Know the Mobile Learning Application Users - Transactional Distance Perspective

Pakapan Limtrairut, Stuart Marshall, Peter Andreae

2016

Abstract

We developed a mobile learning application grounded on Transactional Distance Theory. The aim is to engage learners and decrease their feelings of isolation and emptiness when learners and instructor are physically separated. This study was launched in an effort to understand our target learners and provide an indication towards the practicality, possibility, and appropriateness of such theory-based design. The application provides text, video, and recorded audio as media, and includes chat function, game-based learning, and electronic assignment. This paper explores the method and findings of a survey study targeted at first year Computer Engineering and Computer Science student learners at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Our survey results indicated that the learners had a positive attitude towards mobile learning, and they had a lot of experience using the provided media and functions. The theoretical-design was deemed to be practically appropriate for our learners. However, more encouragement and promotions would be needed in order to increase the application’s usage and recognition. We performed statistical analysis on the results and clustered the responses to form a persona which will be used in the next stage of this application’s development process.

References

  1. Alshalabi, I. A. and Elleithy, K. (2012). Effective mlearning design strategies for computer science and engineering courses. arXiv preprint arXiv:1203.1897.
  2. Calvo, R., Iglesias, A., and Moreno, L. (2014). Usercentered requirement engineering for accessible chats in m-learning. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 20(7):964-985.
  3. Cochrane, T. and Bateman, R. (2010). Smartphones give you wings: Pedagogical affordances of mobile web 2.0. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(1):1-14.
  4. Cooper, A. et al. (1999). The inmates are running the asylum:[Why high-tech products drive us crazy and how to restore the sanity], volume 261. Sams Indianapolis.
  5. Cooper, A., Reimann, R., and Cronin, D. (2007). About Face 3: The Essentials of Interaction Design. John Wiley & Sons.
  6. Crow, R., Santos, I. M., LeBaron, J., McFadden, A. T., and Osborne, C. F. (2010). Switching gears: moving from e-learning to m-learning. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6(1):268-278.
  7. Idoughi, D., Seffah, A., and Kolski, C. (2012). Adding user experience into the interactive service design loop: a persona-based approach. Behaviour & Information Technology, 31(3):287-303.
  8. Jones, M. and Marsden, G. (2004). Please turn ON your mobile phone-First Impressions of Text-messaging in Lectures. Springer.
  9. Jones, M. and Marsden, G. (2006). Mobile interaction design.
  10. Liu, Y., Han, S., and Li, H. (2010). Understanding the factors driving m-learning adoption: a literature review. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 27(4):210-226.
  11. Melhuish, K. and Falloon, G. (2010). Looking to the future: M-learning with the ipad.
  12. Moore, M. G. (1973). Toward a theory of independent learning and teaching. The Journal of Higher Education, pages 661-679.
  13. Moore, M. G. (1980). Independent study. Redefining the discipline of adult education, 5:16-31.
  14. Moore, M. G. (1993). 2 theory of transactional distance. Theoretical principles of distance education, page 22.
  15. Mulder, S. and Yaar, Z. (2006). The user is always right: A practical guide to creating and using personas for the web. New Riders.
  16. Park, Y. (2011). A pedagogical framework for mobile learning: Categorizing educational applications of mobile technologies into four types. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(2):78-102.
  17. Pruitt, J. and Adlin, T. (2010). The persona lifecycle: keeping people in mind throughout product design. Morgan Kaufmann.
  18. Rahim, W. A., Isa, W. M., Lokman, A. M., Taharim, N. F., and Wahid, N. D. (2014). Engineering m-learning using agile user-centered design. In Next Generation Mobile Apps, Services and Technologies (NGMAST), 2014 Eighth International Conference on, pages 60- 65. IEEE.
  19. Shearer, R. (2007). Instructional design and the technologies: An overview. Handbook of distance education, 2:219-232.
  20. Shudong, W. and Higgins, M. (2005). Limitations of mobile phone learning. In Wireless and Mobile Technologies in Education, 2005. WMTE 2005. IEEE International Workshop on, pages 3-pp. IEEE.
  21. Traxler, J. (2007). Defining, discussing and evaluating mobile learning: The moving finger writes and having writ.... The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(2).
Download


Paper Citation


in Harvard Style

Limtrairut P., Marshall S. and Andreae P. (2016). Know the Mobile Learning Application Users - Transactional Distance Perspective . In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU, ISBN 978-989-758-179-3, pages 378-387. DOI: 10.5220/0005791303780387


in Bibtex Style

@conference{csedu16,
author={Pakapan Limtrairut and Stuart Marshall and Peter Andreae},
title={Know the Mobile Learning Application Users - Transactional Distance Perspective},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,},
year={2016},
pages={378-387},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0005791303780387},
isbn={978-989-758-179-3},
}


in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,
TI - Know the Mobile Learning Application Users - Transactional Distance Perspective
SN - 978-989-758-179-3
AU - Limtrairut P.
AU - Marshall S.
AU - Andreae P.
PY - 2016
SP - 378
EP - 387
DO - 10.5220/0005791303780387