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Altc 2010 paper_0188_cb_dh
1. An analysis of first-year business
students’ mobile phones and their use
for learning
Dr Debbie Holley
Principal Lecturer Learning and Teaching
London Metropolitan University Business School
d.holley@londonmet.ac.uk
Claire Bradley
Research Fellow
Learning Technology Research Institute
c.bradley@londonmet.ac.uk
ALT-C 2010
2. Structure of talk
Background to
research
Student cohort
Report on
longitudinal study
Student attitudes
Use for learning
3. Background to research
Ongoing research into mobile learning with year one ‘new
entry’ students
Survey over 5 years
Timely: New Horizon Report 2010 - mobile computing one
of six ‘technologies to watch’
16 million people in the UK accessed the internet from
mobile phones in December 2009 (Guardian Report)
Mobile devices – can be defined around mobility of device,
mobility of the learner, facilitation beyond the confines of
the classroom
(Laurillard 2007; Sharples et al
2007; Wali et al 2008)
Mobile technologies – can help to
engage some students into taking
part (Bradley et al 2009)
4. Student cohort
Date No. of
students in
sample
Gender
No. of
females
Age range
18-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36+
2005 69 67% 60% 25% 10% 3% 2%
2006 101 71% 45% 37% 10% 3% 5%
2007 65 69% 53% 36% 8% 3% 0%
2008 91 68% 49% 45% 4% 2% 0%
2009 76 72% 61% 33% 5% 1% 0%
6. Features of students’ mobile phones
Colour screen standard for 97%
Capture and generate content
now possible:
96% have camera
86% can record video
84% can record audio/voice
Access data:
80% Internet
50% WIFI
91% Bluetooth
46% 3G
50% GPS
8. Attitudes to using phones for learning
Pattern in data of
score 1 – extremely
important
Some undecided or
unsure
Very low number of
‘not at all important’
responses
9. Further data we have in our paper
How useful would it be to access learning
materials via your mobile
25% keen, others more reticent – our
follow-up interviews should unpack this
further
How would you view university contacting you…
Around a third every year keen, growing
over time, others unsure, early interviews
indicate university tutors = yes, admin = no
Do you currently use your mobile phone for
learning?
Significant increase to 29% this year, citing
34 different uses n=76
10. Uses for learning (Autumn 2009)
Category Mobile phone use Total uses
per category
Communicating Email (4 students) 6
Contacting group assignment members
Fashion facebook group
Using tools/ Calculator (3 students) 4
applications Microsoft Office
Organising Putting reminder alarms for meetings 3
Check my exams
Organiser
Generating content/ Take pictures/photos (3 students) 4
artefacts Voice recording
Conducting research/ Internet (4 students) 12
getting information Google (3 students)
Research / search info. (5 students)
Note-taking Write notes 1
Other Accessing learning materials 4
Presentations / record presentations (2 students)
Transport files (PDF, Word, PowerPoint …)
11. Uses for learning
Category showing most
growth ‘conducting
research/getting
information
Rise in ‘generating
content/artefacts’
Other – presentations,
new uses ‘accessing
learning materials’ and
‘transporting files (pdf,
word, powerpoint)
12. Conclusions
At start of survey, aim was to ensure no student
disadvantaged by mobile phone pilots
Can now assume they will all have a device and
research focus switched to how they are using
their mobile phones for learning and the
associated tasks
Survey may not be indicative of all students, but
does provide an insight, and some baseline data
for future work
Have individual material now from students
capturing their mobile learning on flipcams and a
project website:
http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/learningonthemove
