The Moderating Effects of Gender on Factors Affecting the Intention to Use Mobile Learning

Aim/Purpose The main aims of this research are to explore the moderating effects of gender on the relationships of such factors and the intention to use mobile learning, to examine the factors that influence m-learning acceptance in the universities and higher education institutions (HEI) in Iraq, and to investigate the influence of the intention to use on the actual use of mobile learning in (HEI). Background Over recent decades, mobile learning has played an increasingly important role in the teaching and learning process, especially for higher education. As such, acceptance and use of mobile learning has become a topic of interest within the education sector. In this regard, UTAUT is one of the widely used models for examining users' intention for use and acceptance of information technology.Methodology A survey method was used in this study involving a sample of 323 participants recruited from several universities in Iraq. Contribution This study has made significant contributions to the advancement of m -learn- ing in Iraq by developing a mobile learning model that can help guide practi- tioners to promote and facilitate the use of such an approach in universities.Findings The findings showed that gender moderated the relationships of social influ- ence (SI), effort expectancy (EE), and performance expectancy (PE) with re- spondents' intention to use m-learning. In addition, the findings confirmed the perceived enjoyment, performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), self-efficacy (SE), and social influence (SI) had significant direct effects on in- tention to use m-learning. Furthermore, the respondents' intention to use or be- havioral intention had a significant impact on the actual use of m-learning.Recommendations for PractitionersIt is vital for university management and practitioners to encourage students about the advantages of mobile learning in higher education institutions. In Iraq, the research in mobile learning is still very new and there are few studies have analyzed the gender effect on the mobile technology acceptance in learn- ing. This study provides a roadmap of the gender effect on variables that could influence mobile learning acceptance in higher education institutions in Iraq.Recommendations for Researchers The gender moderation effect on the factors that influence the mobile learning acceptance is important, thus the new researchers are advised to examine the gender effect on other factors that could influence mobile learning acceptance. Moreover, cross-nation studies are needed to further validate the findings of this research because it was conducted from the perspective of a developing na- tion where mobile learning is still in its infancy. Future studies may broaden the research to examine additional potential elements, such as the quality of ser- vices in future models, which can help enhance the understanding of learners' acceptance and continuous usage of mobile learning as well as to improve the utility of UTAUT.Impact on Society The use of mobile learning has increased in its importance for higher education around the globe, including Iraq. Clearly, mobile learning has been pervasively used in education throughout the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, students were required to study at home for months as per govern- ments' orders in order to avoid being affected by the virus. With mobile learn- ing, students were able to continue their studies;otherwise, they would have missed the academic year. Academic staff and administrators should therefore encourage and employ mobile learning for instruction, student communication, and exam administration.Future Research Given that the UTAUT model was used in higher educational settings for this research, it is advised to look into its application in corporate settings to see if comparable results can be repeated or not. More research is advised to look at the moderating effects of demographic factors, such as age and place of origin, in order to shed more light on students' adoption of mobile learning in HEIs in developing nations.

A Universal Design for an Adaptive Context-Aware Mobile Cloud Learning Framework Using Machine Learning

Mobile learning is becoming more and more popular today. It gained popularity recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in 2020. However, to provide learners with appropriate educational materials in such a mobile environment, the characteristics and context of the learners must be considered. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a framework for providing an adaptive context-aware learning process considering a combination of student learning models and principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The proposed system consists of components capable of detecting changes in context and adapting the way the application responds and behaves. The framework uses a machine-learning algorithm to predict learners' characteristics and follow UDL principles to deliver enriched user experience and location-aware content and activities. An online survey was conducted with 20 undergraduate students. We analyzed their levels of satisfaction with the proposed m-learning system. From the analyzed data, we noticed that the average rating values are close to 4.5, which indicates that the proposed m-learning system complies with UDL principles and provides an adaptive and localized learning environment, thus enhancing the efficiency of the learning process and experiences. The study also investigated the impact of factors (i.e., noise level, physical activity, and location) on learners' concentration towards the learning process. The results show that these factors have a significant impact on the learner's concentration level. © 2023 River Publishers.

The Effects of Using MS Teams Mobile Application on Language Learners‟ Motivation During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic

Motivation has long been recognized as a critical component of language learners' success. According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), an autonomously motivated student is more likely to be engaged in a learning activity. As the learners' needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness ought to be accommodated, these basic psychological needs of learners (BPNs) must be addressed to sustain autonomous motivation. Although there is a substantial number of literature that addresses the role of these three components in the context of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) and their relationship to autonomous motivation (Kohnke, 2020;Alamer, 2021b;Kartal, 2019;Ali, 2019), the use of Microsoft Teams is almost never addressed. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the informal use of mobile apps by teachers, such as messaging applications, and their students' levels of motivation. This study involved one group of students divided into six sections with the same level of proficiency, who were enrolled in a foundation course in English at a private university in the United Arab Emirates (N = 344). The students were studied over a period of time (Phase 1 and Phase 2 groups of the same population). The analyses were carried out by the use of ANOVA with repeated measures and a t-test. Participants' autonomy and competence were found to have increased slightly as a result of the study. The study, however, failed to demonstrate any significant impacts on anxiety, self-confidence, engagement with language tasks, nor on actual achievement. © 2023 World Journal of English Language.

Mobile learning determinants that influence Indian university students' learning satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole world went under strict lockdown, including educational institutions. This led to the quick reshaping of educational systems to provide uninterrupted education to the students. Preferably, both teachers and students switched from physical classrooms to online classrooms. This overnight change brought numerous challenges for a country like India. But the authors of this study see it as an opportunity and aim to explore mobile learning (m-learning) determinants that influence Indian university students' learning needs during the COVID-19. For this, the data were gathered using a web-based questionnaire from 557 students of seven different universities (both public and private) in India. Next, the data were quantitatively analysed using reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The results show that out of three first-order m-learning variables, only two (system and service quality items) have a positive impact on students' learning satisfaction in the Indian context. In the end, the implications of the study in the adoption of m-learning at different Indian universities have been discussed. Copyright © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Teachers' Perceived Usefulness on the Utilization of Mobile-Learning Approach in Teaching High School Biology: A Case from the Philippines

Providing quality learning in science during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic became one of the quandaries of most secondary schools in the Philippines, especially in remote areas. Likewise, high school teachers at Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC) despite the prominence of technological learning platforms, have still resorted to the use of printed modules as primary learning modality due to the emergence of digital gap among the learners. Thus, the possibility of addressing the gap through the utilization of m-learning approach in teaching science on a distance-learning set-up was explored. Using a developed mobile-learning modular app (MoLMA) by the researcher, the approach was utilized in one of the Grade-7 Science classes of the institution. Following a descriptive-comparative mixed-method research design, the perceived usefulness of m-learning approach was gathered based on the pre-and post-perception responses of the teacher-users before and after the intervention. A focus group discussion was conducted therein after to gather an in-depth response. Results revealed high positive feedback in the utilization of m-learning before and after the intervention. Though both yielded positive responses, t-test results showed a difference between the areas of instructional delivery, enhancement of learning, and flexibility and convenience. Apart from promoting ubiquitous and personalized learning experience, results of FGD showed its cost- and time-efficiency in teaching biology subjects compared to the modular. Technologically speaking, results showed that m-learning is one of the most adaptive and accessible ways of utilizing technology-enabled learning in science at the onset of pandemic. It is recommended that the effectiveness of the approach in increasing students' academic performance shall be also tested. © ICCE 2022.All rights reserved.

Termbot: A Chatbot-Based Crossword Game for Gamified Medical Terminology Learning.

Medical terminology can be challenging for healthcare students due to its unfamiliar and lengthy terms. Traditional methods such as flashcards and memorization can be ineffective and require significant effort. To address this, an online chatbot-based learning model called Termbot was designed to provide an engaging and convenient method for enhancing medical terminology learning. Termbot, accessible through the LINE platform, offers crossword puzzles that turn boring medical terms into a fun learning experience. An experimental study was conducted, which showed that students who trained with Termbot made significant progress in learning medical terms, demonstrating the potential of chatbots to improve learning outcomes. Termbot's gamified approach to learning can also be applied to other fields, making it a useful tool for students to learn medical terminology conveniently and enjoyably.

Understanding the inclination of South Indian nursing graduates in using mobile learning applications.

BACKGROUND: Clinical-based mobile learning courses have great demand among the nursing graduates as learners look for possibilities to update skills. The present study explores the feasibility, familiarity, utility, and attitude of nursing graduates of South India toward mobile learning applications (m-apps). MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online-based cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in May 2021 among the South Indian nursing graduates of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, using a questionnaire consisting 49 items categorized under six sections with items related to socio-demographic information; m-app usage; online learning experience; preference in using m-apps for learning purposes before COVID-19 and during COVID-19; students' engagement through e-learning; and anxiety related to online assessment. Descriptive and inferential (ANOVA, Chi-square, and t test) statistical data analysis were done using SPSS version 23. RESULTS: A total of 447 student nurses responded. The result shows that most of them, 96% (432) used android phones and 94% (422) owned a mobile. Age was highly influencing mobile learning application (m-learning apps) usage; students of less than 20 years of age used applications more frequently and possessed more educational applications. Majority of them, 84% (377) of them had started using m-learning apps only after COVID. 57.7% (249) commonly used m-learning apps for acquiring nursing knowledge resources, nursing exam preparatory, and drug resources. Students rated high for the interactive nature of these m-learning apps, while abundant learning materials and usage with ease were rated as other attractive features. Sixty-six percent (305) had mostly downloaded these apps from Google Play Store. CONCLUSION: The findings would help the m-learning application developers to offer customize solutions to address learning gaps that prevail among the South Indian nursing graduates and help with sustainable growth.

Investigating the Use of Mobile Learning in Saudi Higher Education: The Perspective of Undergraduate Students

People's life has been significantly affected due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This includes society, business, health, economic, and education fields. The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of mobile learning (m-learning) based on perceptions of higher education students in Saudi Arabia. The study analyzed the views on m-learning technologies and the utilization patterns of handheld devices for teaching and learning. It also considered the influence of demographic factors namely, gender, age, subject specialization, and the average smartphone usage. The challenges and obstacles hindering access to e-learning content have also been investigated. The study adopts a quantitative research design. The research questionnaire was administrated randomly to a sample of students comprised of males and females and from different departments across a public university in Saudi Arabia. Overall, the findings show the significant impact of smart devices on the educational process, but there are still many barriers that prevent the successful application of such technologies. The analysis provided valuable insights to design, pilot, and deploy future large-scale m-learning projects in higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations. © 2022 IEEE.

The Influence of E-Iearning, M-learning, and D-learning on the Student Performance: Moderating Role of Institutional Support

Student performance was affected due to the covid-19 pandemic;therefore, electronic (E), mobile (M), and distance (D) learning are the significant solution for this issue and needs researchers' focus. This study examines the impact of E learning, M learning, and D-Iearning on student performance in educational institutions in the UAE. Besides, this study investigates the moderating impact of institutional support on E-Iearning, M-learning, D-Iearning, and student performance in educational institutions in the UAE. The data were collected from students using questionnaires utilizing smart-PLS to check the data reliability and relationships among variables. The results indicated that E-Iearning, M-Iearning, and D-Iearning have a positive impact on student performance in educational institutions in the UAE. The results also revealed that the institutional support significantly moderates E-Iearning, M-learning, D-Iearning, and student performance in educational institutions in the UAE. The findings of this study help policymakers in establishing the policies related to the improvement of student performance using E learning, M-learning, and D-Iearning. © 2022 IEEE.

