Georgi YadkovAssoc. prof. Veselina Penevska

STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TO M-LEARNING

in the MA program “Management For Organizational Excellence” School of Management, New Bulgarian

University

How many of you possess one of the following devices:

e-book reader

smartphone

tablet

Content

Research Framework

Research Results

Recommendations

Research Framework

Research Framework

Interest in, and need for, lifelong learning

Diminishing free time

Accelerated penetration of mobile devices

Prerequisites – globally

Increasing demand for distance learning options

Active involvement of mobile technologies

society university

Research Framework

Distance learning programmes

Web based tools

Continuous implementation of innovative structure and content

Prerequisites – in Bulgaria

No research data on m-learning

Research Framework

Access to learning resources from any place

and at any time

Contacts with colleagues and tutors from

anywhere at any time

M-learning: Learning through mobile

technologies

Research Framework

To reveal students’ attitudes toward mobile technologies use in the learning process

Parameters and Methodology

Goal

Research Framework

Facilitate learning

Parameters and Methodology

Whether and to what extent mobile devices

would

Improve the quality of learning

Make learning more comfortable

Sub-goal 1

Sub-goal 2

Sub-goal 3

Research Framework

Students’ expectations about the effectiveness of mobile technologies use in the learning process

Parameters and Methodology

Object

Research Framework

Parameters and Methodology

Subject

Communication with tutors / colleagues Using e-resources and accompanying e-activities Participation in virtual teams / conferences Individual work E-portfolio preparation Self-reflection Individual and group work during seminars

Possibilities to: Improve the satisfaction of learning Save resources Learn at diverse place/time

Research Framework

Parameters and Methodology

Target group Current students and alumni of MP MOE (81 people)

Sample 29 respondents – 36%

Method / research tool

Online survey

Research Results

Research Results

I believe that using mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, e-reader) during the academic courses at MP MOE

will facilitateCommunication with tutors

Communication with colleaguesUsage of e-resources / e-activities

Individual workWork in virtual teams

Preparation of e-portfolioSelf-reflection

Participation in virtual conferencesGroup work during seminars

Individual work during seminars

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Research Results

Sub-goal 1 Whether and to what extent mobile

devices would facilitate learning

“Yes” – 90% and over 90% of the students

Communication with tutors and colleagues Using e-resources and performing e-activities Participation in virtual teams / virtual conferences Individual work

“Yes” – 50% to 70% of the students

E-portfolio preparation Self-reflection Individual and group work during seminars

Research Results

Sub-goal 1 Whether and to what extent mobile

devices would facilitate learning

Gender as a factor

Equal number of women and men have positive expectations about the first group of parameters (~90% and above)

More men than women are positive about the second group of parameters (~70% of men v/s ~50% for women)

Women show a higher degree of enthusiasm than men

Age as a factor

The group over 30 is more positive than the group under 30

Most pronounced differences: individual work, communication, individual and group work during seminars

Research Results

I believe that using mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, e-reader) during the academic courses at MP MOE

will improve the quality ofCommunication with tutors

Communication with colleaguesUsage of e-resources /e-activities

Individual workWork in virtual teams

Preparation of e-portfolioSelf-reflection

Participation in virtual conferencesGroup work during seminars

Individual work during seminars

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Research Results

Subgoal 2 Whether and to what extent

mobile devices would improve the quality of learning

“Yes” – 85% of the students

Communication with tutors and colleagues Using e-resources and performing e-activities Participating in virtual teams/ virtual conferences Individual work

“Yes” – 40-60% of the students E-portfolio preparation Self-reflection Individual and group work during seminars

Research Results

Subgoal 2 Whether and how much mobile devices

will improve quality of learning

Gender as a factor

More men (~90%) than women (~80%) have positive expectation about the first group of parameters

Approximately equal number of men and women (40 to 70%) have positive attitude about the second group of parameters

Women have greater degree of enthusiasm

Age as a factor

The group over 30 has a more positive attitude than the older group over 30

Research Results

I believe that using mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, e-reader) will

Help me save resources

Give me a greater satisfaction of learning

Allow me to learn at times usually not associated with learning

Allow me to learn at places usually not available

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Research Results

Sub-goal 3 Whether and to what extent

mobile devices would improve the comfort of learning

“Yes” – 75 to 80% of the students

Possibilities to learn at unusual time/place Possibilities to save resources

“Yes” – less than 50% of the students

Possibilities to increase the satisfaction of learning

Research Results

Sub-goal 3

Gender as a factor

More men (~85-90%) than women (~65%) are positive about the new place/time options for learning

Women have greater degree of enthusiasm (~60%) than men (~30%)

Age as a factor

The group over 30 is much more positive about the satisfaction of learning and a bit more positive about saving resources

The group under 30 is a little bit more positive about learning at new places/times

Whether and to what extent mobile devices would improve the comfort of learning

Next steps

Next steps

What factors influence the low expectations about the effectiveness of m-learning in some of the elements of the learning process: self-reflection, individual and group work during seminars

What factors contribute for the gender and age difference in attitudes towards m-learning

Further research issues

To develop approaches for increasing students’ motivation for m-learning

To develop approaches for increasing the satisfaction of m-learning

Implementation of research results

Questions?

Georgi YadkovVeselina Penevska