Abstract
<p>This research explored how educators with limited programming experiences learned to design mobile apps through peer support and instructor guidance. Educators were positive about the sense of community in this online course. They also considered App Inventor a great web-based visual programming tool for developing useful and fully functioning mobile apps. They had great sense of empowerment through developing unique apps by using App Inventor. They felt their own design work and creative problem solving were inspired by the customized mobile apps shared by peers. The learning activities, including sharing customized apps, providing peer feedback, composing design proposals, and keeping design journals (blogging), complemented each other to support a positive sense of community and form a strong virtual community of learning mobile app design. This study helped reveal the educational value of mobile app design activities and the web-based visual programming tool, and the possibility of teaching/learning mobile app design online. The findings can also encourage educators to explore and experiment on the potential of incorporating these design learning activities in their respective settings, and to develop mobile apps for their diverse needs in teaching and learning.</p>
Highlights
The rapidly advancing mobile computing technologies along with abundant mobile software applications (“mobile apps” hereafter) make ubiquitous mobile learning possible (Johnson, Adams, & Cummins, 2012)
We presented non-programmer adult students’ learning experiences and perceptions toward mobile app design using a web-based visual programming tool in an online graduate course
We found the students were positive about their online learning experiences
Summary
The rapidly advancing mobile computing technologies along with abundant mobile software applications (“mobile apps” hereafter) make ubiquitous mobile learning possible (Johnson, Adams, & Cummins, 2012). The major affordances of mobile computing technologies for learning include user mobility resulting from device portability, relatively strong computing power in small devices, and always-on connectivity (Hsu & Ching, 2012). These affordances lead to tremendous potential for innovative uses of mobile technologies in education. Relevant and appropriate apps are not always available; teachers can only judge apps by reviews or anecdotes instead of testing them These reasons lead to the needs and benefits for creating one’s own mobile apps for teaching and learning.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
