How factors of personal attitudes and learning environments affect gender difference toward mobile learning acceptance

Shu-Sheng Liaw,Hsiu-Mei Huang

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v16i4.2355

Abstract

<p>Mobile technology for learning empowers the shift from traditionally pure instructor-centered classroom teaching to fully learner-centered educational settings. Although mobile learning (m-learning) accessing Internet resources anytime and anywhere, the issue of the relationship between gender perspectives and m-learning environments has been a controversial topic. Therefore, the main research objective of the research is to explore gender differences toward APP-based m-learning environments. Subjects of the study were selected university students who had already used an APP-based m-learning system for one month. A total of one hundred fifty nine valid questionnaires were collected, spilt evenly between female and male students. The statistical analyses lead to significant conclusions. Both female and male learners have highly positive perceptions toward m-learning. Additionally, the proposed research model is an acceptable conceptual model for investigating female and male learners’ attitudes. Furthermore, factors of personal attitudes and learning environments affect gender difference toward m-learning acceptance. </p>

Highlights

Advanced computer and communication technologies allow learners to exploit the potential learning effects of mobile devices for educational purposes
The educational content delivery function refers to creating learning platforms on mobile devices; the adaptive learning function of learning environments mandates building content development tools that support delivery of learning content on mobile devices; and the interactive and collaborative function focuses on creating mobile interaction among students and/or teachers for social communication
In the seven-point Likert item questionnaire, from Table 2, descriptive statistical results showed that female students and male students both had high positive attitudes toward m-learning use in factors of perceived self-efficacy, self-regulation, ease of use, usefulness, social network interaction, and behavioral acceptance

Summary

Introduction

Advanced computer and communication technologies allow learners to exploit the potential learning effects of mobile devices for educational purposes. Mobile learning environments are considered as important and impressive factors in achieving the learning competencies and enhancing competitive advantages. Okazaki and Renda dos Santos (2012) stated gender affected some of the causal relationships among learners’ attitudes (i.e. perceived self-efficacy and perceived anxiety), social network interaction, perceived usefulness, and learners’ behavioral intention toward e-learning. The main research objective of this research is to explore gender difference of attitudes toward APP-based m-learning environments. The research is to survey the gender perspectives about female and male university students’ perceptions toward using APP-based, mlearning environments. We will investigate the causal relationship among learner attitudes that include how personal attitudes (such as self-efficacy, self-regulation, and anxiety) affect learning environmental factors (such as perceived ease of use, usefulness, and social network interaction); we will investigate how learning environmental factors influence behavioral acceptance. The research results will be presented in section six and the last two sections will discuss our findings, conclusions, and suggest future research

Literature Review

Self-regulation H8

Participants

Results

H15 Social network acceptance

Conclusions