The effects of integrating mobile devices with teaching and learning on students' learning performance: A meta-analysis and research synthesis

AbstractMobile devices such as laptops, personal digital assistants, and mobile phones have become a learning tool with great potential in both classrooms and outdoor learning. Although there have been qualitative analyses of the use of mobile devices in education, systematic quantitative analyses of the effects of mobile-integrated education are lacking. This study performed a meta-analysis and research synthesis of the effects of integrated mobile devices in teaching and learning, in which 110 experimental and quasiexperimental journal articles published during the period 1993–2013 were coded and analyzed. Overall, there was a moderate mean effect size of 0.523 for the application of mobile devices to education. The effect sizes of moderator variables were analyzed and the advantages and disadvantages of mobile learning in different levels of moderator variables were synthesized based on content analyses of individual studies. The results of this study and their implications for both research and practice are discussed

Riesgos de la comunicación interactiva en la población adolescente: diagnóstico e intervención de alfabetización digital

[EN]The present thesis dissertation has several original contributions. First, we have validated the Digital Literacy Scale. Despite some room for improvement in the measurement, we argue that, even in its current state, this is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring digital skills in adolescents and, as such, fills a gap in the field of digital literacy research. Second, to our knowledge this is the first study to examine how digital skills mediate the relationship between parental mediation and online risks and online opportunities. Our study builds a theoretical model explaining the mediation role of adolescents’ digital skills on the relationship between parental mediation and online risks and opportunities. Thus, our research helps us understand how digital skills have a mediating role between (restrictive) parental behaviours and adolescents’ online experiences that previous studies have not addressed. Third, this study shows that narrative persuasion and mobile learning can be combined successfully for promoting online safety and developing digital literacy in young people, and that mobile learning can be effective regardless of adolescents’ individual characteristics. As for every study, the present doctoral thesis suffers from several limitations that should be considered in future studies. Therefore, future research should look for improvement of the scale; should investigate relationships between parental mediation, digital skills, online opportunities and online risks longitudinally; and should test the developed theoretical model in other countries. Despite these limitations, we consider that this dissertation sheds light on the research on digital literacy in adolescents by developing a useful tool for measuring this construct and by highlighting its importance for an effective use of information and communication technology.[ES]La presente tesis doctoral proporciona varias contribuciones originales. En primer lugar, a través del primer estudio empírico hemos validado la Escala de Alfabetización Digital. A pesar de existir margen de mejora en dicha herramienta metodológica, consideramos que en su estado actual es una herramienta válida y fiable para medir competencias digitales en adolescentes y, de esta forma, llena un vacío en la investigación en alfabetización digital. En segundo lugar, según nuestro conocimiento, este es el primer estudio que examina como las competencias digitales median en la relación entre mediación parental y riesgos y oportunidades online. De esta forma, nuestra investigación construye un modelo teórico que explica el rol de mediador de las competencias digitales de los adolescentes en la relación entre mediación parental y riesgos y oportunidades. Así, nuestra investigación ayuda a explicar cómo las competencias digitales tienen un rol mediador entre las iniciativas de mediación (restrictiva) y las experiencias online de los adolescentes que ningún estudio previo había analizado. En tercer lugar, esta investigación demuestra que la persuasión narrativa y el aprendizaje móvil pueden combinarse de forma exitosa para promover la seguridad online y desarrollar la alfabetización digital en la población adolescente; y que el aprendizaje móvil puede ser efectivo independientemente de las características individuales de los adolescentes. Como en cualquier investigación, la presente tesis doctoral sufre de algunas limitaciones que deberán ser tenidas en cuentas en investigaciones futuras. Así, los próximos estudios deberían tratar de mejorar la escala; deberían investigar la relación entre mediación parental, competencias digitales, oportunidades online y riesgos online de forma longitudinal; y deberían testar el modelo teórico desarrollado en otros países o contextos culturales. A pesar de estas limitaciones, consideramos que esta tesis arroja luz en la investigación sobre alfabetización digital en adolescentes al desarrollar una herramienta para medir este constructo y al destacar su importancia para poder llevar a cabo un uso efectivo de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación

Situated Poetry Learning Using Multimedia Resource Sharing Approach

[[abstract]]Educators have emphasized the importance of situating students in an authentic learning environment. By using such approach, teachers can encourage students to learn Chinese poems by browsing content resources and relevant online multimedia resources by using handheld devices. Nevertheless, students in heterogeneous network environments may have different requirements for the resource subject, type, size, etc. The central issue of this study is how to locate appropriate resources to support situated learning based on user context. In an attempt to solve the primary concern, this study proposes a context-based dialogue approach with which students may interact to retrieve adequate poems and multimedia resources. The Poetry Multimedia Resource Index is the basis for the retrieval, which consists of outer lexical resources, multimedia resource information, and Chinese poems. A prototype system has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach. The experimental group adopts the situated learning method by using this system, while those in the control group adopt the situated learning method by using textbooks. It is found that our approach can be significantly beneficial to promote students' learning achievements. The majority of students are satisfied with the proposed system and the teacher participant showed a positive attitude toward this system

