Mobile Learning in the Era of IoT

Teaching is always affected by the advent of technology. Nowadays, mobile devices can offer an air of innovation in classrooms and multiple benefits in learning. On the other hand, IoT is expanding rapidly and promises to provide education with new dynamics: sensors and beacons may contribute to pervasive provision of educational content to students, whereas wearables can track the students' interaction with educational objects. As a result, learning is changing and may happen anywhere, anytime, and with any means. This evolution, described under the term Ubiquitous learning, promises to be the future of education for all ages and needs. This chapter presents the transformation of learning from traditional to e-learning, mobile learning, and Ubiquitous learning, and discusses the features and applications of the latter. Furthermore, authors describe the Experience API specification and investigate how it can be used to implement adaptive learning applications and make Ubiquitous learning a reality not only in typical but also in Early Childhood learning.

Primary School Students' Perceptions About the Use of Mobile Games in the Classroom

This chapter investigates primary school students' perceptions regarding the use of games on mobile devices (i.e., smartphone, tablet) in classroom environment for teaching purposes. Data was collected from 10,381 students (Grades 4, 5, and 6) using a survey questionnaire. A series of semi-structured interviews were used to more deeply understand student perceptions. Those perceptions tended to range from neutral to positive regarding the use of games and their content. Students prefer games that enhance their knowledge and develop their thinking skills. They also believe lessons will be more enjoyable and interesting through the use of games, and learning will be easier and more effective. The results showed differences in students' perceptions in terms of their gender and grade level. Implications of this study and further research are discussed.

Investigating the Factors Influencing Pre-Service Teachers' Acceptance to Use Mobile Devices for Learning

This chapter determines the factors that significantly influence pre-service teachers' acceptance to use mobile devices as resources for learning in a university context. Based on the methodological framework of the UTAUT, a modified contextualized model of evaluation was created. A data collection instrument was designed, validated contextually, and optimized for mobile learning in higher education. A total of 320 Greek university students from a Faculty of Education participated in the study. Results demonstrated that the instrument constructed showed a notable internal consistency, with a high validity for data collection in 8 of its 9 factors. Results indicated Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, Hedonic Motivation, and Empowerment in Learning as factors which affected participants' Behavioral Intention to use mobile technology for learning. Behavioral Intention, Social Influence and Empowerment in Learning affected university students' behavior to use mobile devices for learning.

Gamifying Children's Linguistic Intelligence With the Duolingo App

This chapter discusses the use of Duolingo App to enhance children's linguistic intelligence. Linguistic intelligence is expertise in applying vocabularies effectively and efficiently. Duolingo is an application based on the Android platform which helps children mastering other languages that they can practice speaking, reading, listening, and writing through a play. Children in early childhood are in the period of ‘playing' spontaneously. They will do activities of playing without any instruction from others. The activity of playing naturally will stimulate the aspects of linguistic and symbolic that this development is closely related to learning to speak by involving the ability to vocalize. The use of this application will implement toward gamification method. Gamification uses game-based mechanics, aesthetics, and game thinking to engage people, motivate action, promote learning, and solve problems. This chapter provides an illustration that gamification can be used specifically in stimulating linguistic intelligence based on a case study in Indonesia.

Apps to Promote Computational Thinking Concepts and Coding Skills in Children of Preschool and Pre-Primary School Age

A decade ago, Computational Thinking (CT) and coding were typically considered part of the secondary education programs, as the focus was on programming and algorithm development. The early childhood classroom was not exactly the area expected to find students-developed coding skills. But as has been the case lately, CT and coding have been characterized as fundamental skills of the 21st century, not only for computer scientists but for all citizens. Yet, through the application of developmentally appropriate technologies, the development of coding skills is increasingly possible, and the result may be the advancement of CT fluency or at least familiarity in young age children. Given the enormous success of smart mobile devices and accompanying mobile apps the rationale for this chapter is to investigate if there are apps that provide the children of preschool and pre-primary school age with opportunities to cultivate their foundational coding and CT skills.

