Mobile Devices and Apps, Characteristics and Current Potential on Learning

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 26-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Briz-Ponce ◽  
Juan Antonio Juanes-Méndez

Mobile devices and apps are placed in a prominent position in the daily routine of all people. The ubiquity and mobility are their main advantages. They are really becoming tools available for students and professionals in order to be totally connected anywhere and for consulting and accessing information of any field. In fact, the use of these devices has sparked a positive impact on medical sector as they allow implementing and including new technologies to make students more prepared for their future work. The goal of this paper is to describe the main characteristics and the use of mobile technologies in this field. The mobile technology's scope covers tablets and Smartphones. To achieve this goal, a survey was conducted in the University of Salamanca and the participants were undergraduate students of Medical Schools and medical professionals. Results reveal that the usage of mobile devices and apps are spread out among them. However, it is still necessary an in-depth analysis of the potential and the use of specialized apps for medical education.

Author(s):  
Laura Briz-Ponce ◽  
Juan Antonio Juanes-Méndez ◽  
Francisco José García-Peñalvo

Mobile devices and apps are placed in a prominent position in the daily routine of all people. The fast evolution of these devices and their main advantages have caused a real impact in the society. Currently, they are essential tools to be totally connected anywhere and to consult and access information of any field. The use of these devices has been increasing since the last decade. The emergence of new and sophisticated devices and new services has contributed to this sparkling uptrend. One of the fields that society is using these mobile technologies is in learning. The aim of this chapter is to describe the current situation of these technologies and to make an approach of the future tendencies of these tools. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to conduct a survey and involve different undergraduate students of the university and different professionals. Results reveal that students are using more and more apps and mobile devices but there is an important gap between students and professionals so it is still necessary to boost their relevance to improve their potential use.


Author(s):  
Jane Igie Aba ◽  
Theresa Osasu Makinde

This chapter examined the utilization of smart phones for retrieving research information resources in libraries by undergraduates. The study covers awareness, utilization, benefits, effects, and constraints that affect smart phones for retrieving research information resources by undergraduates. These concepts generally implied that awareness facilitates interest for use. It was concluded that smartphones were used by undergraduate students to retrieve research information resources, and this had positive impact on research out of students will produce positive impact on academic performance of students. It was recommended among others that efforts should be made by the university to inculcate mobile teaching and learning curriculum in to the school syllabuses at the various levels, and library staff, lecturers, and university staff generally should be sensitized and trained in the use of mobile devices for teaching and learning.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Elphick

Digital capabilities are recognized as key skills that students must possess to learn and work in our increasingly digital world and have been the subject of a growing focus over recent years. Similarly, smartphones and, to a lesser degree, tablets are now ubiquitous within the student body, and many academics are beginning to leverage these devices for the purposes of learning and teaching in higher education. To further explore the possibilities of mobile technology, the iPilot project was created to explore the effects that embedded iPad use had on undergraduate students’ creativity, ability to collaborate with their peers and their perception of their digital capabilities. Focusing on the digital capabilities aspect of the project, this paper explores the results gathered. While the results are mixed, when combined with data taken from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Digital Experience Tracker, it does appear that using iPads in the university classroom can have a positive impact on certain digital behaviors and students’ perceptions of their digital skills.


Author(s):  
Ratchel Chikurunhe ◽  
Armstrong Kadyamatimba

The University of Venda(Univen) distributed tablets to students for facilitating and enhancing their studies. However, the provision of tablet PCs to students may not be a panacea for quality learning, especially to technological disadvantaged rural student  population. The aim of study was to investigate the use of digital mobile devices for enhancing teaching and learning at the Univen. The research questions focused on determining the current level of use of mobile devices, how they can be used effectively for teaching and learning. Mixed methods approach was applied with data being solicited from a convenient sample of students, lecturers and an IT technician. The results of the study indicated that many students and lecturers are active and have higher perceptions of mobile devices usage. The results of the study are to be used to explicate and advance the integration of the mobile devices for promoting learning and teaching accomplishments. The findings clearly showed that mobile devices have a positive impact on the academic experience. The results also indicate that there is a gradual acceptance of the Learners Management Systems (Blackboard) by both academics and students. The digital mobile devices are eventually enhancing teaching and learning at Univen.


