Collaborative Mobile Learning with Smartphones in Higher Education

Korlan Zhampeissova,Irina Kosareva,Uliana Borisova

doi:10.3991/ijim.v14i21.18461

Abstract

<p class="0abstract">The advantages of mobile learning and the possibility of universal access to educational materials have a downside in the form of a possible lack of communication between the student, his/her teachers, and course mates. In this context, collaborative teaching methods can be applied to support learners in solving educational challenges. The objective of this work was to analyze the effectiveness of collaborative approaches in mobile learning. The research methods included two stages: an experiment on the introduction of collaborative mobile learning into the educational process and an online sociological survey. The use of the questionnaire method resulted from the need to collect quantitative data and analyze the effectiveness of training by determining the shares of respondents with positive and negative opinions toward m-learning. The examination was conducted in 2020 among 190 undergraduate sociology students studying at three universities of the Russian Federation (Moscow State Pedagogical University, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, and Tyumen State University), as well as among 76 undergraduate students of the direction "Education" studying at Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University. The main practical result of this experiment was the introduction of mobile technologies in the previously used e-learning models and learning management systems of the considered educational institutions. The collaborative mobile environment was based on the principles of communication and cooperation of users, mutual learning, and teacher coordination of students' actions. The study confirmed that collaborative mobile learning could be flexibly transited from blended to distance learning models and vice versa. The analysis of the survey outcomes proved the validity of eight proposed hypotheses, both in terms of mobile learning impact on the quality of education and the influence of the collaborative environment on the development of students' competencies. The practical significance of research findings is in the fact that they allow the effective implementation of collaborative mobile learning technologies to form students' professional competencies.</p>

Highlights

Electronic learning (e-learning), as well as distance learning (d-learning) and mobile learning (m-learning), continue to be among the main trends in modern education [1]
The offered m-learning content included links to self-paced YouTube videos; instructions and links to access mobile applications and conduct online sociological and educational research (SurveyMonkey and Google Forms); components of the collaborative learning environment implemented in the Learning Management System (LMS)
The involved participants were proposed various mlearning content: links to self-paced YouTube videos, instructions and links for accessing mobile applications for online sociological and educational research (SurveyMonkey and Google Forms), and components of the collaborative learning environment implemented in the LMS

Summary

Introduction

Electronic learning (e-learning), as well as distance learning (d-learning) and mobile learning (m-learning), continue to be among the main trends in modern education [1]. The fundamental difference of m-learning from other training modes lies in the use of individual devices (smartphones or tablets) to access educational content at any time [2]. M-learning remains an excellent opportunity for more expanded and cheaper delivery of educational services [4]. In the case of optimal organization of communication between teachers and students, m-learning promotes the development of better student-teacher cooperation and contributes to the full involvement of learners in the educational process [5]. To provide a full-fledged education supported by mobile technologies, it is necessary to have an appropriate environment and communication culture [6]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion