Abstract
Purpose A variety of alternate technology-enhanced teaching approaches are now available to university students to broaden their learning experiences and complement conventional face-to-face teaching. This paper aims to outline a study conducted at an English Medium Instruction (EMI) University in the Arabian Gulf where students were studying media. The study explored an innovative teaching approach that sought to enhance the students’ interaction with mobile phone applications as part of their learning experiences during the course. Design/methodology/approach The focus of the study was on enhancing the students’ English writing skills such as vocabulary, spelling and grammar and on improving their technical skills such as in video production. The study collected both quantitative and qualitative data. Findings The results indicated that mobile phone applications were helpful in improving students’ journalistic writing skills where they had a good level of proficiency in English, more so than students with poor English who are more dependent on traditional learning methods. Students also benefitted from mobile phone video production workshops that were intensive and creative. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that courses and labs in media courses have skilled technicians that can train students in creative mobile phone video production while faculty members need to be trained and proactively encouraged to use mobile phones for teaching and learning purposes. Originality/value wBased on the results of this study, it is recommended that courses and labs in media courses have skilled technicians that can train students in creative mobile phone video production while faculty members need to be trained and proactively encouraged to use mobile phones for teaching and learning purposes.
Highlights
The UAE has the highest mobile phone adoption rate in the MENA region
The results indicated that mobile phone applications were helpful in improving students’ journalistic writing skills where they had a good level of proficiency in English, more so than students with poor English who are more dependent on traditional learning methods
The value of this study lies in its contribution toward understanding the impact of students’ usage of mobile phones on enhancing their writing and video production skills
Summary
The UAE has the highest mobile phone adoption rate in the MENA region (see ArabianBusiness.Com, 2018). With this in mind, integrating mobile phones into the teaching and learning process in higher education institutions is of paramount importance and it is, Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives Vol 17 No 1, 2021 pp. A study conducted in an Arab higher education institute showed that students did face difficulties, with expressing themselves in writing using sophisticated and appropriate vocabulary (Edwards, 2017). Mobile phone use is ubiquitous and connecting it to education especially in media studies, is crucial especially in the Gulf where research on this topic is scarse
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