Young children learning with mobile devices: Research on design and implementation

The increasing growth and usage of mobile devices, such as tablets and iPads, by young children has not yet been accompanied by systematic research about the effects they have on children's learning and the conditions that facilitate or hinder learning and engagement. As a result, only few empirically-based guidelines exist to guide parents, educators, and application (app) designers when choosing or designing apps for young children, often leading to non-evidence-based decisions, or the design of apps with little educational value. This symposium aims to bring together researchers from Australia, the UK and USA to discuss what evidence exist about the learning potential of mobile devices and apps for young children and how it could be used to inform relevant stakeholders

Integrating Taxonomies into Theory-Based Digital Health Interventions for Behavior Change: A Holistic Framework

Digital health interventions have been emerging in the last decade. Due to their interdisciplinary nature, digital health interventions are guided and influenced by theories (e.g., behavioral theories, behavior change technologies, persuasive technology) from different research communities. However, digital health interventions are always coded using various taxonomies and reported in insufficient perspectives. The inconsistency and incomprehensiveness will bring difficulty for conducting systematic reviews and sharing contributions among communities. Based on existing related work, therefore, we propose a holistic framework that embeds behavioral theories, behavior change technique (BCT) taxonomy, and persuasive system design (PSD) principles. Including four development steps, two toolboxes, and one workflow, our framework aims to guide digital health intervention developers to design, evaluate, and report their work in a formative and comprehensive way

Qualitative and mixed methodology for online language teaching research

This paper provides an overview of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning), its history and current developments. It presents a rationale for moving CALL research forward, and outlines a particular approach to researching online language teaching and learning: the use of qualitative methodology. It is in this historical context that a case for more qualitative and integrative research designs is made. Examples of qualitative and mixed method studies are taken from the context of language teaching at the Open University in the United Kingdom, the largest institution of its kind in Europe, with a remit of teaching all subjects at university level to adults, regardless of their prior qualifications. With the help of these examples the scope and promise of qualitative approaches are discussed

Aprendizaje de idiomas asistido por dispositivos móviles: alcance, praxis y teoría

Mobile assisted language learning (MALL) research has been characterized by an overemphasis on technology, while the wide variety of approaches to the uses of mobiles has painted an atomized picture of L2 instruction. This paper discusses various conceptualizations of MALL that favour areas of language learning that are anchored on different theories of learning and language learning. Drawing on the seminal work by Traxler (2018, 2019), as well as on research that has examined self-directed uses, the use of apps and Augmented Reality (AR) in MALL, the authors contend that it is essential to shift our focus away from device-oriented pedagogies to more socially situated practices that take stock of new ecologies of language use. We contend that the research field is in search of a wider theoretical perspective in the context of SLA and language education that explores what we label here as socially contextualized MALL.  La investigación sobre el aprendizaje de idiomas asistido por dispositivos móviles (MALL) se ha caracterizado por un énfasis excesivo en los aspectos más íntimamente relacionados con la tecnología y la gran variedad de enfoques sobre los usos de los dispositivos móviles ha contribuido a generar una visión atomizada de la enseñanza de segundas lenguas. En este artículo se analizan diversas conceptualizaciones sobre MALL que, en diferente medida, favorecen áreas del aprendizaje de lenguas vinculadas a teorías sobre el aprendizaje y el aprendizaje de lenguas. Basándonos en las contribuciones de Traxler (2018, 2019), así como en la investigación que ha examinado el aprendizaje autodirigido, el uso de apps y la Realidad Aumentada (RA) en MALL, los autores sostienen que es esencial cambiar nuestro enfoque de pedagogías orientadas a los dispositivos a prácticas situadas en contextos sociales de uso, las cuales se encuentran mejor equipadas para acoger y explicar las nuevas ecologías sobre el uso del lenguaje. En este trabajo sostenemos que este ámbito de la investigación está en busca de una perspectiva teórica más amplia que explore lo que en este artículo hemos denominado MALL socialmente contextualizado

Design Strategies for Mobile Language Learning Effectiveness using Hybrid MCDM Approach

