Title:	THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MOBILE LEARNING TO ENHANCE BIOLOGY INSTRUCTION
Author(s):	Lifang Tien, Roger Boston
ISBN:	978-972-8924-99-7
Editors:	Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez and Pedro Isaías
Year:	2010
Edition:	Single
Keywords:	Mobile learning, iPhone, biology, higher education, Instructional technology
Type:	Full Paper
First Page:	53
Last Page:	60
Language:	English
Cover:
Full Contents:	click to dowload
Paper Abstract:	The goal of this project was to explore the viability and effectiveness of a mobile teaching and learning environment that would take advantage of mobile phone access to internet instructional materials. We had pilot iPhone access to an Anatomy & Physiology course and determined through comparative studies the value added by providing portable access to class materials and interactions. The success of this project was evaluated by assessing student learning outcomes. Student surveys and time logs measured three basic areas of learning effectiveness: the increase (or not) of a student’s connecting time (study time); the collaborative time among the students; and the students’ in-depth understanding of the material. An experimental group (class with iPhone) and a control group (class without iPhone) have been compared with weekly course-related time spent. Our preliminary results show that: 1) the average weekly email time spent in the experimental group is at least double that of the control group; 2) the average weekly text messaging time in the experimental group is at least triple that of the control group; 3) the average review time in the experimental group is at least double that of the control group; and 4) among the experimental group, there is no significant difference in average time spent on email between PCs and iPhones, but the time spent on text messaging using iPhone increased significantly. Students spent significantly more time using PCs or iPhones to review class material than they spent in using a textbook or paper notes. This study suggested that mobile learning increased our students” connecting and collaborating time, and it improved our students’ learning outcomes.
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