Learning on the move business students’ adaptation of virtual learning environment and mobile device technology

Abstract

Love and Fry's research study observed that tutors were underutilizing Blackboard as a repository for core materials. At the time of that research, most students accessed Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) via personal computers. Zainuddin, Idrus, & Jamal posited that VLEs such as Moodle continue to be underutilized as repositories. The literature indicates that the use of mobile technologies to access VLEs trended upward from 2012 onward. We wanted to revisit the results of a 2012 survey administered to 83 undergraduate students studying business at the University of Greenwich. Our analysis explored whether the rise of mobile technologies impacted student interaction with Moodle. Chi-square analysis showed participants' responses to accessing textbooks as an effective way to revise via mobile devices were associated with whether they believed their use of mobile devices would increase over the next three years χ2 (3) = 7.80, p < .05. Chi-square analysis also showed association between accessing textbooks as an effective way to revise and frequency of accessing the VLE, Moodle χ2 (4) = 13.04, p < .01. The rise of mobile learning devices did not radically alter VLE utilization among this sample. Implications for higher education as a whole are discussed.