Development and usability testing of an educational mobile learning app for climate change and health impacts

Elif Aydoğan,Ergin Şafak Dikmen,Figen Erkoç,Ali Derya Atik

doi:10.1515/tjb-2020-0350

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Mobile applications, social media platforms are changing Internet user behavior; creating a new era of education in a connected world. We have previously reported training needs of health providers in the Climate Change. Aim is to develop and test an Android® mobile app as an effective smart learning environment for climate change health impacts. Methods The quasi-experimental design method was used in five phases: easy-to-reach, rich content Mobile app design and development for Android® operating system, scale development, finalizing scales to be used, implementation, data collection, analysis. Dependent t-test of pre-test and post-test awareness scores was analyzed. Usability and satisfaction were assessed with two scales; quantitative data with descriptive statistics. Results The developed Mobile app was effective in enhancing students’ learning experience, and well-received in terms of adopting and using such technology for educational purposes. Pre-test and post-test scores different statistically (p<0.05); increasing participants’ awareness level and were satisfied. Conclusions We conclude that our Mobile app, m-learning project, is successfully incorporated into the learning context; when tested, raised awareness about climate change and health effects for the public. To our knowledge, no currently existing tool to provide new mobile application for climate change education and promote awareness exists.

Highlights

Climate change is defined as “a change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity, that alters the composition of the global atmosphere, and that is in addition to natural climate variability over comparable time periods”
We conclude that our Mobile app, m-learning project, is successfully incorporated into the learning context; when tested, raised awareness about climate change and health effects for the public
Findings of our study show a positive outcome of the Mobile app; it facilitates blended learning, a learning environment that blends online learning with classroom activities; we conclude that our Mobile app is successfully incorporated into the learning context and can be used to supplement, rather than to replace, classroom-based activities, including lectures and active learning exercises such as case studies of heatwaves and extreme weather events during in service training of life sciences and health professionals

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is defined as “a change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity, that alters the composition of the global atmosphere, and that is in addition to natural climate variability over comparable time periods”. Climate change is the greatest challenge of the 21st century, threatening all aspects of the society, and increases risks to human lives and health [1]. Changing weather patterns increase the risk of many infectious diseases worldwide, e.g., the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and other newly-circulating ones (HIV/AIDS, hantavirus, hepatitis C, SARS etc). This reflects the combined impacts of rapid demographic, environmental, social, technological and other changes in our ways-of-living. Climate change will affect infectious disease occurrence. Changes in infectious disease transmission patterns are a likely major consequence of climate change. Air pollution due to greenhouse gas emission, increases the risk of COVID-19 spreading faster and becoming deadlier

Methods

Results

Conclusion