Situated Poetry Learning Using Multimedia Resource Sharing Approach

[[abstract]]Educators have emphasized the importance of situating students in an authentic learning environment. By using such approach, teachers can encourage students to learn Chinese poems by browsing content resources and relevant online multimedia resources by using handheld devices. Nevertheless, students in heterogeneous network environments may have different requirements for the resource subject, type, size, etc. The central issue of this study is how to locate appropriate resources to support situated learning based on user context. In an attempt to solve the primary concern, this study proposes a context-based dialogue approach with which students may interact to retrieve adequate poems and multimedia resources. The Poetry Multimedia Resource Index is the basis for the retrieval, which consists of outer lexical resources, multimedia resource information, and Chinese poems. A prototype system has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach. The experimental group adopts the situated learning method by using this system, while those in the control group adopt the situated learning method by using textbooks. It is found that our approach can be significantly beneficial to promote students’ learning achievements. The majority of students are satisfied with the proposed system and the teacher participant showed a positive attitude toward this system

Measuring Mobile Collaborative Learning and academic achievement : whatsapp and students in South Africa

Mobile learning has developed into an essential component within the education landscape and, with two billion users worldwide, the social media platform WhatsApp has become a prominent feature in this domain. Nevertheless, with ambiguity in the literature about the effects of WhatsApp on teaching and learning and especially a paucity of research measuring collaboration on WhatsApp in relation to students’ academic achievement. The purpose of the study was to explain and predict WhatsApp’s effect on academic achievement using a quantitative questionnaire. The results suggest that increased collaboration on WhatsApp may improve academic achievement. Additionally, improving other aspects, such as active learning, trust, support, formality, interaction and interdependence, may enhance collaboration and, in turn, improve academic achievement. The study has value by providing measurable scientific evidence about the effects of WhatsApp on learning that can be incorporated into the design of teaching and learning activities with WhatsApp to improve academic achievement.Uhlelo lokufunda uhamba (Mobile learning) selikhule ladlondlobala laba yisigaba esibalulekile ngaphansi komkhakha wemfundo kanti, lolu hlelo selunabasebenzisi abangamabhiliyoni amabili emhlabeni wonke jikelele, uhlelo lwenkundla yezokuxhumana komphakathi lwe-WhatsApp seluyinkanyezi egqamile kulesi sizinda. Yize-kunjalo, kukhona okungacaci kahle mayelana nombhalo wobuciko kwimiphumela yohlelo lwe-WhatsApp mayelana nokufundisa kanye nokufunda, kanti ikakhulu, uhlelo lwezocwaningo olulinganisa izinga lokusebenzisana kohlelo lwe-WhatsApp okumayelana nokuphumelela kwabafundi kwizifundo zabo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwaye kuwukuchaza kanye nokuhlahla umphumela wohlelo lwe-WhatsApp kwezemfundo, ngokusebenzisa uhlelo locwaningo lwemibuzo egxile kumanani (quantitative questionnaire) . Imiphumela iphakamisa ukuthi izinga lokusbenzisana ohlelweni lwe-WhatsApp lungathuthukisa umphumela wezemfundo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lungathuthukisa ezinye izinhlaka, ezinjengohlelo lokufunda olumatasa. Lungaletha ukwethembana, ukuxhasana, ukwenza izinto ngendlela esemthethweni, lungaletha ukuxoxisana kanye nokusebenzisana kwangaphakathi, lungaqinisa ukusebenzisana, kanti ngakolunye uhlangothi, lungaletha impumelelo kwezemfundo. Ucwaningo lubalulekile ngoba lunikeza ubufakazi bezesayensi obulinganisekayo mayelana nemithelela yohlelo lwe-WhatsApp ohlelweni lokufunda, okuwuhlelo olungafakwa ngaphansi kohlelo lokudizayina imisebenzi yohlelo lokufunda nokufundisa ku-WhatsApp ukuthuthukisa ukwenza ngcono imiphumela yezemfundo.Mobiele leer het in ’n noodsaaklike komponent van die onderwyslandskap ontwikkel en met twee miljard gebruikers wêreldwyd, het die sosiale mediaplatform WhatsApp ’n prominente kenmerk van hierdie domein geword. Nogtans bestaan daar dubbelsinnigheid in die letterkunde oor die uitwerking van WhatsApp op onderrig en leer, en is daar veral ’n gebrek aan navorsing wat die samewerking op WhatsApp in verhouding tot die studente se akademiese prestasies meet. Die doel van hierdie studie was om WhatsApp se uitwerking op akademiese prestasie aan die hand van ’n kwantitatiewe vraelys te verduidelik en te voorspel. Die resultate stel voor dat ’n groter mate van samewerking op WhatsApp akademiese prestasie kan verbeter. Dit kan ook ander aspekte soos aktiewe leer, vertroue, ondersteuning, formaliteit, interaksie en onderlinge afhanklikheid verbeter en kan samewerking verhoog, wat op sy beurt akademiese prestasie kan verbeter. Die studie is waardevol in die sin dat dit meetbare, wetenskaplike bewyse oor die uitwerking van WhatsApp op leer verskaf het, wat by die ontwerp van onderrig- en leeraktiwiteite geïnkorporeer kan word om akademiese prestasie te verbeter.School of ComputingM. Tech. (Information Technology