Investigating Factors M-Learning Acceptance and Use for Distance Learning Students in Higher Education

Many research has been conducted to examine the acceptance factors to use mobile learning (m-learning) for regular students. During the COVID-19 most of the higher education institutions around the world were converted to m-learning especially for regular students, in order to continue supporting the educational stage for these students. This situation, allow researches to tested the use of m-learning for regular students while they are studying in distance learning environment. However, limited researches, especially in developing countries, have been tested the acceptance factors to use m-leaning for distance learning students. In this study the behavioral intention to use mobile learning (m-learning) were examined as well as the m-learning factors that affecting its acceptance amongst the distance learning students were outlined. The study framework was depended on the model of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A quantitative approach was used to analyze the data that collected from a random sample of 154 male and female participants from Saudi universities. The results indicated that significant factors influencing distance learning students' behavioral intention include quality of service, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, gender, educational level, and type of device. The regulations governing distance learning programs and the implementation of mobile learning by Saudi universities under the direction of the Ministry of Higher Education are having a good impact and encouraging widespread use of m-learning. © 2022 by the authors.

Evolution and Trends in E-Learning Approaches to STEM, Engineering Education and Corporate Learning: A Bibliometric Analysis to 2021

Since the emergence of "computer-based learning", education has changed forever. This is true not only in academia but also in the engineering industry, as it has changed the way companies train engineers and technicians. Companies generally refer to these technologies as "computer-assisted learning". Academic institutions have applied these new learning approaches to complement traditional classroom presentations. When the Internet became available to individuals, some authors used the term "web-based learning"while others used the term "internet-based learning". Over time, the phrase "e-learning"became a general expression for learning approaches that were different from classroom presentations, which could be synchronous or asynchronous. The terms "online"or "virtual"learning also emerged, but the term "e-learning"predominated, and has now extended to academia and the corporate world. New variants of this concept have been developed, such as "mobile learning"and the combination of a presentation modality with electronic learning has resulted in the development of "blended learning". Since 2020, increasing numbers of publications have been produced in the areas of electronic and blended learning driven by the COVID pandemic and its consequences for education around the world, including engineering. Although publications in the field of engineering education are still led by the USA, we find that STEM publications are led by China. © 2022 IEEE.

Catalog of pedagogical practices, theories and teaching procedures for the elderly: contributions to the development of m-learning guidelines

This research presents a catalog of pedagogical practices, theories/methods, and teaching procedures for the elderly. Aging is a natural part of life and is a process of progressive and differential degradation. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgency of care for the elderly public. During the lockdown period, this audience's use of digital technologies grew, especially mobile devices. Despite the increase in the use of these devices, we see that the apps have not been developed considering the particular characteristics of the elderly, since aging can bring challenges and changes related to physical, sensory, perceptual, or cognitive issues. In the context of m-learning apps, it becomes even more urgent to consider pedagogical and accessibility aspects for this audience through specific guidelines for this domain. However, to propose such a guideline, it is necessary to know to define the scope and understand the user's context. Focusing on this context, we could mention AGE Guidelines - a set of m-learning pedagogical and accessibility guidelines for the elderly. This paper aims to discuss some aspects of the experimental and description phases to develop such guidelines: the establishment of a catalog of pedagogical practices, theories/methods, and teaching procedures. To create this catalog, six interviews with teachers specialized in the education of the elderly were carried out. Based on Bardin's method, the interviews were recorded and transcribed for later analysis. As a contribution, we expect that the presented catalog will help construct new educational artifacts, including pedagogical practices, theories/methods, and teaching procedures that effectively enable the teaching and learning process of the elderly in practice. © 2022 IEEE.

The Effect of the Aesthetically Mobile Interfaces on Students’ Learning Experience for Primary Education

Mobile devices such as mobile phones are becoming more important to school students today. This is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly traditional face-to-face learning has shifted to online learning such as learning via a mobile platform. Mobile learning also known as m-learning, is defined as learning in numerous situations through social and content interaction utilizing personal electronic devices. M-learning applications not only need to have efficient functions, but it also has to attract students to learn by providing an attractive interface. An aesthetic of a mobile interface is essential since it could influence the user's learning experiences, but vice versa for non-aesthetic interfaces. User experience (UX) encompasses an extensive range of outcomes of the user-device interaction, including cognitions, attitudes, beliefs, behaviour, behavioural intentions, and affect. However, this study focuses on UX in terms of learnability, satisfaction, and efficiency since most previous studies were not explicitly focused on examining these three (3) UX components. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effect of aesthetically mobile interfaces on the learnability, satisfaction, and efficiency of primary school students, specifically, for Kelas Al-Quran and Fardu Ain (KAFA) students. This study found that aesthetically mobile interfaces significantly affected students’ learning experiences regarding learnability, satisfaction, and efficiency. In conclusion, the findings of this study could serve as guidelines for future research in the field of mobile interface design. © 2022, International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved.

Secure Proctoring of Contactless Handwritten-Assessments with Insufficient Computing Resources using Smartphones

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed many aspects of people's lives, including education. The pandemic impacted schools, undergraduate, and graduate university education worldwide. Some educational institutions have moved to distance learning to prevent students and their families from getting infected, whereas others have face-To-face examinations to ensure students' integrity. However, paper-based exams are more likely to increase the virus's risk. From another perspective, the tremendous sums of papers used during exam preparation contribute significantly to paper waste. Existing proctoring solutions include learning management software or required additional hardware and software setup. In this paper, we propose a mobile application that facilitates the contactless submission of paper-based exams. The app is designed to be a medium where students can view exam questions and write down their solutions on their sheets of paper while in a proctored setting. Instructors can create exams, grade them, and monitor students through the app. The app consists of a cheating detection feature that constantly monitors app switches and network disconnects during test-Taking to combat any cheating attempts. Once the exam is over, instructors are provided with the ability to view a list of students' activities before submission. Once cleared, students can scan their solutions and upload them for grading. Our results show that the proposed tool is low-cost, user-friendly, and reliable and can be used to conduct exams in a safe and healthy environment. © 2022 IEEE.

A study on the learning experience of visitors of digital museums in STEAM education: From the perspective of visitors' visual evaluation.

Public education in museums has the interdisciplinary nature of STEAM education contemporary learning. In the contemporary learning process of the public, digital museums can rely on mobile terminals to provide people with opportunities for mobile learning. Especially since the global outbreak of COVID-19, many offline museums have been forced to close their doors or impose restrictions. How to use digital museums to better carry out the learning experience of visitors is a problem worthy of attention. Effective dissemination of visual information can help digital museums conduct educational activities more efficiently. The purpose of this study was to explore a research method for visual evaluation of visitors' learning experiences in digital museums. The visual evaluation of visitors in the digital museum learning experience involves the layout of exhibition content, the form of exhibition space, and the way of display of exhibits. Through eye-tracking engineering experiments, we obtain and analyze the visual data of visitors during the educational experience of the digital museum to form an accurate evaluation. This method can be used to assess the visual satisfaction of visitors with the educational experience of a digital museum in mobile learning. This kind of evaluation research can provide strong data support and design optimization direction guidance for the development of digital museum public education.