Generally, proposing an evaluation model is of most interest to those with a research focus in information systems. In fact, the design of information systems requires the application of designated evaluation models for identifying effective design strategies rather than predicting the design’s effectiveness.. Information system success model is the latest evaluation model which implicitly reflects the evaluation criteria for configuring the design of mobile learning application. Using two mobile learning applications as examples, this study aims to extend the evaluation model by proposing a design evaluation framework for mobile learning applications and evaluating the design of two mobile learning applications by applying designated criteria. Employing the novel hybrid multi-criteria decision making which combining Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Model (DEMATEL) and the Analytical Network Process (ANP), this research demonstrates the structure of mobile learning application in term of relationship among attributes as well as examines the value that learners’ perceive with regard to designated mobile learning application. Based on this purpose, this research would contribute to discover the grammatical structure of mobile computing for learning. Accordingly, the designer could apply the structural representation as guidance in strategic design of information system. Keywords: mobile learning application design, decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL), analytic network process (ANP), design structur

Impact of mobile health technology adoption on service quality and patient satisfaction

Long registration time, long waiting time, long medication-taking time and short consultation time, also called "three long, one short", are urgent management problems to be solved in Chinese hospitals. To this end, many hospitals have begun to actively invest in the establishment of mobile health applications (Apps), for the purpose of improving the medical environment and optimizing the clinical processes, such as making appointment, registration, consultation, payment, diagnosis and treatment, medication-taking, waiting time, and ultimately improving the quality of hospital services and patient satisfaction. This dissertation research aims at empirically examining the mechanisms through which patients’ uses of mobile health Apps affect their perceptions of hospital service quality and their satisfaction. The study is conducted in Shenzhen Eye Hospital in China. First, based on literature review and expert interviews, a research model was developed regarding the relationships among four variables: Mobile Health Technology Use (MHTU), Clinical Process Change (CPC), Service Quality (SQ), and Patient Satisfaction (PS). Five hypotheses about the relationship among the variables were proposed and tested. Based on existing measures in the literature and field interviews, a survey instrument was developed and tested using a pilot sample. The survey was then administered to randomly selected patients in the hospital over a period of three weeks. The research model and hypotheses were tested using SPSS statistical software. Results reported in the study include descriptive analysis of patient demographic information and medical information, exploratory factor analysis, reliability and validity analysis, correlation and regression analysis. The study results suggest that the use of mobile health Apps directly and significantly affects patient satisfaction, but it has no direct impact on the hospital service quality. Instead, it affects hospital service quality through the role of intermediate variables of perceived changes of clinical process by patients. Physician-patient Interaction is an important factor that positively affects the quality of hospital service. Convenience is one of the important dimensions for patients to perceive the quality of service in Chinese hospitals, and it has a positive and significant impact on patient satisfaction. The above findings suggest that hospital managers should not only pay attention to the management of system usage, but also to organizational factors that affect the results of system usage, such as the perceived changes of clinical process by patients. When evaluating the quality of hospital service, especially in the face of large-scale hospitals with large outpatient service, Convenience dimension should be considered. In addition, managers should pay attention to enhancing the initiative of physician-patient interaction, as it is an important factor affecting patients' perception of hospital service quality.O longo tempo de registo, o longo tempo de espera, o longo tempo de toma de medicamentos e o curto tempo de consulta, também chamados "três longos, um curto", são problemas de gestão urgentes a resolver nos hospitais Chineses. Para tal, muitos hospitais começaram a investir ativamente no estabelecimento de aplicações (Apps) móveis de saúde, com o objetivo de melhorar o ambiente médico e otimizar os processos clínicos, como agendamento, registo, consulta, pagamento, diagnóstico e tratamento, tomada de medicamentos, tempo de espera e, por fim, melhorar a qualidade dos serviços hospitalares e a satisfação dos pacientes. A investigação desta dissertação visa examinar empiricamente os mecanismos através dos quais o uso de Apps móveis de saúde pelos pacientes afeta as suas percepções sobre a qualidade do serviço hospitalar e a sua satisfação. O estudo é realizado no Shenzhen Eye Hospital, na China. Primeiramente, com base na revisão da literatura e em entrevistas com especialistas, foi desenvolvido um modelo de pesquisa sobre as relações entre quatro variáveis: Uso de Tecnologia Móvel em Saúde (MHTU), Mudança de Processos Clínicos (CPC), Qualidade de Serviço (SQ) e Satisfação do Paciente (PS). Cinco hipóteses sobre a relação entre as variáveis foram propostas e testadas. Com base nas medidas existentes na literatura e nas entrevistas de campo, foi desenvolvido e testado um questionário utilizando uma amostra piloto. O questionário foi então administrado a pacientes selecionados aleatoriamente no hospital durante um período de três semanas. O modelo de pesquisa e as hipóteses foram testados utilizando o software estatístico SPSS. Os resultados relatados no estudo incluem análise descritiva das informações demográficas e informações médicas dos pacientes, análise fatorial exploratória, análise de confiabilidade e validade, análise de correlação e regressão. Os resultados do estudo sugerem que o uso de Apps móveis de saúde afeta direta e significativamente a satisfação do paciente, mas não tem impacto direto na qualidade do serviço hospitalar. Em vez disso, afeta a qualidade do serviço hospitalar através do papel de variáveis intermediárias das alterações percebidas pelo paciente no processo clínico. A interação médico-paciente é um fator importante que afeta positivamente a qualidade do serviço hospitalar. A conveniência é uma das dimensões importantes para que os pacientes percebam a qualidade do serviço nos hospitais Chineses, tendo um impacto positivo e significativo na satisfação dos pacientes. Os resultados acima sugerem que os gestores hospitalares devem prestar atenção não apenas à gestão do uso do sistema, mas também aos fatores organizacionais que afetam os resultados do uso do sistema, como as mudanças percebidas pelos pacientes no processo clínico. Ao avaliar a qualidade do serviço hospitalar, especialmente no caso de hospitais de grande dimensão com um elevado número de atendimentos em ambulatório, a dimensão conveniência deve ser considerada. Além disso, os gestores devem estar atentos para potencializar a iniciativa de interação médico-paciente, pois este é um fator importante que afeta a percepção dos pacientes sobre a qualidade do serviço hospitalar

