Skip to main content

Abstract

This chapter focuses on mobile device usage of students in higher education. While more and more students embrace mobile devices in their daily life, institutions attempt to profit from those devices for educational purposes. It is, therefore, crucial for institutional development to identify students’ needs and how mobile devices may facilitate these needs. This longitudinal study with N = 172 participants compares the use of e-Readers and tablets for learning at a higher education institution. While e-Readers offer inexpensive solutions for reading texts, tablets provide a much wider range of applications, such as communicating with other students, accessing learning management systems, or conducting research online. Findings indicate that students evaluate tablets as a more useful device for learning. Interestingly, students using tablets also start to include more and more mobile learning technologies into their learning strategies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Dahlstrom, E., Brooks, C., Grajek, S., & Reeves, J. (2015). ECAR study of students and information technology 2015. Louisville, CO. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/resources/2015/8/~/media/24ddc1aa35a5490389baf28b6ddb3693.ashx.

  2. Poll, H. (2015). Pearson student mobile device survey 2015 National Report: College students. Retrieved from http://www.pearsoned.com/wp-content/uploads/2015-Pearson-Student-Mobile-Device-Survey-College.pdf.

  3. Al-Emran, M., Elsherif, H. M., & Shaalan, K. (2016). Investigating attitudes towards the use of mobile learning in higher education. Computers in Human Behavior, 56, 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.11.033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Gikas, J., & Grant, M. M. (2013). Mobile computing devices in higher education: Student perspectives on learning with cellphones, smartphones & social media. The Internet and Higher Education, 19, 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.06.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Stagg, A., & Kimmins, L. (2014). First year in higher education (FYHE) and the coursework post-graduate student. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(2), 142–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.02.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fook, C. Y., & Sidhu, G. K. (2015). Investigating learning challenges faced by students in higher education. Procedia—Social and Behavioral Sciences, 186, 604–612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Cohen, D., Kim, E., Tan, J., & Winkelmes, M.-A. (2013). A note-restructuring intervention increases students’ exam scores. College Teaching, 61(3), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2013.793168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. LaBossiere, M. D., Dell, K. A., Sunjic, K., & Wantuch, G. A. (2016). Student perceptions of group examinations as a method of exam review in pharmacotherapeutics. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning, 8(3), 375–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2016.02.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gosper, M., Malfroy, J., McKenzie, J. & Rankine, L. (2011). Students’ engagement with technologies: Implications for university practice. In Proceedings of ASCILITE - Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Annual Conference 2011 (pp. 504–508). Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education

    Google Scholar 

  10. Rashid, T., & Asghar, H. M. (2016). Technology use, self-directed learning, student engagement and academic performance: Examining the interrelations. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 604–612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.084

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Lin, H., Wu, F.-G., & Cheng, Y.-Y. (2013). Legibility and visual fatigue affected by text direction, screen size and character size on color LCD e-reader. Displays, 34(1), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2012.11.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Clark, D. T. G., Susan, P., Samuelson, T., & Coker, C. (2008). A qualitative assessment of the Kindle e-book reader: Results from initial focus groups. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 9(2), 118–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hahto, J. (2012). The e-Reader—An educational or an entertainment tool? e-Readers in an academic setting. Liber Quarterly: The Journal of European Research Libraries, 21(2), 249–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Miltenoff, P. (2012). Challenges to E-Reader adoption in academic libraries. The Reference Librarian, 53(3), 270–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Shurtz, S., Gonzalez, A., & Clark, D. (2012). Assessing an e-reader lending program: From pilot to mainstream service. Library Review, 61(1), 8–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Mallett, E. (2010). A screen too far? Findings from an e-book reader pilot. Serials, 23(2), 140–144. https://doi.org/10.1629/23140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Mannonen, P., Nieminen, S., & Nieminen, M. (2011). Usability and compatibility of e-book readers in an academic environment: A collaborative study. IFLA Journal, 37(1), 16–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Marmarelli, T. R., & Martin. (2010). Ereaders in academic libraries—A literature review. Australian Library Journal, 59(4), 180–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Rainie, L., Zickuhr, K., Purcel, K., Madden, M., & Brenner, J. (2012). The rise of e-reading. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/04/04/the-rise-of-e-reading/.

  20. Ifenthaler, D., & Schweinbenz, V. (2013). The acceptance of Tablet-PCs in classroom instruction: The teachers’ perspectives. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 525–534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ifenthaler, D., & Schweinbenz, V. (2016). Students’ acceptance of tablet PCs in the classroom. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 48(4), 306–321. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2016.1215172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Bonds-Raacke, J. M., & Raacke, J. D. (2008). Using Tablet PCs in the classroom. An investigation of students’ expectations and reactions. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 35(3), 235–239.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ifenthaler, D. (2015). Learning analytics. In J. M. Spector (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of educational technology (Vol. 2, pp. 447–451). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Lockyer, L., Heathcote, E., & Dawson, S. (2013). Informing pedagogical action: Aligning learning analytics with learning design. American Behavioral Scientist, 57(10), 1439–1459. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764213479367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ifenthaler, D. (2017). Learning analytics design. In L. Lin & J. M. Spector (Eds.), The sciences of learning and instructional design. Constructive articulation between communities (pp. 202–211). New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Murphy, A., Farley, H., Dyson, L. E., & Jones, H. (Eds.). (2017). Mobile learning in higher education in the Asia-Pacific region. Singapore: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Mah, D.-K. (2016). Learning analytics and digital badges: Potential impact on student retention in higher education. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 21(3), 285–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-016-9286-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jan Delcker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Delcker, J., Honal, A., Ifenthaler, D. (2018). Mobile Device Usage in Higher Education. In: Sampson, D., Ifenthaler, D., Spector, J., Isaías, P. (eds) Digital Technologies: Sustainable Innovations for Improving Teaching and Learning. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73417-0_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73417-0_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-73416-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-73417-0

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics