Mobile Learning: Perspectives of Psychology Students at

Athabasca University

Dr. Linda ChmiliarDeborah Russell

Introduction

This study was conducted with Athabasca University students who had completed courses in Psychology recently.

Results of the study are intended to guide new course development incorporating mobile technologies.

Introduction

Survey set out to discover:

▫What mobile technologies students own▫How technologies are utilized▫Frequency of use▫Comfort levels▫Learning preferences (print vs. online)▫Interest in learning with mobile technologies

Respondents

294 psychology students

•92% female

•51% aged 18 – 35

•49% aged 36 - 45+

•63% urban

•37% rural/remote

Findings – Technology Ownership

• 91.8% (N=270) Mobile Phone

• 67% (N=197) Laptop

• 30.3% (N=89) iPod

• 8.8% (N=26) PDA

• 4.1% (N=12) Blackberry

• 1.7% (N=5) Pocket PC

• 1.7% (N=5) Tablet PC

Mobile Phone Comfort Levels

Not Comfortable

A Little Comfortable

Somewhat Comfortable

Very Comfortable

Mobile Phone (N=270)

0% 4.4% 22.2% 73.3%

-with video (N=69)

7.2% 14.4% 27.5% 46.3%

-with wireless Internet (N=129)

13.1% 17% 33.3% 34.1%

-with camera (N=143)

1.3% 13.2% 22.3% 61.5%

-with text messaging (N=199)

9.5% 12.5% 20.1% 56.2%

Mobile Phone Usage Levels

Infrequently1 – 2 times per week

0 to 1 hour per day

Over 1 hour per day

Mobile Phone

12.9% 24% 41.1% 21.1%

-with video 63.7% 15.9% 5.7% 2.8%

-with wireless Internet

66.6% 8.5% 9.3% 3.1%

-with camera 55.9% 24.4% 9% 2%

-with text messaging

43.2% 21.6% 20.6% 9%

Laptop Comfort Levels

Not Comfortable

A Little Comfortable

Somewhat Comfortable

Very Comfortable

Laptop (N=197)

0% 1% 5.6% 92.9%

-with wireless Internet (N=154)

0.6% 2.5% 6.4% 88.9%

-for downloading files (N=154)

1.9% 4.5% 14.2% 76.6%

Laptop Usage Levels

Infrequently 1 – 2 times per week

0 to 1 hour per day

Over 1 hour per day

Laptop 5.1% 5.6% 15.2% 72.6%

-with wireless Internet

7.1% 4.5% 16.8% 68.1%

-for downloading files

14.9% 24% 17.5% 35.7%

iPod (MP3) Comfort Levels

Not Comfortable

A Little Comfortable

Somewhat Comfortable

Very Comfortable

iPod (89) 2.2% 11.2% 19.1% 66.3%

-with audio (N=82)

9.7% 14.6% 20.7% 53.6%

-with video (N=26)

11.6% 23% 23% 42.3%

iPod (MP3) Usage Levels

Infrequently 1 – 2 times per week

0 to 1 hour per day

Over 1 hour per day

iPod 19.1% 27% 28.1% 23.6%

- with audio 41.4% 29.2% 13.4% 7.3%

-with video 42.3% 30.7% 11.5% 3.8%

iPod Content Downloads

•50.6% download content using desktop computers

•48.3% download content using laptops

Podcasting Experience

iPod Owners (N=89) Does Not Own (N=205)

Podcast regularly 13.5% 4.4%

Tried a few times then stopped

18% 7.8%

No experience but interested in trying

29.2% 40%

No interest 13.5% 15.6%

Other Technology Comfort Levels

Not Comfortable

A Little Comfortable

Somewhat Comfortable

Very Comfortable

PDA (N=26) 3.8% 0% 34.6% 61.5%

Blackberry (N=12)

0% 8.3% 33.3% 58.3%

Pocket PC (N=5)

0% 0% 40% 60%

Tablet PC (N=5)

0% 0% 40% 60%

Other Technology Usage Levels

Infrequently 1 – 2 times per week

0 to 1 hour per day

Over 1 hour per day

PDA 19.2% 11.5% 38.4% 26.9%

Blackberry 25% 8.3% 8.3% 58.3%

Pocket PC 20% 40% 40% 0%

Tablet PC 40% 0% 20% 40%

How Technologies are Used

Professional Personal Academic Emergency

Mobile Phone 42 178 3 46

Laptop 85 92 98 0

iPod 0 51 4 0

PDA 4 7 2 0

Blackberry 3 4 0 1

Tablet PC 0 1 2 0

Pocket PC 0 0 0 0

General Tech 43 57 22 1

Learning Preferences

Print Preference Online Preference

Agree 43.2% 26.5%

Strongly Agree 32.7% 15.6%

Disagree 15.3% 44.9%

Strongly Disagree 7.8% 11.9%

Interest in M-Learning

Interest in learning anywhere/anytime

Interest in using mobile technologies

Agree 45.2% 52.7%

Strongly Agree 31.3% 23.5%

Disagree 18% 17%

Strongly Disagree 4.4% 5.8%

Findings Compared to Literature

•Laptops function as hubs, mobile devices as peripherals

•Personal devices most promising for education•Know your students (location, learning

preferences, able/willing to use mobile technologies)

•Age – younger students more interested?•Gender – differences in ownership/usage?