Georgi YadkovAssoc. prof. Veselina Penevska
STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TO M-LEARNING
in the MA program “Management For Organizational Excellence” School of Management, New Bulgarian
University
Research Framework
Interest in, and need for, lifelong learning
Diminishing free time
Accelerated penetration of mobile devices
Prerequisites – globally
Increasing demand for distance learning options
Active involvement of mobile technologies
society university
Research Framework
Distance learning programmes
Web based tools
Continuous implementation of innovative structure and content
Prerequisites – in Bulgaria
No research data on m-learning
Research Framework
Access to learning resources from any place
and at any time
Contacts with colleagues and tutors from
anywhere at any time
M-learning: Learning through mobile
technologies
Research Framework
To reveal students’ attitudes toward mobile technologies use in the learning process
Parameters and Methodology
Goal
Research Framework
Facilitate learning
Parameters and Methodology
Whether and to what extent mobile devices
would
Improve the quality of learning
Make learning more comfortable
Sub-goal 1
Sub-goal 2
Sub-goal 3
Research Framework
Students’ expectations about the effectiveness of mobile technologies use in the learning process
Parameters and Methodology
Object
Research Framework
Parameters and Methodology
Subject
Communication with tutors / colleagues Using e-resources and accompanying e-activities Participation in virtual teams / conferences Individual work E-portfolio preparation Self-reflection Individual and group work during seminars
Possibilities to: Improve the satisfaction of learning Save resources Learn at diverse place/time
Research Framework
Parameters and Methodology
Target group Current students and alumni of MP MOE (81 people)
Sample 29 respondents – 36%
Method / research tool
Online survey
Research Results
I believe that using mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, e-reader) during the academic courses at MP MOE
will facilitateCommunication with tutors
Communication with colleaguesUsage of e-resources / e-activities
Individual workWork in virtual teams
Preparation of e-portfolioSelf-reflection
Participation in virtual conferencesGroup work during seminars
Individual work during seminars
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Research Results
Sub-goal 1 Whether and to what extent mobile
devices would facilitate learning
“Yes” – 90% and over 90% of the students
Communication with tutors and colleagues Using e-resources and performing e-activities Participation in virtual teams / virtual conferences Individual work
“Yes” – 50% to 70% of the students
E-portfolio preparation Self-reflection Individual and group work during seminars
Research Results
Sub-goal 1 Whether and to what extent mobile
devices would facilitate learning
Gender as a factor
Equal number of women and men have positive expectations about the first group of parameters (~90% and above)
More men than women are positive about the second group of parameters (~70% of men v/s ~50% for women)
Women show a higher degree of enthusiasm than men
Age as a factor
The group over 30 is more positive than the group under 30
Most pronounced differences: individual work, communication, individual and group work during seminars
Research Results
I believe that using mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, e-reader) during the academic courses at MP MOE
will improve the quality ofCommunication with tutors
Communication with colleaguesUsage of e-resources /e-activities
Individual workWork in virtual teams
Preparation of e-portfolioSelf-reflection
Participation in virtual conferencesGroup work during seminars
Individual work during seminars
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Research Results
Subgoal 2 Whether and to what extent
mobile devices would improve the quality of learning
“Yes” – 85% of the students
Communication with tutors and colleagues Using e-resources and performing e-activities Participating in virtual teams/ virtual conferences Individual work
“Yes” – 40-60% of the students E-portfolio preparation Self-reflection Individual and group work during seminars
Research Results
Subgoal 2 Whether and how much mobile devices
will improve quality of learning
Gender as a factor
More men (~90%) than women (~80%) have positive expectation about the first group of parameters
Approximately equal number of men and women (40 to 70%) have positive attitude about the second group of parameters
Women have greater degree of enthusiasm
Age as a factor
The group over 30 has a more positive attitude than the older group over 30
Research Results
I believe that using mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, e-reader) will
Help me save resources
Give me a greater satisfaction of learning
Allow me to learn at times usually not associated with learning
Allow me to learn at places usually not available
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Research Results
Sub-goal 3 Whether and to what extent
mobile devices would improve the comfort of learning
“Yes” – 75 to 80% of the students
Possibilities to learn at unusual time/place Possibilities to save resources
“Yes” – less than 50% of the students
Possibilities to increase the satisfaction of learning
Research Results
Sub-goal 3
Gender as a factor
More men (~85-90%) than women (~65%) are positive about the new place/time options for learning
Women have greater degree of enthusiasm (~60%) than men (~30%)
Age as a factor
The group over 30 is much more positive about the satisfaction of learning and a bit more positive about saving resources
The group under 30 is a little bit more positive about learning at new places/times
Whether and to what extent mobile devices would improve the comfort of learning
Next steps
What factors influence the low expectations about the effectiveness of m-learning in some of the elements of the learning process: self-reflection, individual and group work during seminars
What factors contribute for the gender and age difference in attitudes towards m-learning
Further research issues
To develop approaches for increasing students’ motivation for m-learning
To develop approaches for increasing the satisfaction of m-learning
Implementation of research results