Given the importance of digital communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for advancing academic goals through online social capital is more tangibly felt. This study examined the hypothesis that online social capital can improve the students’ academic performance, as one of the main academic goals, through the mediation of knowledge sharing in the online environment. Participants in the study were 376 graduate engineering students from five universities in Iran. The findings indicated that the bridging of online social capital had a positive and significant effect on the cognitive and social integrative benefits of online knowledge sharing. Besides, the social integrative benefits and personal integrative benefits of online knowledge sharing influenced academic performance. Finally, the social integrative benefits and personal integrative benefits had a mediating role in the relationship between the bridging of online social capital and academic performance. Implications of the findings are discussed for the students’ academic performance and suggestions are provided for future research.
Background: Since mobile learning is emerging as an alternative approach to teaching, educational institutions have used this approach to improve the teaching and learning process. This paper aimed at exploring learners' experiences of mobile learning in vocational and technical education courses.
Methods:The research method in this study was phenomenology. In this method, researchers investigated learners' lived experiences of mobile learning in vocational and technical education courses by semi-structured interviews. Participants (two classrooms: 32 people) were all learners, who attended this course. Results: According to theme analysis of interviews, nine basic themes were identified, two organizing themes and one global theme. Based on thematic analysis, the results showed that learners had a positive perception of mobile learning. Conclusions: Using mobile learning, learners gain greater quality and in-depth learning and the opportunity to study anywhere and at any time.
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