Author(s):  
Shilo H. Anders ◽  
Judith W. Dexheimer

The use of mobile devices in healthcare is increasing in prevalence and poses different constraints for use than traditional desktop computing. This chapter introduces several usability testing methods that are appropriate for use when designing and developing mobile technologies. Approaching the development of mobile technologies through a user-centered approach is critical to improve the interaction and use of the hardware and software that is implemented on a mobile platform in healthcare. User-centered design adds value by getting feedback about functionality, design, and constraints that need to be built into the system prior to its completion. Future work in this domain will require further tailoring and use of novel usability methods to evaluate and improve the design of mobile healthcare technologies.


Author(s):  
Joanne Marie Curry

In an ongoing bid to provide high quality local government services, Penrith City Council partnered with the University of Western Sydney to derive a mobile strategy for the development of a range of handheld systems for use in the field. Several R&D projects aimed at determining the viability of using mobile technology for the conduct of off-site health, building and development and sewerage inspections and the allocation of parking and waste management infringements were conducted over a two-year period. Some significant issues relating specifically to the implementation of mobile technologies in a large Australian city council were encountered including: release hype vs. the implementation realities of mobile technology, technological options for the introduction of mobility, user acceptance of new technologies, management of client expectations, and local government standards and guidelines and their impact on development directions. The experiences and lessons that were learned from these projects can be of assistance to other local government agencies and similar organisations employing a heterogeneous workforce that is restrained by external legislation and policy.


Author(s):  
Fernando Ferri ◽  
Patrizia Grifoni ◽  
Tiziana Guzzo

This chapter analyzes how the development and use of mobile and Web technologies are changing the way to search information, to plan, to buy, and to travel. The new technologies are changing several aspects of our life, such as the way in which people work, buy, learn, travel, and how they relate to each other, and so on. The tourist sector certainly represents one of the most dynamic markets, able to capture innovations and opportunities provided by the Web, in such a way that gets to be an out-and-out model of e-business. Internet access now is not restricted to personal computer. In fact the use of mobile devices is becoming increasingly important. The chapter’s goal is to analyze social implications of Web applications and mobile devices and how they are improving the attitude of the customers both the fruition of tourism services and to development of sustainable tourism.


Author(s):  
Murat Topaloglu ◽  
Harun Ozkisi

There have been great improvements in mobile technologies recently. In line with these developments, the use of mobile technologies in web based distance learning seems to be increasing day by day making learning possible via mobile devices. Both the continuous and rapid developments in mobile devices and the growing number of people with mobile phones render these technologies fruitful and actively used in many fields, including education worldwide, inclusive of our own country. Mobile learning is regarded as a reliable distant education tool for learners who wish to continue their education from outside the institutions. The study was conducted to measure the reactions of individuals to the developed mobile applications and give insight to them. The aim of this study is to identify undergraduate students’ use and attitudes of/towards mobile learning who are studying at Trakya University Kesan Yusuf Capraz School of Applied Disciplines. Observations were made about the use and the importance of mobile learning in our lives.Peer-review under responsibility of of the organizing committee of GLOBE-EDU Keywords: Distant Education; E-Learning; Mobile Devices; Mobile Learning; M-Learning


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasmin Ibrahim ◽  
Anita Howarth

Mobile technologies such as tablets, iPads, laptops, netbooks as well as mobile phones with internet connectivity and recording features present new challenges to the academy. In the age of convergence and with the encoding of several features into mobile telephony, private spaces of the classroom can be reconfigured through the mediation of technologies. In most cases, existing rules and regulations of higher education institutions do not comprehensively address these challenges. The introduction of new technologies into the classroom has been often framed historically as vital and relevant for a progressive academic society or as part of a national imperative to transform the ways in which the authors access and engage with knowledge. This paper surveys British universities to examine how they govern the phenomenon of recording content through mobile technologies. The results reveal a pervasive use of mobile devices in UK universities and clear divergences in approaches to enacting mobile device-specific policies to govern the usage of these technologies.


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