The Innovative Use of Personal Smart Devices by Students to Support their Learning

Abstract

Research into the autonomous use of MP3 audio recorders by students in UK Higher Education demonstrated that students were innovative in their autonomous use of the devices. They used them to capture learning conversations from formal and informal situations to personalise and enhance their learning. However, today smartphones and other smart devices have replaced the necessity for students to carry multiply mobile devices including MP3 recorders. This chapter builds upon the earlier work and presents a small qualitative study into how students are autonomously using their smart devices to support their learning. The research explores the hypothesis that students are being innovative in the ways in which they are use their smart devices to support their formal and informal learning. The study involved five students who own smart devices who were invited to discuss their ownership of smartphone and tablet technologies and the ways they used them in their studies. The students first completed a short questionnaire and were then interviewed in small groups. The results agree with previous research into the student use of smart devices and describe autonomous engagement facilitated by personally owned smart technologies. The study identifies continuous patterns of pervasive engagement by students and concludes that more thought should be given to disruptive innovation, digital literacy and employability.

The use of technology in group-work: A situational analysis of students' reflective writing

“…In this data it was evident that the tools that students use and the particular software applications that students use are important actants in the situation of group work. In common with the findings of [40] and [43] students used their phones to connect with each other and engage in team work in multiple locations, with the expectation that communication would be rapid and that responses would be quick. However these students still value face-to-face communication, and when team members do not attend meetings or are late this is problematic, which is consistent with the findings of Hassanien [30] who also reported on the difficulty that students have in arranging these important meetings.…”

“…Access to mobile phones is seemingly ubiquitous with research showing that 96.4% of first year students in Melbourne had a mobile phone [37] and mobile phones are superseding other technologies such as dedicated ÔclickersÕ in lectures [38]) Smart phones make it possible for pervasive access to learning Òanytime, anywhereÓ [39]; facilitate multitasking behavior [40], and provide opportunities for collaboration and discussion with classmates and tutors that is supportive of a constructivist pedagogy [41]. Research has shown that it can be difficult for students to engage in synchronous communication, whether that is face-to-face or online; mobile phones are preferred when an immediate response if needed [10].…”

“…Ali et al [35] found that students sought to keep social and work activities separate. However, Nortcliffe and Middleton [40] found that students do not make clear boundaries between study, life, and work due to the ubiquitous nature of smartphone technology, and this Òpersistent autonomous engagementÓ (p.201) has a profound impact on them as learners. Research in the school context has shown that Facebook can offer a Òthird spaceÓ, i.e.…”

Tablet Technologies and Education

“…Using an "active engagement metric, " Fagen and Kamin (2013) found student engagement in programming computer code to increase when using tablet technologies during college class discussions. Similarly, Nortcliffe and Middleton (2013) surveyed university students in the United Kingdom and their results support the idea that tablets foster autonomous, pervasive, student engagement. In their 2011 study, Loch, Galligan, Hobohm and McDonald utilized netbook tablets with volunteer students in college math courses.…”

Are academics ready for smart learning?

“…Ongoing research shows that students are embracing smart devices to support self‐learning. In particular, they are seeking out useful apps to improve skills such as organisation, productivity, referencing, communication and multitasking (see Nortcliffe, Clark, & Parkes, ; Nortcliffe & Middleton, ; Woodcock, Armstrong, Nortcliffe, & Middleton, ; Woodcock, Middleton, & Nortcliffe, ). Furthermore, Woodcock's, Middleton et al .…”