Learning Chinese Characters via Mobile Technology in a Primary School Classroom

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The influence of national culture on the attitude towards mobile recommender systems

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in Technological Forecasting and Social Change. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2013 Elsevier B.V.This study aimed to identify factors that influence user attitudes towards mobile recommender systems and to examine how these factors interact with cultural values to affect attitudes towards this technology. Based on the theory of reasoned action, belief factors for mobile recommender systems are identified in three dimensions: functional, contextual, and social. Hypotheses explaining different impacts of cultural values on the factors affecting attitudes were also proposed. The research model was tested based on data collected in China, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Findings indicate that functional and social factors have significant impacts on user attitudes towards mobile recommender systems. The relationships between belief factors and attitudes are moderated by two cultural values: collectivism and uncertainty avoidance. The theoretical and practical implications of applying theory of reasoned action and innovation diffusion theory to explain the adoption of new technologies in societies with different cultures are also discussed.National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean governmen

Exploring Language Learning with Mobile Technology: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Vocabulary Learning Apps for ESL Learners in Canada

Learning apps are becoming ubiquitous in and out of the classroom. While the number of ESL learnings apps has been increasing dramatically, not much information is available for teachers and learners to evaluate the quality of these apps. The purpose of this study was to explore the apps that are most commonly recommended for language learning, investigate features of commonly recommended ESL learning apps, and develop an app evaluation tool that might inform selection of ESL learning apps for use in teaching or recommendations to parents and learners. This study used qualitative content analysis to study selected vocabulary learning apps. Findings show that there is a lack of ESL reading and writing apps, and the selected apps do not have all the exemplar app features in curriculum, pedagogy, and design. The author developed an app evaluation checklist based on the existing literature, Ontario ESL curriculum, and on the emergent app features in the findings. The findings of this study have potential to guide administrators, policy makers, educators, teachers, and individual learners when selecting quality, productive, and well-designed apps