criteria decision-making method that organised criteria into a hierarchy based on perceived importance. This validated the ARBM for Geevor, providing strong proof of concept, aggregating stakeholder perceptions to produce a group decision identifying the most preferable ARBM options to purse when implementing AR at Geevor. Theoretically, the study found a number of AR values not previously identified, enriching the existing pool of knowledge. Practically, developing and validating the ARBM, provides tourist organisation managers with a framework to effectively implement AR, turning its potential into actual value adding benefits. Overall, it is clear, investment in, and adoption of innovative technologies is a necessity for tourist organisations that wish to remain sustainable and competitive in the future. This study moves closer toward meaningful implementation of AR