Advertisement

Mobile Device Usage in Higher Education

Chapter
First Online:

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.

Keywords

Mobile device usage e-Reader Tablet Mobile learning technology 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. 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. 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. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. 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 EducationGoogle Scholar
  10. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. 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.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. 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.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. 14.
    Miltenoff, P. (2012). Challenges to E-Reader adoption in academic libraries. The Reference Librarian, 53(3), 270–283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. 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.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. 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.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. 18.
    Marmarelli, T. R., & Martin. (2010). Ereaders in academic libraries—A literature review. Australian Library Journal, 59(4), 180–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. 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. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. 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. 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. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. 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. 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. 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 CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.University of MannheimMannheimGermany
  2. 2.DHBW Mannheim (Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Mannheim)MannheimGermany
  3. 3.Learning, Design and TechnologyUniversity of MannheimMannheimGermany
  4. 4.Curtin Teaching and Learning, Curtin UniversityBentleyAustralia

Personalised recommendations

Cite chapter

Buy options