Comparing the Student Engagement with Two Versions of a Game-based Learning Tool

Research has shown that game-based learning techniques positively impact students' engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. We performed a study to explore the differences in student engagement with a game-based learning tool implemented on two different platforms: mobile and web-based. We developed two versions of a peer-quizzing game where the students can create quiz questions related to the learning material, which their peers can attempt to answer. The students can create three types of questions: Multiple Choice Questions, True/ False, and short answers. Students from a first-year introductory programming computer class were recruited to evaluate both versions of the game during one academic term (four months) during the Covid-19 pandemic when classes were entirely online. A bonus participation mark of up to five percent of the course was offered to students who posted at least three questions per week. In addition, we collected data about the students' in-game activities for the study duration. The Mann-Whitney U-test results show no significant difference in the engagement between the web and the game's mobile version. However, students posed more questions in the mobile version than in the Web version of the game. On the contrary, students solved more questions in the web version than in the mobile version. We have learned from the study that both game-based learning platforms effectively engage students. We also collected data about the students' experience with the game in a post-study survey. The responses show that both game versions got similar user experience ratings. © 2022 Dechema e.V.. All rights reserved.

E-Learning Barriers and Ergonomics

Covid19 is one of the deadliest diseases in recent history till now. The adverse effects may be seen everywhere, especially in the sphere of education. The uses of e-Learning models are multiplicatively increasing day by day in our daily life as a paradigm shift. In such types of situations, e-learning is the only feasible option for teaching-learning institutes. It delivers the learning contents with the help of ICT without the physical involvement of learners. On the other hand, it is facing some serious problems due to barriers and issues, due to the sudden paradigm shift in education. Thus, we focus upon two emerging aspects the barriers to e-learning (infrastructural, implementation, engagement), and issues related to imminent dimensions (pedagogical, technical, ergonomics, contextual). Finally, we propose a simple-and-generic rubric referring to the inevitable e-Learning ergonomics along the three dimensions referred to as physical, psychological, and organizational ergonomics. © 2021 IEEE.

M-Learning - Before and During COVID-19

The report describes a study of the opinion of students from the University of Ruse on their use of mobile learning before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research uses the survey methodology and for this purpose an online questionnaire was developed. A total number of 469 students from four academic years were surveyed - two before COVID-19 and two during the pandemic. Of the total number of surveyed students, 143 are in the academic year 2021-2022 and 133 are in the academic year 2020-2021, when most of the education was online. 72 are in the academic year 2019-2020 and 121 are in the academic year 2018-2019. An analysis and comparison of the results of these three academic years was performed. Relevant conclusions about the impact of COVID-19 on the use of mobile learning are made. © 2022 IEEE.

Perceived Readiness of Information and Communication Technology Policy in Supporting Mobile Learning in Times of COVID-19 at South African Schools

This study answers the research question, “how do teachers perceive the readiness of information and communication technology (ICT) school policies in supporting the provision of remote m-learning as a strategy for mitigating learning disruptions caused by COVID-19?” To investigate this question, the study adopted and adapted the UNESCO policy guideline for m-learning as an evaluation framework. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from five schools in South Africa, and ten teachers participated in the study. The sampled teachers perceived the ICT policies at the selected schools as outdated, not recognizing mobile devices as tools for learning, and silent on providing teachers with resources that facilitate m-learning. The results indicate that the ICT policies at the sampled schools were perceived as not supporting the UNESCO policy guideline for m-learning. Perceptions of teachers were investigated in this study because teachers are the custodians of m-learning at schools. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

The Adoption of Mobile Learning among University Students

The purpose of this study is to evaluate learners' perceptions of using mobile devices for learning during COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, with a particular focus on university students. Several educational institutions have set policies and procedures to adopt an e-learning environment by employing various potential methods for a smooth transition from classroom to online instruction to avoid disturbing the teaching and learning process. This study was conducted by implementing a survey method on 116 students to determine learners' perceptions of adopting mobile phones as a type of education. This survey found that the majority of university students have a favorable attitude toward m - learning. This study established that m-learning is exceptionally beneficial for remedying study gaps during this COVID-19 pandemic period. The findings will assist education decision-makers and educational establishments in incorporating m - learning technology throughout the system, in which social media could indeed significantly improve the teaching-learning activities. The results also suggest that M - learning may support learners in filling in study gaps during the COVID-19 disease outbreak timespan.