Mobile Learning in Higher Education: Structural Equation Model for Good Teaching Practices.

Gerardo Gomez-Garcia,Inmaculada Aznar-Diaz,Jose-Maria Romero-Rodriguez,Francisco-Javier Hinojo-Lucena

doi:10.1109/access.2020.2994967

Gerardo Gomez-Garcia, Inmaculada Aznar-Diaz + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2020.2994967

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Abstract

Mobile learning is a methodology that involves the use of mobile devices to carry out the teaching-learning process. In exceptional situations such as that experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, virtual training methods take on great importance, being the main route for the education of students. The purposes of this paper were to analyse the degree of implementation of the mobile learning methodology in Spanish universities and to check the sociodemographic factors that influence the development of good teaching practices in mobile learning. Ten hypothetical relationships were established and contrasted using a structural equation model. The sample was made up of 1544 university professors from 59 Spanish universities who were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to evaluate mobile learning practices. The results indicated that the degree of implementation of mobile devices was almost 73% of the population surveyed. While the sociodemographic factors that significantly influenced the development of good teaching practices were: teacher status; type of institution; educational technology research; implementing pedagogical innovations on a regular basis; agree that mobile devices are appropriate; belief in the expansion of mobile learning. Finally, the main findings and practical implications derived from the data obtained were discussed.

Highlights

Education is in a time of change, where the way of teaching and learning must be adapted to the demands of society
The data showed a rather optimistic picture regarding the implementation of mobile devices in Spanish university education, since their application was of almost 73% of the total sample
Faced with this panorama of uncertainty, mobile learning is a useful methodology to develop learning in an active way and with total normality in exceptional situations

Summary

Introduction

Education is in a time of change, where the way of teaching and learning must be adapted to the demands of society This implies the use of active teaching methodologies and the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the classroom [1]. In specific situations, such as that experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, online training and mobile devices become very important for carrying out the teaching-learning process. The actions taken by governments have mainly been to confine the population to their homes to prevent the spread of the virus This has had a direct impact on people’s lives and has caused teaching to move to a virtual format

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Conclusion