Teaching Natural Sciences to Kindergarten Students Using Tablets

The chapter presents the results of a project in which tablets were used for teaching natural sciences to kindergarten students. The classification of animals depending on certain characteristics was the subject matter. Forty-five students participated, divided into three groups. The first used printed material, the second used computers and webpages, and the third used tablets and AR applications. Bybee's 5Es provided the teaching framework for all groups. Data were collected using evaluation sheets and structured interviews. The students in the tablets' group performed better in all the evaluation sheets compared to the ones who were taught using printed material, but there were no statistically significant differences compared to the computers' group. A positive impact on motivation and enjoyment was noted in the tablets' group. Thus, it can be concluded that tablets are an interesting alternative teaching tool for very young students. Implications for research and practice are also discussed.

A Research Synthesis of the Real Value of Self-Proclaimed Mobile Educational Applications for Young Children

Mobile devices are the preferred media choice for children, and their massive worldwide use has driven a new generation of software called mobile applications or apps for use in the educational context. But, while there has been an explosion of apps that are claimed to be educational for young children, there are large distinctions between the quality of the apps. Even though apps may provide an active, enjoyable, and engaging context, the question is whether they are attuned to children's educational needs. This study performed a meta-analysis and research synthesis of 22 studies published 2011 to 2019. In the study, journal articles and conference papers in the English language published during the period 2010-2019 were coded and analyzed. The findings provide evidence that very few of these so-called “educational” apps that have been evaluated and tested can promote children's intelligence and improve their learning performance.

The Utilization of Van Hiele's Levels on the Instruction of English as a Foreign Language With the Aid of ICT

This chapter investigates students' comprehension of the alphabet and its accompanying vocabulary, using an ICT-oriented teaching approach that is based upon Van Hiele's levels of geometric thought. The participating sample consisted of Greek students attending the second grade of primary school in Crete. The sample was divided into two groups, which were distributed among an experimental and a control group. The control group was taught following the traditional instruction, according to the pedagogical principles of Curriculum for the second grade of primary school. The experimental group was taught through an ICT-oriented intervention based upon Van Hiele's levels. The results of the research will assist greatly in achieving a more thorough understanding of the instruction of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and possible implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), to maximize its effectiveness.

Preschool Children's Use of Tablet at Home and Parents' Views

This chapter investigated young children's use of tablets at home and parents' views on tablet benefits and their concerns. A questionnaire was completed by the parents of 100 children aged 4-6. Young children engage in a range of activities such as playing games (76%), watching cartoons (75%), listening to music (65%), watching videos (60%), and using educational apps (54%). Fewer children look at pictures/photos/books or take pictures, while visiting websites and using email are never carried out by most of the children. Gender and age had an occasional isolated impact on children's tablet activities. 4-5 year olds tend to do tablet activities with an adult, while 5.5-6.5 year olds with siblings or alone. Most parents “agree and strongly agree” that tablets “teach basic technology skills” (85%), “teach foreign languages”, and “can make learning fun”. The parents' main concerns included dependence, reduction of communication, and inappropriate content. Implications regarding links between home and kindergarten are discussed.

Mobile Application to Exercise Oral Language From a Systems Approach

The primary means of human communication is language; it requires support to develop the ability to speak and it is not the same for everyone. Intellectual Disability (ID) makes the child learn and develop more slowly, leading to the development of language software. The chapter develops an application for mobile devices called Gradual Interactive Language (GIL), created through five stages of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and the classic model of software development. The results of the pilot test indicated that it is an alternative support to move from pre-language to language, not limited to children with ID, the only thing that would depend is the moment in which it will use; in addition to showing improvement through gradual exercises that allow the child to advance, considers the roles involved in the process of learning language (teachers, educators or therapists, parents, children, and technology), finally, a technical virtue of GIL is to run on any device regardless of the operating system it uses (iOS or Android).